Schubert: Winterreise ~ Quasthoff;

Written the year before Schubert's death, these 24 songs describe a journey that takes us ever deeper into the frozen landscape of the soul, and this superb performance evokes and communicates every nuance of their wintry bleakness and despair. Quasthoff is a fabulous singer; his voice is dark, perfectly focused, infinitely variable in color and inflection; his intonation and diction are impeccable; his breath control is unlimited. Quasthoff identifies completely with both words and music; his deeply inward expressiveness makes these heartbreaking songs almost unbearably moving. The piano sound is a bit dry and remote, but the playing is splendid, setting mood and atmosphere, creating and underlining character and emotion. --Edith Eisler