He is no Lieder singer” declared the Gramophone reviewer in 1958, commenting on the recently released recording of Björling's 1955 Carnegie Hall recital. It would be easier to overlook this dismissive comment were its author not one of the most respected critics of the twentieth century, Andrew Porter, whose remarks were based not only on that specific recording, but also on recollections of live recitals in London. Björling regularly sang Lieder during the last twenty years of his career and in many recitals a number of songs by Schubert and other German composers were featured early in the evening. At the Carnegie Hall Schubert is in fact the most fully represented composer: four Lieder, sung consecutively. Porter was well aware of this, which makes his comment all the more damning, implying that the singer devoted a substantial amount of time to performing music which he was ill-suited to interpret. The critic justifies his reservations by stating that the tenor “has no trace of intimacy” and that the “Björling of the recital platform delights me for a few songs or arias by his well-produced stream of fine tone, but then monotony sets in.”

The majority of Björling's surviving Schubert performances were recorded live. The condition of the voice varies somewhat, but it is immediately clear how well-chosen the Lieder are, for they are all conceived for a male singer (usually a tenor) and benefit considerably from a voice of great beauty spun out on an even flow of breath.