the entire first disc is beautifully shaped as darkness gives way to early spring light, exaltation and consolation...at times, I wished someone could have coaxed just a fleeting smile or moment of charm from the ever-earnest Goerne. But his deep seriousness never fails to come up with rare insight, and yields many unforgettable performances here.

With his velvety, 'covered' timbre, and innate seriousness of manner, Goerne has never been a natural bringer of jollity...Yet if we accept that lightness and charm are not within Goerne's orbit, his singing is always scrupulous...At his finest, here and elsewhere, Goerne touches greatness as a Schubertian.

Goerne, particularly in the performance of Schubert’s songs, is perhaps the best of them all … This is a constantly interesting collection of songs, wonderfully performed, to set beside Goerne’s seven earlier Schubert recordings for harmonia mundi.

The virtues of this series are well enough known by now...Goerne is excellent in [Der Tod und das Mädchen and Wanderers Nachtlied] as playing to his strengths. He also shines in the more thoughtful songs, such as Litanei...Both accompanists are first-rate