Johann Strauss in Berlin

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
We may never associate Johann Strauss with Berlin (he's just so darn Vienna), but Nikolaus Harnoncourt does some ingenious programming on this disc to reveal one new facet of the composer's life: Strauss's numerous works tied to (or composed for) Berlin audiences. Thus, we finally get to hear the short but sweet Berlin version of the overture to A Night in Venice (performed here for the first time); Seid umschlungen, Millionen, the melancholy-tinged waltz that Strauss dedicated to Brahms; and the Simplicius Waltz that the composer himself conducted in Berlin in 1889. Throughout, Harnoncourt's tempos are accurate and never too fast. He lets this music slowly unfold; even the oom-pah-pahs sound studied. The Berlin Philharmonic performs these works gorgeously and the recorded sound is spectacular. --Jason Verlinde

Tracks:

The Blue Danube, Waltz, Op. 314
Perpetuum mobile, A Musical Joke, Op. 257 - Leonard Bernstein
Voices Of Spring, Waltz, Op. 410 - Johann Strauss, Jr.
Die Fledermaus Overture - Johann Strauss, Jr.
Pizzicato-Polka - Johann Strauss, Jr.
Tales From The Vienna Woods, Waltz, Op. 325
Rasch in der Tat, Polka schnell, Op. 409
Emperor Waltz, Op. 437
Procession For Pleasure, Quick Polka, Op. 281
Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, Op. 214 (Chit-Chat Polka)
Vienna Blood, Waltz, Op. 354
Hunting, Fast Polka, Op. 373
Egyptian March, Op. 335
Feuerfest! (Fireproof) Polka francaise, Op. 269
Radetzky March, Op. 228

Average customer rating:

Truly stunning voice, beautifully recorded
Delightful recital!
NOT SINGING BUT A SILVER HEAVEN GLITTERING WITH STARS
What angels must sound like...
One of the C20th Most Endearing Singers.

Strauss, Saint-Saens / Rita Streich

Manufacturer: Polygram Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Czech | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Rita Streich: Folksongs & Lullabies
The Viennese Nightingale
Natalie Dessay - Vocalise
HOMAGE: The Age of the Diva

ASIN: B000006143
Release Date: 2005-03-21

Tracks:

Op.410: Fruhilingsstimmen
Le Rossignol et la rose
Lo spazzacamino
Jocelyn: Wiegenlied
Parla-Walzer
Boccaccio: Hab' ich nur deine liebe
Rusalka: Lied an den Mond
Dinorah: Schattentanz
Osterreich, Op.164: Dorfschwalben
Die Nachtigall
Les Filles de Cadix
Chi sa?
La felletta
Last Rose Of Summer
Villanelle
Draussen In Sievering
Il bacio

Customer Reviews:

Truly stunning voice, beautifully recorded.......2006-04-12

A most amazing and effortless coloratura voice, handling the German (of course) and Viennese style with native ease. A stunning "Fruhilingsstimmen." Easy on the ears and still exciting after much replaying.

Especially considering the era, the recording quality is quite clear and good. Delighted to find this on CD.

Delightful recital! .......2004-08-07

Rita Streich shines in this recital! Each piece is performed with remarkable accuracy and beauty of tone. She is particularly effective in communicating the Viennese spirit of the Walzer. There aren't sopranos today who sound this good in the German repertoire. Sadly, a lost tradition. Her Italian accent is not perfect but it's not distracting and besides there aren't many Italian arias here. She nevertheless sings them beautifully. Pity that not all tracks were recorded in stereo sound. Overall, a superb memento of Streich's rare artistry.

NOT SINGING BUT A SILVER HEAVEN GLITTERING WITH STARS.......2001-07-10

I have no single vocal record more prized than this. The other reviewers above all speak more knowledgably of her technique than I can. I can say only that this record puts me adrift in the heavenly beyond. Rita isn't just artful, she's a gift of God driven into your breast. She brightens one's whole sense of existence. Her yearning youth and richness blend the blue of spring with the heart of an agonizingly green June day. Just lovely, lovely, lovely. After you hear Rita Streich: Walzer & Arien, you'll want to get her double album with the reverse title: Rita Streich: Arien & Walzer, which is just as heavenly but slightly more mature and grandly brilliant. You may think Callas singing "Casta Diva" the height of vocal art. You are in for a wonderful surprise.

What angels must sound like..........2001-04-25

I will cut this short.. Streich has the most beautiful voice and tone, I in all likelihood will ever lend an ear to... (...Save that of an Angel, should I by some strange coincidence be allowed into heaven...) This compilation magnificantly dokcuments Streich's vocal talents in the more light-hearted repetoire, and it is a gem.. Get it!

One of the C20th Most Endearing Singers........2001-02-02

Rita Streich (1920-1987) enriched the annals of recorded music more than any other coloratura soprano of the C20th. Fluent in many languages, and well-coached by several eminent singers, she had a voice with a recognisable "colour". Naturally vivacious and charming herself, she could range successfully into deeper emotional expressiveness. As she explained in an interview, "the difficulty every coloratura encounters is to be expressive with a voice of restricted size and colour". Listen to the Dvorak aria here (Track 7) to see how well she overcame this difficulty.

