Fanfare 6 . five stars: Together, Jespersen and Prushansky create a web of grief. A truly great release
SCHUBERT Die Winterreise, D 911.  Jakob Bloch Jespersen (bs-bar); Sharon Prushansky (fp)  OUR RECORDINGS 8.226928 (68:42 )
Schubert’s songs of grief and loss appears here in a remarkable performance by bass-baritone Jakob Bloch Jespersen and fortepianist Shron Prushansky. I can pay Jespersen no higher compliment than that his interpretation comes with shades of Hans Hotter, in the darkness of his voice, and in his grasp of Schubart's Rothko-like canvas. When tenderness comes, it is laden with sadness (“Mein Herz, in diesen Bache”; My heart in this stream). in the seventh song “Auf dem Flusse”). Jespersen’s delivery of lie in “Im Dorfe” against a perfectly detailed fortepiano is a miracle, at one forward-looking (the large intervals almost Schoenbergian) and unbearably lyrical, notes seamlessly connected regardless of intervallic leap. I admired Jespersen already via his performance of Axel Borup-Jørgensen’s Trilogi (Fanfare 40:4) and this performance only serves to deepen my admiration. Switzerland-based Israeli pianist Sharon Prushansky is new to the Fanfare Archive; she trained at the Bachman-Mehta School in Tel Aviv and the Schola Cantorum in Basel.
The booklet notes, co-written by the present performers, complement the performance perfectly, addressing aspects of bereavement (be that from a person or from a previous state). They emphasize the territory: humor is only ever heard ironically (the celebration of the protagonist’s hair greying, an indication of approaching death, for example). But in death is beauty, too. If there is one song that holds several aspects in its span it is “Der Lindenbaum,” beginning in highest simplicity and beauty before progressing to stormier territories (highlighted by stops on the fortepiano and the attendant change in sound in response of the cold wind of the text). “Frühlingstraum” allows for planes of keyboard timbre to underline the protagonist's line and the dramatic context; this is a radical re-reading of Schubert’s vast journey that is both illuminating and involving. The posthorn imitation in “Die Post” is one of the finest I have heard; the fortepiano used is a Robert Brown of 2015, after Jakob Bersche (c. 1810-15)
Together, Jespersen and Prushansky create a web of grief. Perhaps it is “Die Krähe” that encapsulates this best, desperately sad, while the unrest of “Im Dorfe” is similarly disquieting. There is no doubting this is a deeply considered vision, one of great integrity. The final “Der Leiermann” finds Prushansky flexible, her instrument sounding almost like a zither. Jespersen’s way here, as elsewhere, is non-hysterical; this is a predominantly interior Winter journey. This is one of the uniformly quietest versions of this song I have heard.
The recording (from the Dorothea Posche Saal, Salzbiurg) is remarkable; a glance at the equipment used confirms why, all ultra-high end (there is an Atmos version, too). Text is given in German. Only, but there is a plethora of appropriate accompanying photographs. Powerfully emotional, this is a truly great release. Colin Clarke

five stars: Together, Jespersen and Prushansky create a web of grief. A truly great release