Through the well-appreciated generosity of a friend, I just heard the
12/19/99 Concertgebouw "world premiere performance " (that's what it says
here) of "Des Knaben Wunderhorn," Riccardo Chailly conducting, with Ruth
Ziesak, Dagmar Peckova, and Matthias Goerne.  (The "premiere" designation
must have something to do with the new "critical edition" and perhaps the
selection of songs.)

Everybody should hear this performance: it's so good that it's bad...  or
the other way around.

To explain: when "Der Schildwache Nachtlied" opened the concert and
Goerne began singing, I very nearly plowed into the car in front of me
on 101 (even though I heard him before, several times).  Here is a baritone
to challenge Thomas Quasthoff for leadership in the "beautiful sound"
category, with gorgeous highs and solid lows, ravishing *sound* after
gripping *sound*, strong, on the top of the line, accurate, confident,
effortless.

Then I made a mistake, and started listening to the *singing*.  There was
trouble there, not entirely of Goerne's making.

Chailly, who -- a long time ago -- did wonderful work with Italian opera,
is trying to make Verdi out of Mahler.  Not just any Verdi, but a virtual
caricature of the great man.  Everything is dramatic, contrasted to the nth
degree, passion and exaggeration bubbles to the top, nonstop. Nothing is
simple, quiet, "sincere." Mahler "punched up" -- that's not good.

By "Der Tambourg'sell," I was laughing.  No, not with pleasure.  More
with disapproving myrth.  I can't believe that Goerne alone is responsible
for this grotesque too-muchedness; I suspect Chailly because of what the
orchestra and the other soloists did.  (Of course, Goerne has his own track
record of excess and idiosyncrasies galore.)

The fine soprano and the terrific mezzo both sang with unflagging,
monotonous emphasis -- something, ironically, made worse by the excellent
microphone placement: every sound, every syllable up front, clear as
bell and twice as annoying.  (Speaking of which, the Dutch audience *in
December* was admirable in producing storms of coughs only between the
songs, not during, mostly.)

Peckova clearly has the voice and ability to go all the way to the top,
even if the Chailly-driven funeral dirge of an "Urlicht" here doesn't show
her in the best light.

But my main concern is with Goerne.  How can somebody with a voice this
beautiful do a peacock dance in the mirror instead of serving the music?
This concert -- given the participants -- could have produced a
"Wunderhorn" for the ages; instead, it turned into a curiousity piece.

Janos Gereben/SF
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