Wolfgang Holzmair, Imogen Cooper - Schumann, Wolf, Reimann: Eichendorff Lieder (2002)

There's something to be said for a good old-fashioned Lieder recital organized around the works of a particular poet. In this case, the poet in question is Joseph von Eichendorff, the quintessential German Romantic. The composers are the quintessential German Romantic composers from Schumann to Wolf and even into the present with a set of songs by Aribert Reimann. The performers are light baritone Wolfgang Holzmair and pianist Imogen Cooper. There is no malice in describing Holzmair as a light baritone; after all, Sinatra was a light baritone and it didn't seem to slow him down. And although Holzmair's interpretation might have been a bit light for works like Schubert's Winterreise, his interpretations of these Eichendorff songs are ideally suited for their sensuous, sentimental, and deeply melancholy world. And although there have been more penetrating performances of Schumann's Eichendorff Lieder, that is principally because there have been so many superlative recordings of the cycle over the years. But in works like Mendelssohn's or especially Pfitzner's Eichendorff settings, it's doubtful there have been many recorded performances that can match Holzmair's for beauty of tone and depth of understanding. Imogen Cooper is the perfect pianist for Holzmair; her tone and interpretations match his and she is as much a full partner as an accompanist. Philips sound is accurate and lifelike.