Roger Vignoles writes in his booklet notes that ‘to enter the world of Mahler’s Wunderhorn songs is like opening a picture book. Each page gives us another character, another fairy tale, another episode, whether happy or tragic, in the tale of human existence … such is the consistency of its musical tone that Mahler achieves a remarkably intense evocation of human life in this collection, portrayed with empathy, humour and compassion’. Some of these celebrated songs are much more familiar in their orchestral versions and pose a great challenge to the pianist. However the piano’s capacity for quasi-orchestral sonorities and textures was an essential element in the evolution of the Lied as an art form, allowing as it did for a far wider range of symbolic reference than would have been possible with any other accompanying instrument, and Roger Vignoles achieves a great level of intimacy within this framework.
'The charm of Mahler's Lieder-composing style - so close to Schubert's - comes across beautifully. Stephan Genz is more than just a very fine singer: his precision, sensitivity and range of imagination proclaim him a true successor to the great Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. And Vignoles's booklet note is an informative pleasure in itself' (Classic FM Magazine)
'Stephan Genz's light, warm and cultured baritone is especially fine in reflecting the ghost voices and moonlight serenades of Mahler's folk-inspired anthology … This is the first time that I've heard a male voice take on 'Urlicht' … and its quiet serenity, as in 'Wo die schonen trompeten blasen', is what Genz does best' (BBC Music Magazine)
'Urlicht is beautifully sung … and Vignoles's playing is remarkably expressive throughout' (Sunday Times)
Recording details: February 2007; Tonstudio Teije van Geest, Sandhausen, Germany; Produced by Teije van Geest; Engineered by Teije van Geest; Release date: January 2008;
Mahler: Revelge
