Schubert: Die schöne Müllerin a. o. songs Recording Supervision: Hans Ritter. Recording Engineer: Heinz Wildhagen. Rec. at Akademie der Wissenschaften, Munich, 1966-07-02 - 1966-07-05.

• Fritz Wunderlich, Hubert Giesen (piano)
  • Schubert - Die schöne Müllerin D 795,1-20
    - An die Musik op. 88,4 D 547
    - An Silvia op. 106,4 D 891
    - Der Einsame op. 41 D 800b
    - Frühlingsglaube D 686
    - Heidenröslein D 257
    - Liebhaber in allen Gestalten D 558
    - Schwanengesang: Ständchen ("Leise flehen meine Lieder...") D 957,4

• Ulrich Schreiber in "Hifi Stereophonie", 4/1967: "Fritz Wunderlich's last Müllerin is the most beautiful one in record history."
• Karl Löbl in "Express", 1966-11-21: "Uncritical admiration is appropriate for these Schubert Lieder, where no forcing, no technical difficulties, not even a single spoiled note are to be found. It is not possible to perform Die schöne Müllerin and the other songs more heartily, more expressively than Fritz Wunderlich and his congenial, subtle accompanist Hubert Giesen do and, fortunately, will be able to do again and again, on these two records that every music lover will have to listen to stirringly."
• "Grampohone", 7/1975: "The tone is unfailingly fresh, the enunciation clear, the line firm."
• E. Pinter in "FonoForum", 12/1988: "The Schöne Müllerin recording shows the art of the young diceased singer in his full maturity and suggestiveness. Every motive is formed with a conclusive intensity and gains an unique vividness by elegant but never affected phrasing and distinct declamation."
• Alan Blyth in "Grampohone", 1/1989: "So soon after Philips's reminder of Wunderlich's work in the field of Lieder, here comes the much-lamented tenor's 1966 account of Schubert's first cycle. It first appeared posthumously almost immediately after Wunderlich's untimely death in 1966. Indeed, I heard him sing the cycle at the Edinburgh Festival that year only weeks before his fatal accident, I recall then admiring as ever the sheer warmth and ease of the singing while being disappointed with the interpretation. My feelings have always been much the same as regards this recording made about the same time. With little or no help from his unimaginative pianist (who was, it has to be said, something of a mentor to Wunderlich), the singer fails to suggest either the anticipatory eagerness and ardour of the opening songs or the heartbreak and sorrow of the later ones, the emotional temperature is kept at too even a level throughout, and Wunderlich fails to vary his dynamics and expression the way Protschka, for instance, does in his recent Capriccio/Target version. The phrasing is too often too slack.
  Having made those strictures, I must add that there is a special frisson to be enjoyed in hearing such a sappy, sheerly sensuous voice in Schubert something to be admired on its own account. Has anyone, for instance, sung Ungeduld with such freshness, or uttered the anger of the jealous outbursts with such overt passion? Maybe Gedda in a strangely neglected reading on Electrola from the 1970s, never issued here; no one else in my experience.
  If you like to hear your Schubert sung in a quite unvarnished way, you will enjoy much else here just as I did even if this is not up among the most valued interpretations of the cycle. The same points, for and against, apply to the three extra songs on this well filled and brightly recorded disc." [on DG 423 956-2GDO]
• Henrik Engelbrecht in Gramophone's "International Opera Collector", Spring 1998: "When he recorded the cycle again almost ten years later for DG, he had behind him his experience as a Lieder singer on stage, having sung Die schöne Müllerin countless times in concert - mostly with Hubert Giesen [...]. Giesen gives solid support without bringing much magic to the accompaniment, but he is nevertheless an improvement on Stolze [in the 1957 rec.]. As an example of the differences between the two versions listen to the sixth song - 'Der Neugierige'. In the phrase 'Ein Wörtchen um und um' one can on the DG recording enjoy the superb cantilena that Wunderlich did not possess in 1957. The second recording is a landmark in Lieder singing on record, the beautiful phrasing and secure breathing providing the foundation for a truly great interpretation. It is not a psychologically complex reading in the manner of Fischer-Dieskau, but a straightforward and sincerely musical performance. Wunderlich now gives much more meaning to the words without any loss of the freshness, and it is a delight to hear the cycle sung by a mature tenor in full command of the music." [in comparison with "Schöne Müllerin (1957)"]
• Jonathan Bushrod at the "Inkpot" website, 1999-04-25: "Another classic, and in terms of quality of voice, in a class of its own. Wunderlich has a fine sound for Lieder and sings impeccably in this his second recording of the work, but you may find him just a bit superficial, and Giesen's piano playing is hardly the most imaginative on offer. The tenor's tone is famously golden and his technique effortless, the envy of all other singers, so it is worth hearing for the incomparable singing and refined phrasing. Not to everyone's taste, it is nevertheless very well recorded and if you must have a tenor version, this is a good choice at mid-price." [on DG 447 452-2]
• Andrew Owens, 2000-10-07: "I had purchased this CD because I was currently studying Schubert's 'Schöne Müllerin'. I was looking for a recording and stumbled upon this one. By far, his standouts are his renditions of "Der Neugierige" and "Ungeduld (Dein ist mein Herz)". His ability to float the high notes, seemingly without effort, is incredible!! I first used this CD for study purposes, but now I find myself listening to it all the time!! On a scale of 1-10, it's definitely a 10!!" [comment submitted to this website]

