Schoenberg – Complete Songs
Claudia Barainsky; Melanie Diener;
Konrad Jarnot; Christa Mayer;
Markus Schafer; Anke Vondung; Urs Liska
Capriccio 7120
A collection of complete songs by one composer is a fascinating object. As much of a record as it is a key to the composer’s development, it allows the listener to trace the styles, fascinations with different poets and composers, homages, pastiches and breakthrough moments. When the composer is someone as misunderstood and still controversial as Schoenberg, such a collection can be nothing short of a revelation. This 4-CD edition traces his involvement in lieder from the self-taught early fascination with Brahms, the “apprenticeship” under Zemlinsky, the influence of Wagner, the push towards the “end of tonality” and finally, the 1933 coda of the Three Songs, Op.48 — the only dodecaphonic songs written by him and indeed, his last foray into the genre.
Throughout his life, Schoenberg struggled for acceptance of his new ideas about music, but for the most part his supporters were his fellow composers. Zemlinsky, Mahler and Schoenberg’s students, Webern and Berg, were his greatest proponents. The general public remained indifferent and at times hostile to his ideas and music. This collection reveals a composer who at times was as poignant and romantic as Schubert, as dramatic as Brahms and as tuned to human emotions as Mahler. What helps are two artistic choices: firstly, all of the songs are presented with piano-only accompaniment, even the Gurrelieder, better known in their later orchestral renditions. The second choice is equally fortuitous: one great pianist, Urs Liska, and six diverse, but equally talented singers. This edition is a must-have in any music lover’s library.
