Ian Bostridge and Saskia Giorgini in Schubert

This is the latest of Classical Explorer's Miller's daughters: Andrè Schun was a single release; Christoph Prégardien's (part of a set of the great cycles); there is even a “pub edition” on Rubicon!.

Ian Bostridge is mainly associated with the emaciated wandering of Winterreise; but he brings insight plenty to Müllerin, if not offering the same sense of resonance. Here, in this live performance from Wigmore Hall in 2019, he is joined by Saskia Giorgini, a pianist of infinity variety of tone and touch; this, together with Bostridge's narrative abilities, enables the strophic first song, “Das Wandern,” to contain such variety - and energy:

The vocal line lies perfect for Bostridge's voice, something we hear in the wide-ranging “Wohin?,” given a spacious ending here. And just listen to the crispness of Giorgini in “Halt!”:

The song “Die Neugierige” s a moment of profound reflection here, offers a true still point:

Unfortunately, “Ungeduld” does not quite capture the exaltation of “Dein isn mein Herz” (My heart is yours); “Morgengruß” though, is a moment of beauty, of meeting between the protagonist and his beloved, Giorgini's treble duetting with Bostridge most fetchingly:

Again, it is Giorgini that impresses in the tissue-delicate emotions of “Tränenregen”. The images here are beautiful; of rain, of tears, of parting:

The lightness of “Mit den grünen Lautenbande” is remarkable; but again it is followed by a song that doesn't quite work: “Der Jäger,” while full of impetus, seems curiously dry, and the same extends to ”Eifersucht und Stolz,” despite Bostridge's move into a more Winterreise-like freedom with the line. More successful is “Der böse Farbe,” a miniature tone poem:

The final “Der Müller und der Bach” does no quite have the impact it can. Maybe it was different in the hall (how silent his audience is), but for all of the insights - particularly from the keyboard side of things - this remains an interesting but imperfect Müllerin.

This disc is available at Amazon here. Streaming at iDagio here.