No lieder singer of the second half of the last century has cast a longer shadow on subsequent generations thanDietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Even singers who never studied with the great baritone acknowledge his influence, but for Benjamin Appl the link was much more direct: after attending a masterclass that Fischer-Dieskau gave in Austria in 2009,Appl became Fischer-Dieskau’s final pupil, working with him up to his death three years later.
The centenary tribute that Appl has put together to his teacher with pianist James Baillieu is thoughtful and handsomely produced. The disc of 32 songs is well chosen to reflect every stage in Fischer-Dieskau’s life, from his childhood, through his years as a soldier and prisoner of war during the second world war, the steady upward curve of his career through the 1950s and 60s, to the eminence of his later years. . Packaged within a lavishly illustrated hardback book, it also includes some of the works that were composed specially for him. Schubert is predictably well represented in the sequence, Schumann, Brahms and Wolf unexpectedly rather less so, and Richard Strauss not all, though there are songs by Eisler and Bruno Walter, and by Fischer-Dieskau’s father Albert and brother Klaus. Without ever aping his famous mentor, Appl’s performances have the same attention to detail, both verbal and musical, though his tone sometimes takes on a hard, rather acid edge; it’s a worthy, heartfelt tribute and Fischer-Dieskau’s legions of fans won’t hesitate.
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For Dieter: Hommage àDietrich Fischer-Dieskauis released on 23 May on Alpha Classics