Eschewing the eccentricities and exaggerations of some of his contemporaries, Gerhaher wonderfully exhibits the verities of Schubert interpretation in this well planned and absorbing programme. Everything he does evolves from the song in hand and so accords with all that is needed in performing some of the composer’s greatest Lieder.

The title, ‘Abendbilder’, is interpreted freely but almost all the pieces have some relevance to the dreams and moods of evening. Gerhaher enters into these nocturnal moods with unerring artistry where line, tone and word-painting are concerned. He is at his very best in the three settings of Rückert. That quirky, equivocal piece Dass sie hier gewesen, prophesying the style and harmony of Hugo Wolf, is sung with a full understanding of its inner meaning. Du bist die Ruh is delivered with the fine line and intense concentration such a great song deserves, and the thoughts of an elderly man in Greisengesang are as meaningful as they should be.

Elsewhere I liked the mellifluousness and breath control, a feature prominent throughout the recital, of the quietly contemplative Im Abendrot, and the appropriate dreaminess brought to the hypnotic barcarolle that is Des Fischers Liebesglück. As a nice contrast, Gerhaher brings virile energy to the fierce riding of Auf der Bruck – and here Gerold Huber deserves as much praise as his partner for portraying the insistent beat of horse’s hooves in the piano part so vividly – and the familiar Der Musensohn has just the right verve as does another Goethe setting, the ecstatic Willkommen und Abschied, that brings a rewarding recital to an exhilarating close with Huber – as throughout – seconding the singer with his discerning contribution.

The recording is ideally balanced. My only complaint is a minor one – neither the booklet nor the jewel case gives the Deutsch numbers of the songs.