**** Peter Schreier is certainly one of the most modest tenors among the singers of the twentieth century. He built a remarkable career as an opera singer, although oratorio and art song were the genres in which he reached absolute excellence. Berlin Classics now comes up with a surprising recording on which Schreier steps away from opera repertoire or serious oratorio: Schöne, strahlende Welt. A cd with the lighter work in which the tenor with his clear and pearl-like voice turns each piece into a small jewel.
Peter Schreier was born in Meißen (Germany) in July 1935. At the age of ten he became a member of the Kreuzchor in Dresden. As a professional singer his first performance outside the GDR (he lived in Dresden) was in Cologne in 1964. He was a regular guest for many years at the Salzburger Festspiele, but the status of "star" did not apply to him. He was one of the finest interpreters of roles such as Tamino in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte or David in Wagner's Meistersinger. With regard to his cd recordings, his contribution to the great Schubert Edition that Hyperion released with pianist Graham Johnson remains a highlight for me (recording 1992), along with his recordings of the Schubert cycles with András Schiff (Decca Classics). I was fortunate to experience him live at the Schubertiade in Vorarlberg (Hohenems and Feldkirch), where he was present for many years. Schreier ended his career in 2005, because he did not want to be remembered as a singer who would have been better off not singing anymore! He passed away on Christmas Day 2019.
Nostalgic smile
The "radiant world" that the cd title promises leads us to the more popular genre of operetta and arrangements of well-known melodies: everything with an entertaining character and especially far removed from the seriousness of oratorio. Schreier brings this repertoire with equal vocal care. He loses nothing in terms of text projection or vocal flexibility. An arrangement of a Chopin etude yields a charming song. The tenor sings the charming Jeg elsker dig by Edvard Grieg in German translation (Ich liebe dich) and takes you completely along with the alluring tones and sweeping melodies from an operetta such as Gräfin Maritza or with the delightful Du bist die Welt für mich from Ernst Marischka's film about Richard Tauber. In more exuberant folk songs, his high notes remain equally pure. However, language proves to be an important factor for him. Especially La mattinata lacks a touch of spontaneity because of the Italian text. Even O sole mio suffers somewhat from this. But singing Sprich zu mir von Liebe, Marni, a song by the duo Bixio and none other than fellow tenor Fritz Wunderlich, with such longing is pure enjoyment of vocal richness in a remarkably unaffected song.
The Grosses Rundfunkorchester Berlin under the direction of Robert Hanell accompanies with great verve and in appropriate style. With the release of these recordings from 1977 that have never been released on cd before, Berlin Classics has made a fine contribution to bringing this talented, wonderfully beautiful singer to attention once more. Those who experienced him live will listen with a nostalgic smile.
- WHAT: Schöne, strahlende Welt
- WHO: Peter Schreier (tenor), Grosses Rundfunkorchester Berlin conducted by Robert Hanell
- RELEASE: Berlin Classics 0301746BC
- PHOTO: © picture alliance / dpa
- ORDER: JPC