Dichterliebe
(Bôłt - BRPOP01) CD $13.50
Premiered at The Song Is You Festival in Warsaw in 2009, recorded in Berlin 2010, vocalist Bernhard Schütz and pianist Reinhold Friedl (of Zeitkratzer) perform the song cycle by famed 19th century German romantic (with lyrics by sarcastic poet Heinrich Heine). Schütz’s vocalizing would probably turn a conservatoire vocal trainer pale and induce a coronary seizure. He bends notes around the melody in a snide, mocking way, occasionally punctuating with an angry growl. Attack, sustain and room presence are served generously with Friedl’s assured, decidedly non-quiet keyboard work. The debut release in Bôłt’s Populista series of radical reinterpretations of historical music, curated by Michał Libera.