Schubert Arias & Overtures

Of all the great composers, Schubert left by far the largest number of uncompleted works: symphonies, piano and chamber music, songs, choral music and operas. Six of the latter are represented on this disc—the early 'Adrast' written around the age of twenty and 'Fierebras' written in 1823, five years before the sudden end of his short life. Schubert made many attempts to achieve success on the Viennese operatic stage but was singularly unlucky in doing so. Consequently none of his operatic music ever entered the repertoire and today it remains the most unknown aspect of his work. Therefore this disc is an assembly of some very rare music indeed, most of which has never before been recorded. Indeed, most of these operas and singspiels have never been professionally staged since they were written. For this recording, German tenor Daniel Behle travelled to Linz/Austria and worked together with the L’Orfeo Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Michi Gaigg. German tenor and composer Daniel Behle is without question one of the leading lyric German tenors of the moment. He made his Royal Opera debut in the 2016/17 Season as Ferrando (Così fan tutte) and was highly-celebrated. Behle is possibly best-known for his adaption of Schubert’s Winterreise for tenor and piano trio, performed in 2015 at the Wigmore Hall and recorded for Sony Classical with Behle and the Oliver Schnyder Trio.

Schubert:
 Alfonso und Estrella Overture
 Aus Blumen deuten die Damen gern (from Die Freunde von Salamanka)
 Der Abend sinkt auf stiller Flur (from Fierrabras)
 Der Tag entflieht, der Abend glüht (from Das Zauberglöckchen)
 Die Zauberharfe (The Magic Harp), D 644 - Overture
 Die Zauberharfe (The Magic Harp), D 644 - Sinfonia to Act Three
 Ein schlafend Kind... In diesem waldumschloss'nen und abgeleg'nen Raum (from Adrast)
 Es erhebt sich eine Stimme (from Claudine von Villa Bella)
 Es murmeln die Quellen, es leuchtet der Stern (from Die Freunde von Salamanka)
 Meine Seele, die dich liebt (from Adrast)
 Schon, wenn es beginnt zu tragen….und mein Herze will ihm nach (from Alfonso und Estrella)
 Was quälst du mich… In tiefbewegter Brust from Fierrabras
 Wenn ich ihm nachgerungen habe (from Lazarus)

"L’Orfeo Barockorchester under Michi Gaigg [gives] characterful string tone and a wide range of dynamics and colour all finely captured in this recording…[Behle’s] vocalism is notable for its musicianship and expressivity, its vitality borne of a complete commitment to the text…[this is a disc] full of worthwhile discoveries, marvellously performed"
BBC Music Magazine October 2017 *****