Romantic Bass Duets

The duet repertoire for two basses is hardly extensive in the field of opera, let alone in the world of Lieder. One might therefore expect an album titled Romantic Bass Duets to feature a collection of rare works by second- or third-rate song composers. This release, however, presents a first-class repertoire in rather unfamiliar arrangements. What is needed here are two singers and a pianist who fit the bill in terms of imagination and creativity. The idea of this album, the first edition of which appeared as a limited edition in 1986 and can now be obtained only from second-hand sources (if at all), was conceived by the pianist Wilhelm von Grunelius. Born in Berlin in 1942, von Grunelius was the pianist of choice for the recitals sung by the distinguished singer Harald Stamm. Born in Frankfurt am Main in 1938, this bass was a friend of Kurt Moll (1938-2017), a fellow bass of the same age. Samm once recalled in conversation that the idea first arose at a social meeting with Moll and his wife, prompting von Grunelius, a short time later, to go and research the repertoire. The result is this spectacular recording.