Expressionist music

"You'll have to wait until almost the end of the first CD of this excellent four-CD set ... to hear music that you'd usually associate with the new ground plowed by Schoenberg. Most of the songs on the first CD could have been written by Hugo Wolf, or Schumann, Fauré or even Schubert! ... There is little clinical about these performances, though. They're all respectful and engaged, if a little formal. The quality of the singing is generally high ... Jens Peters Jakobsen's texts, which became those of the Gurrelieder, are of particular interest. They are sung particularly well by Diener and tenor Markus Schäfer ... This set has a lot going for it, then. Not only is it as complete as anything else available. It's been carefully conceived, imaginatively executed and well presented. There are songs here that are unavailable elsewhere".

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"[Jarnot's] warmly mellifluous baritone is finely deployed in a group of nine posthumous songs ... Barainsky effortlessly conveys the insinuating charms of Colly's 'Jedem das Seine' and Frank Wedekind's 'Galathea' ... Throughout this set, the sound ... has admirable focus and immediacy as well as an exemplary sense of perspective between voice and piano ... A release which is mandatory listening for anyone who wishes to assess Schoenberg's place within the Lieder tradition".

"The duo have gathered together a selection of their favourites, grouped in response to eight of Schoenberg's paintings. As a programme, it's a great idea and provides the listener with a good overview of his output in this genre ... There's never any doubting the commitment of the performances. Booth's voice is bright and vibrant, conveying fiery urgency but always staying on the right side of shrillness. She's a natural communicator, too; she draws you in and rarely lets you go ... Warmly welcomed".