Prom 31: Strauss’s Four Last Songs and Other Romantics (9.08.22)

[Ein Heldenleben]

Comparing recordings of the VLL made under ideal studio conditions with a live Proms broadcast from the RAH is comparing apples and pears. Indeed, concert performances can go pear-shaped, like the one I witnessed earlier this year in St John’s Hall, Penzance, in which the amateur orchestra was incapable of playing quietly enough to give the perfectly competent soprano a fighting chance of being heard. Despite these songs having received their first performance in the RAH in May 1950 (Flagstad/Philharmonia/Furtwängler), eight months after the composer’s death, they must be very hard to sing into such a vast space with few reflecting surfaces near the singer, who has to be able to crescendo over a large orchestra on several occasions. The BBC engineers have particularly tricky balance decisions to make here between soprano, orchestra and the acoustic feedback of the enormous hall, with the risk that everything could sound artificially close-miked, probably to the detriment of the singer. (BTW, I rate Louise Alder very highly in recital venues eg Wigmore Hall, QEH and the like.)
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Excellent analysis of the challenges. I think Simon Keenlyside was once asked by the Queen “And what do you do ?” To which he replied “I can sing so that I’m heard above an orchestra of 100 players in an auditorium with 2,000 people in it.” The Royal Albert Hall is too big for all but the most stentorian to fill. On the plus side the singer has the orchestra behind rather than in front but there are as you say no reflective flats as there are ( or should be ) on an Opera stage . Unlike west end musical singers , the classical singers don’t have spot mikes either though I think for broadcast the main slung mikes can be “adjusted” to favour the singer.
I once heard Liz Watts do the songs(very well) at the Cadogan Hall with orchestra . That struck me as a perfect size.
For recordings Schwarzkopf or Norman.

[Stanfordian]

Love the 4 last Songs but never heard a performance that I thought "the one". Schwarzkopf comes closest, partly through the wonderful orchestral accompaniment (suprising as its led by Szell). Many of my favourite singers disappoint. Is it that hard to "bring off"?

I've never found my ideal 'Four Last Songs' either. Schwarzkopf under Szell is also one of a small number of recordings I turn to. The others Renee Fleming / Eschenbach; Anja Harteros / Jansons; Anja Harteros / Luisi; Lucia Popp / Tennstedt.

[Master Jacques]

I've never found my ideal 'Four Last Songs' either. Schwarzkopf under Szell is also one of a small number of recordings I turn to. The others Renee Fleming / Eschenbach; Anja Harteros / Jansons; Anja Harteros / Luisi; Lucia Popp / Tennstedt.

To a growing list of distinguished readings, I would absolutely want to add Soile Isokoski (Berlin RSO, Janowski on Ondine) who combines staggering vocal beauty with deep sympathy for the texts.

[Andrew]

I thought the Strauss pieces were well worth listening to. Unfortunately the Malher didn't quite "hit the spot" for me. Still, each to his own! Aside from the occasional disappointment I'm generally deriving a huge amount of pleasure from these Prom concerts!

[gurnemanz]

We heard Louise Alder in beautiful form at the Wigmore in 2017 in a recital including Strauss. I enjoyed her Four Last but it probably won't remain so long in my memory. (Unlike a live concert performance from Kiri Te Kanawa on R3 which I do remember listening to on a portable radio in a student bedsit in 1972, which lifted me at the time and has always stuck with me).

My first LP and still a top favourite is Lisa Della Casa/Böhm. I have about a dozen recordings but if arm-twisted for a top choice it would probably be Gundula Janowitz/Karajan ... or Norman/Masur or Popp/Tennstedt.

[ahinton]

Norman or Lott for me in those ravishing works.