In this well-filled CD, produced by a son of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, are found recordings originally issued on three LPs in the 1950s. There are some bravura coloratura items featuring a very secure trill, some rarities, and favourites new and old. The sound quality is first-rate. Texts are not included in the liner notes, instead there is a biographical appreciation printed in German, French, English and Italian.

Tracks:

Vocalise, Op.34 No. 14
SalavieLe Rossignol) Poplular Russian Melody
Le Rossignol Et La Rose
Les Filles De Cadix
Vocalise En Forme De Habanera
La Maja Y El Ruise
'Deh, Torna Mio Bene', Air And Variations
Villanelle 'J'Ai Vu Passer L'Hirondelle'
I Andante
II Allegro
Frsstimmen-Walzer (Voix Du Printemps (Voices Of Spring), Op.410

Customer Reviews:

Interesting and Excellent CD.......2007-06-06

This is an intriguing CD, featuring Natalie Dessay at her best. One plus: the booklet coming with the CD includes the words of the different works (at least those that have words to them). It's a somewhat different set of works than her other CDs featuring standard selections of arias.

The very first cut sets the tone for the whole CD: Rachmaninov's "Vocalise." No words--the soprano's voice is itself another orchestral instrument in effect. Dessay displays an absolutely ravishing vocal line, to my ears. Very nice high notes at the end, cleanly sung.

Delibes' "Les filles de Cadix." The words of the song feature much flirtation. Dessay's voice shows great agility in this piece. The work features a wide range of notes, from lower to highest; Dessay essays the range well. There is a decent (but not great) trill midway through. There is a very high note at the end (a bit harsh maybe, but well done nonetheless) that kind of gets one's heart pumping.

Gliere's "Concerto for Coloratura Soprano and Orchestra" (the allegro) is another work where the voice is used as just another instrument. But what a nice instrument is Dessay's voice! She demonstrates nice staccato notes--and there are lots of these in this work! She displays excellent coloratura technique, and hits a series of staccato high notes at the end with a very well done final high note.

Finally, Johann Strauss, Jr.'s "Voices of Spring" ("Fruhlingsstimmen-Walzer" in German). This is a stirring version with a close that leaves the listener gasping for breath (a bit of hyperbole, maybe, but my spine was tingling at the close--and that's not hyperbole). This work is replete with ornamentation--staccato notes, trills, other vocal effects, and high notes. There is an absolutely stunning high note--way above high C to close this cut out (It is a Mado Robin type high note--except that Dessay has much more musicality overall than Robin).

This is Dessay near the top of her game. It is an interesting departure from the standard repertoire, and the listener will be richly rewarded for purchasing and listening to this CD.

WOW!.......2006-10-31

Truly mind-boggling! The final piece especially - she sings a perfect, staccato high A-flat!!! Many high Fs, etc. Yes, it is all about the voice, technique, and high notes here, but she sings it all with her own unique style - buy it now!

Vocalise.......2006-07-05

Natalie Dessay's voice shines throughout these selections. Her technique is at times astounding. This recording is a very enjoyable experience.

Not a review on the cd itself...........2006-04-28

I will start by saying that just from listening to the excerpts, Ms. Dessay has a wonderful tone quality and great control...she does make what is actually very difficult sound very easy! But basically this is a note to the reviewer who compared her to Rennee Fleming...Fleming is a Lyric Soprano, a type of soprano that has a warmer richer tone, while Dessay is a Colloratura Soprano, which is higher and clearer (and who tend to do the "vocal gymnastics")...so really its not very fair to compare two exceptional singers when they are in different vocal categories because they have completely different tone qualities...it just depends on your personal preference.

superb.......2004-11-21

there's not much i can add, except my agreement, to the other positive reviews. the breath control, the line, the timbre--mesmerizing.

as for the negative comments, my response is a cultured, mature, sophisicated 'huh???' perhaps the fault lies in the electronic equipment of the disparagers. of course, tastes differ. i, for example, would rather have a root canal without anesthesia than listen to a certain (american) soprano (name withheld to keep this review acceptable).

the final selling point is the rarity of recordings of many of these songs.

