Bernd Alois Zimmermann: Lieder und frühe Kammermusik

Various Artists

Released on 3/1/11 by wergo
Main artist: Bernd Alois Zimmermann
Genre: Chamber Music

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This CD offers listeners a delightful sampling of Bernd Alois Zimmermann's works for voice and string instruments, complemented by the piano, which haven't been given as much exposure as other composers of the same period. Soprano Anna Prohaska's lovely, clean, bright voice graces three song sets (Drei Lieder aus dem Nachlass is arguably the most enjoyable of the three). Accompanied by the fabulous Cordelia Höfer (who seems capable of playing anything and for anyone), the soprano emotionally connects to each piece while remaining technically sound and well-controlled. One can hear how she shapes each line or phrase while easily conquering dissonant leaps in "An der Brücke," or how she relishes the music with her scoops and swoops in "Initiale." On occasion, her vibrato has a bit of a wobble on the high, big notes. Yet the result is nothing short of a wonderful performance from an artist whose voice is very well suited to German. Two violinists are featured on this album and both are a delight. Alessandro Capone performs Zimmermann's "Kleine Suite," a work with three movements. The first movement is by turns poignant and energetic, sometimes jazzy, sometimes liquid and singing. Capone's phrasing is spot-on, and Höfer is jolly and galloping, playing with her whole body and soul. One can hear the violinist's solid bow technique in the second movement, but it is the "Intermezzo" that is Capone's showcase. Here, he is emotionally engaging in a way that recalls Perlman. Rachel Schmidt concludes the album with the Sonate für violine und klavier, and she is all fire. The manic urgency created by Schmidt and the piano in the first movement is absolutely appealing, and though the melody is often jagged, her bow technique always maintains a sense of lyricism. The triplets in the piano are perfectly accented, and one cannot help but marvel at Schmidt's passionate intensity throughout the entire work, an intensity that never loses its beauty or elegance. Trio Berlin adds its contribution to the album, Zimmermann's Trio für violine, viola, und violoncello, a work with many pleasant dissonances that sound excellent in string instruments. The recording quality shows the trio's strengths, for one can truly feel each stroke of the bow, be it legato at the frog, or "slicing" at the tip. Zimmermann has composed this piece so that each voice matters, and the best advice for the listener is to simply let the intertwining lines of the music carry him or her with them.

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Bernd Alois Zimmermann: Lieder und frühe Kammermusik

Bernd Alois Zimmermann

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Drei Lieder aus dem Nachlass: Lied der Abelone

Anna Prohaska