August 23, 1978: a rather unique Winterreise

Then came the time to listen.

At first I was disappointed with the sound recording, certainly decent, but pretty gray rather pale, and a little hard sometimes missing stamp. No purely acoustic enjoyment: you have to concentrate on interpretation.

And there, it is truly remarkable. Asceticism, sobriety, intensity. When Fischer-Dieskau exchange pianist, this is not to deceive or to decorate the routine: it is to inspire and nurture his universe, is to let him open up new avenues in the interpretation. And here, of course, it fits with happiness (him, who happens to be a little emphatic, overacting that begs to be sung) in the extraordinary blueprint proposed by Pollini. Because we can easily recognize the game Pollini 70s: clear, decanted, beautifully inhabited by great internal tension. And then there was the own silences between certain songs at the concert: brief moments during which both artists and the public (sometimes audible) catch their breath. The interpretation is not all good curly, revised and corrected in the studio: it is made and invented before our ears.

Unique vision. Unique moment. Unique and never repeated collaboration.

Would I simply fooled by the glamor of the performers? I asked the question, but I think the answer is no: the specific emotion caused by this record is real. Listen, for example, the end of the first part (Einsamkeit) or of the second part (Der Leiermann) and you will understand what to count vertices these artists take us.

I have many Winterreise, including those that Dieskau was subsequently recorded with other soloists (Barenboim in 1979, Brendel in 1985, Perahia in 1990), but it seems to me, if one disregards the modest sound quality, particularly admirable.