Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Wed, Dec 14 2011, 9:25AM
Allegedly, Bernstein considered him the greatest singer of the century (or words to that effect). Walter Legge had his reservations (something to do with diction), though he possibly spent more hours in the recording studio with him than any other male singer. The late (and sorely missed) J.B. Steane went through a phase of describing Fischer-Dieskau as the singer that he didn't particularly long to hear. Yet, you probably won't find any singer with such an extensive discography. His versatility was and phenomenal.
Personally, I don't think there's any other singer with whom I've had the "ah, yes, this is the way it has to be done" experience so often, as with Fischer-Dieskau. His audible marital quarrels with Countess Almaviva on a live Orfeo recording is a recent such example.
Hailed as a Lieder singer, he was equally loved for his Falstaff and Rigoletto in Italy, as his Bach singing was universally admired. A rendition of Ich Habe Genug under Ristenpart springs to mind as one of my own all time favouritess. At the moment, I'm listening to his Giulio Cesare and though, perhaps, hugely historically incorrect, the level of testosterone emanating from the discs, carries it for me.
As a consequence of his versatility, his recordings often serve me as a reference point. What do other listeners think? Any recommendations?
Wed, Dec 14 2011, 12:35PM
#2
RE: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
After hearing Matthias Goerne singing Schubert...
The rest is silence.
Wed, Dec 14 2011, 6:32PM
#3
RE: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
I'm not aware whether Bernstein really had that view about Dietrich, but possibly, since he was a man of some strong convictions.
In any way, Fischer-Dieskau has been a reference standard singer, predominantly in the Lied field, a bit less in Opera and a solid performer in Oratorio/Choral Music. As JKH points out, there is a problem with the sound he used to produce, which is a think with me (and probably with more people) as well. I used to compare him with Callas: they both had everything a classical singer might wish for but...la bella voce. However, his intelligence, his musicianship, his great artistry and the authority he gained by his enormous experience made him a reference singer at least in the field of the Lieder as well as in quite a few Operas and Oratorios.
I'm not that fond, though, of his contributions to Italian Opera (there are some more "italianate" and finer vocally Falstaff and Rigoletto or even Macbeth). He did a better job in his native German language Operas, though he did not had exactly either a Mozartian or truly Wagnerian voice (if we have to dare to compare him with Prey or Waechter in Mozart or a George London or Hans Hotter in Wagner - heavier, rounder beautiful big voices).
However, the significant fact is his amazing versatility, his authority in what he was about to sing and most importantly the legacy he managed to create vis a vis to much better voices (as JKH pinpoints) like Prey or Hotter, who, to my dismay at least, they may be either forgotten or neglected in the course of History.
Parla
Fri, Dec 16 2011, 12:15PM
#4
RE: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
The quote you are looking for from JBS regarding DFD is:
"And, crossing to the German side of the street, I puzzle for a while
over FischerDieskau, and more over myself, for I don't particularly want
to hear him but am always glad when I do."
This was in an article he wrote for the 100th edition of Gramophone listing the 12 singers who changed his life. DFD didn't make it to the final 12 (but then neither did Ponselle, whom he admired enormously), though Callas did, alongside Gobbi.
I was listening to DFD in Des Knaben Wunderhorn ony yesterday. Now a somewhat controversial recording, which doesn't enjoy the acclaim it once had, many people finding the meticulous singing of Schwarzkopf and DFD too "artful". I have always liked it, whilst accepting that there are occasions when we get a little too much of the DFD bark. However there are moments of soft singing that are beautifully nuanced and actually quite beautiful as sheer singing. I suppose my feelings about him are similar to those of JBS. I am often surprised at just how lovely his singing can be.
Fri, Dec 16 2011, 6:29PM
#5
RE: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Wo die Schonen Trompeten Blasen has got to be one of the truly outstanding interpretations of a Lied. Fischer-Dieskau's "...Das ist der Herzallerliebste dein"always takes my breath away, it is an astonishingly beautiful sound.
Fri, Dec 16 2011, 7:45PM
#6
RE: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
I couldn't agree more.
What a coincidence. I was playing quite a lot of Hermann Prey on the weekend , and doing some comparative listening, including D F-D of course, courtesy of Spotify. I have to say that I have always disliked the basic sound that D F-D makes. For me this is a significant hurdle to get over in appreciating any singer, since the actual sound a singer makes (as distinct from the way that voice is applied and the artistry of his/her singing) inevitably colours any judgement and the perception of that sound is very personal and totally subjective. Whilst acknowledging D F-D's undoubted musicianship, artistry and range, I understand and agree completely with John Steane's attitude.
That is not to say that I have never taken any pleasure from his singing, far from it. The War Requiem has a remarkable performance from him, and many many years ago his Macbeth was the performance through which I came to know the work. For me though, his other forays into Italian opera are much less successful, the nadir being his Scarpia in the Decca/Maazel recording, which remains the only opera set I've ever got rid of - I found it simply unlistenable.
His very vocally pointed approach in lieder (described, I think by Alan Blyth, as 'interventionist') is not one with which I can empathise. I realise, of course, that I am in a distinct minority. I prefer a 'straighter' sung line as exemplified by, say, Prey, Gerhard Hüsch or Hotter - but it's obviously no coincidence that they are all singers whose voices I find very attractive purely in terms of sound.
I have to say I do find Prey's instrument an incredibly attractive one and always tend to turn to him in lieder as a first choice. His recording of An Die Ferne Geliebte with Gerald Moore is, for me, matchless. And although I am generally not keen on 'crossover', which almost always sounds awkward and misconceived to my ears, I can recommend a recent surprise discovery - Prey's recording of 'On the street where you live'(!). An unexpectedly wonderful fun demonstration of the quality of his voice, its ease of production and his apparent ability to convey his own sheer pleasure in singing.
I realise that this reads somewhat negatively - but it's not meant to be and I certainly recognise that D F-D was a great singer, just one I don't find attractive.
JKH