Franz Schubert, Ann Murray, Graham Johnson - The Hyperion Schubert Edition 3 / Ann Murray, Graham Johnson

Ann Murray gets the dubious honor of singing Schubert's Viola, one of these long ballads that Schubert loved to set, but which are so difficult to bring off in performance. Actually, Viola is one of the shorter ones, at just 15 minutes, and both Murray and Graham Johnson have a ball with it--at least as much as the rather depressing story permits. On either side of the major work, Johnson has selected a varied assortment of songs including one of Schubert's best known--Der Zwerg (The Dwarf). An interesting and very well executed program. --David Hurwitz Amazon.com

Excellent treatment of 'Viola'

'The Hyperion Schubert Edition 3' by mezzo-Soprano Ann Murray and series maestro and piano accompaniest, Graham Johnson. To the amateur listener of classical music like myself, the primary attraction of this issue is Ms. Murray's treatment of the long, and relatively late (1823) song 'Viola'. I have heard this on some collections by 'major stars' among the Lieder artists, but Ms. Murray gives it everything it needs.

I always thing it odd that after having studied both general, scientific, and philosophical German, my most enduring use of my learning the language is in the appreciation of Shubert, Mozart, and the rest of the great German composers. This series makes all that classwork worthwhile. July 3, 2006

Ann Murray Sings Schubert

This CD is volume 3 of a landmark edition of the complete Schubert songs on Hyperion. This is a high-priced label, alas, but this collection of Schubert is truly precious. Each volume features an outstanding singer accompanied by pianist Graham Johnson, who put the project together. Johnson also wrote the book-lengh liner notes for each volume which are themselves an education in Schubert's songs.

The theme for this voulume is "Schubert and his Friends." But most of the songs have a theme as well of death and mortality. The CD includes fourteen songs with texts by five of Schubert's intimates who shared music and fellowship during the composer's legendary "Schubertiade's". There are five songs by Johann Mayrhofer, one by Josef Spaun, two by Albert Stadler,three by Franz Schober, and two by Matthaus Colin. The works of these poets are remembered today mostly because of their association with Schubert.

Mezzo-Soprano Ann Murray sings these songs in rounded, deep tones with an operatic drama and intensity and clear diction. Pianist Johnson, here as elswhere in this edition, is an equal performance partner with the soloist.

The CD features a long ballad-like song "Violet," D. 786 with text by Schober. This is late Schubert and the song has been much admired and analyzed in spite of its length. It is an allegory of a rejected lover and moves effortleslly through many themse and emotional moods. The variety of the stanzas help to keep the listener's interest. But I was reminded of Mozart's song, "The Violet" with text by Goethe which explores a similar theme with brevity.

The Schober sections also include "Peace be with you" D.551, with its hymn-like piano part, which shows Schubert in a rare religious mood and "Comfort in Song" D. 546. This song movingly captures the power of music to transform the heart. It is a song as beautiful as the better-known "An Die Musik" and one of my favorites in this volume.

Among the well-known songs on this CD is "The Dwarf", D.771, with text by Collin. This song tells a melodramatic tale of a queen stangled by her former lover, a dwarf, far at sea. Murray brings a voice full of passion and rage to this song, (Listen to the queen when the dwarf pulls the scarf tight around her neck.)and Johnson's accompaniment with its repeated tremelos and ominous base rumblings is erie. The song is much like Schubert's earlier "Earlking". The other Collin song on this CD, Night and Dreams" D. 827 is a late work, short and full of quiet intensity. It is Schubert at his best.

Mayrhofer was a close friend of Schubert who ultimately committed suicide. After Goethe and Schiller, Schubert set more texts by Mayrhofer than any other writer. They are among my favorite Schubert. Schubert's setting of "To my friends", D. 654 features a walking bass piano part and a melodic line which becomes more radiant as the song progresses. The "Song of the Eyes", D. 297, is an early work, pure Shubertian melody, which helped interest the famous singer Johann Michael Vogl in Schubert. "The way back" D. 476, is aptly described in Johnson's notes as a proto-cabaret song, and Ms. Murray plays this aspect to the hilt. "Iphigenia", D. 573, is one of Schubert's great songs with a Greek theme, simple and austure in the manner of a Gluck aria. The CD concludes with Mayrhofer's "Abschied" D.475, which Schubert sets to quiet, reflective melody.

The two Stadler songs are "Name-Day Song, D. 695, which is a work celebrating the poet's birthday in the words of his daughter, and "Darling Minna" D. 222 and early, melodramatic ballad in which a young woman follows her lover to the grave.

The CD opens with the well-known song "The Youth and Death" D. 545 setting a text of Josef Spaun. This song is a dialogue between a young person, seeking death as a way of melding with the universe, and a personification of death in response. Johnson plays with force the piano interlude between the two parts of the song, and Ms. Murray captures both the longing of the youth and the chilling, welcoming figure of death.

Johnson has written a preface for this volume and commentary on each of the songs which I find greatly elucidate Schubert's music and its background. The liner also includes texts and translations of each song and biographical information on each of the poets.

Schubert's songs are an inexhaustible treasure. This CD will delight endlessly those who love them. November 26, 2004

Another great one in this series!

I presently own four of the "Schubert Edition" from Hyperion, and this is an excellent volume in the series. This one, as do a couple of others, concentrates on the poetry of Schubert's many friends. Notice how the composer works his magic on even the most pedestrian of verses-- I literally couldn't believe it.

Ann Murray has always been an underrated interpreter, and she brings a wonderful ear for German and a fabulous musical sense. There are many wonderful things to be found here, including the dark, haunting "Der Zwerg", but the real pleasures, as always, in Schubert's output are the obscurities, the nooks and crannies of the catalogue. Two such for me stand out: "Ruckweg", a small, tuneful, yet melancholy strain of returning to the city of Vienna, and "Viola", a paean to a flower that somehow, miraculously, justifies its almost 15-minute running length.

Other fine additions are "Pax Vobiscum", the only song heard at the composer's funeral, "Trost im Liede", which explains Schubert's love for music, and "Nacht und Traume", possibly the most dreamily Romantic of all Schubert's songs.

Throughout, Graham Johnson's liner notes entertain, inform, and enlighten. This CD is a must-have! September 21, 2002

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