Any fan of lieder knows that there are at least a zillion Schubert recitals on disc, performed by all manner of singers, from “golden era” opera stars to today’s most refined song specialists. Without question–and among her several other strengths–mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink deserves a place among the top-tier interpreters of German song, and even though most of this program consists of very well-traveled Schubert “standards”, she makes a distinct and individual enough impression that we shouldn’t be surprised to find these among the more enduring renditions.
What you notice, and what separates Fink from most of her lieder-singing colleagues, is the special nature of the voice itself, which somehow always has this knowing, life-seasoned emotion at its core; the expressions of each word of text are absolutely hers–she feels them; and we have no doubt that there’s a real person behind the beautiful, technically assured singing.
And what makes the performances all the more intriguing (and this is true also for her recent Bach recital–type Q12094 in Search Reviews) is their air of intimacy: we are “listening in” rather than being “sung to”. We don’t get the overtly dramatic or gratuitously flamboyant gestures many singers artificially force on these songs (and the German is so natural and easy–no distracting enuncuative mannerisms many interpreters are guilty of); rather we experience a Gretchen who not deliberately (as in most performances) but absent-mindedly turns her spinning-wheel, her thoughts clearly preoccupied with more serious matters.
From the longing in Die Götter Griechenlands to the building ecstasy of Ganymed to the agitated urgency of Rastlose Liebe, the poignant melancholy of the brief little gem (56 seconds) Wonne der Wehmut, and the varied moods of An die untergehende Sonne, it’s obvious that Fink has chosen songs that are not simply vehicles for her voice, but whose music and poetry truly speak to her. Pianist Gerold Huber is solid and brilliant, showing his considerable partnering gifts to particularly impressive effect in songs such as An die untergehende Sonne and the final Im Abendrot, where his sensitive communication with Fink elevates this from a very good performance to a transcendent, unforgettable one. The piano, with its slightly bright-tinted tone, makes a perfect complement to Fink’s voice, and all is set in a favorable, appropriate “drawing room” ambience. Highly recommended! [2/24/2009]
