Winterreise

"This impressive production was recorded at the 2014 Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, but my strong recommendation would be to watch first the documentary extra A Trio for Schubert ... Both musicians give vital insights into the music and their ways of inhabiting its world and delivering its message ... With some concert video recordings it's easy to switch off the screen and just enjoy the music, but in this case the physicality of Goerne's presence and his expression of emotion in every aspect of the performance is something which, beyond the unity of art and music in the film, is an essential part of the whole ... Highly effective integration of sublime performance and artistic depth".

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"Det var en stor aften 22. marts 2005 i Berlins Philharmonie. Thomas Quasthoff sang Schuberts Wnterreise med Daniel Barenboim ved flyglet. Barenboim spillede kompetent, sikkert og følsomt i anslaget, men det var Quasthoffs aften ... "Vinterrejse i hostestorm" skrev Klaus Geitel i Berliner Morgenpost. Men musikerne og Schubert fik snart publikum i deres greb. Der blev stille, da Schuberts sjælelige vinterbilleder blev oprullet i al deres skønhed og gru".

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"Matthias Goernes magnifika tolkning av Schuberts sena mästerverk kan inte nog lovordas. Hans expressiva intensitet är sant gripande i de här filmade konserterna. Dessutom klingar sången utan undantag vackert i alla register. Tillsammans med den föredömligt lyhörde Markus Hinterhäuser skapar han tolkningar med både stor spännvidd och kammarmusikaliska nyanser ... Willam Kentridges vackert nyansrika visualiseringar ... fördjupar upplevelsen utan att det känns tillgjort".

"It's fascinating viewing, by turns enchanting and disquieting, but you might, as I did, find your eye simply being drawn back to Goerne. He sings the cycle now with a new and powerful tragic gravity, matched every weary trudge of the way by Hinterhäuser's intelligent and supportive playing".

"En bekræftelse af, at fuldkommenheden så langt fra er synonym med et fordelagtigt og flatterende ydre ... Den ensomme, fortrykte og mismodige vandrer ... er her personificeret af Thomas Quasthoff, som med sin elegante og klangfuldt chatterende stemme profilerer hovedpersonen i digtkredsen ... Fornemmelsen af fuldkommenhed dementerer alt andet i denne dvd-optagelse".

"Aged 53, Fischer-Dieskau superbly husbands his resources while giving a demonstration of interpretative intelligence that should serve as a touchstone for all who attempt Schubert's daunting cycle in the future ... an example to all Lieder singers, for whom this DVD should be required viewing - and listening!