Brahms's Two Songs for Alto with Viola and Piano

[verismissimo]

I've always loved these songs, in spite of the fact that I've never heard a satisfying performance of them (either live or on record).

In the recordings that I have, the altos (Brigitte Fassbaender, Ann Murray, Helen Watts and Ilse Fischer in 1942) all sound to me as though they are addressing public meetings, all very wobbly, and sometimes the violists seem to take their lead from the singer.

It seems to me that both songs demand a much more inward approach. Closest to this is the Hungarian, Maria von Basilides, recorded in Berlin in 1928 (in the second song, Geistliches Wiegenlied).

Am I alone in this? Do boarders have recommendations?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Ferrier is perfect - her pianist and viola player (and the recording) less so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP0M1omMFQg

Baker, Aronowitz and Previn are superb:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0U4LdHncds

[Barbirollians]

Ferrier is perfect - her pianist and viola player (and the recording) less so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP0M1omMFQg

Baker, Aronowitz and Previn are superb:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0U4LdHncds

Seconded ! Ferrier is marvellous especially in Wiegenlied - as a first choice though Baker and her team every time.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I have Ferrier, Watts, von Basildes and Baker plus one not so far mentioned - Jessye Norman/ Christ/ Barenboim. You'll probably know already whether she might be your cup of tea!

[gurnemanz]

As well as the marvellous Jessye Norman and Ferrier, I also have Flagstad/Gerald Moore, a lovely Christa Ludwig + Geoffrey Parsons and the wartime Raucheisen version with Lore Fischer and a newish one on the recent well worth having Brilliant Classics complete songs - Ingeborg Danz with Helmut Deutsch.

[MickyD]

As well as the marvellous Jessye Norman and Ferrier, I also have Flagstad/Gerald Moore, a lovely Christa Ludwig + Geoffrey Parsons and the wartime Raucheisen version with Lore Fischer and a newish one on the recent well worth having Brilliant Classics complete songs - Ingeborg Danz with Helmut Deutsch.

A very strange coincidence, I was driving to work yesterday morning and on France Musique I heard the work for the first time in the version by Christa Ludwig cited above...a happy discovery.

[Richard Tarleton]

I have the Norman/Barenboim - I only discovered the work a couple of years ago, in this version - I think someone must have chosen it on Private Passions. Worth mentioning it's a double album of songs composed 1851-88, again mostly new to me. A happy discovery indeed,

[verismissimo]

... as a first choice though Baker and her team every time.

I can't think why I've never heard this recording. It was (originally?) with a Brahms/Boult symphony, then not included in various Baker compilations. Presumably it's in the recent Baker big EMI box, which I've drawn back from acquiring because I already have so much of her work.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It was (originally?) with a Brahms/Boult symphony, then not included in various Baker compilations.

I don't think it was - my recollection is that it was an EMI LP release from around 1977 of Brahms songs with Previn accompanying them all (done at around the same time as their Duparc/Chausson orchestral song LP).

Presumably it's in the recent Baker big EMI box, which I've drawn back from acquiring because I already have so much of her work.

It is there, but can be found on a more convenient "twofer" from EMI coupled with said Chausson/Duparc songs (plus her later recording of Schumann's Frauenliebe und leben with Barenboim, which is - I believe I am alone in thinking - even better than her superb earlier version on SAGA).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dame-Janet-Baker-Song-Recital/dp/B000002SD7/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1390129149&sr=1-3&keywords=previn%2C+baker%2C++emi

[gradus]

Many thanks for drawing my attention to these songs, I had never before heard them.

[gurnemanz]

Checking my collection for this thread, I found plenty of Brahms Lieder and plenty of Janet Baker singing Lieder, but to my surprise only five recordings of Janet Baker singing Brahms Lieder - four on the Saga disc mentioned and Alto Rhapsody on the EMI Icon + Boult. I might be forced to remedy this.

[Barbirollians]

I don't think it was - my recollection is that it was an EMI LP release from around 1977 of Brahms songs with Previn accompanying them all (done at around the same time as their Duparc/Chausson orchestral song LP).


It is there, but can be found on a more convenient "twofer" from EMI coupled with said Chausson/Duparc songs (plus her later recording of Schumann's Frauenliebe und leben with Barenboim, which is - I believe I am alone in thinking - even better than her superb earlier version on SAGA).



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dame-Janet-B...+baker%2C++emi

That is a wonderful double album and if you bought her Nuits d Ete with the Death of Cleo as a coupling you also get her superb Sheherazade on this set.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

That is a wonderful double album and if you bought her Nuits d Ete with the Death of Cleo as a coupling you also get her superb Sheherazade on this set.

[gurnemanz]

Checking my collection for this thread, I found plenty of Brahms Lieder and plenty of Janet Baker singing Lieder, but to my surprise only five recordings of Janet Baker singing Brahms Lieder - four on the Saga disc mentioned and Alto Rhapsody on the EMI Icon + Boult. I might be forced to remedy this.

Just updating my own comment. I bought this Janet Baker BBC Legends disc which is superb and destined to become an absolute favourite.

Has anyone else got it? I ask this because track three, Geheimnis, has an odd extraneous bit of singing on the end. It is not a technical fault but an error in how the CD had been put together, because the timing as printed on the sleeve (3.24 mins) includes the extraneous bit. The song itself is only two minutes long. Otherwise the CD is fine.