Strauss - 4 last Songs

[Reffc]

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]

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.

[Reffc]

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?! 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]

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?! 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.

[Andrei]

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?

[Reffc]

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.

[m10]

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]

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.

[Gromit]

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]

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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.