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For Dieter: Hommage à Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Benjamin Appl (baritone), James Baillieu (piano)
Awards:
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Presto Recording of the Week, 23rd May 2025
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BBC Music Magazine, July 2025, Vocal Choice
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Winner 2025, Special Project
Benjamin Appl’s singing is thoughtful and enjoyable.The voice sometimes uncannily recalls that of his guru...Appl and his artistic partners deserve huge credit for making this imaginative, moving...
For Dieter: Hommage à Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Benjamin Appl (baritone), James Baillieu (piano)
Purchase product
Awards:
-
Presto Recording of the Week, 23rd May 2025
-
BBC Music Magazine, July 2025, Vocal Choice
-
Presto Recordings of the Year, Winner 2025, Special Project
Benjamin Appl’s singing is thoughtful and enjoyable.The voice sometimes uncannily recalls that of his guru...Appl and his artistic partners deserve huge credit for making this imaginative, moving...
About
Baritone Benjamin Appl pays tribute to his mentor, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, whose centenary we celebrate in 2025. "The first time I heard his voice was at school when I was twelve. In 2009, I applied for his master class at the Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg which was the start of a long and transformative relationship. I was fortunate to work with him on my entire repertoire over countless hours in his homes in Berlin and Berg." This album, a CD-book of 140 pages with personal text written by Appl alongside numerous previously unpublished photos and letters, offers us a glimpse into who Fischer-Dieskau was as a person, outside of his obvious public successes and accolades. The repertoire in this touching recording is structured to reflect the major stages of his life and includes compositions by family members Albert and Klaus Fischer-Dieskau, repertoire he sang as a soldier during WW2 and as a POW in Italy, commissions composed especially for him through to favourite Lieder by Schubert.
Contents and tracklist
Spotlight on this release
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Presto Presents... Benjamin Appl & James Baillieu
In this latest episode of Presto Presents, baritone Benjamin Appl and pianist James Baillieu perform a selection of pieces from their latest album For Dieter: Hommage à Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (released in May on Alpha Classics).
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For Dieter: Hommage à Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Together with his regular recital-partner James Baillieu, Benjamin Appl celebrates the centenary of his mentor's birth with a beautifully-crafted recital charting the various stages of his life - including music which was written 'For Dieter' and world premiere recordings of pieces by family-members.
Awards and reviews
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Presto Recording of the Week23rd May 2025
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BBC Music MagazineJuly 2025Vocal Choice
July 2025
Benjamin Appl’s singing is thoughtful and enjoyable.The voice sometimes uncannily recalls that of his guru...Appl and his artistic partners deserve huge credit for making this imaginative, moving tribute to an artist whose voice shaped German song during the post-war years. This album will be cherished by Fischer-Dieskau’s many fans.
June 2025
His dignified manner – stately tempos and a cool, antiseptic recording ambience – stands back from the repertoire...Whether or not Appl felt dutybound to give back to the master with this tribute, I hope he considers this mission accomplished…
23rd May 2025
Whilst there’s never a sense of this being a ‘cover-version’ of DFD’s own recordings, you may well detect a certain kinship between master and pupil in terms of their meticulous word-painting and overall timbre...Appl (who writes every bit as well as he sings) supplies his own up-close-and-personal biography of his mentor A classy, comprehensive and cogent musical offering which would doubtless have met with approval from the man himself.
15th May 2025
Without ever aping his famous mentor, Appl’s performances have the same attention to detail, both verbal and musical, though his tone sometimes takes on a hard, rather acid edge; it’s a worthy, heartfelt tribute and Fischer-Dieskau’s legions of fans won’t hesitate.
30th May 2025
For Dieter aims to guide us through the twists and turns of Fischer-Dieskau’s life — German prisoner of war, international success, domestic tragedy — using songs from his repertoire (or thereabouts) as illustrations… Core lieder repertoire rubs against music premiered by Appl’s mentor (Britten, Barber) plus pieces by Fischer-Dieskau’s father and elder brother. Singing with the volume knob turned down, Appl can be almost as beguiling as his idol.
