What would have been a relatively pleasing hour of listening is marred by an inexplicably harsh recording that gives pointed presence to the lute but saddles the voice with a grating edge that simply becomes irritating after a few minutes. It’s inexplicable because anyone in the control room must have heard the strident sound quality–but how could they have determined it to be flattering, or even true, to the character of the music or to baritone Martin Hummel’s voice? If you listen through the rough edges, you can tell that Hummel has a warm, expressive instrument that in kinder conditions would be enjoyable to hear. Yes, he does have a few distracting mannerisms–overinflecting when he wants to add a little drama, or carelessly ending some phrases and going slightly off pitch at louder dynamic levels–but otherwise he has good control and sensitivity and seems to enjoy these rarely heard and often very beautiful songs. Hummel’s partner, lutenist Karl-Ernst Schröder, is a superb collaborator whose cleanly articulated, always tasteful colorations make a perfectly balanced dialogue with the singer. In fact, his playing has you wishing for a few tracks–or an entire disc–of Schröder alone. Aside from the discovery of a few attractive songs–among them Heinrich Albert’s Dowland-like “An quia quotquot amant ipsi” (Since they love so much) and Christoph Bernhard’s “Scheiden bringt Leiden” (Parting brings suffering)–there’s not much here but unfulfilled promise and the hope for another chance for these fine musicians–in another context.
