Schubertiade, Schwarzenberg, Austria
26 June 2009
Gerald Finley (baritone)
Julius Drake (piano)
This performance was broadcast by Austrian radio station OE 1 on the 2 July 2009, 7.30 pm
Robert Schumann: Heinrich Heine settings
Tragödie I und II
Der arme Peter
Lehn’ deine Wang’,
Es leuchtet meine Liebe
Dein Angesicht
Mein Wagen rollet langsam
Belsazar
Die feindlichen Brüder
Abends am Strand
Die beiden Grenadiere
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
Soundbites
Hermann Schlösser, Wiener Zeitung, 4 July 2009
Translated by Petra Habeth
[review of the radio broadcast]
http://www.wienerzeitung.at/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=4975&alias=wzo&cob=423554
Ironically absorbed melancholy
Concert broadcasts have forever belonged to the inherent part of the radio program – but there is no reason to reform this “format”. It is quite beautiful when you get a concert delivered into your home. On Thursday for instance, a wonderful recital was broadcast on Ö1 which was recorded this year at the Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg. The Baritone Gerald Finley sang – accompanied by Julius Drake – Heine compositions of Robert Schumann.
The Interpretations of both excellent musicians makes clear that Schumann was the most congenial composer for Heinrich Heine’s elegant, ironically absorbed melancholy. That was not only observed in the cycle “Dichterliebe”, Schumann’s master piece, but also the less well known Lieder which were to be heard in the first part of the concert. In short, on Thursday you were able to spend a very stimulating evening radio-listening.
Anna Mika, 26 June 2009
Translated by Petra Habeth
Gerald Finley and Julius Drake inspired
Several examples exist to show that opera stars are not necessarily also good Lieder singers. The Schubertiade debutant Gerald Finley is at home on the stages of the world, i.e. sing Don Giovanni under the baton of Kirill Petrenko in Paris, and he gave a top class recital yesterday afternoon in Schwarzenberg.
Musical dialogue
Julius Drake, who can be named in the same breath, was at the piano and went into a musical dialogue with the singer which was always delightful and often breathtaking. The programme with Lieder by Robert Schumann exclusively from the texts of Heinrich Heine was indeed intended to put this musical partnership in perspective since Schumann has provided his songs with rich and independent piano parts.
Hence the Dichterliebe became a singular event thanks to the art of characterization of both artists. How they pass the impulses to each other, how Finley often in the smallest space mixed the colours of his sometimes powerful, sometime wonderfully gentle baritone, was unique. Also in the first part everything went wonderfully, but at several times Finley’s piano-voice was too polite so that it was barely audible.
A highlight
But he soared up to lonely altitudes with his interpretation of “Belsatzar” and “die beiden Grenadiere” which sent shivers running down your spine. In company with Julius Drake he curbed and accelerated the tempi with astonishing freedom and stylistic confidence, and his acting talent became visible without going beyond the scope of Lied singing.
It is beyond understanding that several seats remained unoccupied at this wonderful concert. Are the Schubertiade visitors not curious about a new interpreter? When at today’s evening concert, Matthias Goerne, who has sung all three Schubert cycles, finishes the June-series with the “Schwanengesang”, all will be happy about a Schubertiade with its especially beautiful concerts and without last minute cancellations.
Interview with Julius, played in the intermission of the broadcast of this recital on German stations
(transcription)
„Well, I do think, the piano does play a special role actually in all ‘Lied’, but in particular with Schumann. Schumann, I think, was so much a pianist himself, and before he wrote any songs – he suddenly started writing songs in 1840 when he knew that he would be able to finally marry Clara – but before that, he only wrote piano-pieces. And all the great piano-pieces come from 1838 and 1839 and 1837: The “Fantasiestücke”, “Davidsbündler-Tänze” – he was very much thinking as a pianist. And I think, you can feel that in the songs. So often you feel that everything is there in the piano – and the singer is giving the words. Often the melody is also in the piano. So I think the piano does have a very particular role in the songs of Schumann.”