[edashtav]

NO linkéd sweetness, long drawn out.
Writing of Strauss’s Opera “Salome”, Robert Buckley, Music Critic, opined:
Nothing to which it can be compared is in existence. The score was completed at Berlin in June, 1905. It is op.54 and in the list of his works follows the "Domestic Symphony." For novelty it surpasses any musical thing written since the laying of the foundations of the world. For sheer audacity, Strauss, himself, the most reckless of musical adventurers, has never equalled "Salome”. The canons of musical art were violated by Wagner but Strauss has wrecked the few that ruthless Wagner left intact. Strauss is the great musical anarchist and dynamitard. He revels in discords; cacophony is his daily bread. No "linkéd sweetness, long drawn out " for Richard, the Revolutionist. Far from "Untwisting all the cords that tie The hidden soul of harmony," [John Milton] he aims at lacerating the feelings with unheard-of dissonance. When rehearsing the opera at Prague, he, is reported to have requested the orchestra to play "like wild beasts."
"This is no civilised music,” he said, and few will be inclined to dissent. He makes the voice sing in A minor while part of the band plays in A flat major, than which nothing more hideous can be imagined. Somebody said "You have no consideration for the singers." To which Strauss replied, "In this opera there is no consideration for anybody."
(Birmingham Daily Gazette, February, 1912)

Well… well!

Many feel that ‘The Four last Songs’ (1948) contain some of the most glorious and rapturous music written for soprano and orchestra since Mozart wrote his operas, yet a friend once asked Strauss how he came to compose them.
“”Ah, well,” he answered. "One can't play Canasta all the time.''

My purpose in starting this review with Buckley’s fearsome attack on the music of Salome is that his negated quotation from the Poet Milton struck me as epitomising the essence of what I wanted to say about Strauss’s great, final vocal work.

“Such as the meeting soul may pierce

In notes, with many a winding bout

Of linkéd sweetness, long drawn out,

With wanton heed, and giddy cunning,

The melting voice through mazes running,

Untwisting all the chains that tie

The hidden soul of harmony.”

How did Louise Alder score?

I liked her greatly in those vaulting leaps into musical / orgasmic heaven which Strauss composed for the final verse of 3."Going to Sleep.” [Richard Strauss’s wife and its muse, Pauline (Soprano), died a few days before the delayed premiere in May 1950 at the Royal Albert Hall of Four Last Songs sung by Kirsten Flagstad with Furtwangler in charge of the Philharmonia orchestra.]

Throughout the songs, Louise was totally secure and radiant and her diction was good. Perhaps, her lower register was a tad overwhelmed by the Ulster Orchestra that played adequately but without too much finesse under ruggedly efficient Rustioni. The band saved its best for the long postlude at the end of the final song which successfully portrayed a composer serenely and peacefully crossing the bar, no longer spinning out his time on earth with yet another hand of Canasta.

A word of thanks to Andrew McGregor who topped and tailed the work to perfection.

[Maclintick]

NO linkéd sweetness, long drawn out.
Writing of Strauss’s Opera “Salome”, Robert Buckley, Music Critic, opined:
Nothing to which it can be compared is in existence. The score was completed at Berlin in June, 1905. It is op.54 and in the list of his works follows the "Domestic Symphony." For novelty it surpasses any musical thing written since the laying of the foundations of the world. For sheer audacity, Strauss, himself, the most reckless of musical adventurers, has never equalled "Salome”. The canons of musical art were violated by Wagner but Strauss has wrecked the few that ruthless Wagner left intact. Strauss is the great musical anarchist and dynamitard. He revels in discords; cacophony is his daily bread. No "linkéd sweetness, long drawn out " for Richard, the Revolutionist. Far from "Untwisting all the cords that tie The hidden soul of harmony," [John Milton] he aims at lacerating the feelings with unheard-of dissonance. When rehearsing the opera at Prague, he, is reported to have requested the orchestra to play "like wild beasts."
"This is no civilised music,” he said, and few will be inclined to dissent. He makes the voice sing in A minor while part of the band plays in A flat major, than which nothing more hideous can be imagined. Somebody said "You have no consideration for the singers." To which Strauss replied, "In this opera there is no consideration for anybody."
(Birmingham Daily Gazette, February, 1912)

Well… well!

