ERINNERUNG. GUSTAV MAHLER | LIEDER – CHRISTIANE KARG

This solo recital by Christiane Karg is the German soprano’s first for the label. Together with Malcolm Martineau, her selection includes the five Rückert Lieder, but it mainly focuses on early songs, with selections from Des Knaben Wunderhorn and the Lieder und Gesänge aus der Jugendzeit. Karg’s clear, bright soprano shows her precisely delicate singing skills in every song included in the program.   

The exciting surprise comes with the two final Lieder, including “Das himmlische Leben” – which concludes the 4th symphony: They are “accompanied” by the composer himself on the piano, recorded on a roller and restored by the Welte-Mignon process. 

Even if the singer is better suited to the more pictorial Wunderhorn settings than to some of the more inward-looking Rückert songs, her worldwide recognized talent and her professionally accurate technique are once again very noticeable in this recording.  

However, the singer’s interpretation didn’t convince part of the critics. Some listeners also think that the selection of songs was not the most adequate for her. Because the music itself, the prosody, the poetry of Mahlerian melodies require a deeper timbre, a consistency, an alternation of shadows and lights, which is lacking here in most Lieder. Malcolm Martineau’s diligent piano doesn’t help much in this aspect and his extreme meticulousness sometimes turns counterproductive. 

Everything looks nicely done. But the voice, is light, too soft to move the listener to deeper emotions. 

One can’t help comparing Karg’s interpretation with the distinctive voices of Schwarzkopf, Ludwig, Fassbaender, Janet Baker or Ferrier among many others who had previously attacked a similar repertoire.  “Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen”, this moving confession – “I have withdrawn from the world” – which whispered by Kathleen Ferrier or Janet Baker, leaves you speechless, almost loses its power when pronounced by the German soprano.  

Comparisons seem inevitable again In the Knaben Wunderhorn, this collection of popular songs, in which once again Karg doesn’t reach the standards of Anne-Sofie von Otter or the sublime Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau in “Wo die schönen Trompeten blasen”. 

Nobody doubts that Christiane Karg is a brilliant soprano, and recognized Mozartian, applauded for her virtuosity and the great command of her delicate voice. The unfortunate selection of a recital all Mahler to the detriment of more varied melodies, and the inadequacy of the songs for the interpreter’s qualities, prevents this CD from being at the top list of my recommendations.