This is the kind of disc that makes for an easy review: a first-rate recital featuring beautiful, sensitive, expressive singing guided by intelligent interpretive decisions and shaped by the consummate communicative artistry of the two performers. Tenor Werner Güra never has sounded or performed better, his fluid, facile, silver-toned lyricism perfectly suited to these melody-rich songs. These pieces work best when sung simply, honestly, and without affectation–but this requires not only supreme technical resources to ensure an easy flowing quality to numbers such as Brahms’ “Da unten im Tale” and Clara Schumann’s “Warum willst du and’re fragen”, but also a clear, vibrant, appealing vocal tone that engages our ears and keeps us happily listening.
And that’s exactly what we get here, one of those rare, ideally programmed, heart-warming and artistically gratifying vocal recitals that we cherish both for its successful marriage of music and singer and for the pleasure brought by the music itself, which in this case consists of some of the more compatible and representative songs written by three very intimately intertwined musical personalities. The particular selection, which also makes up part of a “semi-staged” concert program Güra and pianist Christoph Berner perform along with actress Meriam Abbas, is designed to explore the “interactions among this artistic trinity.” Whatever their extra-musical dividends, these songs have an enduring appeal all their own. Although other fine singers of various vocal categories have done ample justice to this same repertoire, Güra takes a place among the best–and he’s given exemplary assistance and support by his piano partner and by sound that’s clean and natural and perfectly balanced. A great disc! [12/17/2004]
