Bernard Chasan wrote:

>Steve Schwartz manages in a short essay to say many interesting
>things about both Schubert and Fischer-Dieskau.  Listers who share his
>enthusiasm for both composer and singer may be interested in a collection
>of Fischer-Dieskau's recordings issued in commemoration of his eightieth
>birthday.  Schubert is well represented, as are Schumann, Brahms, Liszt,
>Mahler, Debussy, Strauss, Wolf.  Along with two cds, a DVD of a Schubert
>recital with Richter is included, all for a modest $ 20!!!

A commemorative, yes, but not what the, man deserves.  It comes in
cheap packaging which is already starting to fray on my copy though
I haven't listened to it much.  Why didn't I listen to it more?  First
nearly all of this has been issued before.  Second the selections are
not necessarily the finest available - DFD has recorded so much and so
often that there really is a choice.  It's also a bit lopsided - a few
minutes of Bach, but a whole Dichterliebe with Demus from 1966.  So I'm
not sure what market the discs are aimed at.  Long term collectors will
have most of this and new listeners might do well listening to "whole"
recordings, with notes.  Still, I'm delighted with it for the DVD of
Schubert songs with Sviatoslav Richter.  It's short but gorgeous: filmed
in a baroquue palace, the two performers seem particularly in good form
and relaxed.  Contrary to myth, it's proof that DVD did move when he
sang, He even pops round to lean over Richters shoulder to follow the
score.  Some have criticised the filming as hammy, but this was made
in 1978

  http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2005/June05/Fischer_dieskau_4775556.htm

Anne
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