Christoph Prégardien, Andreas Staier - Songs to poems by Heinrich Heine (1994)

When Deutsche Harmonia Mundi released this disc of lieder by Schumann, Schubert, and Mendelssohn in 1994, it was considered a part of the historically informed performance practice movement because it featured performers closely associated with the movement. Prior to this release, tenor Christoph Prégardien was best known for his work with Gustav Leonhardt and Philippe Herreweghe, while fortepianist Andreas Staier made his mark playing continuo with Musica Antiqua Köln. Listening to the disc a decade later, however, the performances sound less like a memento of their time than like still vital artistic achievements.
Prégardien doesn't have a big voice, but he does have a superbly modulated voice that's strong from top to bottom, plus a highly developed sense of phrasing. With his hushed delivery and sensitive use of tempo rubato, his performance of "Ich will meine Seele tauchen" and "Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen" from Schumann's Dichterliebe shine. And with his haunting tone and sculpted phrasing, his performances of Schumann's Ich hab' im Traum geweinet and especially Schubert's Am Meer are affecting. Though at this point in his career he was best known for his harpsichord playing, Staier showed himself to be a skillful fortepianist and a sensitive accompanist here, supporting Prégardien through the thick of Schubert's Der Atlas and the thin of Schumann's Im wunderschönen Monat Mai. Recorded in clean, close sound by Westdeutscher Rundfunk Köln, this disc is well worth hearing by anyone who relishes lieder recitals.