Page 124 - Winterreise Coverage Book, 2021 - 22

not only with the singer and pianist, but also with the composer and the poet. Even
two centuries on, a fine performance can linger in the memory for a long time, and

whether experienced on record or in the concert hall, its totemic power is
extraordinary. Appl, whose ability to connect with his audience quickly and

comfortably, is an artist who is also approachable off stage, and seeing him sign
CDs is to witness another facet of a very modern artist. ‘I think that buying a record
after a performance, if there’s a chance to do so, actually allows you take something

physically away with you, ideally with the same repertoire and maybe even signed by
the artist. It’s always an emotional connection to an event. That’s something you

cherish for way longer than listening for five minutes on a streaming service and then
moving on to the next track because you want to check the tempo of another

performer.’

For Baillieu, who teaches song interpretation at a number of British conservatories,

it’s a piece that’s not easy to work on with a student, being best explored from the
perspective of a performer rather than from that of a teacher. ‘It’s so personal,’ he

says. ‘And I’ve only properly discovered it through repeated performance, where
every day can bring something different. So it’s quite a hard piece for someone to

teach. There’s something very special about this union of the human voice and a
Steinway (which after all was perfected well over a century ago). No app or whatever

is going to make it better.’

To have recorded the cycle twice within a few weeks is certainly unusual, and while

Fischer-Dieskau had a considerable head start, Appl’s journey with the work has
already established a rhythm and life of its own. The very act of

recording Winterreise has given us a snapshot of a precious 75 minutes, and yet
time continues to move on – though the Julier Tower will cease to exist in a matter of

months.

‘Winter Journey’ will be broadcast on BBC Four at 8pm on Sunday, February
27, after which it can be viewed on iPlayer

This interview originally appeared in the February 2022 issue of Gramophone.

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