Matthias Goerne has been captivating audiences worldwide for decades with his rich, velvety tones and profound musicality. Born in Weimar on 31 March 1967, he studied with legendary figures like Hans-Joachim Beyer and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and graduated as one of the finest lieder singers of his generation.
Matthias Goerne
With a voice that marries a dark and resonant timbre to an uncanny ability to convey both power and vulnerability, Goerne is capable of wrapping listeners in a sonic embrace that is technically flawless and soul-stirring.
Matthias Goerne has garnered countless accolades over the years, including the prestigious Gramophone Award and the International Classical Music Award for his exceptional recordings. On the occasion of his birthday, let’s sample some of his most iconic recordings and performances.
Goerne/Cho Perform Strauss’ 3 Lieder, Op. 29 No. 1 “Traum durch die Dämmerung”
Schubert Winterreise
Matthias Goerne’s 2014 recording of Franz Schubert’s Winterreise with pianist Christoph Eschenbach, released by Harmonia Mundi, stands as one of the most profound and celebrated interpretations of this iconic song cycle in recent decades. His voice in this recording is simply a revelation.
His velvety baritone seems tailor-made for the cycle’s bleak emotional landscape. From the opening “Gute Nacht”, his tone is warm yet weighted with melancholy, setting a mood of quiet resignation that carries through the entire work. Goerne paints the narrative of each song with vivid colour, and the smoky richness lends an almost tactile quality to the music.
Goerne’s rendition, committing to the poems’ emotional core, elevates the cycle into a deeply personal and almost visceral experience. He draws us into the frozen and desolate world of Schubert’s setting by blending vocal mastery with an interpretive depth that has critics and listeners alike hailing it as a benchmark.
Franz Schubert: Winterreise, Op. 89, D. 911 (Matthias Goerne, baritone; Christoph Eschenbach, piano)
Bach Bass Cantatas
Matthias Goerne’s 2017 recording of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantatas for Bass with the Freiburger Barockorchester, conducted by Gottfried von der Goltz and released by Harmonia Mundi, is a luminous showcase of his vocal prowess and interpretive finesse in the Baroque repertoire.
Goerne’s voice seems perfectly suited to the demands of Bach’s bass cantatas. Each note and phrase is carved with precision yet infused with a soulful resonance. His technical control shines in the more florid passages as he navigates Bach’s intricate melismas with ease. Goerne’s ability to shift emotional gears while maintaining vocal consistency makes this Bach recording compelling.
This marvellous collaboration blends Goerne’s rich baritone with the period-instrument precision of the Freiburg ensemble, resulting in a recording that is both historically informed and emotionally immediate.
J.S. Bach: Ich habe genug, BWV 82 (Matthias Goerne, baritone; Freiburg Baroque Orchestra; Gottfried von der Goltz, cond.)
Beethoven Lieder
Matthias Goerne’s collaboration with Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki on Beethoven’s lieder, released by Deutsche Grammophon, marks a significant chapter in his discography, blending his masterful baritone with Lisiecki’s crystalline pianism. For one, Goerne prefers to work with solo pianists over pianists who specialise in accompaniment, citing the former’s superior artistic vision and the latter’s relative lack of technical proficiency.
The Goerne/Lisiecki Beethoven project focuses on often-overlooked songs, spotlighting lesser-known gems. The velvety depth of his baritone imbues Beethoven’s expansive melodies with seamless legato and, together with Lisiecki’s sensitive accompaniment, offers a fresh lens on Beethoven’s vocal legacy.
Goerne/Lisiecki perform Beethoven: “Der Liebende,” WoO 139
Berg Wozzeck
One thing for sure, Matthias Goerne has a flair for the dramatic, bringing an almost theatrical intensity to all his performances. And that includes occasional opera recordings, although his opera discography is relatively modest compared to his extensive lieder output.
Alban Berg’s Wozzeck, however, is a cornerstone of his discography, and it reflects his affinity for dramatic, psychologically complex roles. Goerne is highly selective when it comes to opera, choosing roles that resonate with his artistic vision rather than chasing standard repertoire.
In his Wozzeck recordings, Goerne showcases his vocal stamina, and he embodies the character in real-time. He fills the role with a modern, lived-in intensity that is distinctly his own. Goerne’s opera recordings round out the picture of an artist who excels in tackling roles that match his intellectual and emotional firepower.
Alban Berg: Wozzeck, Op. 7 – Act III: Dort links geht’s in die Stadt (Matthias Goerne, baritone; Dorothea Röschmann, soprano; Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra; Manfred Honeck, cond.)
Schumann Dichterliebe
Matthias Goerne’s recording of Robert Schumann’s Dichterliebe with pianist Daniil Trifonov, released by Deutsche Grammophon in 2021, is a striking addition to his discography, pairing his seasoned mastery of German lieder with the virtuosic flair of one of today’s most dynamic pianists.
Goerne’s voice, honeyed by decades of lieder singing, is a marvel of depth and nuance. It is perfectly suited to Schumann’s rollercoaster of love, longing, and disillusionment. Goerne’s voice has matured and become slightly darker and weightier than in earlier years, lending this cycle a mature and reflective gravity.
Matthias Goerne’s career is a testament to the enduring power of a voice that marries technical brilliance with an almost uncanny emotional depth. As he continues to captivate audiences and critics into 2025 and beyond, Goerne stands as a towering figure in classical music, a baritone whose legacy is as rich and resonant as the sound he produces.
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