Artist: Thomas E. Bauer

Title: Lieder Edition 2

Condition:

Format: CD

Release Date: 2005

Label: Naxos

UPC: 747313207428

Genre: Classical Composers

Album Tracks

1. Der Himmel Hat Eine Trane Geweint
2. O Ihr Herren
3. Ich Hab' in Mich Gesogen
4. Liebste, Was Kann Denn Uns Scheiden?
5. Schon Ist Das Fest Des Lenzes
6. Flugel! Flugel! Um Zu Fliegen
7. Rose, Meer Und Sonne
8. O Sonn', O Meer, O Rose
9. So Wahr Die Sonne Scheinet
10. Ballade Des Harfners
11. Nur Wer Die Sehnsucht Kennt
12. Wer Nie Sein Brot Mit Tranen Ass
13. Heiss' Mich Nicht Reden
14. Wer Sich Der Einsamkeit Ergibt
15. Singet Nicht in Trauertonen
16. An Die Turen Will Ich Schleichen
17. So Lasst Mich Scheinen, Bis Ich Werde
18. Meine Tone Still Und Heiter
19. Liebster, Deine Worte Stehlen
20. Ich Bin Dein Baum, O Gartner
21. Mein Schoner Stern!
22. O Freund, Mein Schirm, Mein Schutz

The impeccable ensemble singing of Thomas E. Bauer and Susanne Bernhard is the finest element in this beautiful recording. It makes one wish for the inclusion of all the part-songs from the Minnespiel, requiring up to four voices, but perhaps we have that to look forward to as the Naxos Schumann series progresses. The next finest element is the stylish playing of Uta Hielscher. Her tone is consistently beautiful, and the phrasing as close to ideal as one finds. Bauer also spins a free-flowing Schumann phrase, due in part to his excellent technical schooling, and whatever reservations one might have about the performances-for example, that the folk song quality of many of the op. 37 songs is lost, or that his diction tends to be somewhat exaggerated, or that his ardor seems slightly forced-these works come to wonderful life through his singing. Susanne Bernhard's bright voice and style seem more suited to the genre of operetta than Lieder, and one finds that her performance of the songs of the frail and enigmatic Mignon does not prove very deep or very convincing. It is interesting that so many great (and not so great) composers have put music to "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt," but almost none of them has set it as a duet between Mignon and her father, the harper, as it appears in the novel. Over all, the repertoire presented on this disc gives the impression of having been learned rather than lived and learned, but the musical standards are high, and one can, as it were, fill in the blanks. Bauer may well develop into one of our most notable artists.