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Schumann: Dichterliebe, Op. 48; Brahms: 4 Ballades, Op. 10; Brahms: Songs After Poems by Heine; Brahms: Lieder und Gesänge, Op. 32 / Matthias Goerne, baritone; Evgeny Kissin, piano. Roy Thomson Corridor, April 21, 2024.
To the tune recital cognoscenti, Matthias Goerne is well-known and properly liked. We in Toronto have been lucky to have him grace our recital levels on a number of events, together with a memorable recital on the Toronto Summer season Music Competition in July 2010. He was on the town for practically per week, performing in addition to mentoring, together with an attention-grabbing masterclass on the UofT School of Music.
Ten years later, Goerne was slated to provide a Liederabend at Koerner Corridor, collaborating with Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki. Sadly, this April 2020 date didn’t occur as a result of COVID-19. His look this previous Sunday was a belated return. It was a part of his present NA tour with big-name Russian pianist Evgeny Kissin. They only carried out just a few days earlier in Cleveland’s Severance Corridor, and the tour concludes later this week at Carnegie Corridor.
On condition that the acoustically pleasant Koerner Corridor wasn’t out there as a result of a recital by one other big-name artist within the individual of Richard Goode, Goerne’s return came about within the cavernous 2,630 Roy Thomson Corridor. Fortunately, the highest stage was closed, with the orchestra and mezzanine ranges properly stuffed by an enthusiastic and appreciative viewers. By the way, it was good to see so many youthful faces within the viewers.
The recital opened with the tried and true: Schumann’s Dichterliebe, one of the vital beloved of tune cycles. The second Goerne began softly with “Im wonderschönen Monat Mai,” I used to be immediately drawn in. The tone was acquainted and warmly engaging, albeit with some unsteadiness, which lessened after he warmed up, however didn’t totally disappear. It’s comprehensible, provided that Goerne debuted in 1990, an eternity in a singer’s profession.
To make sure, no person can flip again the clock. Whereas Goerne can nonetheless sing superbly, his voice has darkened rather a lot, and it may well often flip woolly. I couldn’t assist however discover that he omitted the excessive notice in “Ich grolle nicht.” That stated, interpretively Goerne stays on the prime of his recreation, providing a shifting Dichterliebe, with nice consideration to textual nuances. There have been zero pauses between songs, which contributed to the depth of his supply.
After the break, we obtained to listen to the famed Russian pianist within the Brahms 4 Ballades Op.10. These are early Brahms, composed when he was in his early twenties, however already foreshadowing the mature Brahms. Not significantly showy, and Kissin’s enjoying mirrored that: strong, unflashy, a bit too emphatic and heavy on the pedalling. I confess I used to be a bit upset, as I used to be anticipating a extra powerhouse pianistic show from him.
The ultimate two teams concerned the singer, within the 4 Heine songs, adopted instantly with out pause, the 9 songs from Opus 32. To my ears, Goerne was at his greatest with a very beautiful rendition of “Sommerabend.” Additionally very stunning was “Mondenschein.” With a few of these lyrical songs that requires gentle singing, the piano sadly often lined the singer. The final tune, “Wie bist du, meine Königin,” was arguably probably the most stunning of the cycle, and Goerne made it memorable certainly.
Let’s hope that we received’t have to attend one other 14 years to listen to Matthias Goerne in Toronto once more. New Yorkers, catch him on April twenty fifth!
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Joseph So is Professor Emeritus at Trent College and Affiliate Editor of Opera Canada.He’s additionally a long-time contributor to La Scena Musicale and Opera (London, UK). His curiosity in music journalism focuses on voice, opera in addition to symphonic and piano repertoires. He seems often as a panel member of the Large COC Podcast.He has co-edited a e book, Opera in a Multicultural World: Coloniality, Tradition, Efficiency, revealed by Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group).
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