Der Freischütz

"Recording of the week: Jacobs's new prologue combines dialogue, melodrama and music recycled from the Hermit's later appearance into a satisfying scene which not only makes the ending feel more organic but also lends a welcome symmetry to the piece as a whole and underlines the Christian element which is largely sidelined in the standard version. The use of period instruments provides further revelations, with rasping natural horns, fife-like flutes and judiciously wonky string-intonation all adding to the rough-and-ready rustic atmosphere".

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"A prime difference between Jacobs' recording and the others ... is his use of period instruments, but this doesn't take away from the multidimensionality of orchestral sound we hear in places like the Overture ... Jacobs acknowledges some adjustments he's had to make to account for text which Weber originally did not set to music ... Throughout the entire opera, the orchestra plays an active role in not only supporting the singers but also bringing and maintaining a high level of energy over a more than 2-hour span. What really stood out was Jacobs' sensible pacing throughout, allowing the listener to savor each aria ... A top-notch performance from all, along with Jacobs' fine artistic perspective makes this a must-listen and an essential addition to any listener's shelf".

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"Editor's choices - October 2019: With plenty of bucolic bite, Janowski's orchestra conjures a real Brothers Grimm atmosphere in Weber's dark fairy-tale. The Wagnerian voices of the two leads are flatteringly recorded: Davidsen is a womanly, three-dimensional Agathe, her big dusky soprano still flexible enough to navigate the florid passages of her first aria, whilst the heroic writing for Max holds no terrors for Schager, a veteran Siegfried".

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"En teknisk overraskende god live-optagelse fra Wiens Statsopera 1972 ... Karl Böhm dirigerer romantisk smukt Webers ”Jægerbruden”, og Gundula Janowitz som Agathe er intet mindre end vidunderlig, som hun former og klinger".

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"If Davis's handling of the score lacks the dramatic punch of the Kleibers' readings, there are some fine things here - his phrasing of the score's many lyrical moments, the playing of the orchestra and the careful and exciting casting. Simon O'Neill is virtually perfect for Max, not too über-Heldentenor and not too light".

"The playing of the London Symphony Orchestra is warm and utterly polished, but the reading fails to take off ... Casting in London is skewed towards Bayreuth with Simon O'Neill (Max) and Christine Brewer (Agathe) probably more comfortable as Tristan and Isolde, while Sally Matthews's big lyric soprano is far too heavy for Ännchen ... There is some lusty singing from the LSO Chorus".

"This noted 1973 set hasn’t worn that well. Kleiber draws superb playing from the Dresden orchestra and singing from the Leipzig Radio Chorus, but he is inclined to kill the score with kindness through exaggerated tempos and overemphasis on detail".

"For sheer thrills, no one has yet outshone Kleiber’s swashbuckling 1973 Der Freischütz ... The Staatskapelle is putty in his fingers. Janowitz’s melting Agathe, Schreier’s assertive Max, Mathis and Adam remain my dream cast".

"A veteran lavishes affection on a magical tale and his cast support him splendidly ... It is a most attractive performance".

"A large modern orchestra plays with all the colour and varying tonal weight of an informed period band ... The cast features the much-discussed new star Lise Davidsen as an Agathe of one's dreams - the voice sounding fuller and more secure at the bottom than on her debut recital album ... Andreas Schager is Max, her wavering fiancé-do-be, with just the right amount of Helden to lyric in the voice. Fomina is a spicy and unpredictably colourful Aennchen, Held a less black and weighty but characterfully rich villain Caspar. Smaller roles and chorus are all in good voice ... I'd put this new release right at the top of the pile - until we get a major period-instrument release".

"Vor fünf Jahren erschien Webers 'Freischütz' in einer Filmversion von Jens Neubert in den Kinos. Nun ist der Soundtrack dazu auf CD herausgekommen - und überzeugt ganz ohne Bild ... Schön dass sie jetzt endlich auch als Akustikdokument verfügbar ist".