I have been aware of Belgian soprano Sophie Karthäuser’s fine work in early repertoire for some years now but somehow missed her first release on Harmonia Mundi of Poulenc, which Andrew Aronowicz praised in these pages back in 2014; on hearing this latest delight I shall eagerly hunt out the former.

Wolf has a reputation as a tough nut to crack for most listeners; his melodic style is a world away from Schubert, with wild, chromatic harmonies of Wagnerian sensuality, although naive simplicity sometimes pops up unexpectedly and he mostly avoided repetitive strophic form so that each setting is a miniature dramatic scene. His accompaniments, often carrying a bold subtext, can sometimes seem more inspired than the vocal line with evocative scene-painting and extended epilogues. In the wrong hands those accompaniments can sometimes turn turgid (like Schumann on acid) but no concerns here; Eugene Asti’s work is breathtakingly beautiful, perfectly graded and balanced – the recording is stunningly clear and present, every pellucid touch audible. 

As for the singing – I was bowled over. While expecting the clarity and tonal beauty of such a fine Mozart exponent I was surprised by the dramatic range on offer. The top of the voice is pure as spring water while the bottom is deliciously firm with no resort to chest register. She sings “on the words” with marvellously nuanced inflections and variety of colours yet doesn’t fall into over-inflected mannerism; her simple charming Mausfallensprüchlein is a perfect antidote to Schwarzkopf’s arch mugging. Nixe Binsefuß is a sensual delight with Karthäuser’s enchanted storytelling coloured by reflected glints from Asti’s watery accompaniment while the limpid beauty of Frühling übers Jahr is heart-stopping. Mignon (Kennst du das Land) is a Caspar David Friedrich fantasy landscape rendered in sound with every fine detail carefully lit, each expansively intoned refrain is subtly varied in tone and inflection. The control of breath and line in Verschwiegene Liebe is a wonder to behold. A stylish package with perceptive essay and translations inside. This is rather special.

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