Average customer rating:

Fricsay gets one of the best installments in this series
The most remarakable hungarian conductor
Great Conductors of 20th Century = Best Reissues of the 21st

Ferenc Fricsay

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Dvorék: Symphonie No. 9 "From the New World"; Smetana: Die Moldau; Liszt: Les Préludes [Australia]
Beethoven: Symphony No.9 'choral', 'egmont' Overture

ASIN: B00005V33H
Release Date: 2002-06-04

Tracks:

Scherzo D'Apres Une Ballade De Goethe: L'Apprenti Sorcier
Dances Of Galanta
Symphony No.9 In E Flat Major, Op.70: I. Allegro
Symphony No.9 In E Flat Major, Op.70: II. Moderato
Symphony No.9 In E Flat Major, Op.70: III. Presto
Symphony No.9 In E Flat Major, Op.70: IV. Largo
Symphony No.9 In E Flat Major, Op.70: V. Allegretto
Symphonic Matamorphoses On Theme By Carl Maria Con Weber: I. Allegro
Symphonic Matamorphoses On Theme By Carl Maria Con Weber: II. Moderato
Symphonic Matamorphoses On Theme By Carl Maria Con Weber: III. Andantino
Symphonic Matamorphoses On Theme By Carl Maria Con Weber: IV. Marsch
Kunsterleben (Walzer), Op.316

Tracks:

Overture 'Leonore III', Op.72a
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op.55 'Eroica': I. Allegro Con Brio
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op.55 'Eroica': II. Marcia Funebere. Adagio Assai
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op.55 'Eroica': III. Scherzo. Allegro Vivace
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op.55 'Eroica': IV. Finale. Allegro Molto
Cosi Fan Tutte: Overture

Customer Reviews:

Fricsay gets one of the best installments in this series.......2005-10-31

After the international success of Great Pianists of the Twentieth Century, there was high expectation for the Great Conductors follow-up. For whateer reason--poor sales, less than riveting performances, dubious choices of conductors--the series more or less flopped and was cut short. Thus we have a Great Condcutors survey without Bernstein, Solti, Abbado, and Carlos Kleiber, among others.

Some of the two-fer sets ae winners, though, including this one devoted to Ferenc Fricsay, whose career flourished in post-war Germany but was cut short by his premature death in 1963 before he turned fifty. It's a cliche to say "fiery Hungarian," but Fricsay did conduct with a lot of temperament, as shown by the wonderful live Galanta Dances of Kodaly, with the Vienna Phil. This 1961 broadcast is a highlight, but so is almost everything on Disc 1, inclduing a lively Shostakovich Sym. 9 and a strikingly forceful Symphonic Metamorphoses of Hindemith (although its sonics are a bit blurry compared to the generaly excellent sound, mono and stereo, throughout--unusual for a compilaiton that consists entirely of live performances.

The second CD is filled with more conventional repertoire: Beethoven's Leonore #3, an Eroica, and the Cosi fan tutte Overture. Fricsay was associated for much of his career with the RIAS Sumphony Orchestra formed under the Allied occuption of Berlin, later changed to the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra. They sound scrapy in the early selections from 1950 and 1952 but come together for both the Beethoven performances, which come from a single concert on Feb. 1961--it also happens to have the best sound.

Fricsay wasn't fiery in Beethoven, however; here, at least, he chooses broad tempos (sluggish in the Scherzo), but there is so much inner intensity and drama that the Eroica comes off extremely well. In short, there's not a single performance here that doesn't add to Fricsay's high stature. Five stars without a doubt.

The most remarakable hungarian conductor.......2004-06-06

Gifted of a amazing sense of genuine bliss, Fricsay signed several qorks in the file's treasures.
This double CD contains works never released before, and it 's a must for all these hard fans Fricsay (like me). Fricsay gives us a brilliant performing of the ninth of Shostakovich ; his Hindemith is suggestive and provided of inner passion; for all of us is well known that Fricsay as Dorati were champions conductors in Kodaly's music, specially Dorati. In this sense Fricsay was more selective.

But the great surprise arrives when you listen the Eroica. Believe me when I say we are in front of one of the most overwhelming and powerful readings of this piece ever recorded before. Still it's understandable how this performance hasn't released before.
Fricsay's approach is plenty of wisdom. The first movement is eloquent and surrounded of the epic majesty which demands. The second movement is mesmerizing; the hidden voices , the hero's death is revealed with expressive force, commitment and deepness ; you know as well than me, this is the central locus of the Eroica , the gravity center of this monumental work.
In the third movement , Fricsay makes sing the orchestra with that glorious beating ; in the last movement Theme with variations , Fricsay depicts every one of them , giving its genuine expressive weight , the last variation , is filled of euphoria and wildness. And that's what exactly Beethoven expected of the leader conductor.
The mythological character of this giant symphony runs through all the performance. And I want emphasize this aspect, it's not a question of making a firework staement about the finale. If you are not invaded by the internal values that support this work, you'll never win this challenge.
If Fricsay would have lived longer, the Berlin Philarmonic status would have kept the same level hold by Furtwangler when he died.
A must in your collection.
Undoubtly one timeless unvaluable musical document.

Great Conductors of 20th Century = Best Reissues of the 21st.......2003-05-27

It's sad that the "Great Conductors of the 20th Century" reissue series has not gotten more notice ... because it has my vote for the best reissue program thus far of the 21st Century. Drawing from the archives of all the major classical labels (EMI, Sony, BMG, DG, Decca, Philips, Supraphon, etc.), EMI and IMG Artists have assembled a wonderful series of affordable two-disc sets by the leading conductors of the last century. And unlike its counterpart, "The Great Pianists of the 20th Century," which are basically compilations of material already available on other CDs, the "Great Conductors" features rare and, for the most part, previously unreleased performances!

