A review by Thomas Hampson et al. Liszt: Orchestral Songs

Liszt was fascinated by Schubert’s compositions during his time in Weimar. Not only are Schubert’s arrangements of Liszt scored by Martin Haselböck attest to this, but also his brilliantly colored ensembles of Schubert’s songs and his own songs. Without any qualifications or reservations, this album is one of the top three cherished orchestral hits of recent times, along with Massenet’s Palazzetto Bru Zane and Hans Sommer’s gems conducted by Guillermo García Calvo. Once again, Hungarian and International Liszt proved to be an attractive musical without a stage or decorations. The sounds and instruments model all the tensions and affect in the often supernaturally frightening subjects. Without detracting from the excellent performances of the other two soloists and Chorus Viennensis: Thomas Hampson, who in his mature years evokes memories of Dietrich Fischer-Diskau with white tones and almost sharp expression, combines a romantic attitude with a keen sensitivity. With Hampson’s massively reflexive design for The Three Gypsies, all anti-racism fears lose their justification. “The Prodigal Jew” escalates into a mini-saga that turns away from heaven. And through the colors of the instruments as well as through Stefanie Hutzel, Liszt’s “Loreley” has gained a keen angst that Friedrich Silcher’s most famous setting has gone untapped. The Vienna Academy Orchestra celebrates brilliant gems with sympathy and dark beauty.

Liszt: Orchestral Songs

Sonah M (soprano), Stephanie Hutzel (mezzo-soprano), Thomas Hampson and Tomask Konieczny (baritone), Vincennes Chorus, Vienna Academic Orchestra, Martin Hasselbock (conductor)
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Thomas Hampson

As a baritone, he sings operas, musicals, and oratorios in a total of 11 different languages—but Thomas Hampson’s greatest passion is the art song. He was born in Elkhart, Indiana, in 1955 and raised in… more