Nils Mönkemeyer - Without Words: Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann (2009)

Vocal purists may object to transcribing songs for voice and piano by Schubert, Schumann, and Mendelssohn for viola and piano, since the originals are perfect in themselves. There is no reason, though, to deny instrumentalists the opportunity to avail themselves of these glorious melodies, especially when the transcriptions are properly reverent and the performances are appropriately lyrical. And so it is here in this Sony disc, Without Words, by German violist Nils Mönkemeyer and English pianist Nicholas Rimmer. They open the disc with a soulful account of Schubert's "Arpeggione" Sonata that rivals Yuri Bashmet's classic recording, and then move into the meat of the program: five songs each by Mendelssohn and Schubert, flanking six songs by Schumann. Each one is lovelier than the last. With his rich but focused tone and singing legato phrasing, Mönkemeyer delivers readings of undoubted sincerity and surpassing beauty. Examples include his graceful account of Mendelssohn's Schilflied, his glowing account of Schumann's Mondnacht, or, for the pièce de résistance, his luminous account of Schubert's Du bist die Ruh. Admirably supported with strength and sympathy by pianist Rimmer, and brilliantly recorded in cool but deep and vivid digital sound, this disc may not convert the most recalcitrant vocal purists, but general audiences are likely to enjoy it enormously.