Album

There's something to be said for a good old-fashioned Lieder recital organized around the works of a particular poet. In this case, the poet in question is Joseph von Eichendorff, the quintessential German Romantic. The composers are the quintessential German Romantic composers from Schumann to Wolf and even into the present with a set of songs by Aribert Reimann. The performers are light baritone Wolfgang Holzmair and pianist Imogen Cooper. There is no malice in describing Holzmair as a light baritone; after all, Sinatra was a light baritone and it didn't seem to slow him down. And although Holzmair's interpretation might have been a bit light for works like Schubert's Winterreise, his interpretations of these Eichendorff songs are ideally suited for their sensuous, sentimental, and deeply melancholy world. And although there have been more penetrating performances of Schumann's Eichendorff Lieder, that is principally because there have been so many superlative recordings of the cycle over the years. But in works like Mendelssohn's or especially Pfitzner's Eichendorff settings, it's doubtful there have been many recorded performances that can match Holzmair's for beauty of tone and depth of understanding. Imogen Cooper is the perfect pianist for Holzmair; her tone and interpretations match his and she is as much a full partner as an accompanist. Philips sound is accurate and lifelike.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer 2 Songs Work 3:57 Wolfgang Holzmair Baritone, Imogen Cooper Piano
1	1.Das Waldschloß ('Wo noch kein Wandrer')	2:09			$0.99
2	2.Pagenlied ('Wenn die Sonne lieblich')	1:48			$0.49
Robert Franz Composer 12 Gesänge, Op.5 Work Wolfgang Holzmair Baritone, Imogen Cooper Piano
3	7.Gute Nacht	1:00			$0.49
Robert Franz Composer 12 Gesänge, Op.1 Work Wolfgang Holzmair Baritone, Imogen Cooper Piano
4	9.Jagdlied	1:37			$0.49
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer 6 Songs, Op.71 Work Wolfgang Holzmair Baritone, Imogen Cooper Piano
5	6.Nachtlied ('Vergangen ist der lichte Tag')	2:35			$0.99
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer 6 Songs, Op.57 Work Wolfgang Holzmair Baritone, Imogen Cooper Piano
6	6.Wanderlied ('Laue Luft kommt')	1:47			$0.49
Robert Alexander Schumann Composer Liederkreis, Op.39 (Eichendorff) Work 24:58 Wolfgang Holzmair Baritone, Imogen Cooper Piano
7	1.In der Fremde ('Aus der Heimat hinter den Blitzen rot')	2:03			$0.99
8	2.Intermezzo	1:41			$0.49
9	3.Waldesgespräch ('Es ist schon spät, es ist schon kalt')	2:07			$0.99
10	4.Die Stille	1:23			$0.49
11	5.Mondnacht	3:54			$0.99
12	6.Schöne Fremde	1:24			$0.49
13	7.Auf einer Burg	3:03			$0.99
14	8.In der Fremde ('Ich hör' die Bächlein rauschen')	1:23			$0.49
15	9.Wehmut	2:21			$0.99
16	10.Zwielicht	3:01			$0.99
17	11.Im Walde	1:26			$0.49
18	12.Frühlingsnacht ('Uberm Garten durch die Lüfte')	1:12			$0.49
Aribert Reimann Composer Nachtstück I, for baritone & piano Work 10:58 Wolfgang Holzmair Baritone, Imogen Cooper Piano
19	1.Wir ziehen treulich auf die Wacht	2:00			$0.99
20	2.Die Vöglein, die so fröhlich sangen	2:17			$0.99
21	3.Vor dem Schloß in den Bäumen	2:06			$0.99
22	4.Hörst du die Gründe rufen	2:39			$0.99
23	5.Hier steh ich wie auf treuer Wacht	1:56			$0.49
Hugo Wolf Composer Eichendorff Lieder, voice and piano Work 17:13 Wolfgang Holzmair Baritone, Imogen Cooper Piano
24	2.Der Musikant	1:44			$0.49
25	4.Das Ständchen	2:31			$0.99
26	11.Lieber alles	1:12			$0.49
27	19.Die Nacht	2:48			$0.99
28	12.Heimweh	2:07			$0.99
29	16.Liebesglück	1:15			$0.49
30	14.Der verzweifelte Liebhaber	0:54			$0.49
31	3.Verschwiegene Liebe	2:45			$0.99
32	17.Seemanns Abschied	1:57			$0.49
Alexander von Zemlinsky Composer Vor der Stadt, for voice & piano, Vol.1, Op.2, No.7 (from "Songs, 2 volumes") Work Wolfgang Holzmair Baritone, Imogen Cooper Piano
33	Vor der Stadt, for voice & piano, Vol.1, Op.2, No.7 (from "Songs, 2 volumes")	1:26			$0.49
Erich Wolfgang Korngold Composer Einfache Lieder (Simple Songs), Op.9 Work Wolfgang Holzmair Baritone, Imogen Cooper Piano
34	2.Nachtwanderer	2:14			$0.99
Hans Pfitzner Composer 5 Songs, Op.9 Work Wolfgang Holzmair Baritone, Imogen Cooper Piano
35	3.Im Herbst	2:30			$0.99
Hans Pfitzner Composer 5 Songs, Op.7 Work Wolfgang Holzmair Baritone, Imogen Cooper Piano
36	4.Lockung	2:32			$0.99
Hans Pfitzner Composer Songs, Op.10 Work Wolfgang Holzmair Baritone, Imogen Cooper Piano
37	Songs, Op.10	2:46			$0.99
Othmar Schoeck Composer Nachruf, song for voice & piano, Op.20, No.14 Work Wolfgang Holzmair Baritone, Imogen Cooper Piano
38	Nachruf, song for voice & piano, Op.20, No.14	2:31			$0.99