Although Covid-19 has forced many musicians to cancel their concerts and recordings in 2020, it has also sparked creativity and allowed people to enjoy calmer moments – something that’s rare when you have a busy career. Jonas Kaufmann did not waste his time during lockdown, recording several Lieder albums with his accomplice, the pianist Helmut Deutsch.
“Selige Stunde” (“Blessed Hours!”) is the first fruit of his quarantine which brings together a selection of Lieder from Mozart to Mahler, including Schubert, Mendelssohn, Grieg, Strauss, Brahms, Wolf, Schumann and extremely rare gems such as Ännchen von Tharau by Friedrich Silcher or the unusual In mir klingt ein Lied composed by Alois Melichar on the Etude, Op. 10 No. 3 by Chopin.
Time and intensive use have gradually tarnished Jonas Kaufmann's voice and his timbre has darkened without compromising any of its expression or exceptional range. With quarantine making it impossible to use a recording studio, the two friends recorded this album in a private home with as few people as possible. It’s a “blessing in disguise” for Jonas Kaufmann and Helmut Deustch, who were able to find the tone of a private concert in the intimacy of a living room for this recording. © François Hudry/Qobuz