I have never warmed to the Schwarzkopf, despite having it on good vinyl. She sounds cool and mechanical to my ears, not delivering the emotion in the songs. Lucia Popp was better, if a little lightweight. Fleming is also a good one. Some others, like Isokoski, I cannot listen to because of the voice.

For me, Jessye Norman is at the pinnacle of Four Last Songs performances and owes not a little to Kurt Masur's wonderfully understated accompaniment. Powerful and emotional, it delivers on every level.

I had a soprano friend, Eirian Davies, sing Beim Schlafengehen at my wife's funeral. She sang it wonderfully and with some considerable emotion. For obvious reasons, that performance will stay in my memories forever.