About the album
The conditions under which Schubert’s art of the song developed into a kaleidoscopically incandescent spectrum that crossed over genres and the institutionally set, historical boundaries disappear today as a rule under the pedestal that the late nineteenth century began to erect for the composer. The traces of improvisational practice were increasingly lost within a music culture that stylised the printed manuscript into a quasi sacred object. A particularly successful way of leading back to a fundamental impetus in Schubert’s art of the song is through an approach towards the songs that takes the moment of spontaneous performance seriously as a communicative act, without denying the work character of Schubert’s music. The idea of ‘one’ universal human voice seems to materialise with particular intensity in the commingling of two voices of similar timbre, which can permanently interchange and double their identity. Based on our knowledge for instance of the Schubertiade reminiscences of 1868, remembered and noted down by Moritz von Schwind, can we not imagine that the ‘Schubert singers’ Johann Michael Vogl and Karl von Schönstein might indeed have sung alternately (or even in unison)?
Christoph Prégardien:
When a second part suddenly crops up in a Schubert song, many people say of course: are we allowed to do this to Schubert? Even I had to be persuaded at first to consider the improvisational element, however, our approach to adopting it didn’t happen arbitrarily, but in the context of our awareness of music-making in past centuries.
Michael Gees:
You can formulate reasons that aren’t based on historical knowledge but ensue from the music itself. "Nacht und Träume” (Night and Dreams), for example – you listen to this music, you hear that it bears a potential within: the potential of starting out from the rather simple structure and being able to ramify practically into endlessness. This opens up spaces in which you can go on fantasising without bounds. In this context our versions are not actually “contrived”, but formed by “eavesdropping” on the music itself to a certain degree. If I hear it, I hear something like another “I”, another self, a corresponding multi-voice being.
Julian Prégardien:
In our arrangements we first and foremost wanted an encounter with the prodigious complexity of Schubert’s oeuvre in lied and to show that boundaries overlap! Schubert composed the song “Widerspruch” (Contradiction) in two versions in any case – namely the solo version and as an ensemble lied – and we are now in a way adding a third. With “Licht und Liebe” (Light and Love) we have also included an original composition for two voices, as well as dramatic ballads, convivial vocal ensembles and elegiacally meditative solo songs which we have “heard” anew and arranged in various ways.
Vader en zoon Prégardien, adembenemend mooi in hun duetten
Christoph en Julian Prégardien zingen in deze uitvoering van Duitse liederen, de sterren van de hemel. Als altijd voortreffelijk begeleid door pianist Michael Gees. Hij en Prégardien junior bewerkten de liederen van componisten als Schubert en Bhrams voor 2 tenoren en piano. Van Erlkönig, de ballade van Schubert bijvoorbeeld, maakten ze een dialoog tussen vader en zoon. Het is net echt zoals Christoph en Julian het gesprek voeren, zo emotioneel zingen ze het lied. Toch: "Christoph en Julian waken ervoor dat sentiment uitmondt in sentimentaliteit. Maar ze verbergen niet dat ze genieten, senior met zijn gelouterde stem, junior met zijn veelbelovende glans." De Volkskrant december 2014.
De Duitse Christoph Prégardien (1956) begon zijn zangcarrière als koorknaap in de dom van Limburg an der Lahn, zijn geboortestad. Prégardien behoort tot de beste lyrische tenoren van deze tijd. Hij heeft een heldere en precieze stemvoering. Zijn intelligente interpretatie en dictie, gecombineerd met zijn kracht om door te dringen tot de kern van zijn rol, maken van hem een alom gewaardeerd zanger. De tenor treedt wereldwijd op met vooraanstaande orkesten en is ook een graag geziene gast in ons land. Zijn zoon Julian (Frankfurt, 1984) studeerde zang aan de hogeschool voor muziek in Freiburg. Zijn eerste optreden in een opera was in 2007 in München. Julian verschijnt regelmatig op festivals in Europa en is een veelgevraagd concertzanger.
Michael Gees is bekend als begeleider van liederen en werkt intensief samen met Christoph Prégardien. Gees is vooral improvisator. Vaak start hij met een enkel akkoord, om van daaruit de melodie te creëren. Zoals NRC Handelsblad over dit album schreef: "Niet toevallig is de begeleider en arrangeur hier pianist Michael Gees; een van de schaarse ‘vrije’ klassieke musici die het IJzeren Repertoire buigzaam opvatten. Gees gaat met gecomponeerde muziek zo vrij om als de componisten ooit zelf, toen scheppen en uitvoeren nog één waren.”
Ausgehend von Schuberts wohlbekannten Liedern entstand hier ein faszinierendes Projekt. In einer Zeit, in der das geschriebene Wort bzw. der geschriebene Ton praktisch heilig ist, bringen Vater und Sohn das improvisatorische Element zurück in die Musik. Darf man das? Ja, denn hier wird nichts erfunden, sondern nur betont, was der Musik bereits eigen ist, und im Kontext der historischen Musizierpraxis neue Räume öffnet.
