Schubert lieder orchestrated

[ardcarp]

Franz Schubert

Erlkonig, D328
Singer: Matthias Goerne. Orchestra: Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen.

Personally I thought that item on yesterday's Record Review was tasteless. The presenter stated that the characterisation of Father, Child and Death in Erlkönig was done by the orchestra instead of the singer having to do 'Pantomime Voices'. Oh dear.
A staple of the lieder repertore was wrecked, IMO, not assisted by Matthias Goerne's unrelieved and over-coloured voice-production.Furthermore, the insistent triplet rhythm, main feature of the original piano part, came and went in prominence in a manner that I'm sure Schubert never intended.

I guess many will disagree with me, but can anyone imagine this combo capturing the subtleties of, say, Wintereise? I can imagine Schubert turning in his grave.

[teamsaint]

Thanks for flagging up this subject Ardy, not least because it seems that I could net well over £40 for my copy of the Abbado/ von Otter/ Quasthoff CD

[RichardB]

in a manner that I'm sure Schubert never intended

That imponderable issue doesn't really matter though, when it comes to orchestrations, does it? They will emphasise certain aspects of the song that the orchestrator thought worth bringing out, if they had anything interesting to contribute by making them. I find the Abbado CD teamsaint mentions quite fascinating (and beautifully played and sung) - surely there's something to be said for hearing what people like Reger, Berlioz, Webern, Liszt, Brahms, Offenbach and Britten had to say about Schubert?

[jayne lee wilson]

Know this one? Works pretty good for me.....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zender-Schuberts-Winterreise-Franz-Schubert/dp/B00002DDUB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3B1UPF8URCFXP&keywords=schubert+winterreise+kairos&qid=1673226907&sprefix=schubert+winterreise+kairos%2Caps%2C62&sr=8-1

... a genius conductor/composer of the calibre of Hans Zender arranging it, Cambreling and Prégardien with the Klangforum presenting it....doesn't hurt... .....will probably be the love-it-or-hate-it thing though...

[gurnemanz]

I also did not really enjoy the Goerne Erlkönig rendition. There are many Schubert lied orchestrations which do give me pleasure. I prefer Hermann Prey, who does both Liszt and Berlioz versions on his disc with the Munich Phil and Gary Bertini. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsFTvVmA2TI). I also have a soft spot for the anonymously orchestrated 1930 recording in French from tenor, Georges Thill, a dramatic amd most unothodox rendition with a baritone coming in as the Erlkönig and a boy treble as the doomed child. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ60QF6map0

As well as the Anne Sophie von Otter/Thomas Quasthoff/Abbado dsic mentioned, my most recent disc is Schubert: Nacht & Träume - Wiebke Lehmkuhl (contralto) and Stanislas de Barbeyrac (tenor) with Insula orchestra under Laurence Equilbey, https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...t-nacht-traume. It is a varied selection done with an intimacy in keeping with the Lied form, with various older settings including Erlkönig from Berlioz, Britten's Forelle, Richard Strauss's Ganymed, Webern's Du bist die Ruh, but also five new versions by Franck Krawczyk (including a couple of choral settings) which are most enjoyably done.

Reger was quite prolific in his Schubert orchestrations and I also have a recommendable disc from cpo with Camilla Nylund and Klaus Mertens and Radio-Philharmonie Hannover under Werner Andreas Albert, which also has an Erlkönig. https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...chestral-songs.

Another worthwhile disc has Reger and Webern settings with Christian Elsner, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin/Marek Janowski. https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...chubert-lieder

[RichardB]

Know this one? Works pretty good for me.....

It's an interesting idea, but I don't think it comes off. So many things, from the shuffling feet at the beginning onwards, are just Zender making explicit and graphic what in Schubert are subtle hints, making the whole thing into a bit of a pantomime in my opinion. But anyway I don't generally find Zender to be among the most imaginative composers of his generation. This is something that Holliger or Sciarrino would have done much better.

[gradus]

I quite liked the Erlkonig in orchestral dress but I also enjoy various pianistic arrangements of Lieder especially Liszt's many settings.