[Cover graphic]

Compact Disc CDA67602

£13.99

Hyperion’s Strauss Lieder series is fast becoming a worthy successor to the seminal Schubert and Schumann Lieder sets on the label. This third volume features the brilliant young British tenor Andrew Kennedy, whose performances in concert, in operas and on disc have received the highest praise. Hearing Strauss’s songs sung by a tenor is a wonderful and rare experience, and brings a different colour to even the most well-known songs on this disc. This recording fills in some of the gaps left by the first two volumes. Together with them it completes the eights songs of Opus 10, the six songs of Opus 19 and the five songs of Schlichte Weisen Op 21. It also presents two groups, Opus 17 and 32, complete as originally published, and it ends with three songs from Opus 48. Altogether the selection covers the eighteen years from 1882 to 1900, during which Strauss composed all his major tone poems. Roger Vignoles performs with his usual matchless musicianship and provides the extensive booklet notes.

Recorded in All Saints Church, East Finchley, London, on 24–26 July 2007
Recording Engineer
JULIAN MILLARD
Recording Producer
MARK BROWN
Piano
STEINWAY & SONS
Front Picture Research
RICHARD HOWARD
Booklet Editor
TIM PARRY
Executive Producer
SIMON PERRY
© Hyperion Records Ltd, London, MMVIII

Duration: 62'52
DDD
Front illustration: The Rose Bower by Hans Zatzka (1859–1945)

RICHARD STRAUSS (1864-1949)

The Complete Songs - 3

ANDREW KENNEDY tenor
ROGER VIGNOLES piano

Contents:

  1. Nichts Op 10 No 2   HERMANN VON GILM ZU ROSENEGG   [1'33]
  2. Die Zeitlose Op 10 No 7   HERMANN VON GILM ZU ROSENEGG   [1'39]
  3. Die Verschwiegenen Op 10 No 6   HERMANN VON GILM ZU ROSENEGG   [1'10]
  4. Seitdem dein Aug’ in meines schaute Op 17 No 1   ADOLF FRIEDRICH VON SCHACK   [1'56]
  5. Ständchen Op 17 No 2   ADOLF FRIEDRICH VON SCHACK   [2'30]
  6. Das Geheimnis Op 17 No 3   ADOLF FRIEDRICH VON SCHACK   [2'13]
  7. Aus den Liedern der Trauer Op 17 No 4   ADOLF FRIEDRICH VON SCHACK   [1'54]
  8. Nur Mut! Op 17 No 5   ADOLF FRIEDRICH VON SCHACK   [3'21]
  9. Barkarole Op 17 No 6   ADOLF FRIEDRICH VON SCHACK   [2'28]
  10. Wozu noch, Mädchen, soll es frommen Op 19 No 1   ADOLF FRIEDRICH VON SCHACK   [1'57]
  11. Schön sind, doch kalt die Himmelssterne Op 19 No 3   ADOLF FRIEDRICH VON SCHACK   [2'17]
  12. Hoffen und wieder verzagen Op 19 No 5   ADOLF FRIEDRICH VON SCHACK   [2'53]
  13. Ach weh mir unglückhaftem Mann Op 21 No 4   FELIX LUDWIG JULIUS DAHN   [2'13]
  14. Die Frauen sind oft fromm und still Op 21 No 5   FELIX LUDWIG JULIUS DAHN   [2'37]
  15. Heimliche Aufforderung Op 27 No 3   JOHN HENRY MACKAY   [3'17]
  16. Ich trage meine Minne Op 32 No 1   KARL FRIEDRICH HENCKELL   [2'15]
  17. Sehnsucht Op 32 No 2   DETLEV VON LILIENCRON   [3'25]
  18. Liebeshymnus Op 32 No 3   KARL FRIEDRICH HENCKELL   [2'24]
  19. O süßer Mai! Op 32 No 4   KARL FRIEDRICH HENCKELL   [1'35]
  20. Himmelsboten Op 32 No 5   from DES KNABEN WUNDERHORN   [3'28]
  21. Für funfzehn Pfennige Op 36 No 2   from DES KNABEN WUNDERHORN   [2'22]
  22. Anbetung Op 36 No 4   FRIEDRICH RÜCKERT   [4'43]
  23. Winterweihe Op 48 No 4   KARL FRIEDRICH HENCKELL   [2'36]
  24. Winterliebe Op 48 No 5   KARL FRIEDRICH HENCKELL   [1'48]
  25. Freundliche Vision Op 48 No 1   OTTO JULIUS BIERBAUM   [2'38]
Sleeve Notes

'The third volume of Hyperion’s Strauss song series comes with a tenor riding the chromatic waves. Kennedy’s young voice still has some growing to do in lieder, but his flexible tones and avoidance of the Precious Beautiful Voice give lots of pleasure. Roger Vignoles’s piano accompaniments are superb' (The Times)

'There's no doubt about it now. For anyone who cares about lieder and the music of Richard Strauss this is one of the most significant recording projects in the current catalogue. Thanks to Roger Vignoles it's also shaping up to be one of the best … How good it is to hear a male voice singing 'Ständchen' with youthful ardour and warm, rounded tone … Kennedy has that rare gift among singers of making a song unfold almost conversationally. Not that he eschews the grand manner when it's required … As for Vignoles, just listen to the final bars of 'Winterweihe'. It's a taste of heaven - literally so and pianistically. How I long for the next instalment of this noble project' (International Record Review)

'Kennedy's offering is welcome indeed … His range, in terms of pitch and expression, sounds terrific and the quality of his enthusiasm is infectious. The songs themselves are a joy and Vignoles's accompaniment nearly creates the illusion of an entire orchestra' (Classic FM Magazine)

'Here at last is a tenor for Richard Strauss … Andrew Kennedy is an eager, bright-eyed lover: the bloom and the tenderness of the middle range of his voice, in particular, know just how to bring a luxuriant, Straussian intimacy t a song such as 'Seitdem dein Aug' in meines Schaute'. Kennedy seems to bond particularly well, too, with Strauss's songs of sadness: the indeterminate harmonies and half-lights of 'Aus den Liedern der Trauer' and the stark ardour of 'Sehnsucht' are impressive … This recital shows glimpses of a future operatic Straussian to watch for' (BBC Music Magazine)

'Andrew Kennedy … gives consistent pleasure with his sweet, sappy tone, free-ringing high notes and keen characterisation. Roger Vignoles's playing is as colourful and eloquent as his booklet notes' (Daily Telegraph)

The third instalment in Hyperion's edition of Lieder by Richard Strauss is the first to employ a male singer and, in tenor Andrew Kennedy, Roger Vignoles has picked one of Britain's finest young singers … A fine achievement and an essential addition to any Straussian's or song-lover's collection. Throughout this disc, as with the previous ones, I was reminded simply of how abundant Strauss's melodic gift was; if in this personal and subjective genre he occasionally let himself get carried away, there's so much fine music that it's difficult not to get swept along' (Musicweb.com)

See also:
Richard Strauss: The Complete Songs - 1
Richard Strauss: The Complete Songs - 2
Home | About Hyperion | Catalogue | News | Artists | Distributors