Page 166 - Winterreise Coverage Book, 2021 - 22
P. 166
This is hardly Classical Explorer's first trip into Schubert's wintry emotional
landscape: the BIS recording with James Rutherford and Eugune Asti was
discussed here, while Christoph Prégardien's set of the three cycles is here.
This is an excellent introductory video from Appl and Baillieu for the current
recording. (they speak in English, although the title screens are in French):
Appl presents a protagonist who is as yet a young man. Disillusioned yes, but we hear
his impulsive energy as early as "Die Wetterfahne," the second song. and perhaps a
sense of potential unbalanced mental state in "Erstarrung".
The sense of peace in "Der Lindenbaum" is remarkable, the care Baillieu puts into the
piano writing striking in and of itself, with Appl's plaintive voice a whispered entreaty
to come closer to his pain. Here's a performance of this song Appl did with Joseph
Middleton for BBC Radio 3:
