Schumann: Dichterliebe; Beethoven, Schubert: Lieder Recording Supervision: Hans Weber. Recording Engineer: Hans-Peter Schweigmann. Rec. at Hochschule für Musik, Munich, 1965-10-31 - 1965-11-03.

• Fritz Wunderlich, Hubert Giesen (piano)
  • Schumann - Dichterliebe, op. 48,1-16
  • Beethoven - Zärtliche Liebe "Ich liebe dich" WoO 123
    - Adelaide op. 46
    - Resignation WoO 149
    - Der Kuß op. 128
  • Schubert - Die Forelle D 550
    - Lied eines Schiffers an die Dioskuren op. 65,1 D 360
    - Im Abendrot D 799
    - An die Laute op. 88,2 D 905
    - Der Musensohn op. 92,1 D 764

• The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs and Cassettes:
  [Beethoven songs:] "Wunderlich was thirty-five when he recorded these songs and the unique bloom of hios lovely voice is beautifully caught. Though the accompanist is too metrical at times, the freshness of Wunderlich's singing makes one grieve again over his untimely death.";
  [Dichterliebe:] "Wunderlich, had he lived, would not doubt have surpassed this early recording of a favourite Schumann song-cycle but, even with an often unimaginative accompanist, his freshness here is most endearing, irresistable with so golden a voice.";
  [Schubert songs:] "Few tenors have matched the young Wunderlich in the freshness and golden bloom of the voice. The open manner could not be more appealing here in glowing performances well coupled with other fine examples of this sadly short-lived artist's work."
• "FonoForum", 12/1990: "Fritz Wunderlich's central recording as a mature Lieder singer. Tone and words, vocal lines and dicition, glorious sound and expression are to be heard in almost perfect unity."
• Alan Blyth in "Gramophone", 11/1990: "Wunderlich would have been 60 this year. Listening to this disc reminded me anew what we had grievously lost by his early death, at least in terms of beauty of tone and the classical virtues of line and accent. From an interpretative point of view, at 35 Wunderlich still had much to learn. As Alec Robertson averred in his first review of Dichterliebe, Wunderlich's reading wants nuance and interior feeling. We are left with a beautifully voiced rendering, but one that misses the agony and unbearable nostalgia predicated by Heine and Schumann. Michael Stegermann in his note accompanying this issue thinks otherwise finding subtleties that elude me, so admirers of this fine singer may like to sample the issue and make up their own mind. Certainly if you want a straightforward, untroubled account of the work, this one won't fail you. But even if you accept the singer's reading, there can be no two views about Giesen's heavy-handed, obtrusive playing, which never captures the refinements and deeply felt thoughts, not to mention the imaginative flights of Schumann's writing. Listen to Schreier and Sawallisch in this cycle (Philips CD 426 237-2PH) and you'll hear what's missing here.
  In the Beethoven group, calling for fewer specifics of interpretation, Wunderlich and his partner fare rather better but even here they sound stiff and metronomic in, say, Zärtliche Liebe and Adelaide. The face, as it were, is blank in expression; all we are left with are the good looks. In the latter song, turn to Björling or Schreier and we enter a different world of imagination and of liquescent, caressing of the line.
  Some of the Schubert is pleasing, most notably the lighter songs such as Liebhaber in allen Gestalten and Der Einsame, both sung with humour and a nice feeling for the words, though the latter lacks the needed sense of intimacy. That great song Im Abendrot is lamed by the accompanist, but the final three songs - An die Laute, Der Musensohn and An die Musik are the most attractive performances on the CD: here the natural flow of tone with its attractive vibrato and the unsophisticated ease of the singing gives us the Wunderlich we so admired in Mozart and much else." [on DG 429 933-2GDO]
• "The Rough Guide to Classical Music", 1994: "Fritz Wunderlich, one of this century's finest tenors, made his recording in 1966, shortly before his premature death. His singing is richer than Fischer-Dieskau's, and smoother too, but Fischer-Dieskau has a greater perception of dramatic narrative, and in Alfred Brendel he has a creative partner rather than a mere accompanist. Ideally you should have both versions, for Wunderlich's youth and freshness, and for the valedictory power and anger of Fischer-Dieskau." [in comparison with Fischer-Dieskau/Brendel, Philips 416 352-2]
• Simon Trezise in Classic CD, May 1997: "Wunderlich was at an unhappy moment in his lieder singing in 1965 when this Dichterliebe was recorded. His voice sounds tired and one fails to hear the sweet focus of this singer at his best. Interpretatively there is a lack of variety in tone colour and dynamics, and one cannot help but wish for a more articulate response to the poetry. To be sure, there is plenty of flexibility in pulse - too much for many - but its whimsical character doesn't seem orientated to any particular expressive demand. On the other hand, the performances of Schubert's An Sylvia, Der Einsame, and An der Musik do combine beautiful legato singing with greater sensitivity to the words. The transfers have a slight edge in very loud passages, but otherwise voice and piano have great presence." [on DG 449 747-2]
  **** [four stars out of five]
• Bernhard Klebel, 2000: "Diese Aufnahme ist zweifelsohne die schönste Liedaufnahme dieses Jahrtausends. Kein anderer Sänger vermag es, in die tiefste innere Seele auf so eine behutsame Art vorzudringen. Unübertroffen !!!!!!!" (Without a doubt, this recording is the most beautiful Lieder recording of our millennium. No other singer is able to reach the depths of the human soul as gently as Wunderlich. Unsurpassed!") [comment submitted to this website]
• Lee Craig, 2000: "The vocal performance is sublime. I purchased the LP in 1968. Later I obtained the CD, but still prefer the sound on vinyl. This record is certainly my favorite Dichterliebe and, perhaps, my favorite Lieder recording." [comment submitted to this website]
• Nelson Caruncho, Philippines, 2001-03: "Fritz Wunderlich sings the definitive interpretation of Schumann's Dichterliebe. I don't think Schumann will ask for anything more. Anyone who wishes to attempt singing this masterpiece, should not fail to consult this recording of Wunderlich and Giesen. The Beethoven Lieder in this recording are excellent. The Adelaide is as fresh as when Beethoven wrote it. There's so much to learn as one listens to this legendary recording. " [comment submitted to this website]
  
