A kind friend sent me a
CD of Roderick Williams (baritone) and Iain Burnside
(piano) in a recital of 22 Schubert Lieder. I had never heard of
either musician, but I have been very pleasantly surprised. Williams
has a most attractive light baritone voice, making a pleasant change
from Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's occasional rasps and gusts. His
German sounds excellent (to me) and his diction is immaculate; one
hardly needs the libretto. The songs are intelligently chosen and
contrasted, with seven of the songs coming from Rellstab texts in the
Schwanengesang collection.
I usually hesitate
about song recitals by non- native speakers. The French for French
mélodies, the Germans for German Lieder, and the British for English
language songs, is a fairly sure rule. But I make an exception for Mr
Williams. Another pleasant surprise was Iain Burnside's highly
participating accompaniments; a long way from the smiling and polite
Gerald Moore of yesteryear. Burnside is a real contributor to these
songs (as he should be). All in all, a very fine new CD from the
Delphian label.
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