The Hyperion Schubert Edition 3 / Ann Murray, Graham Johnson

Amazon.com
Ann Murray gets the dubious honor of singing Schubert's Viola, one of these long ballads that Schubert loved to set, but which are so difficult to bring off in performance. Actually, Viola is one of the shorter ones, at just 15 minutes, and both Murray and Graham Johnson have a ball with it--at least as much as the rather depressing story permits. On either side of the major work, Johnson has selected a varied assortment of songs including one of Schubert's best known--Der Zwerg (The Dwarf). An interesting and very well executed program. --David Hurwitz

Opera News
Estimable accompanist Graham Johnson takes the full measure of this output, both in remarkable liner notes and in the vocal feats he inspires in lyric mezzo Ann Murray. Murry also musters meticulous French and an entire arsenal of vocal shadings.

The Hyperion Schubert Edition 3 / Ann Murray, Graham Johnson,Franz Schubert,Ann Murray,Graham Johnson,Hyperion,Classical,Classical Composers,Classical Music,Romantic Music for Voice and Keyboard,Vocal

Average customer rating:

The Hyperion Schubert Edition 33 - The Young Schubert / McLaughlin, Murray, Wyn-Rogers, Langridge, D. Norman, A. Thompson, Koningsberger, Varcoe; Graham Johnson Franz Schubert , Graham Johnson , Marie McLaughlin , Ann Murray , Catherin Wyn-Rogers , Philip Langridge , Daniel Norman , Adrian Thompson , Maarten Koningsberger , and Stephen Varcoe Manufacturer: Hyperion UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Hyperion Schubert Edition 31 / Christine Brewer, Graham Johnson The Hyperion Schubert Edition 34 / 1817 - 1821 The Hyperion Schubert Edition 36 ~ An 1827 Schubertiad / Banse, Finley, Schade, Dawson, G. Johnson The Hyperion Schubert Edition 35 - Schubert, 1822-1825 / Dawson, McGreevy, Langridge, Hampson, Koningsberger, Maltman, Davies, G. Johnson The Hyperion Schubert Edition 28 - An 1822 Schubertiad / Ainsley, Koningsberger ASIN: B00002EIUC Release Date: 1999-10-12

Average customer rating: Beware Mislabeling! Discovering the Schubert Songs FOUR-AND-TWENTY SINGERS

The Hyperion Schubert Edition - "A Voyage of Discovery", a selection from the first 27 volumes Manufacturer: Hyperion UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Allen, Thomas | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Choruses | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Choruses | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Operas | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Operas | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Hyperion Schubert Edition 11 / Brigitte Fassbaender, Graham Johnson The Hyperion Schubert Edition 20 ~ An 1815 Schubertiad / Rozario, Ainsley, Bostridge, George; Graham The Hyperion Schubert Edition 33 - The Young Schubert / McLaughlin, Murray, Wyn-Rogers, Langridge, D. Norman, A. Thompson, Koningsberger, Varcoe; Graham Johnson The Hyperion Schubert Edition 2 / Stephen Varcoe, Graham Johnson The Hyperion Schubert Edition 27 / Matthias Görne, Graham Johnson ASIN: B000002ZDZ Release Date: 1997-02-10

Tracks:

1. Der liebliche stern
2. Am See
3. Mein! (From Die schone Mullerin)
4. Auflosung
5. Lied eines schifers An Die Dioskuren
6. An Silvia
7. An die Sonne
8. Die Unterscheidung
9. Die Allmacht
10. Am Strome
11. An Emma
12. Als ich sie erroten sah
13. Sehnsucht
14. Lob der Tranen
15. Elkonig
16. Lied
17. Der Jungling an der Quelle
18. Blondel zu Marien
19. Trost im Tranen
20. Ruckweg
21. Alinde
22. Standchen
23. Romanze
24. Seufzer
25. An den Fruhling
26. Am Bach im Fruhling

Customer Reviews:

Beware Mislabeling!.......2007-04-20

I have no quibble with the excellent reviews accorded this COMPILATION OF TRACKS FROM THE FIRST 27 ALBUMS of the Hyperion Schubert Edition. HOWEVER, the labeling here is misleading. THIS IS NOT #34 of the Schubert Edition!!! I purchased it thinking it was, and then discovered it's just a teaser compilation to purchase the set. Now I have duplication.

Whoever tags items has a great responsibility to consumers to do so very carefully. I got my copy from someone listing off this site. Because the original is mislabeled, so are all the new/used offerings linked to this site.

