James Gilchrist - Schumann: Song Cycles - McAlister Matheson Music

Every once in a while comes a disc so perfectly formed that we marvel at its existence. Here, we are graced with an exceptional interpretation of Schumann's song cycles by pianist Anna Tilbrook and tenor James Gilchrist.

On the disc are 37 songs distributed over three of these Liedercyklus (to use Schumann's own term): Liederkreis Op. 24, Liederkreis Op. 39 and Dichterliebe Op.48.

Finished in early 1840, Op. 24, using the text of the radicalist Heinrich Heine (1979-1856), is short at only nine pieces but is archetypal in its content: boy meets girl, is rejected, gets angry, is then despondent and finally reflects. Titled ‘Liederkreis', which means ‘Song Circle' as opposed to ‘cycle', the work follows the form of Beethoven's An die ferne Geliebte in that, as a complete, narrative work, the melodic form of the work flows as a whole and begins and ends in the same key.

Although Schumann used the same title for Op.39, published in 1842 to texts by Joseph von Eichendorff (1788-1857), this latter, longer work actually behaves more like a ‘cycle'; i.e. although the poetry is connected by a theme of Germanic fairytales and heroism, the construction of each song is as individual in its conception.

Having seen a fabulous performance by the same artists of this particular cycle at the Edinburgh International Festival recently, I must admit to a slight apprehension before I listened to the disc for fear that the magic of Gilchrist and Tilbrook's physical connection to the music would be somehow damaged upon recording. How wrong I was: every ounce of Gilchrist's on-stage presence is transferred effortlessly to disc, and Tilbrook is right in treating the piano's role as an equal counterpart.

Both musicians work seamlessly together to deliver a truly captivating performance. Their musicianship does equal justice to the Op. 24 and to the Dichterliebe settings. All in all, these are sublime performances of exquisite music.