Wolf: Morike Lieder / Wolfgang Holzmair, Imogen Cooper

シューベルトの流れを汲む、ドイツ・オーストリア歌曲の歴史に芳醇な香りを添えたヴォルフの作品集。彼の作品の中でも最も愛されている「メーリケ歌曲集」をこれまたオーストリアの名バリトン、ホルツマイヤーが歌います。決して派手な歌い方をする人ではなく、どの曲にもじっくり取り組み、極めて誠実な表現を聴かせてくれる素晴らしい歌い手です。伴奏のクーパーはイギリス人ですが、ウィーンでパウル・バドゥラ＝スコダとイェルク・デムス、そしてアルフレート・ブレンデルからオーストリア気質をじっくり学び、これまた洒脱な演奏でホルツマイヤーの歌にぴったり寄り添っています。 ［コメント提供；ナクソス・ジャパン］
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The Wigmore Hall Live label generally extends great care to the sound of the Wigmore Hall recitals it records and under normal circumstances captures its concerts in a warm, natural, and pleasing ambiance. As Wigmore is a very busy venue presenting -- and presumably recording -- a lot of concerts, not everything is going to turn out absolutely right. It appears that Wigmore Hall Live's Wolfgang Holzmair/Imogen Cooper: Wolf Songs falls short of the mark just a tad, but significantly so. Holzmair is a dedicated performer of Hugo Wolf's who enjoys characterizing these songs and invests a lot of energy in interpreting them; one of Holzmair's earliest discs was a selection from Wolf's Goethe-lieder for the now defunct Collins Classics concern; this program of 26 lieder and an encore is taken from Wolf's settings of Eduard Morike. Holzmair and Imogen Cooper appear to be putting this material through all of the right paces, and as a live recital this was probably a terrific experience. The recording, though, is just a bit distant and thereby lacks the heft of Holzmair's baritone voice; the piano, likewise, is indistinct and drops below audibility in certain spots. Fans enthralled with Holzmair will not want to avoid this fine recital, and the interpretations of Wolf are strong; however, as a listening experience Wigmore Hall Live's Wolfgang Holzmair/Imogen Cooper: Wolf Songs is a little bit more work than a professional-grade live recording ought to be.