View Full Version : Strauss - 4 last Songs
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Not really a fan of most Lieder type music, I tried something with a little more orchestral substance, and after listening to a few, this version of Richard Strauss's Four Last Songs wowed with poignant atmosphere and the haunting emotion that Gundula Janowitz effortlessly portrays. What a beautiful voice!
Gordon Steadman
06-03-2014, 12:46
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Not really a fan of most Lieder type music, I tried something with a little more orchestral substance, and after listening to a few, this version of Richard Strauss's Four Last Songs wowed with poignant atmosphere and the haunting emotion that Gundula Janowitz effortlessly portrays. What a beautiful voice!
Quite agree, absolutely wonderful. I have five versions and this is my favourite.
I am a great fan of Von Karajan, he finds the music in the notes. He only fails for me when he tries baroque music like Bach or Vivaldi. He treats it like classical and its nothing of the kind.
Quite agree, absolutely wonderful. I have five versions and this is my favourite.
I am a great fan of Von Karajan, he finds the music in the notes. He only fails for me when he tries baroque music like Bach or Vivaldi. He treats it like classical and its nothing of the kind.
I agree. With the Last Four Songs, it is a close run thing between the Jessey Norman version and this. Both are incredible recordings really. VK and Baroque?!:nono: perish the thought. Neville Mariner or Angelo Ephrikian perhaps, but as you say, VK injects vitality into later classical, including Beethoven. Mind you, wasn't it Strauss who famously conducted an arrangement of Beethoven's 9th so fast it was over in 45 minutes or something?
Gordon Steadman
06-03-2014, 15:01
I agree. With the Last Four Songs, it is a close run thing between the Jessey Norman version and this. Both are incredible recordings really. VK and Baroque?!:nono: perish the thought. Neville Mariner or Angelo Ephrikian perhaps, but as you say, VK injects vitality into later classical, including Beethoven. Mind you, wasn't it Strauss who famously conducted an arrangement of Beethoven's 9th so fast it was over in 45 minutes or something?
My favourite Karajan LP is him on piano doing Shostakovitch Piano Concerto No2 / Ravel Piano Concerto in G major. Absolutely manic. Him doing the Ravel live is also on YouTube.
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Not really a fan of most Lieder type music, I tried something with a little more orchestral substance, and after listening to a few, this version of Richard Strauss's Four Last Songs wowed with poignant atmosphere and the haunting emotion that Gundula Janowitz effortlessly portrays. What a beautiful voice!
Very humbling too is the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs for orchestra and soloist by Henryk Górecki. Likewise The Field of the Dead by Prokofiev.
I did not know of this version and it looks like a 'must get'. By the way is this CD or LP?
Very humbling too is the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs for orchestra and soloist by Henryk Górecki. Likewise The Field of the Dead by Prokofiev.
I did not know of this version and it looks like a 'must get'. By the way is this CD or LP?
Hi Andrei. This is CD but a really nice recording. I prefer it to the Jessey Norman version having re-visited the Norman version last night. There's a glow to the voice of Gundula that few can match...her voice is tailor made for this piece imho. I'm afraid I find a lot of Gorecki rather depresseing in content and tone although his work is incredibly atmospheric. Prokofiev I do like.
I gave this a whirl on Spotify earlier and it's lovely... I wouldn't put it above my personal favourite (Te Kanawa/Solti) but I'd certainly put it in my upper echelons along with Jessye Norman, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf... I have a hankering to hear the Lucia Popp/Klaus Tennstedt one as well...
Gordon Steadman
07-03-2014, 16:35
I gave this a whirl on Spotify earlier and it's lovely... I wouldn't put it above my personal favourite (Te Kanawa/Solti) but I'd certainly put it in my upper echelons along with Jessye Norman, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf... I have a hankering to hear the Lucia Popp/Klaus Tennstedt one as well...
Yup, I have the Lucia Popp version too and its very good indeed, at least as good as Norman. Lets face it, they are all brilliant, its just a case of which one stirs the emotions the most. That is likely to be different for many of us.
I'm an unashamed Norman fan where 4LS is concerned - more down to the fact that the first time I saw them performed live was with her, than anything else and her interpretation has stuck with me ever since. The Janowitz is also gorgeous, and her voice is sublime, but there's some slightly suspect woodwind intonation at times which bothers me - BPO as well!! There is of course the bonus of Metamorphosen on the same disc which I love.
Bottom line though is that I find it difficult to listen to the end of 4LS without blubbing. It's truly special in a way which I can't put into words.
Gordon Steadman
07-03-2014, 18:53
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Bottom line though is that I find it difficult to listen to the end of 4LS without blubbing. It's truly special in a way which I can't put into words.
Quite right. The last song is really all about the final acceptance of the inevitable and, even before I got this close to the event, has always moved me to tears.
Quite right. The last song is really all about the final acceptance of the inevitable and, even before I got this close to the event, has always moved me to tears.
Im Abendrot + a glass of red and I am a total mess.
Paul, the only Janowitz I have is in Carmina Burana (30 lashes for mentioning Orff in a 4LS thread) and was seduced by her voice. So I'm pleased to know it was not a one-off.