Amazon employees, please fix the problem and remove the desgnation "34" before the next unsuspecting consumer buys something she doesn't want.

Discovering the Schubert Songs.......2005-07-02

Franz Schubert (1779 -- 1828) composed more than 600 songs beginning from the age of about 14 until days before his death. He virtually invented the art song, and he remains the greatest composer of song in any form. Schubert had astonishing lyrical gifts and the best of his songs flow with an irrestible spontaneity. If he had composed nothing else, his output of songs would be among the treasures of music and would entitle him to the highest rank as a composer. Brahms, who was also a master of the art song, once said that there was something to be learned from each of Schubert's efforts in this form. I have loved Schubert's songs for many years and know of no other music that so readily melts my heart.

There are many ways to approach Schubert's songs and a multitude of choices on CD of both historical and contemporary recordings. The CD under discussion "A Voyage of Discovery" bids fair to be the best place to start for a newcomer. This CD is part of a monumental project, consisting of 37 CDs, to record Schubert's entire song output on Hyperion, a British label. The project was conceived by pianist Graham Johnson who is the accompanist throughout the series. Each CD in the Hyperion series comes with an extensive booklet including the texts of the songs and great detail about the poetry, Schubert's life, and the music. Each CD is also performed by one of the great singers of our day, beautifully accompanied by Johnson. But each of these CDs, alas, is expensive. And all but devoted listeners might be intimidated by 37 CDs of song.

Thus, this sampler is valuable because it is culled from the first 27 CDs in the series and includes selections by 24 outstanding singers such as Peter Schrier, Lelicity Lott, Ian Bostridge, Brigette Fassbaender, Elly Ameling, and many more. The CD was obviously prepared to encourage the listener to explore the Hyperion series further, buy it also serves as an outstanding introduction to Schubert. The songs on this CD are among Schubert's masterworks, and each is performed by a different artist. Thus the listener receives a rare opportunity to hear an introductory selection of Schubert performed by many singers in different styles. (Most samplers feature the work of only a single artist or two.) And the disk is much less expensive than its companions in the Hyperion series.

The works flow and sing, and the best way to approach this CD is to sit back, listen and enjoy. The CD encourages this approach because there is little in the way of program notes and song texts are not provided -- not even the names of the poets. But the music is lyrical and of immediate appeal. My favorites pieces here include Peter Schreier singing "Der Liebiche Stern"; Dame Felicity Lott singing "Am See"; Ian Bostridge's inspired rendition of "Mein!" from Schubert's song-cycle "Die Schone Mullerein"; John Mark Ainsley's rendition of Shakspeare's "An Silvia", Adrian Thompson's "Trost im Tranen", and Elly Ameling singing " An den Fruhling". I also enjoyed Arleen Auger's singing of a Schubert "Romanze" which features a part for the clarinet and Sarah Walker singing a version of "Standchen" with an accompaning chorus. But the entire CD is moving, lovely music.

This CD is a joy in itself for those listeners who can be satisfied with a basic exposure to the Schubert songs. But it is also a good place to begin for listeners who want to hear more of Schubert -- either on the Hyperion series or on the many other CDs of the songs that are readily available to be explored and enjoyed.

Robin Friedman

FOUR-AND-TWENTY SINGERS.......2004-05-24

How the numbers have been done is a little obscure. 26 songs, sung by 24 singers, have been selected from the first 27 records in the omnibus set of Schubert Lieder from Hyperion. Bostridge features twice, and I imagine there will be no complaints about that. The other artist to appear twice is Sarah Walker, and that is more of a mixed blessing, for several reasons. The songs are not exclusively solo works. The `Staendchen' here is neither the familiar Rellstab number from the Schwanengesang nor the Shakespeare `Hark hark the lark' but a piece with solo and male chorus, and the Romance sung by Arleen Auger has a clarinet obbligato played by Thea King. The piano accompaniment is provided throughout by Graham Johnson.