  
• see also an interesting discussion from the Vocalist mailing list

If you know this recording, feel free to add your own comment!

	DG 435 145-2 (on 5 CD set "Fritz Wunderlich")
	DG 139125
	DG LPM 39 125 (mono)
	DG 413 489-1 Resonance
	DG 413 489-4 Resonance

All except "Die Forelle" on:

	DG 429 933-2 Dokumente (+ Lieder from "Schubert: Die Schöne Müllerin a. o.")
	DG 449 747-2 Originals (+ Lieder from "Schubert: Die Schöne Müllerin a. o.")
	DG 472 113-2 (+ Lieder from "Schubert: Die Schöne Müllerin a. o." on CD #3 of "Fritz Wunderlich Edition", 5 CD)

Excerpts on:

	DG 431 110-2 ("Zärtliche Liebe" on "Große Stimmen: FW")
	DG 423 956-2 Dokumente ("Die Forelle", + Lieder from "Schubert: Die Schöne Müllerin a. o.")
	DG 445 188-2 (op. 48,1+2+7, "Die Forelle", + Lieder from "Schubert: Die Schöne Müllerin a. o." on "Erlkönig - The Art of the Lied", enhanced CD/CD-ROM)
	DG 447 452-2 ("Die Forelle", + Lieder from "Schubert: Die Schöne Müllerin a. o.")
	DG 447 921-2GBM Beethoven Masterpieces (the Beethoven Lieder, + Beethoven: Lieder without FW)
	DG 459 027-2 Centenary Coll. (the Schubert songs on "DG Cent. Coll. 1965" )
	DG 459 068-2 Centenary Coll. (the Schubert songs on "DG Cent. Coll. Vol. 4: 1958-1967", + 9 CDs without FW, 10 CDs)
	DG 9610368 ("Die Forelle", + Lieder from "Schubert: Die Schöne Müllerin a. o.")
	First Class 435 832-2 ("Adelaide", "Der Kuß", "Zärtliche Liebe", "Die Forelle" on "Ein Abend mit Fritz Wunderlich", 2 CD)
	DG 2545 035 ("Der Musensohn" on "Leise flehen meine Lieder - Franz Schubert")
	DG 2554 001 ("Zärtliche Liebe" on "Konzert für Millionen '70")
	DG 60 735 (only Dichterliebe, "Club-Sonderauflage")
	Heliodor 2548 268 ("Die Forelle" and "Im Abendrot" on "Schubert Favourite Lieder")

Rehearsal excerpt on

DG 472 113-2 ("Dichterliebe: Und wüßten's die Blumen" - 5:45 min) on 'bonus' CD #5 of "Fritz Wunderlich Edition", 5 CD)

Fritz Wunderlich Discography