Aus Liebe [Import]

Aus Liebe [Import]

Track Listings

1. Die Jungs Nebenan

2. Aus Liebe

3. Das Spiel Ist Aus

4. Eisenmann

5. Die Pest Ist Da

6. Deutschlandlied

7. Kusse Aus Stahlbeton

8. Was Ich An Dir Mag

9. Prinzessin In Koln Am Rhe

10. Hasso Fass

11. Armer Paul

12. Adam Jr

Tracks:

Kommt, ihr Toechter, helft mir klagen
Da Jesus diese Rede vollendet hatte
Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen
Da versammleten sich die Hohenpriester / Ja nicht auf das fest / Da nun Jesus war zu Bethanien / Wozu dienet dieser Unrat / Da das Jesus merkete
Du lieber Heiland du
Buss und Reu
Da ging hin der Zwoelfen einer
Blute nur, du liebes Herz
Aber am ersten Tage der suessen Brot / Wo willst du, dass wir dir bereiten / Er sprach: Gebet ihn in die Stadt / Un sie wurden sehr betrubt / Herr, bin ich's
Ich bin's, ich sollte buessen
Er antwortete und sprach:
Wiewohl mein Herz in Traenen schwimmt
Ich willdir mein Herze schenken
Und da sie den Lobgesang gesprochen hatten
Erkenne mich, mein Hueter
Petrus aber antwortete
Ich will hier bei dir stehen
Da kam Jesus mit ihnen zu einem Hofe
O Schmerz! hier zittert das gequaelte Herz
Ich will bei meinem Jesu wachen
Und ging hin ein wenig
Der Heiland faellt vor seinem Vater nieder
Gerne will ich mich bequemen
Und er kam zu seinen Juengern
Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh' allzeit
Und er kam und fand sie aber schlafend
So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen / Sind Blitze, sind Donner in Wolken verschwunden
Und siehe, einer aus denen
O Mensch, bewein' dein Suende gross

Tracks:

Ach! nun ist mein Jesus hin
Die aber Jesum gegriffen hatten
Mir hat die Welt trueglich gericht't
Und wiewold viel falsche Zeugen herzutraten
Mein Jesus schweigt zu falschen Luegen stille
Geduld, Geduld!
Und der Hohepriester antwortete / Er ist des Todes schuldig / Da speieten sie aus in sein Angesicht / Weissage uns, Christe
Wer hat dich so geschlagen
Petrus aber sass draussen im Palast / Wahrlich, du bist auch einer von denen
Erbarme dich
Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen
Das Morgens aber heilten alle Hohenpriester / Was gehet uns das an / Und er warf die Silberlinge in den Tempel
Gebt mir meinen Jesum wieder
Sie heilten aber einen Rat
Befiehl du deine Wege
Auf das Fest aber hatte der Landpfleger / Lass in kreuzigen!
Wie wunderbarlich ist doch diese Strafe
Der Landpfleger sagte
Er hat uns allen wohlgetan
Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben
Sie schrieen aber noch mehr / Lass in kreuzigen! / Da aber Pilatus sahe / Sein Blut komme uber uns / Da gab er ihnen Barrabam los
Erbarm es Gott
Koennen Traenen meiner Wangen

Tracks:

Da nahmen Kriegsknechte / Gegruesset seist du, Judenkoenig / Und speieten ihn an
O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden
Und da sie ihn verspottet hatten
Ja! freilich will in uns das Fleisch und Blut
Komm, suesses Kreuz
Und da sie an die Staette kamen / Der du den Tempel Gottes zerbrichst / Desgleichen auch die Hohenpreister / Andern hat er geholfen / Desgleichen schmaeheten ihn
Ach, Golgatha, unsel'ges Golgatha
Sehet Jesus hat die hand
Und von der sechsten Stunde / Der rufet dem Elias / Und bald lief einer unter ihnen / Halt, lass sehen / Aber Jesus schriee abermals laut
Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden
Und siehe da, der Vorhang im Tempel zerriss / Wahrlich, dieser ist Gottes Sohn gewesen / Und es waren viel Weiber da
Am Abend da es kuehle war
Mache dich, mein Herze, rein
Und Joseph nahm den Leib / Herr, wir haben gedacht / Pilatus sprach zu ihnen
Nun ist der Herr zu Ruh gebracht
Wir setzen uns mit Traenen nieder