If you know this recording, feel free to add your own comment!

	DG 435 145-2 (on 5 CD set "Fritz Wunderlich")
	DG 139 219/20 (2 LP)
	DG 2707 031 (2 LP)

Die schöne Müllerin (only / with various songs) on:

	Contour CC 7588 Red Label ("Die schöne Müllerin")
	DG 2535 133 Resonance ("Die schöne Müllerin" + ?)
	Eterna 8 27 088 ("Die schöne Müllerin" + ?)
	DG 3335 133 Resonance ("Die schöne Müllerin" + ?)
	Contour CCT 7588 Red Label ("Die schöne Müllerin")

Die schöne Müllerin + Frühlingsglaube + Heidenröslein on:

	DG 423 956-2 Dokumente (+ "Die Forelle" from "Schumann: Dichterliebe, Beethoven, Schubert")
	DG 447 452-2 Originals (+ "Die Forelle" from "Schumann: Dichterliebe, Beethoven, Schubert")
	DG 9610368 (+ "Die Forelle" from "Schumann: Dichterliebe, Beethoven, Schubert")

An die Musik + An Silvia + Der Einsame + Liebhaber in allen Gestalten + Ständchen on

	DG 429 933-2 Dokumente ( + Lieder from "Schumann: Dichterliebe, Beethoven, Schubert")
	DG 449 747-2 ( + Lieder from "Schumann: Dichterliebe, Beethoven, Schubert")
	DG 472 113-2 (+ Lieder from "Schumann: Dichterliebe, Beethoven, Schubert" on CD #3 of "Fritz Wunderlich Edition", 5 CD)

Other excerpts on

	DG 431 110-2 ("Heidenröslein" on "Große Stimmen: FW")
	DG 445 188-2 (D. 795,1 + 7; "Heidenröslein", "An die Musik", + Lieder from "Schumann: Dichterliebe, Beethoven, Schubert" on "Erlkönig - The Art of the Lied", enhanced CD/CD-ROM)
	DG 449 776-2 (D. 795,18 "Trockene Blumen" on "The Orignals - Höhepunkte")
	DG 459 027-2 Centenary Coll. (all except "Die schöne Müllerin" on "DG Cent. Coll. 1965")
	DG 459 064-2 Centenary Coll. ("An die Musik" on "DG Cent. Coll. Sampler")
	DG 459 068-2 Centenary Coll. (all except "Die schöne Müllerin" on "DG Cent. Coll. Vol. 4: 1958-1967", + 9 CDs without FW, 10 CDs)
	First Class 435 832-2 ("Die schöne Müllerin: Das Wandern", "Der Kuß", "Zärtliche Liebe", "Die Forelle", "Ständchen", "An Silvia", "Heidenröslein", "An die Musik" on "Ein Abend mit Fritz Wunderlich", 2 CD)
	DG 2545 035 ("Frühlingsglaube" and "An die Musik" on "Leise flehen meine Lieder - Franz Schubert")

Fritz Wunderlich Discography