MATTHIAS Goerne: Baritone III.

Store	MusicPlanner
SiteMap	Mailbox

DICHTERLIEBE (A Poet's Love) - poems by Heinrich Heine set to music by Robert Schumann, paraphrasing the longing, the rapture and the anguish Schumann felt during his desperate courtship of Clara Wieck - the beautiful and talented woman who happily became his wife	London 289 458 265-2
And one evening in California, Matthias Goerne sang them in resplendent voice, with remarkable musicality and mesmerizing pathos. As he did the darker songs from Schubert's Schwanengesang cycle (also adapted from Heine), which made up the second half of the programme - all to the masterful accompaniment of the great Graham Johnson. One need not ask why this young man is being called the rightful heir to the legendary Dietrich Fischer-Diskau. But it is tempting to wonder - is it likely he will surpass the legend?

Goerne's is the kind of singing that comes only from somone born with the rhythm of Lieder in his veins. Indeed, as a little boy he knew deep in his heart he would be a Lieder singer. How does a little boy know that? Granted that his father, a theater director, had a wide record collection, would this alone have compelled a boy of 6 to learn all of Schubert's songs of grief? Whatever the explanation... it is enough to know without a doubt that Matthias Goerne will carry the art of Lieder singing to new heights.

Here are some of the bare facts of his young life:

born in Dresden, Germany;
as a boy sang with a children's theater choir of the Civic Opera;

in 1985 began music studies in Leipzig;
then went on to study privately with Fischer-Diskau and soprano Elizabeth Schwarzkopf;

1988 won First Prize at the Concurso Lindberg-Salomon ;
1989 Second Prize at the Concurso International Robert Schumann;
1990 First Prize at the Concurso Internation Hugo Wolf;

1992 - recital debut, Wigmore Hall; opera debut - Dresden State Opera, Comic Opera of Berlin, Zurich Opera; in the following years, concerts with major European orchestras;
1997 - Salzburg Festival debut as Papageno;

has recorded several discs for Hyperion Records (with Graham Johnson) and other European labels; latest CDs (London/Decca):
Schubert Lieder album ( poetry by Goethe) with Andreas Haefliger, piano;
Schumann - Dichterliebe and Liederkreise with Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
(Click cover art above OR underscored title to buy or check availability of CD.)

Can you think of other young men making big waves in classical music today? Click HERE to get to know some of them.

About Goerne

Dichterliebe, etc.

Some Famous Young Men of Music

Young American Men of Song