Thomas Hampson - Romantic Songs by Berlioz, Wagner and Liszt / Geoffrey Parsons

The American Fischer-Dieskau takes a risk, and wins

This CD is out of print, and that's no surprise: songs by Berlioz, Wanger, and Liszt are known only to conoissuers. Hampson happens to be that and more. His crusade to bring every variety of classic song to the public parallels Fischer-Dieskau's efforts a generation ago. Like his illustrious predecessor Hampson is a master of many styles, an impeccable technician, and an innatley intelligent artist. One can neer lose by buying his riskier recitals.

This is one of the most difficult to appreciate, I think, becasue except for a melodie or two by Verlioz, nothing here is familiar. The Wanger songs avoid the well-known Wessendonck lieder in favor of light and slight early songs, three of them in French (!) and all so charming the name of Wanger would never occur to an innocent listener.

The heart of the recital are te Liszt songs. Rarely heard in the concert hall (if ever), Liszt's lieder output is very impressive, which is why artists as diverse as Barbara Bonney and Thomas Quasthoff have given us collections like this one. Hampson ofers 12 from a broad span of the composer's long life, and they span many emotions, from the tender to the boldly declamatory. Only the last, "Oh, quand je dors," is likely to be familiar. There is such art in the singing, and in Geoffrey Parsons' accompaniments, that every song here, with the exception of the Berlioz, sounds completely masterful (I don't find that Hampson has the real chanson style).

Since this superb CD sells for pennies on the used market, it's very much worth anyone's time and attention. You'll hear a great singer at the peak of his powers. July 17, 2006

Truly, romantically worth it

I love Romantic music, poetry and painting. The Lieder sung here by Thomas Hampson have all 3: obviously the music and the poetry, which are wonderful, and the painting is given by Mr Hampson's voice. A more romantic voice I cannot imagine. I listen to it constantly... July 8, 2004

romantic indeed�

... are the selections presented here. Thomas Hampson's voice appears to have an ideal weight for these intimate delicate songs, his thoughtful detailed reading of them is delightful. Purchasing this CD, I expected a collection of lesser-known lieder, but found instead German and French alternatives to Italian "salon songs" of Bellini, late Rossini, or Donizetti, although written later and most carrying a strong sense of German romanticism, found in the poetry of Goethe, Heine, or Uhland, as well as in the fiction works of E.T.A. Hoffman and his contemporaries. Hugo's stirring verse found its way thrice to this CD.

Hampson's finely crafted presentations remind the listener of Fischer-Dieskau, if missing some the latter's celebrated smoothness of tone. It's hard to believe "Mignonne" was written by Wagner! Most likely, it was one of composer's controversial experiments with French style, and we are lucky to hear it survive the test of time and Wagner "purists". (I do prefer Rienzi to Siegfried, any day though, thus it's a biased opinion, right?) To my great surprise, Liszt's songs vary - some are exciting and melodic ("Go not Happy Day" or "a Tombe et la Rose"), others are more like recitatifs, sung very quietly, with recurring dreamy melancholic quality to them, but with none of Schubert's poignancy or Mahler's edginess.

There is a great deal of harmony between the singer and Geoffrey Parsons' piano. Like Jorg Demus or John Wustman, Parsons does not forcibly take the center stage, yet his accompaniment is always ideally timed and he often engages in sparkling dialogue with the singer (listen to Les deux Grenadiers!)

Indeed a highly enjoyable disc with a few surprises. September 1, 1999

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