Daniel Behle (tenor)
Richard…Strauss…Wagner
Orchestral Songs & Arias
Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra/Thomas Rösner
rec. 2022, Borusan Oto Istinye, Instanbul,Turkey
Booklet with texts in German and English
Prospero PROSP0072 [56]
The quirky title of this CD does not leave one to expect a disc of Strauss orchestral songs to be blended with arias from Wagner’s operas, as they are very differing species. The Strauss songs are backed by a large orchestra, but they retain the intimacy of their piano settings, whereas the Wagner scenes are big, dramatic undertakings, which call for more theatrical flair, along with a solid technique to put them across to the audience. From the notes that accompany this excellently produced CD, the idea seems to have originated with the conductor, in conjunction with his work with this fine Turkish orchestra.
Recently, I had been impressed with Daniel Behle’s fine performance in the Naxos Blu-ray of Humperdinck’s Königskinder (review). For several years now, Behle has been an admired interpreter of Mozart . He first came to my notice in 2014 for his excellent Tamino on the René Jacobs recording of Die Zauberflöte for Harmonia Mundi. His Mozart album for Sony classical Zero to Hero: MoZart was nominated for several prestigious awards. He has sung some of Wagner’s smaller roles recently, such as David and Walther von der Vogelweide, both at the Bayreuth Festival. More recently, he has begun to make a name for himself as a composer. In 2023 this first operetta, Hops and Malt, had a successful world premiere at the theater in Neustrelitz. According to Mr Behle’s website, when he is not performing, he is occupied by writing a second operetta.
Daniel Behle has a very forwardly-placed tone and can demonstrate a ringing upper range when he chooses to. On this recording, one can hear that the microphone has been placed very close to him, which enables him to make his effects without any strain whatsoever. This is probably a good idea, especially for the Wagner selections. On the basis of his Mozart recordings, one might have thought that he would make little effect in the Wagner selections; at least that was my thought prior to hearing this CD. I am happy to find that I was wrong and that the Wagner scenes are generally the most effective tracks on the disc.
Lohengrin’s Grail Narrative would seem to suit him best of all. He begins it with a focused raptness in which his soft singing is really quite lovely to hear. He makes a real attempt to communicate with the listener and his diction is ideal. If he falls short at all, it is that his voice doesn’t quite expand into the higher phrases as one might wish. It seems that he will be singing his first onstage Lohengrin in Amsterdam later this year.
After a version of the Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg which resolutely refuses to take flight despite the crisp orchestral playing, we move into Walther’s Prize Song. This goes splendidly with Behle investing it with passion and also capturing something of the poetic nature of the piece. Even the orchestra sounds more inspired here.
However, the real test comes with Tannhäuser’s Rome narrative. This is an enormous challenge for a voice that is really not large enough to do it justice, at least on stage. Behle‘s musicianship here is superb. He really invests the narrative with a Lieder singer’s attention to detail and wrings more out of the piece than Plácido Domingo does on his complete recording of the opera for DG. I came away from Behle’s remarkable portrayal feeling as if I had not fully understood what it was all about before this. While he sings many of the phrases with great beauty, he gives a detailed display of vocal acting and he is at his most riveting in his delivery of the papal curse. He may not be competition to Wolfgang Windgassen’s searing interpretation on two complete recordings, or my favorite Tannhäuser, the rough and craggy sounding Richard Cassilly on the Met DVD from DG; however, Daniel Behle’s Rome Narrative is perhaps his finest achievement on disc so far.
When it comes to the Strauss songs, he provides fine, sensitive interpretations, but these songs don’t show off his voice to its best advantage. Much of the tessitura lies low for him and the proximity of the microphones tend to amplify some hints of intermittent tonal unsteadiness in his lowest range. Cäcilie is a case in point, where it only goes really well towards the end of the song. This is a pity because it is the opening track on the disc. His Ständchen is given a light-as-air performance which is quite engaging, but the best of the Strauss songs are the lovely repose of Morgen, which closes the recital, and Befreit. The latter is deeply touching because he seems to be living every phrase, in the moment that he is singing it.
The support given to him by Thomas Rösner and the Turkish orchestra is of a very high standard. Although the prelude from Die Meistersinger doesn’t show them off at their best, they are much more at home in the glowing romanticism of the Interlude from Intermezzo. They are given a rich, warm acoustic setting by the engineers. The CD is presented in a deluxe, hardbound book of a type that is now becoming a rarity on the market.
Mike Parr
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Contents
Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
Vier Lieder, Op 27 No 2, Cäcilie
No 1, Ruhe, meine Seele
Richard Wagner (1813-18883)
In fernem Land (from Lohengrin)
Richard Strauss
Ständchen, Op 17 No 2
Richard Wagner
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96:
Vorspiel
Morgenlich leuchtend im rosigen Schein. (Preislied)
Richard Strauss
Heimliche Aufforderung, Op 27 No 3
Träumerei am Kamin (from Intermezzo, Op 72)
Befreit, Op 39 No 4
Richard Wagner
Inbrunst im Herzen (from Tannhäuser)
Richard Strauss
Morgen, Op 27 No 4
