BaL 20.05.23 - Mahler: Rückert-Lieder

[CallMePaul]

I wish...

This could have been a very long list indeed, as we're not talking about a song cycle. Many singers have recorded individual songs, but not all five.

Many male singers have omitted Liebst Du um Schoenheit, which is surprising given that it is Mahler's only love song to his wife and should therefore be sung by a man. Maybe it is because it is the one song that Mahler did not orchestrate, although many female singers include it.

I have the Fassbaender/ Chailly recording of the orchestral version (all 5 songs) and Gerhaher/ Huber of the piano version (not to hand so I can't check, but I think they recorded all 5).

[gurnemanz]

Checking versions in my collection (quite a few, both old and new), it is striking how diverse things are. It is not really a cycle, of course, and not all recordings have all five. Some recitals include only one or two. Then you can have male or female, piano or orchestra. I even have a 1928 rendition by Aaltje Noordewier-Reddingius accompanied by organ - very well done.

The order of songs varies. I've just listened again to Mitsuko Shirai on her Capriccio disc. I enjoy her interpretations but it is a somewhat bizarre and disorientating experience. It has the Rückert songs accompanied by Neville Marriner and St Martins Academy interspersed on tracks 2, 5, 9, 13 and 17 among other Mahler songs where she is accompanied by her husband Hartmut Höll on piano.

PS The above disc contains a rather striking drawing of the poet Friedrich Rückert which I found online:

[Wolfram]

Many male singers have omitted Liebst Du um Schoenheit, which is surprising given that it is Mahler's only love song to his wife and should therefore be sung by a man. Maybe it is because it is the one song that Mahler did not orchestrate, although many female singers include it.

I have the Fassbaender/ Chailly recording of the orchestral version (all 5 songs) and Gerhaher/ Huber of the piano version (not to hand so I can't check, but I think they recorded all 5).

DF-D omits Liebst Du um Schoenheit on his recording of the orchestral versions with Bohm in 1964 but then includes it in his later recording with piano accompaniment.

[Darloboy]

Surprisingly, this cycle appears to have only been covered by BaL once previously, in November 2010, when Hilary Finch chose Baker/Barbirolli.

My note from the programme indicates that she mentioned Fischer-Dieskau/Böhm as a baritone version; Fischer-Dieskau/Engel as a baritone/piano version; Lorenz/Herbig as a baritone version including all 5 songs; Gerhaher/Huber as a baritone/piano version including all 5 songs; and Felicity Lott with The Schumann Quartet for a soprano arrangement.

[Wolfram]

Surprisingly, this cycle appears to have only been covered by BaL once previously, in November 2010, when Hilary Finch chose Baker/Barbirolli.

My note from the programme indicates that she mentioned Fischer-Dieskau/Böhm as a baritone version; Fischer-Dieskau/Engel as a baritone/piano version; Lorenz/Herbig as a baritone version including all 5 songs; Gerhaher/Huber as a baritone/piano version including all 5 songs; and Felicity Lott with The Schumann Quartet for a soprano arrangement.

The version with piano where DF-D sings all five songs is with Barenboim accompanying. Whoever wins this time round will have to be pretty special to top Ludwig/Klemperer (3 songs only) or Baker/Barbirolli.

[Barbirollians]

The version with piano where DF-D sings all five songs is with Barenboim accompanying. Whoever wins this time round will have to be pretty special to top Ludwig/Klemperer (3 songs only) or Baker/Barbirolli.

Or Ferrier /Walter 3 songs only .

Singing all five puts Baker in the lead I suspect.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Ferrier’s Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen is surely one of her greatest recordings . As much as I admire Baker and Ludwig it knocks all other recordings into a cocked hat - her Um Mitternacht is also stupendous like one of his symphonies condensed into five minutes.

”
That Ferrier Um Mitternacht is , in my humble opinion , one of the very greatest vocal recordings in history. The “clarinet “ plangent tones of Ferrier’s contralto/ mezzo blend superbly with Mahler’s dark orchestration.

[Wolfram]

Or Ferrier /Walter 3 songs only .

Singing all five puts Baker in the lead I suspect.

Yes - sorry - absolutely. As you quite rightly point out, or Ferrier/Walter.

[Barbirollians]

”
That Ferrier Um Mitternacht is , in my humble opinion , one of the very greatest vocal recordings in history. The “clarinet “ plangent tones of Ferrier’s contralto/ mezzo blend superbly with Mahler’s dark orchestration.

I agree .

[richardfinegold]

I actually have only purposely bought a few Mahler song discs. Most of the the ones that I have were filler for the Symphonies, or for complete Mahler sets. The Wayfarer Songs and and Kindertotenlieder are the ones that I listen to by choice and I am not that conversant with this work so I would be interested in the discussion

[Bryn]

I actually have only purposely bought a few Mahler song discs. Most of the the ones that I have were filler for the Symphonies, or for complete Mahler sets. The Wayfarer Songs and and Kindertotenlieder are the ones that I listen to by choice and I am not that conversant with this work so I would be interested in the discussion

I am in a fairly similar position to you, in that the Rückert-Lieder are probably my least listened to Mahler. As to why, I do not know. I find them very beautiful and would concur with others here, that the Baker/NPO/Barbirolli is likely to be the front-runner. I was wondering whether there were any strong opinions here regarding the remasterings of 1999 and 2020, the latter of which, I note, can be streamed/downloaded in 192/24, in addition to its inclusion in the Complete Warner Recordings box.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It’s happening today.

[Mal]

I wish...

This could have been a very long list indeed, as we're not talking about a song cycle. Many singers have recorded individual songs, but not all five.

Deryck Cook suggests that the Rückert-Lieder are very variable in quality. He says, "Blike mir..." is the "least inspired song of his maturity", while "Ich bin der Welt..." is "Mahlers finest Lied". Are there good collections of "finest Lieds" that includes the latter? (Then again, is Cooke right? Having read the text of the former, I can see any music critic slamming it! "Do not look into my songs; your inquisitiveness is treason!")

[Nick Armstrong]

Singing all five puts Baker in the lead I suspect.

Yes, for sure, for me. This is one of the rare works in which one performance in particular (that one) does something so special that any other falls short, to my ears. I almost never think that, but those performers in the last song especially…

[Barbirollians]

Yes, for sure, for me. This is one of the rare works in which one performance in particular (that one) does something so special that any other falls short, to my ears. I almost never think that, but those performers in the last song especially…

All recordings of fewer than five songs not considered .