Kaufmann: Strauss – Lieder (FLAC)

Composer: Richard Strauss
Performer: Jonas Kaufmann
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: FLAC (image+cue)
Label: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
Size: 240 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: no

01. Zueignung Op. 10 No. 1
02. Nichts Op. 10 No. 2
03. Die Nacht Op. 10 No. 3
04. Wer hat’s getan Op. 10 No. 6 bis
05. Befreit Op. 39 No. 4
06. Allerseelen Op. 10 No. 8
07. Ruhe, meine Seele Op. 27 No. 1
08. Cäcilie Op. 27 No. 2
09. Heimliche Aufforderung Op. 27 No. 3
10. Morgen! Op. 27 No. 4
11. Freundliche Vision Op. 48 No. 1
12. Ich liebe dich Op. 37 No. 2
13. All mein Gedanken? Op. 21 No. 1
14. Du meines Herzens Krönelein Op. 21 No. 2
15. Ach Lieb, ich muss nun scheiden! Op. 21 No. 3
16. Ach weh mir unglückhaftem Mann Op. 21 No. 4
17. Die Frauen sind oft fromm und still Op. 21 No. 5
18. Traum durch die Dämmerung Op. 29 No. 1
19. Nachtgang Op. 29 No. 3
20. Wozu noch, Mädchen Op. 19 No. 1
21. Breit’ über mein Haupt Op. 19 No. 2
22. Schön sind, doch kalt die Himmelsterne Op. 19 No. 3
23. Wie sollten wir geheim sie halten Op. 19 No. 4
24. Hoffen und wieder verzagen Op. 19 No. 5
25. Mein Herz ist stumm Op. 19 No. 6
26. Ich trage meine Minne Op. 32 No. 1
27. Sehnsucht Op. 32 No. 2
28. Schlechtes Wetter Op. 69 No. 5

An award-winning Strauss recital

Just as I write, the Gramophone’s 2007 award for best vocal recital went to this album of Strauss songs from rising tenor Jonas Kaufmann. I had given up, more or less, on new lieder singers who can match the old standbys. But in many ways this CD deserves the prize. Kaufmann (age 38, born in Munich, now established at the Zurich Opera) possesses an attractive, somewhat beefy tenor, and his approach to Strauss is as robust as that of Ben Heppner or James King, one of Kaufmann’s teachers. The stereotype of Strauss is that his songs are soaring lyrical flights devoid of profound emotion or poetically deep texts. But sheer beauty counts for a lot.

Kaufmann’s semi-operatic approach is quite winning (another hefty tenor, Peter Anders, famously sang these songs in operatic style sixty years ago in wartime and post-war Germany), and his ringing tone brings a heroic element to melodies usually taken by sopranos — Strauss was married to a gifted lyric soprano, for whom much of his song output was written. Helmut Deutsch is a skillful accompanist, somehwat on the workmanlike side. Sadly, the sound of the piano is clangy and clattery, and the engineers give Kaufmann’s voice a metallic edge at loud volume. One expects Kaufmann to receive better treatment now that he’s an exclusive Decca artist.

All in all, for those who love lieder, this CD is a welcome find and a harbinger of more exciting work from this rising star in the future.