Zwerg

DG's 20-bit transfer reveals more tape hiss than before, while the orchestral image is better focused, with more definition at the bottom end. Some have likened Herbert von Karajan's "chamber-music approach" to Wagner's Ring cycle in terms of his scaling down or deconstructing the heroic roles. This approach has less to do with dynamics per se than it does with von Karajan's masterful balancing of voices and instruments.

Not 'just another Schubert recording, but a major artistic achievement’ [Christian Girardin, harmonia mundi] Matthias Goerne is totally invested in the recording and editing process. Vol. 9 (the last one in the series) is due out towards the end of 2014. Future recordings will include Brahms with Christophe Eschenbach and Mahler (arr. Berio) Early Songs to be recorded in September 2014 with Josep Pons and the BBCSO.

Herbert von Karajan was an Austrian conductor. He was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for 34 years. During the Nazi era, he debuted at the Salzburg Festival, with the Vienna Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, and during World War II he conducted at the Berlin State Opera. Generally regarded as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century, he was a controversial but dominant figure in European classical music from the mid-1950s until his death. Part of the reason for this was the large number of recordings he made and their prominence during his lifetime. By one estimate, he was the top-selling classical music recording artist of all time, having sold an estimated 200 million records.

Some have likened Herbert von Karajan's "chamber-music approach" to Wagner's Ring cycle in terms of his scaling down or deconstructing the heroic roles. This approach has less to do with dynamics per se than it does with von Karajan's masterful balancing of voices and instruments. He achieves revelations of horizontal clarity, allowing no contrapuntal strand to emerge with an unwanted accent or a miscalibrated dynamic. The texts are unusually pinpointed and distinct, although the singers don't convey the experience and dimension of Sir Georg Solti's cast on London. There are exceptions.

The Swedish soprano Camilla Tilling here performs songs by Franz Schubert, accompanied by Paul Rivinius. The disc includes some of Schubert's best-known songs, such as the carefree An Silvia, the serene Litanei, and the first Suleika song. The programme features great changes in emotion: from the portrayals of the joy and despair of young love in Bei dir allein! and Lied des Florio, to the Gothic drama of Der Zwerg and the despondency of Totengräbers Heimweh.