This album groups together song cycles by three composers not often presented together. Schumann’s “Sechs Gesänge” Op. 107 and “Sechs Gedichte und Requiem” Op. 90 sits next to Poulenc’s “La courte paille” and “Fiancailles pour rire”, with Zemlinsky’s “Walzer-Gesänge…” Op. 6 added to the mix. The contrasts in style and language are sometimes stark, but all cycles have their highlights, presenting Soprano Hanna-Elisabeth Müller and pianist’s Juliane Ruf as impressive collaborators.
Müller’s timber is well-suited to Poulenc’s whimsical harmonic and compositional idiom. Her French diction is clear and direct, allowing the listener not just to appreciate her musicality but also the poems upon which the songs are based. The cycle “La court paille” from 1960 is an enjoyable listen: based on poems by Maurice Carême, the songs depict different aspects of childhood from the vantage of both mother and child. Müller does a nice job in both roles, creating a sensitive and vibrant experience. Several songs in this set are particularly impressive – “Le sommeil” (track 7) interestingly expresses a dichotomous sentiment: the gentle exasperation of a mother trying to rock her child to sleep. Müller’s voice effectively captures the mother’s simultaneous frustration and loving concern for her child. “Quelle aventure!” (Track 8) is a delightful contrast, sung curiously and innocently through the eyes of an imaginative child. “La reine de coeur” (9) is a lovely song, romantic, almost jazzy, thanks to Poulenc’s refreshing harmonies. This is indeed Müller’s best performance of the set; she displays admirable voice control that brings about a gentle richness and that paints a vivid image of a mother singing her child to sleep.
Poulenc’s earlier cycle, “Fiançailles pour rire” from 1939, can be translates loosely to “Whimsical Betrothal,” but the songs are in fact deeply emotive, something that the Müller brings to the forefront, ultimately unifying the set. In “Dans l’herbe” (21), her passionate and haunting vocal colors capture the meandering harmonic changes of the piece, drawn us into the sense of longing that reflects the heart-wrenching quality of the words. An interesting comparison here is Nathalie Dessay’s interpretation (Erato, 2015): the tempo is markedly faster, giving the piece a more uneasy quality, almost as though the narrator cannot accept her lover’s death and is still frantically searching for him. The virtuosic “Il vole” (22) is nicely performed by singer and pianist alike; A scintillating clarity in both parts not only creates consistency, but also brings the interesting and eclectic nature of Louise de Vilmorin’s poem to life.
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The two Schumann cycles find Müller in good form, but has hits and misses in both sets. “Herzeleid”, which opens “Sechs Gesänge” Op. 107 and the album, is subtle but perhaps a little too controlled. The singer’s lines sound uniform until the very last word (the echo of “Ophelia”) whose color change is quite touching. Perhaps this contrast was the artist’s intent, but the listener gets lost before being able to appreciate this poignant moment. In this lied turn to Carolyn Sampson’s wonderful “Reason in Madness”, reviewed in these pages, and for yet another superb Baritone alternative, try this song and cycle in “FRAGE” by Christian Gerhaher (reviewed here) .”Die Fenterscheib” (2) shows a better alignment of phrasing and words. Müller is a good storyteller here, describing the initial surprise of a woman meeting a man, and the ensuing despair her heart finally breaks in solitude.
“Der Gärtner” (3) presents the well-balanced collaboration between Müller and pianist Julian Ruf, quite consistent throughout the recording. The pianist’s deep tone quality complements the richness of Müller’s voice. “Abendlied” is a strong finish, evocative and beautifully sung. It brings both closure and emotional balance to a cycle that so often discusses pain and anguish. An equally wonderful version is from Anne Sophie von Otter’s 1995 DG recording. The side-by-side comparison is intriguing: where Müller’s interpretation is cathartic, Otter is contemplative with a sense of peaceful finality. Turning to “Sechs Gedichte und Requiem” (Op. 90), the opening “Lied eines Schmiedes” gives the cycle a regretfully a weak start. Given the brisk, march-like quality of the music and motivational words, Müller’s interpretation oddly lucks panache. “Kommen und schieden” (28), on the other hand, is lovely. The sparse piano part is played without unnecessary frills, allowing the singer’s expressive subtleties to shine through.
Zemlinsky’s “Waltzer-Gesang” is solid, with “Ich geh’ des Nachtes” standing out (track 17). Here, listen for the interesting dialogue between Müller and Ruf: the singer captures the mysterious quality of the words of the narrator searching for a sweetheart, while the pianist plays a substantial role of the “Dark One’’, who has killed and buried the narrator’s lover.
The sound engineering is top notch: a nice balance is established between both artists. Where is it easy for the piano to be cast aside as mere accompaniment, this recording gives it considerable weight which allows hearing Ruf’s tone quality. Overall, “Reine de coeur” is a consistently enjoyable album.
“Reine de Coeur”
Schumann – “Sechs Gesänge” Op. 107, “Sechs Gedichte und Requiem” Op. 90
Poulenc – “La courte paille”, FP 178, “Fiancailles pour rire” FP 101
Zemlinsky – “Walzer-Gesänge nach toskanischen Liedern von Ferdinand Gregorovius”, Op. 6
Hanna Elisabeth Müller – Soprano
Juliane Ruf – Piano
Pentatone, CD Catalog
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