Das Lied von der Erde Centenary Nov 20 1911

[Chris Newman]

I heard a fine BBCSO performance at the BBC Maida Vale Studio in the late sixties conducted by Rudolf Schwartz with Edgar Evans (tenor) who wasn't bad (a bit past his best like Patzak) but was standing in for an indisposed Ronald Dowd (who I imagine would have been terrific). The mezzo was Pamela Bowden who was superb as anyone who heard her Gerontius Angel, Child of our Time, Madame Larina (with Solti at the ROH) and so on will know how good she was. Overall I would say she was like Alfreda Hodgson on Horenstein's version. She was sadly very under-recorded. It would be a miracle if the Beeb still had the tape.

[Petrushka]

Decided in the end it just had to be Bruno Walter and the VPO with Ferrier and Patzak. Preceded it with Haydn 96 also VPO/Walter.

[Alison]

Sorry to be predictable but the performance most immediately at hand was

Christianne Stotijn (mezzo-soprano)
Anthony Dean Griffey (tenor)
London Symphony Orchestra
Bernard Haitink (conductor)

Schubert: Symphony No 8 (Unfinished)
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde


Originally I was up for following it with the Resurrection Symphony but even before listening to tons of Beethoven
and Walton earlier today I thought this was a crazy idea too far.

[Alison]

Nothing morbid about it ... a serenity literally supernatural ..Well said, Benjamin Britten

[Flosshilde]

I thought that if I did listen to it I'd have the Baker/King/Haitinck, but as it happens I have a cold which has blocked my ears, so I wouldn't have been able to hear much. It will have to be a pleasure postponed.

[Alison]

Get better soon Floss x

[Petrushka]

Get well soon from me too. I've had this problem for some time now and it isn't going away.

[Flosshilde]

Tghanks for your good wishes, Alison & Petrushka. It's so annoying getting a cold now - I've just come back from visiting my mother & have lots to do to get ready for a couple of Christmas shows, & I didn't feel up to going to the BBCSSO doing excerpts from Rosenkavalier under Runnicles last Thursday - did listen to it on the radio though - my ears weren't so bad then. Trouble is once it gets to my ears they take ages to clear & act as 'reservoirs' for the cold, so it just comes back again ... and again

[Barbirollians]

Sounds very unpleasant do get well soon.

I went for Ferrier/Patzak/Walter too . Though I have been getting to know the live Fassbaender/Araiza /Giulini on Orfeo recently and there is a lot to be said for having a native German speaker singing these songs . Then again Ferrier sings so movingly she transcends everything for me .

[Sparafucile]

Hi,
I note that Chailly's complete set is available at a very reasonable price, so are you listening Santa?
Not sure whether it includes Das Lied.. though. Hope so.

[Petrushka]

Hi,
I note that Chailly's complete set is available at a very reasonable price, so are you listening Santa?
Not sure whether it includes Das Lied.. though. Hope so.

Sorry, Sparafucile, the Chailly set doesn't include DLvdE as he has never recorded it. He certainly performed it as I recall a 1990 Prom I attended with the Concertgebouw.

[Roehre]

Sorry, Sparafucile, the Chailly set doesn't include DLvdE as he has never recorded it. He certainly performed it as I recall a 1990 Prom I attended with the Concertgebouw.

He did record LvdE. But for contractual reasons that recording hasn't been issued. His leaving the Concertgebouworchestra for Leipzig Gewandhaus + opera and consequently leaving the RCO without a record company (was Decca/Philips) doesn't help to resolve the dispute re this recording.
Btw, reasons are similar to the Haitink recordings of Berg's 3 pieces opus 6 and Ravel's L'Enfant et les sortilèges which have been recorded but are still gathering dust somewhere.

[Sparafucile]

Hi,
Useful to know that, thanks.
I'll be treating myself to the Chailly set for the hols.

[Petrushka]

He did record LvdE. But for contractual reasons that recording hasn't been issued. His leaving the Concertgebouworchestra for Leipzig Gewandhaus + opera and consequently leaving the RCO without a record company (was Decca/Philips) doesn't help to resolve the dispute re this recording.
Btw, reasons are similar to the Haitink recordings of Berg's 3 pieces opus 6 and Ravel's L'Enfant et les sortilèges which have been recorded but are still gathering dust somewhere.

Thanks for the additional info of which I was unaware. What a disgraceful state of affairs!

[Barbirollians]

Have finally got round to listening to the Baker/Kmentt/Kubelik recording on Audite - very fine indeed and Baker in particular is in glorious voice .