Mozartsaal, Schwetzingen Festival
1 June 2009
Gerald Finley (bass-baritone)
Julius Drake (piano)
This performance was broadcast by German radio station SWR2 on 7th June 2009
Robert Schumann: Heine settings
Tragödie I und II op. 64 Nr. 3
“Der arme Peter”, Liederzyklus op. 53
Lehn‘ deine Wang‘ an meine Wang‘ op. 142 Nr. 2
Es leuchtet meine Liebe op. 127 Nr. 3
Dein Angesicht op. 127 Nr. 2
Mein Wagen rollet langsam op. 142 Nr. 4
Belsazar op. 57
Die feindlichen Brüder op. 49 Nr. 2
Abends am Strandop. 45 Nr. 3
Die beiden Grenadiere op. 49 Nr. 1
Interval
Robert Schumann: Dichterliebe, Op 48
Im wunderschönen Monat Mai
Aus meinen Tränen spriessen
Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne
Wenn ich in deine Augen seh’
Ich will meine Seele tauchen
Im Rhein, im heiligen Strome
Ich grolle nicht
Und wüssten’s die Blumen, die kleinen
Das ist ein Flöten und Geigen
Hör’ ich das Liedchen klingen
Ein Jüngling liebt ein Mädchen
Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen
Ich hab’ im Traum geweinet
Allnächtlich im Traume
Aus alten Märchen
Die alten, bösen Lieder
Encores
Charles Ives: “Ich grolle nicht”
Robert Schumann: “Lotosblume”
What the critics say
WB, Mannheimer Morgen, 4 June 2009
Translated by Petra Habeth
Little magic moments
In the Anglo-Saxon language area he’s an opera star, in Vienna and Salzburg an idol, in this country almost unknown: Gerald Finley. At the beginning of his procession through German country, which one presumes will be triumphal, is the Schwetzingen festival, where the Canadian Bass-Baritone with a Schumann-only evening has his audience fascinated, yet overwhelmed. At his side the formidable pianist Julius Drake, whose love of Schumann, shared with Finley, can be seen and heard, and makes little magical moments out of the postlude time and time again.
Ironic reflections
Heine texts, set to music by Schumann propel the listeners to all of the highs and lows of human existence. Gerald Finley has at his disposal in rich measure all of the ingredients to make a Lied singer of rank: a colourful “basso cantante” without a problem in height, a perfect breathing technique, brilliant articulation, the right feeling for ironic reflections and an all-embracing arsenal of nuances of expression. Finley hits the simple sound of folk (Der armen Peter), the poetry of the “zarten Blaublümelein” as well as the drama of the big ballads (”Belsazar”, “Die beiden Grenadiere”).
The intermission in the evening sun saw great anticipation of the “Dichterliebe”. Gerald Finley then lives through the cosmos of disappointed love and deep despair from “wunderschönen Monat Mai” to the “alten, bösen Lieder” – enormous outbursts and heart breaking piano passages under a huge arc of tension. As thanks for the lasting, vociferous ovations, the Chares Ives’ scoring of the Heine-text “Ich grolle nicht” and Schumann’s “Lotosblume” was given.