SCHUBERT. Winterreise, D.911. Six Lieder. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone). Jarg Demus (piano). DGG

LPM39201-2 0 SLPM139201-2 (two 12 in., 64s. 6d. plus 10s. 6d. PT).

Six Lieder: Das Weinen, D.926; Schiffers Scheidelied, D.910; Der Kreuzzug, D.932; Vor mciner Wiege, D.927; Frilhlingslied, D.398; ydgers Liebeslied, D.909.

Winterreise:

H. Hotter, Werba (11/63) ij LPM18778-9: 0 SLPM138778-9 Souzay, Baldwin (11/63) Q AL3428-9: Q SAL3428-9 Fischer-Dieskau, Moore (11/63) ALP2001-2: 0 ASD551-2 Pears, Britten (7/65) Q MET270-1: 0 SE'r270-1

There was a period of eight years between Hotter's second and third recordings of Winterreise but only about two and a half years, perhaps less, between FischerDieskau's second and third. Hotter was partnered by Gerald Moore in his first recording and Moore was Fischer-Dieskau's pianist for his first two. One can well understand a singer's wish to perfect his recorded interpretation of the greatest of all songcycles: it is only by records that posterity will be able to judge his art. The respective merits of the performances listed above have been gone over in some detail by DS-T and myself (in November 1963 and January 1964), so that what the reader will want to know is how does Fischer-Dieskau's latest interpretation compare with his second. The latter notably fined down some dramatic outbursts and eliminated some unnecessary verbal pointmaking, but still presented a more virile, if tragic, figure than Hotter or Souzay, and, more recently Pears, gave us. He has now gone further in these directions, but the differences are so slight or subtle as to make it impossible to list them except by giving chapter and verse for each one, and that cannot be attempted here.

I must confess that Fischer-Dieskau's second recording remains my choice, mainly because Gerald Moore's playing was even more superb than before. There is much to admire in JOrg Demus's playing but it is not of this calibre, tiresome as it may seem to have to go on saying this. The balance between piano and voice is less good than on the HMV discs but better than the feeble bass line in "Gute Nacht" seems to portend.

The six Schubert songs that come after are all of a secondary nature. The best of them is Friihlingslied, one of a charming group, by Holly, about the seasons and composed in 1816—the rest belong to 1827. Das Weinen and Der Kreuzzug are simple hymn-like settings of poems by Leitner, who also is responsible for the sentimental poem Vor meiner Wiege, in which he begs his mother to survive him so as to comfort his last hours. As Capell said, "Schubert's music to this flowed in a moment of no great control". We owe to Schober, Schubert's immortal setting of An die musik and so can forgive him for the 12 pages of Schiffers Scheidelied, for which he provided the poem. Fischer-Dieskau has before shown his liking for such lengthy songs and if the less good ones must be sung no one could do them better. Jagers Liebeslied is also by Schober and there is little there, too, of the essential Schubert. Jarg Demus copes valiantly with the stormy passages in the sailor's farewell to his girl and is in good form in the other songs. A.R.