Anja Lechner | Pablo Márquez: Franz Schubert – Die Nacht

Franz Schubert: Nacht und Träume, Die Nacht, Der Leiermann, Fischerweise, Meeresstille, Romanze aus Rosamunde, Sonata in a-Moll “Arpeggione”; Friedrich Burgmüller: Nocturne Nr. 1-3. Anja Lechner: vc; Pablo Márquez: g

Drifting into a dream and into the poetics of Franz Schubert is as close as one can get to describe this extraordinary duet of violoncello and guitar by two incomparable musicians, Anja Lechner and Pablo Márquez. And while the music may be an extraordinary experience of listening to a master who’s been gone one hundred and ninety one years, these two maestros keep the music very much alive.

The breathtaking mastery of Schubert’s music lies in his daunting originality and in the mood of wistful melancholy mood and melodic language that has never been equaled in his time or after. Both Miss Lechner and Mr Márquez not only place the music in its proper context with these masterful transcriptions but also breathe completely new life into the ruminations stylistically singular and darkly expressive essays and in doing so create a musical penumbra which mirrors the aching music by playing with the light and shadow in subtle gradations of tone and timbre. Together they create repertoire each with profound utterances on their instruments.

Schubert’s short works announced the arrival of a songwriter of preternatural abilities. Nobody had previously brought such complexity and sophistication to the salon genre. This music forms nine-tenths of the disc and Miss Lechner and Mr Márquez bring out every gradation of light and shadow of Schubert’s music with thrilling directness. There is also an apparent spontaneity to their playing which, of course, comes from knowing the work so thoroughly that it sounds so absolutely fresh. Each is gleaming gem upon an imaginary tiara with “Romanze aus Rosamunde” being the most glittering centre of the diadem. There is also a warmth and tangible sympathy on display in the reading of the “Arpeggione” sonata.

The album closes with three nocturnes from Friedrich Burgmüller. What is so impressive here is that both Miss Lechner and Mr Márquez – intensely probing and analytical artists – give a scintillating account of each piece. They bring a variety of touch to bear on individual nocturnes that range from the delicate and playful to profound and eloquent. Miss Lechner and Mr Márquez judge the overall shape of each work to perfection, controlling the sudden changes of musical and emotional direction with consummate ease to close out the unforgettable music on a perfectly executed performance.

Released – 2018
Label ECM Records (ECM New Series 2555 481712)
Runtime – 55:51