Schubert – Der Schiffer; Auf dem See; Der Fischer; Fischerweise; An die Leier

Wolf – Der Musikant; Der Scholar; Verschwiegene Liebe; Phanomen; Der Schafer; Die Nacht; Heimweh; Anakreons Grab; Der Freund

Brahms – Heimweh I-III; Komm bald; Dein blaues Auge

Schumann – Liederkreis Op 24

Florian Boesch – baritone / Malcolm Martineau – piano

 Wigmore Hall 22 March 2007

Making his Wigmore Hall debut with this recital, Florian Boesch is a singer whose career is in sharp ascent. He first caught the attention of the British cognoscenti at the Edinburgh Festival, and is now much in demand on concert platforms world wide.

It is his relaxed and outgoing manner that immediately engages his audience, and each song was put across with an unusual directness.

I have seen his voice described as “noble”, and that seems as good an adjective as any, for a voice with enormous reserves of power, and yet the subtlety and colouring to enrich the quietest of passages.

His programme was intelligently chosen, each song leading logically to the next, and showing off every facet of the singer's voice and pianist's art.

Throughout the evening the lid of the piano was open to its widest extent allowing Malcolm Martineau full reign, and in fact he almost got carried away in his enthusiasm on a couple occasions.

Success on the operatic stage is following rapidly for Boesch, and his recording career is getting underway.

Serena Fenwick

Photo credit Stephan von der Deken