This particular CD, Volume 7, features the great Ferenc Fricsay, who died tragically young at the age of 48 in 1963. Thankfully stereo recording processes had been available for nearly ten years, so Fricsay has left us with a wealth of great performances. His albums of Beethoven Symphonies, the Dvorak "New World", and Bartok Piano Concertos are still regarded as definitive. What has been collected in this two disc set though is not his legendary studio recordings, but some equally excellent live performances, all but one with his beloved Berlin RSO. It is a delight to hear Fricsay tackle 20th Century masterpieces by Kodaly, Shostakovich and Hindemith on disc one, then dive into more standard fare with Beethoven and Mozart on disc two. The fact that half of these performances are in mono is not a distraction -- the sound is excellent throughout the collection.

Tracks:

Sapphische Ode, Op. 94 Nr. 4
Liebestreu, Op. 3 Nr. 1
Der Schmied, Op. 19 Nr. 4
Die Mainacht, Op. 43 Nr. 2
8 Zigeunerlieder (d'apres les quatuors vocaux Op. 103): He, Zigeuner
8 Zigeunerlieder (d'apres les quatuors vocaux Op. 103): Hochgeturmte Rimaflut
8 Zigeunerlieder (d'apres les quatuors vocaux Op. 103): Wisst ihr, wann mein Kindchen
8 Zigeunerlieder (d'apres les quatuors vocaux Op. 103): Lieber Gott, du weisst
8 Zigeunerlieder (d'apres les quatuors vocaux Op. 103): Brauner Bursche
8 Zigeunerlieder (d'apres les quatuors vocaux Op. 103): Roslein dreie
8 Zigeunerlieder (d'apres les quatuors vocaux Op. 103): Kommt dir manchmal in den Sinn
8 Zigeunerlieder (d'apres les quatuors vocaux Op. 103): Rote Abendwolken ziehn
2 deutsche Volkslieder: Och mod'r, ich well en Ding han!
2 deutsche Volkslieder: We kumm ich dann de Pooz erenn?
Dein blaues Auge, Op. 59 Nr. 8
Von ewiger Liebe, Op. 43 Nr. 1
Das Madchen spricht, Op. 107 Nr. 3
O wusst ich doch, Op. 63 Nr. 8
Wie Melodien zieht es mir, Op. 105 Nr. 1
Madchenlied, Op. 107 Nr. 5
Vergebliches Standchen
Der Tod, das ist die kuhle Nacht, Op. 96 Nr. 1
Auf dem See, Op. 59 Nr. 2
Feldeinsamkeit, Op. 86 Nr. 2
In stiller Nacht ('Deutsche Volkslieder' Nr. 42)
Schwesterlien ('Deutsche Volkslieder', Nr. 15)
Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer, Op. 105 Nr. 2
Standchen, Op. 106 Nr. 1
Gestillte Sehnsucht, Op. 91 Nr. 2
Geistilches Wiegenlied, Op. 91 Nr. 2

Tracks:

Ich ging mit Lust durch einen grunen Wald ('Des Knaben Wunderhorn')
Hans und Grete
Fruhlingsmoren
Wo die schonen Trompeten blasen ('Des Knaben Wunderhorn')
Der Schildwache Nachtlied ('Des Knaben Wunderhorn')
Um schlimme Kinder ('Des Knaben Wunderhorn')
Ich atmet' einen linden Duft
Liebst du um Schonheit
Um Mitternacht
Das irdische Leben ('Des Knaben Wunderhorn')
Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht ('Des Knaben Wunderhorn')
Lob des hohen Verstandes ('Des Knaben Wunderhorn')
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt ('Des Knaben Wunderhorn')
Rheinlegendchen ('Des Knaben Wunderhorn')
Frauenliebe und Leben, Op. 42: Seit ich ihn gesehen
Frauenliebe und Leben, Op. 42: Er, der Herrlichste von allen
Frauenliebe und Leben, Op. 42: Ich kann's nicht fassen
Frauenliebe und Leben, Op. 42: Du Ring, an meinem Finger
Frauenliebe und Leben, Op. 42: Helft mir, ihr Schwestern
Frauenliebe und Leben, Op. 42: Susser Freund, du blickest
Frauenliebe und Leben, Op. 42: An meinem Herzen
Frauenliebe und Leben, Op. 42: Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmerz getan
Der Brief, Op. 76 No. 8
Waldeinsamkeit, Op. 76 No. 3

Tracks:

