Composer: Franz Peter Schubert
Performer: Christoph Prégardien, Michael Gees
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Challenge Classics
Catalogue: CC72292
Release: 2008
Size: 236 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Die schöne Müllerin, D795
01. Das Wandern
02. Wohin?
03. Halt!
04. Danksagung an den Bach
05. Am Feierabend
06. Der Neugierige
07. Ungeduld
08. Morgengruss
09. Des Müllers Blumen
10. Tränenregen
11. Mein!
12. Pause
13. Mit dem grünen Lautenbande
14. Der Jäger
15. Eifersucht und Stolz
16. Die liebe Farbe
17. Die böse Farbe
18. Trockne Blumen
19. Der Müller und der Bach
20. Des Baches Wiegenlied
As he looks back upon a magnificent singing career, Christophe Prégardien (born 1956) has released these three Schubertian cycles. Over the years, Prégardien has become one of the most recognised and inspired performers of Schubert’s works. His discography, however, does not stop at these three pillars of the Lied repertoire. Along with his friend Andreas Staier, he has produced many themed records for the labels deutsche harmonia mundi and Teldec Classics.
This album includes the last recordings made by Prégardien with Michael Gees (Die schöne Müllerin and Winterreise) and Andreas Staier (Schwanengesang). With the treble gradually disappearing, Prégardien shifts to using lower tones while retaining his tenor voice. While a certain mannerism has come to mark his performance style, he still retains a great talent for dramatic interpretation of the texts. At the piano, Michael Gees sticks closely to Prégardien and moulds his playing to the singer’s every intention.
The pseudo-cycle Schwanengesang (a suite of Lieder assembled arbitrarily after the composer’s death) was recorded in 2008 with Andreas Staier, who is playing a modern copy, made by Christopher Clarke, of a Graf pianoforte from 1827. These songs bear the perfect commitment and excellent expressiveness which are the hallmark of Christophe Prégardien’s art.