Amazon.com essential recording

The St. Matthew Passion, Bach's monumental retelling of the story of the Last Supper and the arrest and execution of Jesus, typically runs from two-and-a-half to three hours. Yet this performance makes the time... well, not exactly fly past (consider the subject matter), but it's not tedious for even a second. Much of the credit for this goes to the marvelous Evangelist, Ian Bostridge. He's an outstanding narrator: the clear tone and diction, skillful timing, and intense involvement with words that made him a famous lieder singer are all in evidence; his part consists of nothing but recitative, yet he holds your interest unfailingly. Franz-Josef Selig gives a more dramatic reading of Jesus than you usually hear these days--he may be a bit too "operatic" for some listeners, but he really communicates his character's very human anguish and sorrow. Similarly, soprano Sibylla Rubens, tenor Werner Güra, and bass Dietrich Henschel sometimes unleash a bit too much vibrato for some tastes, but their singing is full-throated and attractive and they're very sensitive to the nuances in the text and music. Superstar countertenor Andreas Scholl is the standout--he combines unearthly purity with very earthly feeling and blends beautifully with the baroque instruments. The real stars of the record, however, are Philippe Herreweghe and his remarkable choir and orchestra. This conductor and his musicians (especially his radiant choir, Collegium Vocale) have always been superb at conveying warmth, devotion, and contemplation, but intense joy, anguish, or anger have sometimes seemed beyond them. Not here: they cover the full emotional range of this work--from reverent reflection to anguished remorse to churning fury--without ever crossing the line into melodrama or sacrificing clarity.

On top of all this, you get a CD-ROM chock full of interesting and well-organized information (in English, German, and French): texts as well as an overview with a timeline of Bach's life, a discussion of how the work is put together, marvelous graphics, sound clips, and an extensive interview with Herreweghe himself. A superb accompaniment to a superb release. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful.......2007-02-03

Do not hesitate for a moment to purchase this CD/CD ROM package. I researched thoroughly the many recordings of this work, and I am very pleased to have decided on this one. It is a gorgeous, moving recording.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-01-08

Bach (1685-1750), a Lutheran, was specifically asked by St. Thomas' Church, Leipzig, to supply a non-theatrical Passion. In this context passion stands for the act of passive suffering, of watching and occasonally empathising in the suffering of Christ, a development which began in the Middle Ages when the church took steps to popularise the Bible. When sung, the role of the Evangelist would be taken by a tenor and that of Jesus by a bass. As various instruments were added they began to be associated with certain roles and as with opera any dramatic action in the text occurred during the recitative. The chorus has two functions: to participate in the action and then to reflect upon it, such reflections provided by the chorales which were familiar Lutheran hymns.
The St. Matthew Passion was composed for the Good Friday service at the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig in 1727. As time went on Bach revised and added other pieces and subsequently this Passion became the grandest and the largest of his works. He used a Double Chorus, included a third soprano group for the opening and close of Part One, two orchestras split so that they either accompanied the first or the second chorus, four soloists who carry specific parts and a number of other singers who have other roles. The Gospel of Matthew, Chapters 26 and 27 plus traditional Lutheran chorales and meditative poems (by Henrici also known as Picander) provide the text.The Evangelist narrates the action scene by scene.
Although the work as a whole is somewhat heavy and sombre there are some lighter moments to treasure, and none more delightful than the soprano aria in Part One "Ich will dir mein Herze schenken" (I will give my heart to Thee). Part two contains the best known and loved aria from the work "Erbarme dich,mein Gott" (Have mercy, my God) for alto and violin obligato and pizzicato bass. The death is terse but dramatic as is the earthquake following with the heartrending crying "Walrlich dieser ist Gottes Sohn gewesen" (Truly this was the Son of (God). It all ends with a Sarabande-like chorale bidding Jesus to rest in peace.
The packageing of this edition is outstanding; the booklet includes absolutely all the documentation that one may need to fully comprehend this monumental work of Bach's. In addition, the the 3 CD's, there is a CD-Rom that explains the entire procedure for the production of this recording (in 3 languages:French,English and German).
The performance itself is excellent and beyond reproach. Ian Bostridge is all that one would desire in a tenor Evangelist; a joy just to hear his voice. Andreas Scholl gives one of the most emotional performances I have ever heard from him; he tends to be somewhat 'laid-back' in some renditons, but not in this one. Just my opinion; all you Scholl fans, don't get excited!!!!!I suggest you allow yourself an entire day to explore this wonderful musical experience.

The True Drama of the St. Matthew Passion.......2006-04-11

There are gratefully many recordings of Bach's great St. Matthew Passion from which to choose, and the approaches to this long and mighty work of inspiration are varied. While this listener cut his teeth of the old Klemperer recording now re-mastered from the LP days to CD, this recording under the sensitive and commanding control of Philippe Herreweghe has become the recording most favored for return listenings, especially during the Holy Week. Herreweghe obviously knows the work from intense study, a fact that gives him all the stamina to make the overall Passion work both musically and dramatically.

Herreweghe draws sumptuous playing from his Collegium Vocale Orchestra and Chorus, keeping the period sound intact while adding the contemporary trend for finding the operatic aspects of the work in the lead of all the other recordings. Of course he has an extraordinary group of soloists who give definitive performances. The leading actor is the Evangelist who guides us through the arrest and assassination the Jesus according to the Gospel of Matthew: Ian Bostridge not only has a beautiful tenor voice, rich and warm, but he also offers perfect enunciation of the text and delivers his comments with the exact amount of propelling drama. The role of Jesus is strongly delivered by Franz-Josef Selig and matches his competition (Fischer-Dieskau, Quasthoff and Goerne included!) in conveying both the agony and the transcendence of Bach's lines.