Many feel that ‘The Four last Songs’ (1948) contain some of the most glorious and rapturous music written for soprano and orchestra since Mozart wrote his operas, yet a friend once asked Strauss how he came to compose them.
“”Ah, well,” he answered. "One can't play Canasta all the time.''

My purpose in starting this review with Buckley’s fearsome attack on the music of Salome is that his negated quotation from the Poet Milton struck me as epitomising the essence of what I wanted to say about Strauss’s great, final vocal work.

“Such as the meeting soul may pierce

In notes, with many a winding bout

Of linkéd sweetness, long drawn out,

With wanton heed, and giddy cunning,

The melting voice through mazes running,

Untwisting all the chains that tie

The hidden soul of harmony.”

How did Louise Alder score?

I liked her greatly in those vaulting leaps into musical / orgasmic heaven which Strauss composed for the final verse of 3."Going to Sleep.” [Richard Strauss’s wife and its muse, Pauline (Soprano), died a few days before the delayed premiere in May 1950 at the Royal Albert Hall of Four Last Songs sung by Kirsten Flagstad with Furtwangler in charge of the Philharmonia orchestra.]

Throughout the songs, Louise was totally secure and radiant and her diction was good. Perhaps, her lower register was a tad overwhelmed by the Ulster Orchestra that played adequately but without too much finesse under ruggedly efficient Rustioni. The band saved its best for the long postlude at the end of the final song which successfully portrayed a composer serenely and peacefully crossing the bar, no longer spinning out his time on earth with yet another hand of Canasta.

A word of thanks to Andrew McGregor who topped and tailed the work to perfection.

Brilliant, Ed ! Thanks for much insight, although it occurs to me that a century later Robert Buckley's "fearsome attack" on Strauss the musical anarchist of Salome & Elektra might easily be interpreted as approbation for one whose laudable aim was to épater la bourgeoisie. I agree with all your comments re Louise Alder's excellence in the 4 Last Songs.

[Padraig]

#22 and #23 above.



and thanks.

[cloughie]

The Barbara Bonney/ Malcolm Martineau is a favourite of mine and the pianist’s skill is wonderful.

[Lordgeous]

Thanks for all the points made above. I'll explore the recordings mentioned that I don't already have. Does anyone remember the winner of the last BAL? Oh, and apologies re the missing ' !!!

[edashtav]

Brilliant, Ed ! Thanks for much insight, although it occurs to me that a century later Robert Buckley's "fearsome attack" on Strauss the musical anarchist of Salome & Elektra might easily be interpreted as approbation for one whose laudable aim was to épater la bourgeoisie. I agree with all your comments re Louise Alder's excellence in the 4 Last Songs.

Amaze the middle classes! Well, he certainly astounded Mr Buckley who wrote a book on Elgar and as a leading Organist in Brum would have thought of himself as, at least, a mover and ‘shaper’.

[Pulcinella]

Thanks for all the points made above. I'll explore the recordings mentioned that I don't already have. Does anyone remember the winner of the last BAL? Oh, and apologies re the missing ' !!!

It was the comment about Szell that surprised me more than the missing apostrophe!

[Pulcinella]

Three stars from The Times:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ulster-orchestra-rustioni-review-charming-conductor-makes-a-mixed-proms-debut-0rjkzxflr?shareToken=9a36d6b6bedef997069678b5d298cf8c

[Serial_Apologist]

NO linkéd sweetness, long drawn out.
Writing of Strauss’s Opera “Salome”, Robert Buckley, Music Critic, opined:
[...] For sheer audacity, Strauss, himself, the most reckless of musical adventurers, has never equalled "Salome”.

Schoenberg's Erwartung had clearly passed Mr. Buckley by; but never mind: Strauss had retreated to safer territory by the time Buckley wrote those words.