Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Gute Nacht
2. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Die Wetterfahne
3. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Gefror'ne Tränen
4. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Erstarrung
5. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Der Lindenbaum
6. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Wasserflut
7. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Aus dem Flusse
8. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Rückblick
9. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Irrlicht
10. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Rast
11. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Frühlingstraum
12. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Einsamkeit

Disc 2:

1. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Die Post
2. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Der Greise Kopf
3. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Die Krähe
4. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Letzte Hoffnung
5. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Im Dorfe
6. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Der Stürmische Morgen
7. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Täuschung
8. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Der Wegweiser
9. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Das Wirtshaus
10. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Mut
11. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Die Nebensonnen
12. Winterreise, song cycle for voice & piano, D. 911 (Op. 89): Der Leiermann

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #388402 in Music
• Released on: 1995-12-05
• Number of discs: 2

Customer Reviews

A Singer's "Winterreise"
When I first started listening to this recording I was amazed by the overall slow tempi, but after three selections I was completely entranced by the Zen-like focus of Vickers' interpretation. He has obviously studied the words of the poetry intensely, and gives the listener a rapturous "Winter's Journey" indeed. In fact, one realizes that he and his pianist (Peter Schaaf) have purposely de-emphasized the steady rhythm of the music--even in the usually galloping "Die Post"--in order to greater highlight the intensity of the traveler's suffering.

The only complaint I have of this performance is that Schaaf is not really "with" Vickers emotionally: he just sort of tags along for the ride. If you want to hear a performance where the pianist provides half the drama, you must get the Peter Pears-Benjamin Britten recording on London. But Pears, for all his intelligence and intensity, simply did not have the vocal resources or inward-looking angst of Vickers. As a result, if I were to recommend only one "Winterreise," it would be this Vickers recording. This is truly a desert-island disc.

Very unexpected!
In truth for classic lieder singing you should buy performances by Fischer-Dieskau or Schreier. But anyone who has heard Jon Vickers as Tristan, Florestan, Grimes or Otello will know that the mighty voice & ability to seem possessed by the role, will bring something different.

And so it is. I have recordings of both the above, but again and again it's the Vickers voice that remains in my head - the voice held back, full of emotion, just occasionally exploding with a firepower beyond any other lieder singer I can think of.

A very remarkable achievement & some phrase, somewhere will catch you & stay with you for a very long time!

But it isn't 'classic'!

Superb performace
This is a most gripping performace indeed. At this stage of his career Vickers' voice was not traditionally "beautiful" but all the way through his performance you can feel his very great experience and above all his great love for Schubert's masterpiece. Excellent sound. Highly recommended.