Jan Schultsz sings on Bechstein
On the CD cover, the pianist’s name is smaller than that of the tenor. How come? Just imagine Werner Güra singing Die schöne Müllerin without an accompaniment and you immediately understand the importance of a piano accompaniment in Schubert’s song cycles.
Jan Schultsz, a trained pianist, hornist and conductor, is more than Güra’s expert partner in this Harmonia mundi recording from 1999. He truly “carries” the tenor, preparing the changes of registers and commenting his voice on the piano. Just like Güra, Schultsz does not exaggerate the expression but lets the music flow.
Schubert is in good hands with Schultsz. Kurt Malisch shares this opinion, writing in Klassik heute: “The pianist Jan Schultsz decisively contributes to this recording’s excellent musical quality. Accompanying a tenor on the piano is a crucial, yet awkward task, but Schultsz masters it with such sensitivity: he is audible without being loud; his presence is non-intrusive. Last but not least, the singing, slightly bell-like voice of the Bechstein grand piano provides this recording with a unique, pleasant touch.