Pears & Britten - Die Schone Mullerin - n.2 Wohin?

[Buddhaxe]

Hmm compare it with the version with Fritz Wunderlich and you will see that the only good thing about this version is the piano.... Peter Pears is overrated and Dudley Moore knows why :)

[DrBooondigga]

WOOW

the pianist unbelievable =) such a smooth sleight of his hands

great

[michatoyota]

I really like his voice, is perfect, it look like is so easy to do, but it is easy only for him because he is great!!!!!!

[Lactoris1]

I thought pianist Britten was outstanding in "Das Wandern" opening number of the Schone Mullerin cycle, and Peter Pears is at his very best in this second number "Wohin". We can be thankful to have a wide variety of Schubert interpreters, though the United States lags a bit. Perhaps really good English translations or adaptations would help reach a wider American audience for Schubert lieder.

[Buddhaxe]

@Lactoris1 They are meant to be in German, let's keep it that way please!

[hectorfprez]

Britten se saca el smocking y se pone el overalll, demostrando que tiene el sesgo caracteristico de los mas grandes: la humildad, uno, si no el mas, grande operista del siglo veinte, cultivando uno de los generos mas hermosos, la cancion de camara (ENGLISH VERSION ON REQUEST)

[Buddhaxe]

Respond to this video... I request an English version of you comment (but not of the music of course!)

[hectorfprez]

@Buddhaxe Something like: Britten, from white collar worker to blue, one of the most oustanding opera writer of XX´s, playing humbly, the piano part of a beautifull chamber music, pardon my english.

[sprund2009]

Pears was always a bit controversial, people loved him or hated him. I think he's great. I think Schubert's songs were the best things he did and amongst the greatest Western classical music ever produced.

[dermotafan]

Same impression as before, nice piano, stiffed singing.

[vstasov]

Britten also is brilliant in Winterreise, with Pears. His playing is gorgeous.

[janraffaello]

Britten is SUBLIME here; the 'soundscape' he realises here! no separate notes, no hammers anymore; he really transcended the piano. And what is all these remarks on Pears about?? you like him or not; singers have their individual sound and technique, but you cannot deny there's an outstanding artist ànd singer here!

[DUFreeper]

0:01

[tobaru99]

The finger of Britain was big.

I am glad not to see Peter Pears image in Japan easily.

[belbelcanto]

i am in awe of britten's playing here. he makes it look so easy and creates a beautiful sound. i really like this but is it a bit too fast?

[dibs478]

the song is about a little stream and the piano part is supposed to sound like a babbling, ever-flowing, and clear stream.

[myscene33]

omg i am so nervous i'm doing this song for solo and ensemble and then again in the spring for language fest!

[saintsaens21]

This tenor is so good.

[Chaplinvanhallifax]

he doesnt know where to put his hands all the time:-)

but of course, good voice

[oBOSSoNO1]

看buliao

[Marmalade000000]

Peter Pears has control of each note he sings - he has excellent breath control...

[belcanto24]

Bellisimo lied, me recuerda mis clases de Canto, epoca de oro

[joeyjojo4]

Very beautiful performance. Fabulous. Thanks for posting.

One comment: the tempo. It seems quite a bit fast to me. As we say in New York City he's singing like he's "double-parked..."

Very, very beautiful end of phrase.

[albanybeardguy]

One of the old Metropolitan Opera conductors (Artur Bodhansky) was known for fast tempos- critics said he wanted to end the opera early so he could go play cards.

[composerdoh]

I remember reading that story about Richard Strauss's conducting.

[sabibu]

thank you so much for posting!

[chrish12345]

britten was a genius on the piano too

[juandatocas]

perfect,wonderful... peter was the first great tenor

[MOZZAFACE]

I must have attended 40 or so concerts given by Pears towards the end of his career. Intensely musical, he held audiences enchanted. He certainly provided me with some of the greatest musical experiences of my life. His mastery of Schubert is evident from this video - and Britten's playing is fabulous. The control....