„Allem voran hatten wir eine Begegnung mit der Komplexität von Schuberts Liedschaffen im Sinn. Wir wollen zeigen, dass sich Grenzen überschneiden," sagt Julian Prégardien. Und das tun sie hier - ob die Lieder nun von Anfang an als Duett konzipiert wurden, oder das Neuarrangement das Hervortreten eines der Musik innewohnenden „anderen Ichs, einem mehrstimmigen Wesen" erlaubt. Das Ergebnis sind sehr zarte, bedachte, improvisatorische und kommunikative Bearbeitungen für zwei Stimmen von ähnlichem Timbre, in denen sich der Gedanke der einen, universalen menschlichen Stimme mit besonderer Intensität zu manifestieren scheint.
Press
Michael Gees is definetely enjoying this as much as the singers. Just as the listeners. A lovely album!
Basia Con Fuoco, 02-8-2016
"...an entertaining collection of curiosities and rearrangements of what some may consider to be sacred cows. (...) The disc's family chemistry makes for an convivial and highly enjoyable collection of songs."
3,5/5 stars
Limelight, 15-7-2015
Luister 10!
"The result is, apart from surprising and fresh, also breathtakingly beautiful."
Luister, 01-6-2015
Performance 5*****
Recording 5*****
["].. This latest release from Christoph and Julian Prègardien, father and son, is a real treasure."
BBC Music Magazine, 01-5-2015
taking up "CD of the month"
Fono Forum, 27-4-2015
'‘Father and Son’ features the great tenor Christoph Prégardien and his son Julian. They perform a generous selection of arrangements for two voices and piano of songs by some of the great lieder composers, and some by less familiar figures.'
Musicweb, 27-4-2015
"Michael Gees has, witnessed his game, just as much fun as the singers. The listener enjoys likewise. A wonderful cd!"
Opera Magazine, 21-4-2015
“Charlotte Gainsbourg, Willeke Alberti, Christa Ludwig - in all genres one will find singing parents with children singing as well. Christoph Prégardien also carried the torch to his son Julien (also a tenor) and it's a treat to hear how they handle Schubert's father-son ballad Erlkönig . The normal role sung by one singer is now a real dialogue between the feverish delirious son and the appeasing father - until death follows.
Not coincidentally, the accompanist and arranger here is pianist Michael Gees; one of the few 'free' classical musicians who conceive the Iron Repertoire in a flexible way. Gees deals with composed music as free as the composers themselves did, in a time where creation and performing were one.”
NRC Handelsblad, 20-4-2015
["]..They perform a generous selection of arrangements for two voices and piano of songs by some of the great lieder composers, and some by less familiar figures."
Music Web International, 01-4-2015
Both tenors display family traits of appealing mellifluousness and impeccable musicality. Together they communicate a sense of something homely, of improvisation and of singing for pure enjoyment.
Gramophone, 24-3-2015
With stunning security for intonation and in perfect harmony with pianist Michael Gees. One wishes every father and son so much harmony.
Fono Forum, 23-3-2015
["].. Prégardien père and fils have been performing together for several years and this disc of duets - some original most in arrangements - is often delightful."
Gramophone, 01-3-2015
5 tuning-forks (diapasons)!
"The trio breathes like one. Julian, Christoph and the faithful Michael Gees carve the details without freezing the spontaneity of the gesture."
Diapason, 03-2-2015
"The joy of making music together"
Klassiek Centraal, 25-1-2015
4 **** stars
"[...] that is sung by father and son in a very intimate and sober way[...]"
"This album is so much more than just pleasentness, more than just the joy of making music together at the homeof the Pregardien family."
Writteninmusic.com, 21-1-2015
"Father and Son’ is an exciting project that features the great tenor and lieder specialist Christoph Prégardien and his son Julian performing arrangements for two voices and piano of songs by Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Friedrich Silcher, and Johannes Brahms"
Presto Classical, 21-1-2015
Prize Cd on Radio 4 'Licht op Vier'
Prize CD in Licht op Vier Radio 4, 18-1-2015
This CD shows in a moving way how beautiful it can sound when father and son harmonize. Both lyrical tenors sing full of emotions, full of nuances, smooth and savouring the floating beauty, melancholy and dramatic art.
BR.de, 17-1-2015
A boon for the ears!
NDR Kultur, 14-1-2015
The intonation is flawless, they breath jointly and phrase neatly. A benefaction for the ears.
WDR TonArt, 06-1-2015
"It does not really go any further than rustic comfortableness."
oblivionsoave.wordpress.com, 02-1-2015
4**** stars
"Christoph and Julian make sure that sentiment never flows into sentimentality. But they do not hide the fact that they enjoy doing this very much, senior with his refined voice, junior with his very promising glow."
De Volkskrant, 31-12-2014
Performance: 5*****
Sonics: Stereo: 5 ***** en Multi-ch: 5*****
["].. it was inevitable that father and so would make recordings together, and here we have a remarkable programme which explores the possibilities of duets in Lieder."
SA-CD.net, 10-12-2014
"Together all three performers showed the requisite feeling for Schubertian line and dynamics"
http://www.musicomh.com, 27-11-2014
Interview - Striking is not only the same voice type but also the incredible similarity of the two voices
Crescendo, 26-11-2014