A few minor quibbles apart, this is my idea of a perfectly heavenly record, outstandingly well engineered. The selection is a judicious mix of familiar and unfamiliar. Who Is Sylvia is here, as are the Erlking and Mein from the Mill songs. Special favourites of my own are Der Allmacht and Mayrhofer's Aufloesung, both superb opportunities for a big voice, and the works cover all of Schubert's short career with Deutsch numbers ranging from 113 to 920. I think I would have liked Elizabeth Connell to hit Der Allmacht just a little harder. At the start I thought that Johnson might have been using a little too much pedal, but when I felt that most in the Sailor's Song to the Dioscuri he immediately delighted me with a lively and bouncing accompaniment in the next number Who Is Sylvia. My one real reservation concerns Erlkoenig, sung by Sarah Walker. For me, this is just not a song for a woman. Three of the four parts - father, child and the Erlking himself -- are explicitly male, and I imagine one takes the narrator to be male as well. Even more, for the one and only time on the entire disc I'm not happy with the performers' concept of the song. The tempo is too fast for my liking - the father is galloping rapidly, but any suggestion of panic ought to be reserved for the end. I also like a clean drumming sound in the piano right hand with a good strong accent on each of the four beats, clearly suggesting the hoofbeats of the horse, and too much pedal spoils it for me. What is also lost is the wonderful way the tension should relax without loss of pace before the Erlking's first song, and there is no sinister quality to the Erlking's tone as there needs to be. Fischer-Dieskau and Moore are not supplanted in my affections here.

And that's about it by way of criticisms. A disc featuring Schreier, Lott, Bostridge, Fassbaender, Allen, Baker, Mathis, Rolfe Johnson, Auger, Ameling and Varcoe to name but some can be expected to be a bit of a celebration, and that's exactly what it is. The liner booklet is even more than usually inadequate with no texts. It does not tot up the playing time either, but for me this recital was over almost as soon as it began, so much did it keep me in raptures. Strongly recommended.

Average customer rating: Excellent treatment of 'Viola' Ann Murray Sings Schubert Another great one in this series!

The Hyperion Schubert Edition 3 / Ann Murray, Graham Johnson Franz Schubert , Ann Murray , and Graham Johnson Manufacturer: Hyperion UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Hyperion Schubert Edition 4 / Philip Langridge, Graham Johnson The Hyperion Schubert Edition 11 / Brigitte Fassbaender, Graham Johnson The Hyperion Schubert Edition 2 / Stephen Varcoe, Graham Johnson The Hyperion Schubert Edition 21 / Edith Mathis, Graham Johnson The Hyperion Schubert Edition 27 / Matthias Görne, Graham Johnson ASIN: B000002ZEX Release Date: 1993-09-01

Tracks:

1. Der Jungling und der Tod
2. An die Freunde
3. Augenlied
4. Ruckweg
5. Iphigenia
6. Liedesend
7. Namenstagslied
8. Lieb Minna
9. Pax vobiscum
10. Viola
11. Trost im Liede
12. Der Zwerg
13. Nacht und Traume
14. Abschied

Amazon.com

Ann Murray gets the dubious honor of singing Schubert's Viola, one of these long ballads that Schubert loved to set, but which are so difficult to bring off in performance. Actually, Viola is one of the shorter ones, at just 15 minutes, and both Murray and Graham Johnson have a ball with it--at least as much as the rather depressing story permits. On either side of the major work, Johnson has selected a varied assortment of songs including one of Schubert's best known--Der Zwerg (The Dwarf). An interesting and very well executed program. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Excellent treatment of 'Viola'.......2006-07-04

'The Hyperion Schubert Edition 3' by mezzo-Soprano Ann Murray and series maestro and piano accompaniest, Graham Johnson. To the amateur listener of classical music like myself, the primary attraction of this issue is Ms. Murray's treatment of the long, and relatively late (1823) song 'Viola'. I have heard this on some collections by 'major stars' among the Lieder artists, but Ms. Murray gives it everything it needs.

I always thing it odd that after having studied both general, scientific, and philosophical German, my most enduring use of my learning the language is in the appreciation of Shubert, Mozart, and the rest of the great German composers. This series makes all that classwork worthwhile.

Ann Murray Sings Schubert.......2004-11-26

This CD is volume 3 of a landmark edition of the complete Schubert songs on Hyperion. This is a high-priced label, alas, but this collection of Schubert is truly precious. Each volume features an outstanding singer accompanied by pianist Graham Johnson, who put the project together. Johnson also wrote the book-lengh liner notes for each volume which are themselves an education in Schubert's songs.

The theme for this voulume is "Schubert and his Friends." But most of the songs have a theme as well of death and mortality. The CD includes fourteen songs with texts by five of Schubert's intimates who shared music and fellowship during the composer's legendary "Schubertiade's". There are five songs by Johann Mayrhofer, one by Josef Spaun, two by Albert Stadler,three by Franz Schober, and two by Matthaus Colin. The works of these poets are remembered today mostly because of their association with Schubert.

Mezzo-Soprano Ann Murray sings these songs in rounded, deep tones with an operatic drama and intensity and clear diction. Pianist Johnson, here as elswhere in this edition, is an equal performance partner with the soloist.