[emalag999]

Pears had a so beautiful voice...

but I have a question, I'm a tenor, and I'm studying this sort of music, and my teacher told me to not do the quick notes like he is doing. You know, he does those notes with air between, like baroque.

Am I wrong?

Is that correct? Is that in style?

All the other singers do a very good legato.

[MOZZAFACE]

There were two distinctive qualities to Pears' voice. One was a wonderful legato, where he could weave a phrase effortlessly - such as in the Agnes Dei in the War Requiem or the closing phrases of the strophic ballad Tom Bowling.

The other, wonderful, ability he had was to separate notes as you have mentioned. This enabled him to impart a tremendous kick to the rhythm - he energised the line. To me his interpretations of lieder were remarkable. Unique.

[mauricioD]

Indeed. A refreshing approach that validates our appreciation of Pears' interpretations. Thank you.

[Jussijoosua]

I'm a tenor still studying as well so I'm constantly thinking about things like this too... I wouldn't recommend listening to too much Pears, he does these kind of tricks that are not what bel canto-singing is about. Fritz Wunderlich is one of the best examples for lied-rep in that. Pears is sort of holding back suddenly in middle of phrase trying to be artistic or something, but if you listen to Wunderlich for instance, his phrasing is more natural and elegant in my opinion.

[emalag999]

Yes! I couldn't agree more. I think that those things make his don, but that is not properly in that kind of repertoire. He let gaps between the notes, that is from baroque, but not from bel canto. Since Mozart everything is different, or at least that learnt. Where are you from? I would love to talk to you sometime. Thanks for the answers

[Jussijoosua]

Yea it does sounds like some singers singing baroque. Even for baroque this would be weird I think, that's more of the 70's style of singing "authenticly". Well, that's a matter of another discussion. About this, he stops the natural flow of the phrases all the time, holding back like I said. It's the kind of style that Fischer-Dieskau does too. When you listen to great singers from the past, in tenors Björling, Gigli, De Lucia, they all have the musical "flow" going on all the time.

[cuckthefardinals]

Yeah baby! I love when people on here recognize Fritz for his greatness. I'm also a studying tenor, one whos two loves are baroque (love singing Purcell! And Handel too!) and bel canto singing, especially Mozart, Rossini, Schubert and the likes. Pears is beautiful, just a few stylistic faults.

[Dulciethecat]

If you finish up doing as well as Pears did, you'll be quite lucky! Famous for a good 40 years of his life.

[bilstew]

agree,and so did our own James Johnston of Belfast ...Pity so few of his recordings are around..especially during his time at Saddlers Wells..

[schneider480]

His interpretation is wonderful...I was moved by the musicality and intelligence he demonstrates here. Sorry, but in my opinion, the word "dull" does not apply to this videorecording. Thanks, Gabba02.

[rayuela23]

It is terribly annoying to read your comments. How you dare to criticize so superficially such artists like these?

[graalritter]

Grrrr, where is he rushing? He has no feeling for Schubert. He transformed these idyllic Lieds in ... parody.

[mrrk]

God what a dull voice

[vickersman]

dull...do you really think so?He is profoundly musical in interpretation...maybe not the prettiest of voices..for sure he is no Wunderlich! But still very artful

[etucker82]

Nobody listens to Peter Pears to hear a gorgeous sound. People listen to Pears to hear a great musician. Like Vickers, the weaknesses in his voice seem to make him that much more eager to communicate the music's meaning to us.

[ellandelachapelle]

How true! And have you ever heard such a "telepathic" musical couple? Like we say in Sweden: "Två själar - en tanke"! (two souls - one thought). First time I SEE this! (only have it on record.)

[florenceviolon]

He sings very good

I sing also "wohin"

The tonality is hard

[steainsy]

what is he holding a hanky?

[malcolme01]

I think he's holding the words. Pears was apparently terrible at remebering words.