Perfect pairing’s gems from Schubert
Christiane Karg/Gerold Huber (Queen’s Hall) Purity, passion, power ★★★★★
A TRUE artist is, naturally, able to sing or play anything by anyone.
But sometimes a composer seems to be made for his players – and vice versa.
Such was clearly the case at the Queen’s Hall, as soprano Christiane Karg and pianist Gerold Huber displayed an obvious affinity with Franz Schubert.
Though Miss Karg and Huber are German rather than Austrian, both are from the south of the country, from Bavaria.
Schubert was deeply, though not conventionally, religious – and the singer and pianist somehow captured such qualities in two first-rate performances in a selection of his songs. The first section of the concert – Die Götter Griechenlands, Ganymede, Memnon, Iphigenia and Klage der Ceres – though ostensibly taken from Greek mythology, contain a universal view of the religious power of nature.
Miss Karg brought purity, passion and power to these songs – as did Huber, in almost equal measure.
Their affinity with Schubert was only further emphasised by the lyrics, by such masters of the Teutonic tongue as Mayrhofer, Schiller and Goethe.
After the interval, we were treated to a sensitive but haunting performance of four songs of Goethe’s famously enigmatic dancer figure, Mignon.
With Huber’s supremely crafted playing intelligently highlighting Miss Karg’s exceptional voice, this was a true highlight.
For the last quarter of the concert, we were in Italy, singing Italian, but the quality of performance was identical; that is, of the highest quality.
Although Miss Karg is the obvious star of the show, Huber accompanies her with a rare precision; never too obvious, never too diffident, but absolutely irreplaceable.