Matthias Goerne at the Wigmore Hall

pinched from http://www.matthiasgoerne.com/biography/

Before I say anything about the Liederabend I’ll put the performance into perspective by quoting the Wigmore Hall yearly brochure: “Matthias Goerne continues his monumental Schubert project, performing 200 songs across three seasons. Schubert’s songs number more than 600, representing over 115 poets – from those of international standing to those known only within his own circle “

So the program for the evening was:

Wigmore Hall, 20/09/2009
Song Recital Series/ Schubert Songs
Matthias Goerne baritone
Alexander Schmalcz, piano

Nacht und Traume
Der blinde Knabe
Hoffnung
Die Sterne
Im Abendrot

Totengraberweise; Greisengesang;
Tiefes Leid; Totengrabers Heimweh
--
An den Mond; Die Mainacht
An Silvia; Standchen

Die Sommernacht; Erntelied
Herbstlied; Jagers Abendlied
Der liebliche Stern; An die Geliebte


With a purpose like his it is i guess inevitable for some of the songs presented to be less known and less sung, some for maybe the obvious reason of being less interesting...

I know I am recent to this genre, but I am just as hooked :-) So I know who Matthias Goerne was and very much looked forward to hearing him for the first time. The result was somehow mixed…

He has one of the most beautiful baritone voices you can imagine, very musical and warm, ideal for lieder. And it is accompanied by accomplished technique. He seems to take a breath from his toes and channel it through his body to perfect control of emission, from the softest piano to surprising forte. She should really have great diction and in some cases he did… but in other I was left reading the program, which is very disappointing because I would have much prefer to look at the artist. It was unnerving as in the first ones if I lost track of the music I had a really hard time to find back to the text ( and I speak German…)

I can’t describe the first few songs in any other way than… plainly boring… All sounded the same and nothing really touched. Funnily enough the grave digger songs were more up beat and interesting :-) ( To bad the gentlemen in front of me continued to sleep peacefully through those as well..) The whole atmosphere wasn’t helped by the pianist uninspired contribution… it is difficult to slip into lieder heaven when the piano goes mostly “doing, doing, doing…”…

Luckily the second part brought better known pieces ( even I had heard a few before) and the foggy melancholy was dissipated to better enjoyment of the voice and delivery.

Still I was left somewhat dissatisfied and I don’t feel I have seen the best of Matthias Goerne yet. It can’t be that such a wonderful singer cannot transmit more and connect better. So I will continue with my initial plan of following him through more Schubert, thank God!! This time alongside a man I trust my ears and heart with :-)

If you are interested here are the dates I am talking about:


Sunday 28 February 7.30pm
MATTHIAS GOERNE baritone
HELMUT DEUTSCH piano
SCHUBERT Der Jüngling und der Tod; Lied im Grünen;Herbstnacht; Lied (Ins stille Land); Der Herbstabend; Drang in die Ferne; An mein Herz; Der Wanderer; Über Wildemann; Klage; Am Bach im Frühling; An die Laute; Der Schmetterling; Des Fräuleins Liebeslauschen; Augenlied; Du bist die Ruh; An die Musik; An eine Quelle; Der Sänger am Felsen; Abschied
von der Harfe; Liedesend
For this Schubert recital Matthias Goerne is joined by the elder statesman of German song pianists, Helmut Deutsch, a recent jury member for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Song Prize. The programme includes some of Schubert’s best-loved creations such as An die Musik and Du bist die Ruh. But there will be plenty of surprises in a selection of autumnal settings which explore the darker side of Schubert’s imagination.
£18 £25 £30 £35
Song Recital Series/Schubert Songs

Tuesday 2 March 7.30pm
MATTHIAS GOERNE baritone
HELMUT DEUTSCH piano
SCHUBERT An die untergehende Sonne; Der Tod und das Mädchen; Die Rose; Erinnerung; Litanei auf das Fest aller Seelen; Auf dem Wasser zu singen; Abendbilder; Nach einem Gewitter; Der Zwerg; Im Frühling; Stimme der Liebe; Die Blumensprache; Viola; An die Entfernte; Bei dir allein; Ganymed
For the latest recital in his Schubert series at Wigmore Hall, again with Helmut Deutsch at
the piano, Matthias Goerne will explore some of Schubert’s most intimate and soul-searching
songs. Death and the Maiden, for example, had such a powerful hold on his imagination that
he devoted a complete string quartet slow movement to its development.
£18 £25 £30 £35
Song Recital Series/Schubert Songs

By the way, just when i was asking the Wigmore Hall about a release on CD of a recital i have seen last year here it is:

http://www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/wigmore-hall-live/buy-cds/view/cd031-simon-keenlyside-24881

Simon Keenlyside & Malcolm Martineau
Songs by Schubert, Wolf, Fauré and Ravel
Recorded live at Wigmore Hall