Add this copy of Beethovenlieder to cart. $3.54, good condition, Sold by Bookmans rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Tucson, AZ, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by AMERIMUSIC.
Add this copy of Beethovenlieder to cart. $83.26, new condition, Sold by Revaluation Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Exeter, DEVON, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2002 by AMERIMUSIC.
Beethoven's work as a composer of songs remains too little known. With the approximately 100 songs he composed, Beethoven has a claim rivaling Schubert's to be regarded as the creator of the Art Song. Any lover of the Art Song or anyone with more than a casual interest in Beethoven will enjoy exploring this aspect of Beethoven's work. Collections of the songs appear infrequently and tend not to be readily accessible.
This collection of songs is lovingly performed with excellent, collaboration between the singer, tenor Douglas Jimerson, and the pianist, Ruth Locker. The collection was recorded in suburban Washington, D.C. and both Jimerson and Locker perform frequently in the Washington D.C. area. The highlights of the disc are "Adelaide", a song Beethoven wrote in his mid-twenties but published much later with a high opus number. There were many contemporary settings of this work, but only Beethoven's is much heard. Ironically, the poet of "Adelaide" detested Beethoven's version and thought it the worst he had ever heard.
The other highlight of this collection is "An de Ferne Geliebte", a work of Beethoven's deepest maturity from the beginning of his third period. This is an intense cycle of six songs (which are perfomed without a break between them) which mirrors Beethoven's letter to his "Immortal Beloved." This cycle is a little-known masterpiece and Beethoven's finest achievement in the Art Song. It is a worthy predecessor of the song cycles of Schubert and Schumann.
The performance and collaboration between Locker and Jimerson on this disc is excellent. The liner notes are sparse, but they include translations of the songs. The disc is, alas, too short, particularly because it is relatively expensive. It offers only about 35 minutes of music. Given the relative unfamiliarity of Beethoven's songs, I think the disc should have provided the listener with a larger selection and more listening time. Beethoven wrote many fine songs that are not included here. For those listeners wanting only a single volume of Beethoven songs, it might be advisable to dig around for a volume with a larger selection. This CD nonetheless is lovely.
Robin Friedman
A have a sentimental attachment to this CD as it is the first CD I ever reviewed. In addition I have met both Jimerson and Locker and been able to tell them how much I enjoyed this recording.