Die Allmacht, D. 852
Fischerweise, D. 881
An die Musik, D. 547
Der Musensohn, D. 764
Ganymed, D. 544
Auf dem Wasser zu singen, D. 774
Ave Maria, D. 839
Die Forelle, D. 550
Gretchen am Spinnrade, D. 118
Fruhlingsglaube, D. 686
Der Tod und das Madchen, D. 531
Lachen und Weinen, D. 777
Litanel auf das Fest 'Aller Seelen', D. 343
Erikonig, D. 328
Der Hirt auf dem Feisen, D. 965
Gesang Weylas
Auf einer Wanderung
Die Nacht, Op. 10 Nr. 3
Allerseelen, Op. 10 Nr. 8
Schlechtes Wetter, Op. 69 Nr. 5

Tracks:

3 Chansons madecasses: Nahandove
3 Chansons madecasses: Aoua! Aoua!
3 Chansons madecasses: Il est doux
Une flute invisible
Chanson georgienne: 'Oh! cesse de chanteer, gentille jeune fille,' Op. 4 No. 4
'Moisson de tristesse'
La regata veneziana: 3 canzonettas en dialecte ventien: Anzoleta avanti la regata
La regata veneziana: 3 canzonettas en dialecte ventien: Anzoleta co passa la regata
La regata veneziana: 3 canzonettas en dialecte ventien: Anzoleta dopo la regata
Wesendonk-Lieder: Der Engel
Wesendonk-Lieder: Stehe still!
Wesendonk-Lieder: Im Treibhaus
Wesendonk-Lieder: Schmerzen
Wesendonk-Lieder: Traume
Julius Caesar: Acte I: 'Es blaut die Nacht' (Cleopatra)
Johannes-Passion, BWV 245: Nr. 58 - Aria: 'Es ist volbracht!'
Tristan und Isolde: III Akt: 'Mild und leise (Isoldes Liebestod)

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful.......2003-07-20

This is a wonderful set. I would like to correct an error below. The climax in the Liebestod is a high A flat not high C. But you have to cut through the dense orchestration. That's why it's hard.

Terrific recording.......2003-07-06

I write this as s service to Christa Ludwig fans. This is a set of Lieder. Christa Ludwig is fabulous - as usual.

But if you want to hear Christa ludwig in a set of operatic recitals that will knock of your socks and blow you to bits. Look for this CD called "Celebrating Christa Ludwig". It has Christa Ludwig singing excerpts from Elektra (as Elektra!!!), Ariadne auf Maxos (as Ariadne!!), Die Frau Ohne Schatten (as the Dyer's Wife), Barber of Serville (as rosina) and the Immolation Scene of Gotterdammerung (as Brunnhilde!!!). She will blow you to bits with her unmatchable dramatic sense, vocal power and beauty of tone - the greatest Brunnhilde that never was and the greatest Elektra that never was. She did sing Ariadne once in Salzburg in 1964, and she sang the Dyer's Wife for 10 years from 1964 (Vienna State Opera) to 1974 (Salzburg Festival). Her complete Ariadne is available under Myto records.

Christa in her prime.......2001-09-19

Being an admirerer of Christa Ludwig, I went into purchasing this recording with great expectations, and it did not disappoint in any way. Ludwig is in her prime and is heard in wonderful interpretations and beautiful singing from among several composers and works. I not only enjoy listening to her personally, but am also able to put it to great use use in my Vocal Literature class here at the college in which I teach.

Christa Ludwig is in great shape.......2000-04-15

She sang all the major mezzo roles, and also some in the dramatic soprano repertory, notably Leonora in Fidelio, Lady Macbeth and the Marschallin.

Her voice is a rich, expressive mezzo capable of dramatic incisiveness and even throughout its considerable range. Her upper register in mezzo music is excintingly projected.

Although this compilation is composed of different recordings in different settings in different years, all of them show a young Ludwig when she had not yet acquired her prime and her status of, arguably, the best mezzo of the world, which would arrive in the years to come.

Ludwig, thirteen years Schwarzkopf's junior, was also a member of the legendary Ensamble of Berlin, which meant that each appearance of hers in any opera produced in Berlin, Munich, Vienna, London, Paris....by this Ensamble was backed by many hours of rehearsals with the same group of musicians. Usually this group comprised Schwarzkopf, Grümmer, Seefried, Berger, Güeden, Dermota, Tauber, and of course Furtwängler. This is how the legendary recording of COSI FAN TUTTE was made, in which she shared credits with Schwarzkopf.

Disc one is devoted to Brahms -not less than 30 Lieder are here. She doesn't sing Brahms with intimacy, rather she attacks each song with open throat. Her diction, her care for words is now proverbial. My favorite Lied in this disc is In stiller Nacht. She sets the melancholic mood of the song with her rich, vibrant contralto-like tones.

Disc two brings us Ludwig singing Mahler, Schumann and Reger. From the melodic lines of Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn to the tortuous inflexions of Max Reger's two songs, she shows an extreme afinity with these composers. Schumann is taken very sensously, one can almost feel her velvety and creamy narrations of the woman-in-love of the song cycle.

