There’s no shortage of Fischer-Dieskau’s CD versions of Winterreise–no less than seven, plus whatever underground live recordings are floating around in the pirates’ patch. This one, in EMI’s new Great Artists of the Century series, dates from 1962. It was preceded by the relatively straight-forward young singer’s 1955 version and followed by others through which we easily can trace the progression from interpretation to interventionist mannerism. I’ve always found this 1962 recording to be the most satisfying of Fischer-Dieskau’s takes on the cycle, striking a balance between vocal beauty and depth of feeling. Just a decade later, in a remake for DG with the same accompanist, the voice is slightly drier, the manner more self-conscious, and the fortes edging closer to the hectoring that later became more prominent. Even in 1962, in songs like Wasserflut and Auf dem Flusse, there are little hesitations and stresses that hint at what was to come, but they are few and far between. And for those who came late to Fischer-Dieskau, he displays a tonal beauty and suppleness that help explain why he became the leading lieder singer of his day.
Gerald Moore occupied a similar position among accompanists. But while the singer’s 1962 Winterreise is still among the finest, Moore’s accompaniments now seem understated, sometimes even casual. A case in point is his gentle rippling in Frühlingstraum compared to Alfred Brendel’s infusion of life into every note of the song in his recent Decca version with Matthias Goerne. The 2004 remastering has wiped the cobwebs from the original, the sound coming up with an immediacy dimmed only by a slightly backward piano, although that may reflect Moore’s diffident participation. [5/4/2004]
