It's hard to imagine a world in which a disc called Carl Schuricht -- Rarities belongs in a so-called Desert Island Collection. A world with endless shelf space, perhaps. That quibble aside, the performances on this 2007 Archipel release are worthy additions to
Schuricht's slender discography. The 1957 recording of
Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with the magnificent
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and the Orchestre National de la RTF that opens the disc is dramatic in conception, lyric in expression, and altogether compelling in effect. Though not at that level, the 1951 recordings of
Kodály's Concerto for Orchestra and Glazunov's Violin Concerto with the
Berliner Philharmoniker and soloist Heinz Stanske that close the disc are sweet, spirited performances. And all three recordings are indeed rarities -- only the
Mahler has appeared in
Schuricht's discography before, and then in a performance featuring Polish mezzo-soprano Eugenia Zareska that cannot match this one with the great German baritone for soul and artistry. For diehard
Schuricht and
Fischer-Dieskau fans, this disc will be well worth hearing -- though whether or not even they should take it with them to a desert island is up to them to decide. The 1957 recording puts
Fischer-Dieskau's voice right in the room with you, but puts the Orchestre National de la RTF out in the backyard. The 1951 recording, on the other hand, puts the
Berliner Philharmoniker down the block and around the corner.