The Hyperion Schubert Edition 3 / Ann Murray, Graham Johnson
Ann Murray gets the dubious honor of singing Schubert'sViola, one of these long ballads that Schubert loved to set, but which are so difficult to bring off in performance. Actually,Violais one of the shorter ones, at just 15 minutes, and both Murray and Graham Johnson have a ball with it--at least as much as the rather depressing story permits. On either side of the major work, Johnson has selected a varied assortment of songs including one of Schubert's best known--Der Zwerg(The Dwarf). An interesting and very well executed program.--David Hurwitz