The presence of Die Allmacht in a singer’s programme is not likely to go unremarked. It presupposes power. In Schubert’s entire output, few of his songs demand a mighty voice of the kind later generations have come to regard as Wagnerian. Record collectors in the 1950s and 60s would have associated this great hymn to God the Creator with the Brünnhilde-voice of Kirsten Flagstad, and here, in Christa Ludwig, was a new mezzo-soprano, noted for her performances in two operas by Richard Strauss, Der Rosenkavalier and Capriccio, including it in her first Lieder recital for the gramophone; it must have raised a few eyebrows. And what is heard must have done a great deal more than that, for here is a voice of ample volume, certainly, but also one exceptional in quality and character. …
These sessions were Geoffrey Parsons’s first for EMI, and the choice of pianist was significant. Gerald Moore remained the universally recognised principal of accompanists up to his retirement in 1967, but the young Australian, already experienced and well recognised for his talents, was probably the successor. His death after a short illness in 1995, at the age of 65, was mourned throughout the musical world.
Christa Ludwig retired from singing several years ago, but those who have seen her at work since then in masterclasses will have noticed how careful she is to include the pianist in her observations. She would be the first to insist that the ‘solo’ recital is in fact a collaboration of musicians. In saying so she would certainly not overlook Gervase de Peyer, for many years principal clarinet of the London Symphony Orchestra and a leading soloist and chamber player in his own right. Here he makes a major contribution with the obbligato in Der Hirt auf dem Felsen, where voice and clarinet perform what is essentially a duet. With its promise of spring and a making-ready for a fresh start, it was first performed in 1830, a year [sic] after Schubert’s death, the last written of all the (approximately) 700 of his songs.
John Steane, 2004
Schubert
Lieder
Christa Ludwig, mezzosopran
Geoffrey Parsons (3-15) and Gerald Moore (1 & 2 ), piano
Gervase de Peyer, clarinet (3)
Quality: mp3, varied kbps
Size: 114 MB
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Christa Ludwig,
EMI,
Geoffrey Parsons,
Gerald Moore,
Gervase de Peyer,
Lied,
Schubert
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