Hyperion Records | Schumann R: The Songs of Robert Schumann, Vol. 01

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CDJ33101

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Recording details: September 1995
All Saints, Durham Road, East Finchley, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Mark Brown
Engineered by Antony Howell & Julian Millard
Release date: June 1996
Total duration: 71 minutes 50 seconds

GRAMOPHONE AWARD WINNER
GRAMOPHONE CRITICS' CHOICE
CANNES CLASSIQUE SOLO VOCAL AWARD

'A young singer on the threshold of a potentially great career ... A born Lieder singer ... her fresh bright tone is a consistent joy' (The Sunday Times)

'Ah, l'heureuse surprise! Mlle Schäfer, par la toute simple éloquence du moindre mot, du moindre son, ignore l'obstacle purement et simple. Eblouissant' (Diapason, France)

'Schäfer evokes comparison with Elisabeth Schumann and with the young Elly Ameling, whom in tone and freshness of response she often resembles. In sum, a delectable, often revelatory recital' (Gramophone)

'Her voice combines ethereal radiance and clarity with resolute, unwavering focus. Johnson's account of the piano parts is superlative [and] his booklet notes are also exemplary - comprehensive, erudite, instructive - and deserve publication in their own right' (BBC Music Magazine)

'Son premier enregistrement de Lieder de Schumann est d'emblée une réussie absolue. Avec le timbre à la fois le plus pur et le plus coloré, une ligne d'une souplesse parfaite et un contrôle idéal du souffle, de la nuance et de la mezza voce elle a d'emblée toutes les qualités d'une grande chanteuse de Lieder. Tout dans ce programme très varié est superlatif. N'oublions pas Graham Johnson dont on se demande s'il faut louer le plus son d'accompagnement constamment musical et passionnant ou ses notes de programmes sur le Lieder' (Répertoire, France)

'It is hard to think of a more eloquent, dedicated partnership than Johnson's with the young German soprano Christine Schäfer here: pure, unaffected singing, in partnership with pianism of rare insight and beauty of tone and phrasing' (Hi-Fi News)

'A delectable debut recital from a born Lieder singer' (Gramophone)

'There is much beauty in these songs and if they need first-class performers to reveal their glories they certainly have them here, with Schäfer's beautifully clear, shining, radiant voice, Johnson's warm and sensitive accompaniment, all wrapped in the wonderfully intimate acoustic that Hyperion always manages for its vocal discs. As with the Schubert series, Johnson's notes are a work of art in themselves, with deeply-thought insights on every page. He is truly a peerless representative of song' (The Singer)

'All now stand and salute! ... In fine sonics and a most complete booklet in English plus the original German poems and translations, Hyperion deserve our thanks' (In Tune, Japan)

`This is one of the finest Lieder recordings I've ever heard ... imaginatively and intelligently conceived, and superlatively achieved' (Fanfare, USA)

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

The Songs of Robert Schumann, Vol. 01 – Christine Schäfer

The later songs

Christine Schäfer (soprano), Graham Johnson (piano)

		Sechs Gesänge, Op 89
1		No 6: Röselein, Röselein! [2'16]
		Vier Gesänge, Op 142
2		No 3: Mädchen-Schwermut 'Kleine Tropfen, seid ihr Tränen' [2'39]
		Drei Gesänge, Op 83
3		No 2: Die Blume der Ergebung 'Ich bin die Blum' im Garten' [2'57]
		Spanisches Liederspiel, Op 74
4		No 06: Melancholie 'Wann, wann erscheint der Morgen, wann denn!' [2'17]
		Lieder-Album für die Jugend, Op 79
5		No 07a: Zigeunerliedchen I 'Unter die Soldaten' [1'03]
6		No 07b: Zigeunerliedchen II 'Jeden Morgen, in der Frühe' [1'37]
		Fünf heitere Gesänge, Op 125
7		No 1: Die Meerfee 'Helle Silberglöcklein klingen aus der luft vom meer' [1'08]
		Sechs Gesänge, Op 107
8		No 1: Herzeleid 'Die Weiden lassen matt die Zweige hangen' [1'47]
9		No 2: Die Fensterscheibe 'Die Fenster klär' ich zum Feiertag' [1'56]
10		No 3: Der Gärtner 'Auf ihrem Leibrösslein' [1'21]
11		No 4: Die Spinnerin 'Auf dem Dorf in den Spinnstuben' [1'18]
12		No 5: Im Wald 'Ich zieh' so allein in den Wald hinein!' [1'55]
13		No 6: Abendlied 'Es ist so still geworden' [2'14]
		Lieder und Gesänge IV, Op 96
14		No 3: Ihre Stimme 'Lass tief in dir mich lesen' [2'21]
15		No 1: Nachtlied 'Über allen Gipfeln' [2'23]
		Lieder und Gesänge aus Wilhelm Meister, Op 98a
16		No 7: Singet nicht in Trauertönen [2'30]
17		No 3: Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt [2'13]
18		No 5: Heiss' mich nicht reden [3'14]
19		No 9: So lasst mich scheinen [3'09]
20		No 1: Mignon 'Kennst du das Land?' [3'58]
		Sechs Gedichte und Requiem, Op 90
21		No 1: Lied eines Schmiedes 'Fein Rösslein, ich' [1'34]
22		No 2: Meine Rose 'Dem holden Lenzgeschmeide' [3'20]
23		No 3: Kommen und Scheiden 'So oft sie kam, erschien mir die Gestalt' [1'16]
24		No 4: Die Sennin 'Schöne Sennin, noch einmal' [2'17]
25		No 5: Einsamkeit 'Wild verwachs'ne dunkle Fichten' [3'04]
26		No 6: Der schwere Abend 'Die dunklen Wolken hingen' [2'03]
27		No 7: Requiem 'Ruh von schmerzensreichen Mühen' [3'55]
		Romanzen und Balladen IV, Op 64
28		No 2: Das verlassene Mägdlein 'Früh, wann die Hähne krähn' [1'57]
		Lieder-Album für die Jugend, Op 79
29		No 23: Er ist's 'Frühling lässt sein blaues Band' [1'19]
		Drei Gedichte, Op 119
30		No 2: Warnung 'Es geht der Tag zur Neige' [2'07]
		Fünf Lieder und Gesänge, Op 127
31		No 1: Sängers Trost 'Weint auch einst kein Liebchen' [2'25]
		Lieder und Gesänge III, Op 77
32		No 5: Aufträge 'Nicht so schnelle, nicht so schnelle!' [2'17]

This superlative disc is the first in a series that includes all the vocal music of Robert Schumann for voice and piano. It contains a majority of Lieder from the alter years of the composer’s life. As we have come to expect from Graham Johnson, the CD comes with comprehensive notes on the songs, along with biographical sketches of the many poets set by Schumann. Christine Schäfer’s singing is faultless.