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It’s a rare treat to hear a liedersänger that almost seems to have the ability to paint colourful masterpieces with their voice. To do this, you don’t just need a perfectly intelligible sung language (which is certainly the case here), you also need to be able to open up and tell a story using nothing but musical inflections, phrasing, and verbal poetry. The mezzo-soprano Esther Valentin-Fieguth undoubtedly picked up this unusual and exceptional gift from her teachers at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne, Germany, or maybe even from Brigitte Fassbaender or Thomas Quasthoff. But it has to be said that she doesn’t have the most extensive voice of all the recitalists, and she may possibly even be lacking power and projection at times (Endangerous, by Brechtje Nelleke van Dijk). In short, don’t expect the new Jessye Norman!
Nevertheless, the fantastic storytelling, powerful words and art of suggestion are consistently worthy of praise throughout the recital entitled "Crime scenes" (which is largely based on an otherwise unknown part of Robert Schumann’s lieder catalogue, and falls within the ballad genre). The well-known Belsatzar, Op. 57 begins unusually dark in colour and can only be described as masterful. The intro is sublime, right through to its first brief peak on the word "Königsmahl", just after the first few lines "Die Mitternacht zog näher schon / in stummer Ruh' lag Babylon". And just wait until you hear the Coda: you’ll have goosebumps right up until Heine's final verse: "Von seinen Knechten umgebracht". The two performers succeed in creating a harmonious landscape of unforgettable grandeur, which is simultaneously deeply human and desolate. Their performance is followed by Michael Gees' equally striking monodrama, Mondlied elines Mädchens, whose first motif alludes to Milhaud’s La Création du monde, which is, in itself, an ironic tribute to the opening chorus of Bach's Passion selon Saint-Jean.
These two artists offer a unique moment of intensity with this second opus. You definitely won’t regret giving this a listen. © Pierre-Yves Lascar/Qobuz
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Heidenröslein, Op. 3 No. 3, D. 257 (Franz Schubert)
Franz Schubert, Composer - JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE, Lyricist - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
Neue Dichter Lieben (Moritz Eggert)
Moritz Eggert, Composer - Birgit Kempker, Lyricist - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
5 Lieder, Op. 40 (Excerpts) (Robert Schumann)
Robert Schumann, Composer - Adelbert von Chamisso, Lyricist - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
2 Balladen, Op. 122 (Robert Schumann)
Robert Schumann, Composer - Friedrich Hebbel, Lyricist - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
Die Forelle, D. 550 (1821 Version) (Franz Schubert)
Franz Schubert, Composer - Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart, Lyricist - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
6 Gesänge, op. 107 (Robert Schumann)
Robert Schumann, Composer - Titus Ullrich, Lyricist - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
Hermit Songs, op. 29 (Samuel Barber)
Samuel Barber, Composer - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
Belsatzar, op. 57 (Robert Schumann)
Robert Schumann, Composer - Heinrich Heine, Lyricist - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
Mondlied eines Mädchens (Michael Gees)
Michael Gees, Composer - Franz Werfel, Lyricist - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
Der Zwerg, Op. 22 No. 1, D. 771 (Franz Schubert)
Franz Schubert, Composer - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist - Matthäus von Collin, Lyricist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
3 Lieder, Op. 10 (Hans Pfitzner)
Hans Pfitzner, Composer - Detlev von Liliencron, Lyricist - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
Lieder auf Gedichte von Robert Burns (Georgy Sviridov)
Robert Burns, Lyricist - Georgy Sviridov, Composer - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
6 Lieder, op. 48 (Edvard Grieg)
Edvard Grieg, Composer - Walther von der Vogelweide, Lyricist - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
3 Gesänge, Op. 31 (Robert Schumann)
Robert Schumann, Composer - Adelbert von Chamisso, Lyricist - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
Endangered (Brechtje Nelleke van Dijk)
Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist - Brechtje Nelleke van Dijk, Composer - Akua Lezli Hope, Lyricist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
5 Lieder, Op. 40 (Excerpts) (Robert Schumann)
Robert Schumann, Composer - Adelbert von Chamisso, Lyricist - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
3 Chinesische Lieder (Viktor Ullmann)
Viktor Ullmann, Composer - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
Lieder und Tänze des Todes (Modeste Moussorgski)
Modest Mussorgsky, Composer - Arseny Golenishchev-Kutuzov, Lyricist - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
Ich wandre durch Theresienstadt (Ilse Weber)
Ilse Weber, Composer, Lyricist - Anastasia Grishutina, Artist, MainArtist - Esther Valentin-Fieguth, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
Album review
It’s a rare treat to hear a liedersänger that almost seems to have the ability to paint colourful masterpieces with their voice. To do this, you don’t just need a perfectly intelligible sung language (which is certainly the case here), you also need to be able to open up and tell a story using nothing but musical inflections, phrasing, and verbal poetry. The mezzo-soprano Esther Valentin-Fieguth undoubtedly picked up this unusual and exceptional gift from her teachers at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne, Germany, or maybe even from Brigitte Fassbaender or Thomas Quasthoff. But it has to be said that she doesn’t have the most extensive voice of all the recitalists, and she may possibly even be lacking power and projection at times (Endangerous, by Brechtje Nelleke van Dijk). In short, don’t expect the new Jessye Norman!
Nevertheless, the fantastic storytelling, powerful words and art of suggestion are consistently worthy of praise throughout the recital entitled "Crime scenes" (which is largely based on an otherwise unknown part of Robert Schumann’s lieder catalogue, and falls within the ballad genre). The well-known Belsatzar, Op. 57 begins unusually dark in colour and can only be described as masterful. The intro is sublime, right through to its first brief peak on the word "Königsmahl", just after the first few lines "Die Mitternacht zog näher schon / in stummer Ruh' lag Babylon". And just wait until you hear the Coda: you’ll have goosebumps right up until Heine's final verse: "Von seinen Knechten umgebracht". The two performers succeed in creating a harmonious landscape of unforgettable grandeur, which is simultaneously deeply human and desolate. Their performance is followed by Michael Gees' equally striking monodrama, Mondlied elines Mädchens, whose first motif alludes to Milhaud’s La Création du monde, which is, in itself, an ironic tribute to the opening chorus of Bach's Passion selon Saint-Jean.
These two artists offer a unique moment of intensity with this second opus. You definitely won’t regret giving this a listen. © Pierre-Yves Lascar/Qobuz
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 19 track(s)
- Total length: 01:23:08
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Esther Valentin-Fieguth Anastasia Grishutina
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: GWK Records
- Genre: Classical
(C) 2021 GWK Records (P) 2021 GWK Records
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