Our September Recording of the Month is David Greco and Erin Helyard’s richly nuanced account of Schubert’s Schwanengesang (ABC Classic ABCL0089D). It follows on from their equally distinguished period-instrument interpretations of Die Schöne Müllerin and Winterreise.

“The fortepiano’s light wooden construction and swift acoustic decay alter the balance between singer and accompaniment,” writes Will Yeoman. “Unlike the modern grand tradition, where singers must contend with broad acoustic power, Helyard’s Graf replica establishes a natural chamber music dialogue without forcing the vocal line.”

“Greco’s vocal delivery applies 19th-century performance practices, including expressive portamento and flexible declamation to heighten the poetic text,” he continues. “In the Rellstab settings, Helyard’s crisp articulation provides definition to the aquatic motifs of Liebesbotschaft and the martial rhythms of Kriegers Ahnung. In the starker Heine settings, Greco avoids exaggerated vocal weight. Der Doppelgänger achieves a ghostly intensity through breath control and diction, while Die Stadt utilises the fortepiano’s unique damper resonance to create a sinister acoustic backdrop.”

As a bonus, the album includes Maximilian Stadler’s Fugue on the Name of Schubert