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Gramophone/Awards - Special
Issue 2007 |
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Solo Vocal
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R Strauss - Jonas Kaufmann (Harmonia Mundi) |
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Why
should sopranos have all the best tunes? Especially when a singer such as
Jonas Kaufmann can turn those of Richard Strauss into this kind of thrilling
recital. Other tenors have dipped a toe into the water normally crowded with
the greatest female vocalists; Kaufmann dives straight in. This is
passionate singing, sexy even — not for nothing has the German been
described as resembling a flamenco artist. The best-known songs here are
delivered with electrifying ease, and there is elegance and intensity in the
rarities (we mustn‘t forget, either, the wonderful contribution of pianist
Helmut Deutsch). Just listen to Kaufmann‘s command of voice colours and his
ability to float beautiful long phrases, especially in the high register.
Strauss is said to have described tenors as a “disease“ - surely he would
have been cured of that view if he could have heard this set.
Interview Jonas Kaufmann
I‘ve been around Strauss for many years. Even though I‘m a tenor I love him
so much. One of the major reasons he wrote so much for soprano was because
his wife was a soprano. But that‘s good luck for me because it means almost
every song is in a high key and I can sing them at the original key. Strauss
writes pretty weird harmonies and rhythms — if you try to make the songs
“perfect“it seems you‘re trying to explain the music. But you have to do
them as if it‘s the most natural thing in the world. His writing duplicates
the patterns of normal conversation. In recital the songs are a “heavy“ sing
because there is nowhere for you to hide — I can‘t programme lighter songs
to recuperate because I don‘t know any Strauss songs where you can really
recuperate! That‘s what‘s so great — it gives you that extra push.
Unfortunately the picture editor didn't seem to know Jonas
Kaufmann and took the photo of Helmut Deutsch. |
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