Schwarzkopf and Fischer-Dieskau, Baker and Shirley-Quirk, Upshaw and Bär and now Damrau and Kaufmann. The charismatic German pair are the latest to try their hand at Wolf’s vivid musical vignettes, and they don’t disappoint. Recorded live in concert last year, their beautifully idiomatic delivery and subtle handling of the text is matched by their natural rapport – you feel as if you’re eavesdropping on a playful lovers’ tiff or intruding on something unspeakably intimate at times.

While Kaufmann may not have as many colours as Fischer-Dieskau (few did or do) and Damrau is not especially sumptuous of tone (her gift is a diamantine clarity), they navigate the twists and turns of Wolf’s chromatic, translucent style with aplomb....