Kaufmann and Finley in two new recordings of Schubert's Winterreise.
After a long winter that seemed like it
would never end, we all look forward to the spring. So winter as a subject for
a spring blog may seem a little unseasonal and just a tad retrospective, and if you
take Schubert's 'Winter Journey' literally, you
might be right. However it is more often viewed as a beautiful yet tragic metaphor for an
inner journey of self-discovery, concluding with 'Der leiermann' (the
hurdy-gurdy man), a symbol of inexorable
misery and dejection. This last song is asymmetrical, giving it an unfinished
quality, its drone perfectly encapsulating a mood of utter futility; here there is no light, it is all darkness,
devoid of hope. We have to remember this is a work by a young composer barely
in his thirties at the height of his powers. By any standards this work is a
magnificent achievement.

The baritone voice of Gerald Finley gives
the work a darker hue, finding the introspective aspect of the cycle. Perhaps
this is more of a soliloquy, a confession of
dark thoughts. Finley has a wonderful hushed quality to his voice in the
final song. We are left feeling at the end of the cycle that the
winter may be over but this is a troubled soul in need of absolution.
Jason Hatton
3rd March 2014
Schubert: Winterreise D911