Album

How could it be less than ideal? The songs are among the greatest ever written: Gretchen am Spinnrade, Erlkönig, Nacht und Träum. The orchestrators are all superb composers: Brahms, Berlioz, Liszt, Webern, Reger. The singers are as good as it gets right now in German Lieder: the brilliant and sensual Anne-Sofie von Otter and the powerful and insightful Thomas Quasthoff. The conductor is arguably the greatest living conductor and the orchestra is his own trained instrument. How could it be less than ideal? It is ideal. Von Otter is terrifying in Gretchen am Spinnrade and terrified in Erlkönig, delightfully sly in An Sylvia and endlessly rapt in Nacht und Träum. Quasthoff is infinitely touching in Tränenregen and magnificently imperious as Prometheus, deeply affectionate in Du bist die Ruh and relentlessly heroic in An Schwager Kronos. Abbado brings out the best in every orchestration, but he particularly shines in the Brahms and sings in Webern and orchestrations. The Chamber Orchestra of Europe plays superbly and DG's sound is wonderful. This is an ideal Schubert recording.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Rosamunde, Fürstin von Cypern, D.797, Op.26 (incidental music) Work Anne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
1	5.Romanze 'Der Vollmond strahlt auf Bergeshöh'n'	3:18			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Die Forelle (The Trout), D.550, Op.32 Work Anne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
2	Die Forelle (The Trout), D.550, Op.32 (arr. voice and orchestra)	2:19			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Ellens Gesang II ('Jäger, ruhe von der Jagd'), D.838, Op.52, No.2 Work Anne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
3	Ellens Gesang II ('Jäger, ruhe von der Jagd'), D.838, Op.52, No.2	3:07			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Gretchen am Spinnrade, D.118, Op.2 Work Anne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
4	Gretchen am Spinnrade, D.118, Op.2 (arr. voice and orchestra)	3:26			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer An Sylvia, D.891, Op.106, No.4 Work Anne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
5	An Sylvia, D.891, Op.106, No.4 (arr. voice and orchestra)	2:59			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Im Abendrot, D.799 Work Anne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
6	Im Abendrot, D.799 (arr. voice and orchestra)	3:43			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Nacht und Träume, D.827, Op.43, No.2 Work Anne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
7	Nacht und Träume, D.827, Op.43, No.2 (arr. voice and orchestra)	3:44			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Gruppe aus dem Tartarus II, D.583, Op.24, No.1 Work Anne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
8	Gruppe aus dem Tartarus II, D.583, Op.24, No.1 (arr. voice and orchestra)	3:04			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Erlkönig, D.328, Op.1 Work Anne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
9	Erlkönig, D.328, Op.1 (orch. by Berlioz)	4:01			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Die junge Nonne, D.828, Op.43, No.1 Work Anne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
10	Die junge Nonne, D.828, Op.43, No.171 (arr. voice and orchestra)	4:45			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Die schöne Müllerin, D.795, Op.25...Die schöne Müllerin, D.795, Op.25 (arr. voice and orchestra) Work Thomas Quasthoff Bass-baritone, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
11	10.Tränenregen	4:17			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Winterreise, D.911, Op.89...Winterreise, D.911, Op.89 (arr. voice and orchestra) Work Thomas Quasthoff Bass-baritone, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
12	20.Der Wegweiser	3:56			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Du bist die Ruh, D.776, Op.59, No.3 Work Thomas Quasthoff Bass-baritone, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
13	Du bist die Ruh, D.776, Op.59, No.3 (arr. voice and orchestra)	3:48			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Schwanengesang, D.957 Work Thomas Quasthoff Bass-baritone, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
14	9.Ihr Bild	2:16			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Prometheus, D.674 Work Thomas Quasthoff Bass-baritone, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
15	Prometheus, D.674 (arr. voice and orchestra)	5:17			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Memnon, D.541, Op.6, No.1 Work Thomas Quasthoff Bass-baritone, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
16	Memnon, D.541, Op.6, No.1	3:51			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer An Schwager Kronos, D.369, Op.19, No.1 Work Thomas Quasthoff Bass-baritone, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
17	An Schwager Kronos, D.369, Op.19, No.1 (arr. voice and orchestra)	3:04			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer An die Musik, D.547, Op.88, No.4 Work Thomas Quasthoff Bass-baritone, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
18	An die Musik, D.547, Op.88, No.4 (arr. voice and orchestra)	2:24			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Erlkönig, D.328, Op.1 Work Thomas Quasthoff Bass-baritone, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
19	Erlkönig, D.328, Op.1 (orch. by Max Reger)	3:59			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Geheimes, D.719, Op.14, No.2 Work Anne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
20	Geheimes, D.719, Op.14, No.2 (arr. voice and orchestra)	1:40			$0.49
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Schwanengesang, D.957...Schwanengesang, D.957 (arr. voice and orchestra) Work Thomas Quasthoff Bass-baritone, Claudio Abbado Conductor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe Orchestra
21	4.Ständchen	3:38			$0.99