Disc three is devoted to Schubert, Wolf and Strauss. Ludwig was not compelled to sing too much Wolf or Strauss (only 5 Lieder by these composers). It is her Schubert that shows her in splendid form. Auf dem Wasser zu singen is sung at such a low speed that her tone can only be described as luxurious. Erlkönig finds in her voice an ideal interpreter for the four characters of the song. In Wolf's Gesang Weylas, Gerald Moore has produced some magical arpeggios in the piano accompaniment, but of course this in only natural in him being the best accompanist ever.

Disc four is a miscellaneous melange of Ravel, Saint-Saëns, Rossini, Wagner, Händel and Bach. Ludwig never tried to sing on stage Isolde, but she recorded it; the Liebestod is taken at an exciting pace and one is only waiting for the climax to see if she can do it (the top c's). Yes, she can do it. Händel's aria from Julius Caesar is, again, sensous and exciting. Händel is another composer with whom she felt communicated. Ravel's Chansons Madécasses can only be described as magical. And of course she was outstanding in Bach oratorios, as is the case of Johannes Passion.

Wagner's Wessendonk Lieder are sung lustrously. I especially enjoyed Träume, which actually is sung, as its title suggests, dreamily.

Praised be the two accompanists for the majority of the recordings, Gerald Moore and Geoffrey Parsons. Both have gone now and the musical world seems so empty without their supreme touch. I do believe that 50% of Christa Ludwig's success as a Lieder Singer was due to them.

Tracks:

Tannhauser: I Greet You, Dear Hall
Rusalka: Song To The Moon
Aida: Return, Victorious!
La Forza Del Destino: Peace, Grant Me Peace O Lord
Tosca: I Have Lived For Art
Die Fledermaus: I Like To Invite Guests
Die Fledermaus: My Dear Marquis
Die Fledermaus: Sounds Of My Homeland
The Tryst
You Thought I Was Watching You
Why I Sing
I Still Have A Suitcase In Berlin - Finnish RSO/Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Falling In Love Again
Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend
Porgy And Bess: Summertime (Encore) - Karita Mattila/Peter Lerche

Amazon.com

Any doubts that Finnish singer Karita Mattila--fresh from her triumph in the Met's new production of Fidelio in the 2000-2001 season--has moved from the top ranks of today's sopranos into the rarefied aura of full-fledged diva status are dispelled by this remarkable disc capturing her in full flight at a concert in Helsinki. She opens with an ecstatic "Dich teure Halle" from Tannhäuser, follows with a sinuous Dvorák "Song to the Moon" from Rusalka, moves on to satisfying Verdi and Puccini arias, then launches into three delectable arias from Strauss's Die Fledermaus, in which she perfectly portrays three characters of wildly different voice types: Orlofsky, Adele, and Rosalinde. As if that wasn't enough, Mattila then lavishes her gorgeous soprano on a group of Finnish songs, does a convincing version of a Marlene Dietrich classic, and finishes with an idiomatic "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" and a bluesy "Summertime." It's hard to think of another soprano who could tackle a program this varied or sing it as well. Throughout, Mattila beautifully characterizes each piece and sounds as if she's having a great time. So are we. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

strangely disappointing in Verdi.......2006-03-14

On the whole, this is an enjoyable live recital. Mattila opens with a very plugged-in, alive delivery of the Hall of Song aria from Tannhauser. I hope she records this in the studio, if she has not already done so.

Unfortunately, though her best roles include Amelia from Simon Boccanegra, she doesn't excel in the arias from Aida and La Forza. Ritorna Vincitor fares the worst. Her pacing is schizophrenic, her pronunciation of the vowels rather odd. Instead of choosing such a "heroic" Verdi aria, she should have turned to something more lyrical. Something from Un Ballo in Maschera, perhaps?

Pace, Pace Mio Dio fares better, though marginally. Mattila makes the most out of the lyrics, drawing much from the text, even better than some revered artists from the fifties and sixties. Her urgent singing of "fatalita" will rankle the purists. I, for one, welcome something more than mindless floating and note-spinning, a la Zinka Milanov. Karita's ability to draw even more from the text than native speakers reminds me of Edita Gruberova. However, like Gruberova, such passioned delivery comes at the expense of some covered notes and laborious approach.

Things improve dramatically with the three arias from Die Fledermaus. Most enchanting is Mein Herr Marquis. Mattila proves herself to be a ravishing coquette in this delicious interpretation. She even makes an honest-to-goodness stab at the coloratura, acquitting herself quite well, given that she is a lyric soprano.

Of the Finnish songs, the first one, The Tryst, is the best. Then, near the end, we are treated to some lighter fare. Her hommage to two other blonde sirens, Dietrich and Monroe, is spot-on. Falling in Love is my favorite of the two, with Mattila showing off a very convincing lower register.

Now, I couldn't get through Summertime with the guitar accompaniment. Still, there are enough tasty morsels in this recital to whet the appetite.

