Passion, solitude, nostalgia, the pain of the world, flight, death – these are the typical themes of Romanticism. Konstantin Krimmel had already explored the extreme emotions that characterise this era of extreme emotion in Saga, his first recital album (ALPHA549); he now plunges even deeper into this cosmos with collaborative pianist Ammiel Bushakevitz. "I simply love telling stories. Even as a child, I loved listening to old legends and tales", says Krimmel, who is indeed a fabulous storyteller-singer. The two artists have chosen here to compare songs by Franz Schubert and Carl Loewe that embody these great themes. The two composers, both masters of the Lied, had very different destinies: Loewe lived to be 72 years old, more than twice as old as Schubert, who had died aged 31.

Sound/Video

Reviews

It’s a superb album, and an impeccable realisation of an intelligent, remarkably effective programming concept. ... Loewe and Schubert were born only months apart (though the former outlived the latter by over 40 years), but their styles were very different, Schubert more imaginative and freer in his reactions to his text, and Loewe, well, slightly less so. ... by building their programme around thematically linked pairs of songs, one by each composer, Krimmel and his outstanding pianist, Ammiel Bushakevitz, bring out the best in them. ... Krimmel takes another big step towards quietly establishing himself as one of the most compelling lieder interpreters performing today. A gem. Hugo Shirley (Recording of the Month)

Gramophone August 2024