Mark Padmore (tenor), Paul Lewis (piano) Harmonia Mundi HMU 907519 *****

The joy of the young miller in the opening song sounds, well, almost forced, not least through the insistence of Paul Lewis’s accompaniment. The questioning that follows immediately is somehow more real. That’s the trajectory of this performance, tracing a painful journey of uncertainty through retreat and resignation. The more withdrawn the music- making becomes, the more grippingly it develops. Mark Padmore’s singing acquires

an almost wraith-like quality, with a beauty that creates an unusual sense of being beyond this world. It's as if he's so out of reach that there's only himself to sing for. Among Schubert's song-cycles, Die schöne Müllerinused to be considered a lot lighter than Winterreise. This is a performance that says otherwise. See url.ie/55ay