After listening to the CD, I found a slightly different version of the DG Janowitz on LP (new and mint) from Canada. Rather than the Metamorphosen of the CD, the LP seems to include Death and Transfiguration in addition to 4LS instead. Snapped it up for less than the CD cost...result!
Details:
RECORD: Richard Strauss 'Tod under Verklarung (Death and Transfiguration) / Vier Letze Lieder (Four Last Songs)' performed by Gundula Janowitz and the Berliner Philharmoniker. Conducted by Herbert von Karajan. German pressing. Sealed.
LABEL: Deutsche Grammophon 2530 368
CONDITION:
Cover: NM
Record: SEALED
(m4315)
(classical2681)
Came from a vast private collection many of which were new and unplayed.
How well recorded is Janowitz - that is to say how much of her repertoire was captured on disc? The odd thing is that I don't even know what she looks like - consequence of most of your records having HvK on the cover I suppose...(and this is the first time I've heard her).
Off to google Janowitz recordings.
How well recorded is Janowitz - that is to say how much of her repertoire was captured on disc? The odd thing is that I don't even know what she looks like - consequence of most of your records having HvK on the cover I suppose...(and this is the first time I've heard her).
Off to google Janowitz recordings.
A good deal was captured in 4LS really. Her emotion, technical control, power (where demonstrated) and quite a range. Whilst she doesn't rank as my all time favourite soprano, I do think that her voice was tailor made for this piece.
Gordon Steadman
08-03-2014, 16:48
A good deal was captured in 4LS really. Her emotion, technical control, power (where demonstrated) and quite a range. Whilst she doesn't rank as my all time favourite soprano, I do think that her voice was tailor made for this piece.
I think I'll listen to them all again. The first time I heard this it was by Lucia Popp. I remember the shivers down the spine that first time which for some reason has never been repeated with her but is always with Janowitz. As you say, I reckon her voice just suits this and she captures the mournful but in the end, calm, acceptance of the inevitable.
montesquieu
10-03-2014, 21:21
Janowitz was quite the babe at her big recording debut - soprano part of the 9th symphony in karajan's early 60s set on DG. Spent far too much time looking at the mugshot on that cover!
Sadly by the time of her (spectacular) Schubert recordings with Irwin gage in the mid 70s though she was 100% pure chunky hausfrau.
I love her 4LS and alternate it with Scwarzkopf who has the edge in expression over Janowitz's sublime tone.
Quite right. The last song is really all about the final acceptance of the inevitable and, even before I got this close to the event, has always moved me to tears.
What gets to me is the repeating minor 7ths at the end of Beim Schlafengehen, after which the solo French Horn converts - to the resolution - with a major 7th leap, raising goosebumps the like of which I really can't compare. This sets the scene for Im Abendrot which just seals the deal. Strauss knew he didn't have long left and it's as though every single part of his being, every ounce of the old man's energy as a composer was thrown into these few minutes of sheer perfection.
Gordon Steadman
11-03-2014, 07:11
What gets to me is the repeating minor 7ths at the end of Beim Schlafengehen, after which the solo French Horn converts - to the resolution - with a major 7th leap, raising goosebumps the like of which I really can't compare. This sets the scene for Im Abendrot which just seals the deal. Strauss knew he didn't have long left and it's as though every single part of his being, every ounce of the old man's energy as a composer was thrown into these few minutes of sheer perfection.
:exactly:
jandl100
17-03-2014, 07:50
Ah, the 4LS.
Beautiful.
I have 8 versions on CD.
I think my fave is Felicity Lott / Jarvi on Chandos, who hasn't been mentioned here yet. I think she has the most purely beautiful voice of them all.
My other favourite is Christine Brewer, who takes a very different and rather more robust Wagnerian approach (she is a great Wagnerian singer after all!). She has the sheer power of Jessye Norman but without the brassy squawk at full throttle which I hear in the JN recording.
Janowitz / HvK probably equal 2nd, I guess.
And Kiri is wonderful.
And I very much like Isokoski as well.
Simply wonderful music. :)
pimlicoquad
19-03-2014, 02:17
Do try Lisa della Casa's version - the recording sound is not so lush as others, but it so controlled, and beautiful. Beim Schlafengehen is magical, the way she floats her voice over the orchestra. And the last song under Bohm's baton is the most lovely extended ritardando.
julesd68
25-04-2014, 09:29
Do try Lisa della Casa's version - the recording sound is not so lush as others, but it so controlled, and beautiful. Beim Schlafengehen is magical, the way she floats her voice over the orchestra. And the last song under Bohm's baton is the most lovely extended ritardando.
Absolutely - this is well worth listening to for those very reasons ... Della Casa is lovely in a way that is very much 'of its time' - not sure what the vinyl recording would be upto though.
I've been inspired by this thread to check out some different versions and have now listened to the following in order of preference but purely first impressions, so this could change ...
Norman / Della Casa / Janowitz / Schwartzkopf / Te Kanawa
I find the depth, atmosphere and phrasing of Norman's voice to be the most pleasing to my ears. I will have to break a habit of a lifetime to buy her on vinyl though as it's a DIGITAL recording :eek:
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