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Hüsch – I – Schubert: Die schöne Müllerin Hanns-Udo Müller

Gerhard Hüsch & Hanns-Udo Müller

Source: 33t/LP World Records (Retrospect Series) SH 295

Enregistrement/ Recording: 1935

London Abbey Road Studio n°3: January 31: N° 1-6, 8-10 & 12

February 2: N° 13-18; February 5: N° 7, 11 & 20

Berlin March 22: N° 19

Gerhard Hüsch (1901-1984) formait avec le pianiste Hanns-Udo Müller (1905-1943) un duo d’une rare homogénéité. Leurs enregistrements datent tous d’avant 1941, et Hüsch n’enregistrera quasiment plus par la suite, si bien que tous les témoignages de son art le représentent à son sommet vocal. Cet enregistrement de «Die Schöne Müllerin» de 1935 est d’une telle perfection qu’il constitue depuis sa sortie une référence, reléguant dans l’ombre l’enregistrement intégral fait par Hans Duhan et Ferdinand Foll en 1928. L’interprétation a toute la densité souhaitable, tout en reflétant les suggestions du poète Wilhelm Müller qui ouvrent et referment le cycle (Der Dichter, als Prolog, et Der Dichter als Epilog, que Schubert n’a pas mises en musique): il ne faut pas prendre trop au tragique ce qui n’est qu’une fiction.

L’édition en microsillon par le label World Records d’Anthony Griffith à partir de pressages vinyle des matrices métalliques des 78 tours restitue fidèlement l’interprétation et l’ambiance de salle, si bien que l’on entend notamment la différence de prise de son pour le Lied n°19 «Der Müller und der Bach», ré-enregistré en mars à Berlin.

Gerhard Hüsch (1901-1984) together with pianist Hanns-Udo Müller (1905-1943), this was an exceptionally homogeneous duet. Their recordings were all made before 1941, and Hüsch was to record almost nothing afterwards, so that all the testimonies of his art show him at his vocal best. This 1935 recording of «Die Schöne Müllerin» is so perfect that it is a reference since it was issued, which meant also that the complete recording made by Hans Duhan and Ferdinand Foll in 1928 fell into oblivion. The performance has all the required density, while reflecting the suggestions by poet Wilhelm Müller which open and close the cycle (Der Dichter, als Prolog, and Der Dichter, als Epilog, not set to music by Schubert): what is only a story should not be taken too tragically.

The LP issue by Anthony Griffith’s label World Records from vinyl pressings of 78rpm metal masters is true to the performance and to the room ambiance, so that even the difference in sound for Lied n°19 «Der Müller und der Bach», re -recorded in March in Berlin, is clear for the listener.

7 réponses sur « Hüsch – I – Schubert: Die schöne Müllerin Hanns-Udo Müller »

Yes, but SH 295 is from 1978, nobody is credited for the transfers, and 1980 was about the time Hardwick took over the transfers for World Records.
Might have been Griffith for Die Schöne Müllerin, but it is difficult to ascertain.

A glimpse at Hüsch’s discography compiled by John Hunt (« The lyric Baritone » 1997) shows several other LP issues from EMI or affiliates (Angel DTX 20036; Toshiba GR 2156; and Arabesque 8107).

Griffith retired in 1979, so the re-issue was still supposed to meet his standards. After him, Hardwick was prone to use a certain amount of noise reduction with noticeable quality loss.

The important thing is to have a straight copy of the 78s without any processing, which seems to have been the case with the 1962 tape transfer. The different LP re-issues might sound different because of post-production treatments such as noise reduction.

The World Records issue of Die Schöne Mûllerin sounds lively and natural, even astonishing for 1935!

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