Composers: Schubert
Compositions: Winterreise
Performers: Peter Mattei bar, Lars David Nilsson p
Catalogue Number: BIS BIS2444

On first listen, Peter Mattei’s broad, rather straightforward reading of Gute Nacht suggests a Winterreise of limited scope. But a closer listen yields singular treasures, shoring up his reputation as an artist of considerable imagination and insight. The Swedish baritone’s more forthright reading of Schubert’s opening salvo presents an individual fighting hard to conceal his emotions – it sounds as if he’s clinging furiously to narrative’s ability to tidy away the more unruly, raw aspects of his past. But cracks appear in the...