Schubert, "Der Hirt auf dem Felsen" (The Sheperd On the
Rock) is one of my very favorite chamber works and one of Schubert's
most beautiful lieder. My two favorite recordings of the work are
"Music From Marlboro" with the great Benita Valente, ex-BSO
principal clarinetist Harold Wright and Rudolph Serkin, and the Kathleen
Battle/Karl Leister/James Levine on DG. Two equally beautiful but very different interpretations. Battle sounds absolutely ravishing and Levine
shows a rarely heard side of his formidable musicianship (pianist).
However, it is the Valente/Serkin/Wright version that has the magic with an
exquisite sense of fragility and innocence in contrast to Battle/Levine's
more purposeful reading. Both are highly recommended as great
performances. The Battle/Levine wins, hands down, in terms of sound
quality and offers a more up-front perspective. The Valente/Serkin is a live
recording with a more distant perspective and a bit of grain in the sound;
but, with the magic.
Rock) is one of my very favorite chamber works and one of Schubert's
most beautiful lieder. My two favorite recordings of the work are
"Music From Marlboro" with the great Benita Valente, ex-BSO
principal clarinetist Harold Wright and Rudolph Serkin, and the Kathleen
Battle/Karl Leister/James Levine on DG. Two equally beautiful but very different interpretations. Battle sounds absolutely ravishing and Levine
shows a rarely heard side of his formidable musicianship (pianist).
However, it is the Valente/Serkin/Wright version that has the magic with an
exquisite sense of fragility and innocence in contrast to Battle/Levine's
more purposeful reading. Both are highly recommended as great
performances. The Battle/Levine wins, hands down, in terms of sound
quality and offers a more up-front perspective. The Valente/Serkin is a live
recording with a more distant perspective and a bit of grain in the sound;
but, with the magic.