The CD features a long ballad-like song "Violet," D. 786 with text by Schober. This is late Schubert and the song has been much admired and analyzed in spite of its length. It is an allegory of a rejected lover and moves effortleslly through many themse and emotional moods. The variety of the stanzas help to keep the listener's interest. But I was reminded of Mozart's song, "The Violet" with text by Goethe which explores a similar theme with brevity.

The Schober sections also include "Peace be with you" D.551, with its hymn-like piano part, which shows Schubert in a rare religious mood and "Comfort in Song" D. 546. This song movingly captures the power of music to transform the heart. It is a song as beautiful as the better-known "An Die Musik" and one of my favorites in this volume.

Among the well-known songs on this CD is "The Dwarf", D.771, with text by Collin. This song tells a melodramatic tale of a queen stangled by her former lover, a dwarf, far at sea. Murray brings a voice full of passion and rage to this song, (Listen to the queen when the dwarf pulls the scarf tight around her neck.)and Johnson's accompaniment with its repeated tremelos and ominous base rumblings is erie. The song is much like Schubert's earlier "Earlking". The other Collin song on this CD, Night and Dreams" D. 827 is a late work, short and full of quiet intensity. It is Schubert at his best.

Mayrhofer was a close friend of Schubert who ultimately committed suicide. After Goethe and Schiller, Schubert set more texts by Mayrhofer than any other writer. They are among my favorite Schubert. Schubert's setting of "To my friends", D. 654 features a walking bass piano part and a melodic line which becomes more radiant as the song progresses. The "Song of the Eyes", D. 297, is an early work, pure Shubertian melody, which helped interest the famous singer Johann Michael Vogl in Schubert. "The way back" D. 476, is aptly described in Johnson's notes as a proto-cabaret song, and Ms. Murray plays this aspect to the hilt. "Iphigenia", D. 573, is one of Schubert's great songs with a Greek theme, simple and austure in the manner of a Gluck aria. The CD concludes with Mayrhofer's "Abschied" D.475, which Schubert sets to quiet, reflective melody.

The two Stadler songs are "Name-Day Song, D. 695, which is a work celebrating the poet's birthday in the words of his daughter, and "Darling Minna" D. 222 and early, melodramatic ballad in which a young woman follows her lover to the grave.

The CD opens with the well-known song "The Youth and Death" D. 545 setting a text of Josef Spaun. This song is a dialogue between a young person, seeking death as a way of melding with the universe, and a personification of death in response. Johnson plays with force the piano interlude between the two parts of the song, and Ms. Murray captures both the longing of the youth and the chilling, welcoming figure of death.

Johnson has written a preface for this volume and commentary on each of the songs which I find greatly elucidate Schubert's music and its background. The liner also includes texts and translations of each song and biographical information on each of the poets.

Schubert's songs are an inexhaustible treasure. This CD will delight endlessly those who love them.

Another great one in this series!.......2002-09-21

I presently own four of the "Schubert Edition" from Hyperion, and this is an excellent volume in the series. This one, as do a couple of others, concentrates on the poetry of Schubert's many friends. Notice how the composer works his magic on even the most pedestrian of verses-- I literally couldn't believe it.

Ann Murray has always been an underrated interpreter, and she brings a wonderful ear for German and a fabulous musical sense. There are many wonderful things to be found here, including the dark, haunting "Der Zwerg", but the real pleasures, as always, in Schubert's output are the obscurities, the nooks and crannies of the catalogue. Two such for me stand out: "Ruckweg", a small, tuneful, yet melancholy strain of returning to the city of Vienna, and "Viola", a paean to a flower that somehow, miraculously, justifies its almost 15-minute running length.

Other fine additions are "Pax Vobiscum", the only song heard at the composer's funeral, "Trost im Liede", which explains Schubert's love for music, and "Nacht und Traume", possibly the most dreamily Romantic of all Schubert's songs.

Throughout, Graham Johnson's liner notes entertain, inform, and enlighten. This CD is a must-have!

Music Review:

1. The Hyperion Schubert Edition 4 / Philip Langridge, Graham Johnson
2. The Hyperion Schubert Edition 8 / Sarah Walker, Graham Johnson
3. The Immortal Hour
4. The Piano Virtuoso
5. The Songmakers' Almanac Schubertiade
6. Trumpet, Corno Da Caccia And Organ
7. Violin Concertos by Fiorillo & Viotti
8. Weber: Ouvertüren
9. Widor: Symphony No. 5
10. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Trios K496 & K542 - The London Fortepiano Trio

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