Interview with Helmut Deutsch in Vocal Accompaniment

Helmut Deutsch ranks among the finest, most successful, and in-demand song recital accompanists in the world. His collaborations with Jonas Kaufmann, Diana Damrau, and Michael Volle are currently among his most important. It is my honor to interview him about playing with singers, interpreting art songs, and the insights of being an accompanist.

What are the essential personal qualities of a good accompanist?

Helmut Deutsch: You must like working with partners in all kinds of chamber music. A loner can’t be a good accompanist. You have to be flexible and willing to accept new ideas. It is crucial to listen carefully while playing the piano, but also leading.

Can you suggest the work manners in rehearsals?

Helmut Deutsch: The ‘manners’ mostly depend on the ‘position’ of the singer and the pianist. It depends on their age, and experience as in any other personal relationship too. A famous singer who is also a good artist will always accept the correction of mistakes, even from a young accompanist. Discussion about tempi, or vocal details is much more delicate but will become normal in a longer partnership.

“A good artist would not accept a partner who is extremely humble. Musically spoken it’s a duo, not Lord and Dog.”— Helmut Deutsch

What should the pianist be aware of in terms of balance when playing with a singer?

Helmut Deutsch: The pianist should always be aware of the register of the voice and the piano. Even a Steinway D in very high registers can’t be as loud as a good high soprano; on the other hand, even a good singer is sometimes in danger when the vocal part is rather low and the piano part is thick.

How can we improve our sight-reading ability?

Helmut Deutsch: Sightreading can and should be practiced. Start with easy exercises and simple pieces. It should be trained regularly as a kind of sport. A certain talent for sightreading can be helpful but everyone can learn it to a certain extent.

How should the pianist prepare to work with singers?

Helmut Deutsch: One should study the vocal part and the text as well as the singer. Be able to sing and mark the vocal part completely. This is a skill that can be trained. Every coach in an opera house is able to do it. Think about the possibilities of breathing, be prepared for different tempi, and of course, know your part so well that you can put your concentration on the singer.

What is your advice in dealing with the breathing issues with singers?

Helmut Deutsch: There are ideal and logical places and there are also not-so-good but necessary ones. A very important rule is that rest in the music isn’t necessarily a sign of breathing. I never breathe with the singer. I try my best to give time for breathing without interrupting the musical line of my part. This is one of the greatest misunderstandings in the field of accompaniment. “He was perfectly breathing with the singer…” No, I don’t! It’s very often the opposite.

How do you study the text in art songs?

Helmut Deutsch: I read the text, and try to understand the meaning of the words and the whole poem. I analyze where the word or the sentence accents go along with the musical ones and where do not. This is very important for a good interpretation.

How do you produce an orchestral sound at the piano?

Helmut Deutsch: I imagine a lot of instruments while playing ‘normal’ piano music, especially in Lied. A violin in Morgen by Strauss, a clarinet in Die Krähe in Winterreise, sometimes string quartets, drums, and trumpets in many Mahler songs, etc. For example, Strauss had very often had the orchestral colors in mind when he wrote for the piano. We should always try to imitate the other instruments or singers.

What do you think are the values of the accompanist?

Helmut Deutsch: We have the greatest repertoire of all musicians, especially when we play chamber music and vocal repertoire. We also have to deal with many different characters of music and human beings. It is a much bigger psychological challenge than a solo player can ever have.

How do you define a good collaboration?

Helmut Deutsch: The same artistic and human level, and taste.

What is your advice for young pianists who would like to prepare for a career in piano accompanying?

Helmut Deutsch: Try to get as many opportunities to play, rehearse, and coach. You can learn from the best partners, but also the bad ones. The repertoire is huge and you will always find discoveries in music. Play for all kinds of voices as much as you can. A big part of this special field needs a lot of experience. Working with singers is the closest relationship you can find in making music. It can be like heaven but you also need some knowledge of psychology. Singer and pianist are equal partners from the musical point of view. However, the singer is always the number one for the audience, the organizer, and the criticism. Normally, the singer’s fee is higher. If you have problems with these aspects, do something else! But if you become a successful accompanist, you’ll live a wonderful life.