Live wire.......2005-09-26

Karita Mattila has more vocal brilliance & stamina and dramatic spunk than just about any other soprano singing today and I first became aware of that when listening to this collection.
Her technique is perfect, and she has lungs of steel- not that she cannot drop the opera hat in a second and adopt a cabaret persona, as aptly demonstrated here.
That she is drop dead gorgeous, and a great actress, doesn't hurt either, but this is an audio CD and opera recital first, and she has the goods, in spades, when it comes to hardcore opera repertoire.
And what a selection it is- soaring Wagner, full blooded Verdi, fantastic Tosca, a beautiful, lyrical Song to the Moon, the three heroines from Fliedermaus- each different and absolutely spot on- plus Finnish songs and some old fashion diva selections- Marilyn Monroe's and Marlene Dietrich's songs, and for finish, Summertime. This list is as crazy as it gets, and yet somehow everything works- and how! The word sparkling is often to use to describe singing of fluffy coloratura sopranos, but that would apply- there's a sort of electrical buzz that Mattila creates: every song is exciting, utterly absorbing. This is a recording of one fully-fledged diva in a great live performance.

Contemplative performances from Karita Mattila.......2001-11-01

I love live recordings. I first became aware of this music several months ago. I listen to this CD quite a bit at home and in the car. I really relish her performances. And then there is Wagner's music!

Mattila superb in Verdi, Puccini, and Wagner!.......2000-12-03

A friend of mine sent this CD for me, and I was stunned. There are great Verdi singers in the world after all! The opera arias are all outstanding, packed with emotion, sung in resplendent tone and perfect technique (portamento, legato line, strong chest voice). My favourites on this disc are hauntingly beautiful Rusalka's aria, "Pace, pace, mio Dio" from Forza, and Elisabeth's greeting from Tannhäuser. Operetta pieces are wonderful. I don't care that much about the lighter department, but she certainly shows her versatility. Marlene Dietrich song (from Blue Angel) is more succesful than the Marilyn one.

This is a must have for every opera lover! IMO she is the most exciting opera personality in the world today. BTW - the CD program in here looks strange, my copy does not include Elsa's dream (I wish it would) or Edith Piaf song. I became a fan of her after seeing her as Manon Lescaut (I wish she would record "Sola, perduta, abbandonata" someday).

Interesting Recital.......2000-11-27

The CD is a live recording from a concert Karita Mattila gave here in Helsinki. I did not get a ticket, but listened the concert on the radio (Mattila is accompanied by Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra). She was almost tireless, singing for over three hours (no guest artists).

The programme was interesting. I would love to hear Mattila as Elisabeth, Leonora or Aida, because she sings their arias beautifully. Her lyric but strong voice suits Verdi and "lighter Wagner" very well, I think. Vissi d'arte was also very good; Tosca would be a perfect role for a diva like Mattila. She sang Musetta's waltz in the concert, but it has not found it's way on the recording. The Fledermaus arias show the artist's versatility and make it clear that Mattila likes to sing operetta.

Mattila is generally better suited to opera than lied, but in Finnish music she is excellent - my personal favorite is "Flickan kom ifrån sing älsklings möte" by Sibelius. The "lighter" music is not that successfull, and I wonder why trained opera singers are so enthusiastic in performing and recording music that obviously does not fit their voices. Mattila imitated Marlene Dietrich and Marilyn in the concert, which was quite fun, but not to my liking. In addition, Mattila's encore was "Summertime" (included in the recording), a song she obviously likes very much, but sings less successfully. I think she should stick to classical music.

Tracks:

Heiter Auch In Ernster Zeit, Walzer, Op. 48
Carnevals-Spenden, Walzer, Op. 60
Tausendsapperment-Walzer, Op. 61
Erinnerung An Berlin, Walzer, Op. 78
Heimath-Klange, Walzer, Op. 84
Ferdinand-Quadrille, Op. 151
Orpheus-Quadrille, Op. 162
Moldau-Klange, Walzer, Op. 186
Fest-Lieder, Walzer, Op. 193
Najaden-Quadrille, Op. 206
Stelldichein-Galopp
Schauer-Galopp

Average customer rating:

Past vibes
Gieseking Playing Mostly Non-French Repertoire!

Walter Gieseking, Piano

Manufacturer: Andante
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0006PV5YY
Release Date: 2005-02-22

Customer Reviews:

Past vibes.......2007-03-26

The industrial age gave birth to the first widely held public concerts as well as the musical conservatory. The Paris Conservatoire appeared in 1795, the Royal Academy in 1830, The prosperity of this period generated an ever-growing embourgeoisement of the populace whose urge to imitate wealthy tastes created a demand for musical artists. This was the heyday of Paganini, Liszt, and later Paderewski,. To serve this rising clamor for culture great musical performance traditions developed in France, Germany, and, fuelled primarily by the upper classes, in Russia. From these beginnings came the great names of the 20th century concert stage: Robert Cassadeus, Artur Rubinstein, and Artur Schnabel among many others. In contrast Walter Gieseking rose via a different route. Largely an autodidact, Gieseking began formal study only relatively late in his artistic development Still, he became one of the great pianists of the period, a remarkable interpreter of Beethoven, Ravel, and, as we shall see, Rachmaninoff.

