Renée Fleming has recorded some intriguing material in recent years, showcasing the diversity and agility of her distinctive voice. Her 2017 album, “Distant Light”, features an authoritative reading of Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915”, and a commanding interpretation of Hillborg’s “Strand Settings”. Those refreshing additions brought something distinctive to Fleming’s discography. Her latest release “Lieder” — conservative in scope in comparison, is dedicated to the intimate genre that gives the album its title. Schumann’s “Frauenliebe und-leben Op.42” is joined by a selection of eight Brahms songs and Mahler’s five “Rückert-Lieder”. In both the Brahms and Schumann (recorded in 2017), Fleming is accompanied by pianist Hartmut Höll; for the Mahler, captured live in 2010, Christian Thielemann accompanies with the Münchner Philharmoniker.
Interpretive approaches to Brahms’ music are varied. Some prefer their Brahms with a poised classical style, others a more romantic approach. Fleming’s performance is certainly the latter. A selection of songs rather than a complete cycle, the songs lack the same sense of uniformity of text as either the Schumann or Mahler. Fleming showcases her distinctive voice throughout — hugely expressive and brimming with vivid color, typically characterized in “Ständchen” (track 2). Extroverted virtuosity in omnipresent in all accounts, sometimes at the cost of musical details. “Des Liebsten Schwur”, for example (track 5), misses the “mezzo voce” instruction, whilst the slower songs (“Wiegenlied” and “Da unten im Tale” – tracks 1&7) are exceptionally broad and excessively sentimental.
The Schumann overall exhibits greater restraint and a more consistent approach. The texts for the cycle “Frauenliebe und-leben”, all by the poet Adalbert von Chamisso, allow Fleming to get below the surface, delving deeper to the heart not only of each song, but the cycle as a whole. Here, Fleming depicts herself as a narrator, a storyteller; the drama that unfolds is more genuine, rubato more natural, most noticeable in “Ich kann’s nicht fassen nicht glauben” (track 11). The approach is not consistent, though, “Helft mir, ihr Schwestern” (track 13) is overly emphasized, being altogether too bright and quick. “Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmerz getan”, which closes the cycle, has the strongest character, the text delivered with a very personal take, ensuring there is no ambiguity in Fleming’s anguished slant.
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The choice of piano is a Steingraeber & Söhne. The tone is very different to a more commonly used Steinway, lighter in the bass and more rounded in the treble, making it ideally suited to the textures of Brahms’ and Schumann’s piano writing. That said, the understated character of the instrument when paired with the luxurious sound of Fleming’s voice becomes smothered on occasion. Höll does take the piano to its limit in the bolder passages without forcing the tone, but falls short of matching the sweeping dynamic range set by Fleming. The recording quality of Brahms and Schumann, recorded in the Italian Institute of Culture, Budapest is excellent, with sufficient acoustic to add resonance.
Rückert-Lieder
There is a significant change in Fleming’s voice between the two recording periods featured on “lieder”. Rückert-Lieder reveal a stronger vocal agility and brighter tone. Presenting them in her own order, these bold interpretations miss some of the subtleties in Mahler’s markings, such as the dynamics in “Um Mitternacht” (track 19). In “Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder!” (20), Fleming demonstrates her bouncing dexterity, but compared to Schumann’s “Er, der Herrlichste von allen”, for instance, highlights a lack of precision and clarity in the Brahms/Schumann recordings. The Mahler also lacks the distinctive Decca sound; the voice immediate, but strings sound thin — the violins distant and cellos and basses lacking resonance in the Philharmonie im Gasteig (Munich), where these sessions were recorded. This is especially noticeable in the final song, “Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen”.
Fleming certainly makes a very personal mark in this repertoire. The diction is clear, and her proficiency and understanding of German are especially apparent in the Mahler. The album will be a welcomed addition for Fleming’s admirers. Considering other recordings of Rücket-Lieder, it’s Janet Baker with Barbirolli and the New Philharmonia Orchestra who commands the greatest communicative gift in this repertoire. For the Schumann there are more sincere performances available — Anne-Sophie von Otter with Bengt Forsberg should be the first choice.
“Lieder”
Brahms – 8 Songs
Schumann – Frauenliebe und -Leben Op.42
Mahler – Rückert-Lieder
Renée Fleming – Soprano
Hartmut Höll – Piano
Münchner Philharmoniker
Christian Thielemann – Conductor
Decca Classics, CD 28948323357
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