At last: a reissue of Hotter's 1953 Hugo Wolf recital, which forms the centrepiece of this release, and it's in far better, more immediate sound than on the original LP. Hotter's interpretations of Prometheus, Grenzen der Menschheit, the gloomy Harfenspieler Lieder and resigned Michelangelo settings – Wolf at his greatest – remain virtually unsurpassed. They were surely written with a bass-baritone of Hotter's calibre in mind and, quite apart from his vocal prowess, his verbal insights are once again remarkable, while the account of the naughty monks' exploits from the Italian Songbook remind us of Hotter the humorist. The earlier and later items that complete the CD disclose similar gifts, notably the delightful Der Tambour – and AnakreonsGrab, which, both in 1951 and 1957, matches the Innigkeit of Goethe's poem and Wolf's setting.
Moore is a masterly partner in music that severely taxes the pianist. This disc is a must for Wolf enthusiasts.