Which "Lied von der Erde"?
Tue, Apr 13 2010, 3:47PM
#2
RE: Which "Lied von der Erde"?
Two weeks ago Mark Wigglesworth conducted Das Lied von der Erde in Utrecht.
The concert is still on-line (160 KBS)
http://cgi.omroep.nl/cgi-bin/streams?/radio4/po/avondconcert/20100402-20...
(if the browser does not play it, try Windows media player, winamp or VLC)
Radio FiIharmonisch Orkest o.l.v. Mark Wigglesworth.
Anna Larsson, mezzo
Stuart Skelton, tenor.
What do you think of this performance?
Rolf
Tue, Apr 13 2010, 5:28PM
#3
RE: Which "Lied von der Erde"?
I have the version by Walter / Ferrier which has acquired classic status despite the dated sound. However, I can't say this music, with all its strainings and heavings, moves me greatly, although Ferrier is incomperable in the final song.
Tue, Apr 13 2010, 8:24PM
#4
RE: Which "Lied von der Erde"?
I have heard Anna Larsson sing one of the movements of Mahler's 3rd on a Sony CD conducted by Salonen leading the LA Philharmonic. I like her voice. It should be interesting to listen to her in this work. I am not at all familiar with Stuart Skelton though.
Tue, Apr 13 2010, 8:45PM
#5
RE: Which "Lied von der Erde"?
I am listening to the above performance right now. Skelton has a nice voice. He sings the first movement in a clear, straight-forward, heldentenorish manner. Very agreeable to listen to with a nice tenor ping unlike someone like Kmentt in the Kubelik in which Kmentt tends to be rather nasal. Larsson on the other hand, has developed a heavy vibrato that will probably evolve into a wobble. Her vibrato is hard to tune out (2nd movement). That's all I could think of when listening to her in the 2nd movement. More comments when I finish listening to the entire performance.
Tue, Apr 13 2010, 8:49PM
#6
RE: Which "Lied von der Erde"?
I have not heard the Ludwig/Kollo Das Lied. I saw that it was available for download from both the DG website and iTunes. Kollo? Rings a bell. Wasn't he known for singing a lot of Wagner? Seems to me I must have a set of the Ring with him. Could be the Bohm Ring, don't know.
Tue, Apr 13 2010, 8:54PM
#7
RE: Which "Lied von der Erde"?
Will probably download the Haitink. It is packaged at as Philips two-fer on iTunes with Prey and Norman singing some of the other Mahler orchestral songs. I like Norman's voice as well. Never heard Prey.
Thu, May 6 2010, 10:39AM
#8
RE: Which "Lied von der Erde"?
One can argue till kingdom come about voices and interpretations but please never let us forget the orchestra in this (and his other) works.
There is simply no getting away from the fact that the two best orchestral performances are those of the Philharmonia under Kletzki (EMI) and PHilh/NPO under Klemperer (EMI). The Philharmonia wind players were the best in the world bar none in the fifties and sixties, and as for the strings!!!
Klemperer also has the best balance with the mandolin. Back to the singers, Wunderlich and Ludwig are pretty much the best for Dr.K bt I don't care much for Murray Dickie and Herr Fieskau on Kletzki - but then a baritone is not the best solution in DLVDE.
Thu, May 6 2010, 3:29PM
#9
RE: Which "Lied von der Erde"?
My very first Das Lied von der Erde was the version by Bruno Walter and the Columbia Symphony Orchestra [Sony Classical], sung by Mildred Miller and Ernst Häfliger. I still cherish it after all these years and is one of the recordings that I place at the top my list. I also love the version by Fritz Reiner [RCA Living Stereo] with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Richard Lewis, tenor and the absolutely marvelous and irreplaceable Maureen Forrester, a real contralto, who is my favorite singer in that part, alongside Janet Baker and Kathleen Ferrier.
But I hope that, someday, Riccardo Chailly records that masterpiece. I wonder why on earth has he not already done it with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra during his magnificient cycle of the Mahler symphonies. Anybody out there knows why ?
Louis Caron, Montréal, QC
Fri, May 7 2010, 5:19PM
#10
RE: Which "Lied von der Erde"?
I would certainly agree with nessypoo that we have paid scant attention to the quality of the orchestra in the various interpretations we have discussed in this thread. However, I believe that since this work is an extended "lied," the voices are paramount and the orchestra is somewhat secondary. This does not mean nonetheless that I condone a sloppy orchestra. I do agree with nessypoo that the mandolin is particulary balanced and poignant in the Klemperer version.
Fri, May 7 2010, 5:49PM
#11
RE: Which "Lied von der Erde"?
But I hope that, someday, Riccardo Chailly records that masterpiece. I wonder why on earth has he not already done it with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra during his magnificient cycle of the Mahler symphonies. Anybody out there knows why ?
Louis Caron, Montréal, QC
No idea. But I totally agree with your rating of the Chailly Mahler cycle, the best since Bernstein IMHO and first to present a truly alternative and viable view to the traditional one that goes back to Walter.
Fri, May 7 2010, 6:18PM
#12
RE: Which "Lied von der Erde"?
What 1957 Scherchen version? It's not in my Scherchen discography. Rosbaud, perhaps?
The great historical recorded performances are Walter/VPO/Thorborg/Kullman and Schuricht/RCOI/Thorborg/Oehmann (1939 - what a superb tenor!) but my favourite recording is Jochum/RCO/Merriman/Haefliger, followed by the Kubelik/Baker/Kmennt - whom I do not find bad at all, unlike some others here, he just sounds very Viennese - while I find Kathleen Ferrier in the classic Walter recording hard to take, and prefer the live Maureen Forrester with Walter/Lewis/NYPO (1960) - the way she suggests a sob in the turn on "Glück nicht hold" and then the darkness of her tone at "einsam Herz", the pianissimo at "blauen licht die Fernen" - peerless; she leaves Christa Ludwig at the starting post. A superb interpretation, if you can take a very Mime-like Peter Schreier and a diseuse-like Birgit Finnilä lacking richness of voice, is Sanderling/Berlin SO.
Fri, May 7 2010, 7:01PM
#13
RE: Which "Lied von der Erde"?
Unfortunately, since my understanding of German is somewhat basic, I cannot give my opinion on whether Kmennt sounds very Viennese or not. Is Viennese German especially nasal as I get the impression he sounds on Kubelik/Baker/Kmennt?
Fri, May 7 2010, 8:35PM
#14
RE: Home
It's Tennstedt's thrilling EMI account for me.
Secondly, the Schoenberg/Riehn arrangement as recorded by Herreweghe (harmonia mundi).
Fri, May 7 2010, 8:38PM
#15
RE: Home
The Herreweghe version is also one of my favorties.
Two "also rans" which I believe are worth hearing...
While I wouldn't prefer it to Klemperer or Haitink I'm rather fond of Sir Colin Davis' Philips/LSO account with Jessye Norman and (just a little too late in his career) the mighty Jon Vickers. Norman is emotionally "cooler" than Baker or Ferrier, but the sound of the voice is intoxicating. Not surprisingly, nobody conveys the bleakness of "Dunkel ist das Leben, ist der Tod" more hauntingly than Vickers.
I also love Bernstein's Vienna Phil/Decca account with Fischer-Dieskau and King...Der Abschied is really special to me. Alas, Lenny has one of his daft ideas in the middle of Von der Schonheit, with a breakneck tempo which makes F-D sound as if he's commentating the final moments of the Grand National. I let it pass, others may not be so indulgent.
Anybody know Karajan's DG recording with Ludwig and Kollo? I've never heard it.