Superb reissue, sad news: thank you Mr. Fischer-Dieskau

I was just revel in the 4 SACD saturated with beauty, and I began to write this comment when reached me the news of the death of the great baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau who shows here in the directory that the most recorded, the plowed, which he never ceased to return, decade after decade, until his retirement in 1992. Certainly, then, for twenty years, we did not hear again the voice on record, but the man himself was so radiant, generous, who also continued to produce and to be loved as a leader, that its disappearance leaves a void and is anyway difficult to all music lovers.

The legacy of Schubert DFD is naturally essential as he scored discography and both the Viennese composer marked the singer. But if Deutsche Grammophon recordings (now published as a single cabinet) are perhaps even more significant because they allowed to follow the baritone in the majority of Schubert's works, with several readings for each major cycle, will of reinvention and deepening permanent, those made for EMI offer the look of the young Fischer-Dieskau in lieder that would follow him throughout his career. The Schwanengesang recorded with Gerald Moore is so imbued with a simple emotion, direct (listen for example Im Abendrot, or Abschied, or farther Standchen), with an option to dramatize without forcing an astounding ease, as shown by a Erlkönig already stylistically perfect, like Die Sterne, or An die Musik. The great accomplice of DFD, Gerald Moore, offers him a foolproof case. Only 3 SACD (stereo only) Exchange since pianist Karl Engel is the keyboard (but he also played very often with Fischer-Dieskau) for an equally good result: it has never actually done better in Die Erwartung, or in Sehnsucht.

This reissue in the new "Signature" is truly a luxury offered by EMI also a very affordable price. A real little book-disc with a lavishly illustrated booklet of photos and original vinyl reproductions, with text on the back of the booklets and a new article on the interpreter and works. Above all, this is 2 hybrid SACD (therefore usable on SACD player but also on any CD player), and a new novel remastering. Initially intended for the Japanese market this collection accomplishes miracles that collectors used to the Japanese market know well. Certainly the original recordings were good enough (either in mono for SACD 1, 2 and 4 or stereo SACD 3), but a profound work has been done to make them a more comfortable sound quality according to modern standards.

A real pleasure and a way to hear in the best conditions, and in some of his best recordings, this great singer who has just left us.