In praise of Florian Boesch

Anyone interested in Lieder will not be surprised at this post. But anyone who has not yet bought Hyperion Records' new disc, Der Wanderer, featuring Florian Boesch and Roger Vignoles, must do so immediately. In the history of the great Lieder baritones of our age, it will certainly read Quasthoff, Goerne, Gerhaher and Boesch. His Lear-like Winterreise in 2012 remains the finest I've yet heard live. Nothing gets in the way of Boesch's voice. He immediately moves to the vowel sound, while employing a telling but never intrusive colouring of consonants within the phrase. The text is clear, but the voice is allowed to speak in its own lyrical way. He judges dynamic shifts beautifully, moving from a meek, cowed lover to an angry, weather-beaten traveller within mere seconds. How thrilling, then, that Wigmore Hall has announced a four-concert residency as part of its mouthwatering 2014/15 season. Click here for more information.

Tweet