Raff: Songs - Sanges-Frühling and Maria Stuart

[Mark Thomas]

Divox CDX-20806/7

The small Swiss label Divox will be releasing in the next few weeks a double SACD (total time: 115 minutes) of exceptionally fine performances of 42 songs by Raff.  As well as operas, choral works and part-songs, he was a prolific composer of lieder and songs, writing 126 in all, and here we have the two most extensive collections. Composed between 1855 and 1863, the 30-strong Sanges-Frühling (Springtime of Song) Op. 98 is a set of "romances, ballads, lieder and songs" of greatly varying character: solemn piety, innocent gaiety, amorous pleadings, forlorn despair and Gothic horror all feature in this collection which was tremendously popular in its day. Throughout, whatever the subject, melody is to the fore in these atmospheric and memorable settings of poems by Raff's contemporaries. Very different are the dozen songs in the cycle Maria Stuart Op.172. Written at about the same time as the Lenore Symphony in 1872, these songs chart the life of Mary Queen of Scots in settings of poems written by her (and translated into German) and three of the men in her life. Whilst Raff's characteristic melody still underpins these beautiful songs, the writing is often understated, conveying the sadness and regret of much of her life. Apart from a touching setting of Chidiock Titchbourne's "Before Going To the Scaffold", the male contributions are rather more upbeat, as is Mary's rapturous "After The Birth Of Her Son". Maria Stuart is Raff's art at its most subtle and sensitive.

Noëmi Nadelman (soprano),  Barbara Koželj (mezzo-soprano) and Thomas Oliemans (baritone) share both sets and, together with Jan Schultsz (piano) their performances are absolutely first rate. My only criticisms are reserved for the truly ghastly booklet cover and for the unconscionable five year delay between recording and issue. I don't have a release date yet, but it is promised very soon and if you are at all a lover of the romantic song I recommend you snap up this fine recording.

[adriano]

Very interesting indeed! Ian Schultsz is an ideal and most expert accompanyist. He is also the pianist of that wonderful Arte Nova recording of Raff's complete Piano Trios. I only have some reservations on Mrs Nadelmann...
My felicitations to Divox that they finally were able to collect the money for this project! As far as CD sponsoring is concerned, one has not the impression to be living in the world's richest country! Swiss statal sponsors like Pro Helevtia have ceased since many years to help the publication of CDs, they only support already recognised artists giving concerts abroad, but there too, it must be in a (quote!) "relevant" place. I once planned a concert of Swiss music in Bratislava - but was turned down since they found this city not important enough...
@Mark: Divox's cover art is ghastly since this label exists!

[MartinH]

Recorded in SACD format, too! Our knowledge of Raff's repertoire continues to be greatly enhanced. Many thanks to whoever put this together.

[Alan Howe]

At long last!

[eschiss1]

I remember a Hungaroton set of his songs being reviewed (poorly, but I rarely agreed with that reviewer) in Fanfare. A one-CD smaller set of course but any opinion as to the performances, whether one should skip that one or ideally have both, &c?

[Mark Thomas]

The Hungaroton set features 15 of the 30 Sanges-Frühling set and four of the dozen Maria Stuart songs. The performances are good, but I'd describe Andrea Meláth's voice as being quite ripe and full-bodied, and that's not always appropriate in the lighter numbers from Sanges-Frühling. The new Divox twofer features both sets complete, dividing Sanges-Frühling amongst three singers and Maria Stuart amongst two, so one gets much more vocal diversity and voices which are very well matched to the nature of each song. In particular, the songs which should clearly be sung by a man are assigned to the tenor, and that's particularly important in Maria Stuart, which is a story-telling song cycle with a chronological span. In all respects the performances on the new set eclipse those on the earlier CD. Both sonically and interpretatively it's in a different class and if you can have only one it's the one to buy. My only criticism is that (in my advance copy of the booklet at least) the texts of the songs are missing.

[mikehopf]

Just released on the BMN-Medien label, songs on the subject of Mary Stuart by Wagner, Elgar, Parker, Schumann, Zumsteeg, Loewe and Raff.
9 Songs  From the Maria Stuarda Cycle Op.172 by Raff sung by Franziska Hirzel and Tobias Schabenberger.

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks, Mike. Yes, I have this new recording too, but I'm afraid that the Raff performances aren't a patch on those on the upcoming Divox set, either sonically or interpretatively. To my ears BMN's sound stage is recessed and thinner, and I find Ms Hirzel's voice curiously one dimensional and devoid of emotion. Others may disagree, of course, but if you want the Maria Stuart cycle then the Divox set is the one to get, once it's available.

[mikehopf]

Thanks, Mark. I'll certainly be getting the new Divox set just as soon as Qobuz put it on their site.

Nevertheless, the BMN disc is worth a listen for the songs by Wagner, Elgar, Parker et al.

[Alan Howe]

The set is now listed by Presto as an 11th November release:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Divox/CDX-20806%252F07-6

[adriano]

... and I still have problems with Noemi Nadelmann's voice. She also did a Schreker song recital on Ars Nova - and, what really didn't have to happen - she agreed to replace (years ago" an ill singer for a Zurich Opera "Traviata". She sung it like an operetta or a musical (which is the best for her voice and technique). This was, for us all involved, an unpleasant experience...

[Mark Thomas]

This 2SACD set is now available, and both HiDef and ordinary downloads will be available on Friday, I understand.

[Ilja]

Ohhh, these are mine. Not a Lieder fan generally, but I love the Maria Stuart cycle.

[Mark Thomas]

Audio extracts from each track at jpc here.