United Kingdom Schubert: Christian Gerhaher (baritone), Gerold Huber (piano). Wigmore Hall, London, 1.12.2022 (MB)
Schubert – Sei mir gegrüsst, D 741; Dass sie hier gewesen, D 775; Lachen und Weinen, D 777; Du bist die Ruh, D 776; Greisengesang, D 778; Schwanengesang, D 957
This memorable Schubert from Christian Gerhaher and Gerold Huber opened with 5 settings of Friedrich Rückert, well-chosen and ordered. Sei mir gegrüsst’s opening piano lilt was taken up simply as keenly by Gerhaher, signalling a gathering of musical minds and apply. From the very outset, one would possibly readily have taken dictation, verbal and musical, so clear was each side of the efficiency, that readability by no means a objective in itself however means to an expressive finish. Unity and variation in an initially strophic setting that then units out alongside new paths have been equally obvious, inspiring and comforting in comparable measure. The nearly Lisztian sensibility of Dass sie hier gewesen supplied good distinction, the set’s fruits in a declamatory, richly expressive Greisengesang calling Fischer-Dieskau to thoughts. No greater than wherever else, although, did one measurement match all, a silvery, surprisingly tenor-like studying of Du bist die Ruh finely complemented by Huber’s voicing of concord and counterpoint.
Seven Schwanengesang settings of Ludwig Rellstab took us to the interval. The ‘Bächlein’ of ‘Liebesbotschaft’ set the scene and underlay it, in figurative in addition to locational phrases. A deeply touching ‘Kriegers Ahnung’ took in a number of moods, not least the proto-Wagnerian; likewise, the later ‘In der Ferne’, its world-weariness prefiguring Wagner’s Dutchman, the ultimate stanza deeply — in multiple sense — ambiguous, whispering breezes performing their magic whichever means they or destiny selected. Gerhaher’s ardent ‘Ständchen’ actually felt like a serenade, in essence and progress, ‘Aufenthalt’ a tragic pendant from the world of Winterreise. The pounding of the protagonist’s coronary heart because the excessive treetops swayed within the wind had us really feel altitude and grief alike. ‘Abschied’, the final of the set, effected after ‘In der Ferne’ an ideal transformation of temper, in a studying each animated and detailed, but by no means remotely fussy.
Six Heine settings adopted the interval. A darkly resolute ‘Der Atlas’ supplied an enchanting examine in delight. ‘Ihr Bild’ proved duly haunting, nothing taken as a right, the miracles of Schubertian modulation heard as if for the primary time; likewise, the composer’s main/minor oscillation. Prefiguring ‘Die Stadt’ and its chill wind, we discovered ourselves as soon as once more emphatically post-Winterreise. ‘Der Doppelgänger’ went additional nonetheless, because it should, technically in its ghostly withdrawal of vibrato and far else, but additionally emotionally in its defiance. This, fairly correctly, marked the climax to the whole recital. After that, ‘Die Taubenpost’ labored its charms to perfection, a pleasant, lingering goodbye.
Mark Berry