Erlkönig: Three Performances of a Famous Ballade

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The videos I watched on the 5th of October were three musical interpretations of the famous Erlkönig poem, written by Goethe as a part of his opera Die Fischerin. Erlkönig is usually understood as one of the most famous and influential Goethe ballads, which was laid on music by different composers, the most famous of whom was Schubert. It portrays a supernatural creature, the Erlkönig (the Elf-king), a ruler of the fairies, attacking a child and killing him.

The first video was performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and accompanied by the piano. The immense range of his voice allowed him to perform almost any program, perform in almost any opera part intended for a baritone. He performed works by such different composers as Bach, Gluck, Schubert, Berg, Wolf, Schoenberg, Britten, Henze. Gerald Moore was a legendary accompanist, collaborating with various stars of his time, including Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.

The second one was performed by Jessye Norman, and Phillip Moll was accompanying her on the piano. Jesse Norman was an American singer who was considered a phenomenal musical phenomenon, the soprano of the century, and a living legend of the modern opera scene. Phillip Moll is a well-known American musician who serves as the ensemble’s concertmaster and pianist and has cooperated with various musicians, including Jessye.

The third one, the most modern interpretation of the Erlkönig was performed by Philippe Sly and Maria Fuller (piano). Philip Sly is a modern French-Canadian bass-baritone known for his deep and booming voice and his charismatic stage presence. Maria Fuller is a prominent conductor, pianist, and trumpet player who has performed worldwide. She is also a renowned composer and arranger.

The first video, the performance of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Gerald Moore, took place in some kind of an old school concert hall, which looks more like one of the mansion’s rooms. Jessye Normans’ performance was recorded during the exhibition, where Peter Kogler, an artist from Austria, best known for his psychedelic installations, was responsible for the visuals. The last video, an interpretation of Erlkönig by Philippe Sly and Maria Fuller, was recorded in a studio.

All the videos consist only of piano music backing and voice lead. Both Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Philippe Sly provide the baritone type of voice, a deep singing voice that is lower than a tenor yet higher than a bass. Jessye Norman uses soprano, a high female singing voice ranging from the first to the third octave. The voices of the Sopranos are nearly always versatile and excellent.

For numerous reasons, the preferable video for me became the first one, performed by the duo of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Gerald Moore. Firstly, the fantastic piano skills of Gerald Moore breathed new life into this work, allowing it to sparkle with new colors. A series of staccato chords, the base of the piano section, are played brilliantly by him. Secondly, the range and versatility of the voice lead achieved by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau are beyond any reach. Not surprisingly, he was marked as one of the greatest singers of the century.

My second choice is the most contemporary interpretation of Erlkönig, performed by Philippe Sly and accompanied by Maria Fuller. Together with perfect acoustic balance, which feels even after inevitable bitrate loss after YouTube upload, the baritone of Sly envelops and immerses us in the atmosphere of a ballad from the first notes. Besides, Maria Fuller is brilliant in feeling the piano accompaniment, adding accents where even G. Moore did not.