Against such competition as tenor Fritz Wunderlich (DG) and baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (EMI, DG) in the Die schöne Müllerin CD-stakes, German tenor Christian Elsner certainly seems at a disadvantage. And indeed, the rewards in his very respectable performance of Schubert’s song-cycle–one of the pearls of the tenor (sometimes baritone) repertoire–don’t truly begin to surface until he reaches “Ungeduld” (Impatience), the seventh of the cycle’s 20 songs. By this time, he is fully engaged and better in control of the more delicate phrase endings. The following “Morgengruß” (Morning greeting) shows a singer who’s really enjoying himself–the legato flowing freely, phrasing consistently sung-through, and inflections more sensitive and expressive. And sure enough, Elsner ultimately displays a voice that’s strong and versatile, with a warm, centered tone that’s consistent throughout his range. In “Mein!” his bright, confident vocalism perfectly captures the singer’s mood as he proclaims “The beloved maid of the mill is mine!” “Der Jäger” (The hunter) is appropriately bold and confrontational as the miller disdainfully describes his rival; and although Elsner deftly negotiates the deceptively difficult intervals and intonation of “Die liebe Farbe” (The favorite color), he and his accompanist rush the tempo, thus obscuring the magical effect of Schubert’s ingenious musical “colorings”–subtle harmonic shifts and clever chord voicings that give the text added charm and meaning.
Pianist Ulrich Eisenlohr has shown an impressive affinity for Schubert’s songs on two earlier recordings in Naxos’ ongoing series (see reviews archive), and he once again serves singer and Schubert well, although I still prefer Warren Jones’ singularly sympathetic interaction with baritone Kevin McMillan (Dorian) as well as this pair’s more artful musical portrayal of the miller’s character and surroundings. Eisenlohr occasionally treads just over the line from accompanist/partner to soloist, as in the opening “Das Wandern”, a song in which a certain pianistic authority is required, but not so much that it swamps the singer (a common occurrence in performances of this song). Recording balances are fine; voice and piano have a true, natural sound in a space that’s lively and recital-hall intimate. In all, this is a solid and easily recommendable entry into the distinguished company of Schubert lieder performances, which, at budget price, becomes very attractive indeed.