This album contains a number of live and some studio recordings whose hisses, pops, and even one very bad scratch assail the fine musicianship but fortunately fail. One can actually hear the sound engineers struggling to remaster these problems, now bringing the orchestra forward, now the piano in what is a mostly vain attempt to highlight the dominant passages. The original recording conditions must have been nightmarish. Still, Gieseking's spectacular playing shines through. He gives us a stirring performance of Beethoven's Waldstein, an intelligent Schumann concerto in A major Op. 54 ( a personal favorite of mine.) He performs sweetly romantic renditions of several Bach partitas, though I much prefer his contemporary Landowska's more powerful exegeses His interpretation of Beethoven's Emperor with the great Bruno Walter conducting stands as a landmark for both men. Brahms, Grieg, Debussy, Richard Strauss, and others are also represented.

But what I found most satisfying of all was the interpretation of the Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 3. This is a live 1940 performance with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, and I cannot help but wonder if the bombs had yet fallen on Amsterdam. Gieseking's takes the first movement andante which is to say a good deal slower than Rachmaninoff's directions to go allegro ma non tanto. Yet Gieseking has found something more than even the composer himself seems to have imagined. I own any number of recordings of this piece from the gentle Ashkenazy to the muscular Argerich. Gieseking alone has found an understanding of the third which I find surprisingly correct and even illuminating. He also has the help of a wonderful piano whose perfect harmonic coloration transcends the years in keeping with Gieseking's outstanding musicianship.

I have avoided the topic of Gieseking's controversial nazi connections because the historical record, as far as I have been able to understand it, remains vague. He played widely during the nazi era and did nothing to distance himself from the party. Like many Germans he obtained official "denazification" in the early fifties and briefly resumed his worldwide concert career until his death in 1956.

I strongly recommend this album. Perhaps new sequential imaging techniques will restore these recordings to their original form. Then we will all be able to own a bit of eternity.

Gieseking Playing Mostly Non-French Repertoire!.......2005-03-12

As time goes on people have tended to forget that Walter Gieseking (1895-1956) was a pianist with a very broad repertoire; he has been remembered primarily for his playing of French music (Debussy, Ravel) or French-influenced music (Scriabin), and many reissues of his many recordings in those areas are readily available. This 4CD collection from Andante contains music that is mostly from the non-French area: Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, Grieg, Schumann, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, and even the little 'Ständchen' of Richard Strauss in Gieseking's own transcription. Since Amazon has not, as of this writing, specified the set's contents I will do so here:

CD1: Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 (Rosbaud, Berlin State Opera Orch., 1937), No. 5 (Walter, VPO, 1934), two movements from Bach's Partita No. 1

CD2: Beethoven: Waldstein Sonata; Bagatelle in E flat, Op. 33, No. 1; Bach: Partita No. 5 in G; Beethoven: Sonata No. 28 in A, Op. 101; Brahms: 5 Intermezzi from Opp. 76, 116, 118, 110; Debussy: Réverie; Strauss: Ständchen, Op. 17, No. 2

CD3: Grieg: Piano Concerto (Rosbaud, Berlin State Opera Orch., 1937); Grieg: Cradle Song & French Serenade; Schumann: Piano Concerto (Furtwängler, BPO, 1942); Mozart: Sonata No. 16 in C, K. 545

CD4: Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 (Mengelberg, Concertgebouw, 1940); PC No. 3 (Mengelberg, Concertgebouw, 1940)

Many of these recordings are live and there is slight audience noise and applause. In general the sound is remarkable for the time. As for the playing, Gieseking was a master of musicality and had a lovely touch. There are a number of noticeable clinkers in the live performances, none of them particularly awful and some of them rather endearing. His playing is characterized by a liveliness and élan as well as subtle phrasing, voicing of chords, and clearly delineated polyphony. I particularly liked his somewhat Romantic Bach, his hellbent-for-leather Beethoven fast movements (the Waldstein is fabulous in that regard). I don't know of any other Gieseking recording of the First Beethoven PC, but of course he recorded the Emperor several times. This one is wonderful, atmospheric, and he manages that hesitant transition from II to III with a suspenseful fermata before he plunges headlong into the Rondo. The Rachmaninoff Third is a little weak technically (and the sound is not the best, either) but the Second is one of the better ones I know.

All in all, this collection is worth having--although it is a little pricey. There is not a bad performance in the lot, and some of them are simply superb--the Waldstein, First and Fifth Beethoven PCs, Schumann and Grieg PCs, Rachy 2, the little Mozart C major sonata beloved by all young piano students, Debussy 'Réverie.'

This one will happily be given space on my shelves.

4CDs: ca. 5 hrs

Scott Morrison