Add to this strong matrix the exquisite singing of Andreas Scholl and the solo work by Sibylla Rubens, Werner G?ra, Dietrich Henschel, Dominik Worner, Elisabeth Hermans, Susan Hamilton and Frits Vanhulle and the beauty of the drama is perfect. This is truly the most dramatic performance of Bach's most dramatic Passion and one to cherish for years. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, April 06

My favorite too!.......2005-09-17

I own six different St. Matthew Passion recordings, and this is my favorite. Herrweghe gets it right. I am not a stickler for HIP, but prefer it. In my opinion this is the most balanced high quality HIP treatment of the St. Matthew available. Get it!

Excellent work - but problems with sound level.......2005-05-29

I have no complaints about the performance, with the exception of two points: (1) the bass can at times sound too sharp and loud; (2) there is a bit of showing off, desire to impress the listener. Otherwise the work is awesome, but I am irritated by the recording quality. I thought that I would get used to it, but as I continue to listen to it, it irritates me more and more. The sound level is unequal. It is either too low, or annoyingly too high. I simply cannot just turn on the CD and listen through without adjusting volume levels all the time. Music becomes too quiet, then it bursts into sudden loudness, sharp, unpleasant sounds, which is extremely vexing. This is the main reason for my not listening to this recording more often. To add insult to injury, the bonus CD does not work on my computer, but freezes and muddles up. If I knew about this, I wouldn't have bought these CDs. Fortunately, I have also Herreweghe I, which I prefer to this one. But my all time favourite is - HARNONCOURT.

Average customer rating:

Uneven quality but great value
A superb collection of Mendelssohn

Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set]

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Dvorák: The Masterworks [Box Set]
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ASIN: B00062FLJ2
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Customer Reviews:

Uneven quality but great value.......2007-04-30

Brilliant Classics has found a niche with their extremely low-price multi-disc collections of the work of a single composer or performer. The Bach, Mozart and Chopin Complete Editions are legitimately considered to be artistic and economical triumphs. But the Masterworks series are more uneven. Currently available from Amazon France at about a buck per CD, they're still a bargain for those interested in quickly building a music library. But it's worth keeping a few things in mind. Unlike the Bach and Mozart Editions, these are not always historically informed performances. In this Mendelssohn set, the Hanover Band puts in a cameo (in Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage), but most of the ensembles use modern instruments, techniques and proportions. This doesn't always work out, as in the case of the ponderously heavy recordings of the String Symphonies by an apparently full complement of Gewandhausorchester Leipzig strings (Mendelssohn likely wrote these early works for a much smaller group). The caliber of the performances varies too, ranging from good to poor, and from marquis musicians such as Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau to a few Dutch who-dats. The chamber musicians generally acquit themselves well (though the Octet recording is marred by an engineering flaw in the last movement, distortion, at least on my copy). But the symphonies suffer from some substandard performances, such as the Italian Symphony's live recording with not only audience noise but also ensemble flaws such as a distracting clarinet squeak in the first movement's recapitulation. Another strike is the lack of program notes. Brilliant's Complete Editions provide a booklet or CD-ROM with program notes, but here you'll need to do your own research.

Despite these shortcomings, this set is still good value (at least at Amazon France's current price of 31 Euros). And it's a fine way to become acquainted with Mendelssohn's music.

A superb collection of Mendelssohn.......2007-03-24

Let me preface this by saying that most of these works were not new to me - I own many other Mendelssohn CDs and have enjoyed his compositions for some time now. Also, this set is available much cheaper elsewhere, particularly from European retailers.
The symphonies are well-performed. 'Reformation' is an inspired live recording. The 12 string symphonies, written in Mendelssohn's youth, are also included. The concertos are exceptional - the violin concerto is as good as you'll find anywhere. The oratorios Elijah and Paulus are included, as well as the complete chamber works and a diverse assortment of choral works. The last few discs include the Lied ohne worte, the epic organ sonatas, and excellent renditions of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Fingal's Cave. While there are a few sketchy performances in the choral and chamber works, the performances and recordings are generally very solid, and the body of work couldn't be better.

The Magic of Wunderlich [Includes Bonus DVD]

Average customer rating:

Delightful!
A Great and Varied Collection
MAGIC is a good word to describe Fritz Wunderlich

The Magic of Wunderlich [Includes Bonus DVD]

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Very Best of
Fritz Wunderlich: Great German Tenor
The Art of Fritz Wunderlich
An die Musik [2 CD & DVD Limited Edition]
Schumann: Dichterliebe / Wunderlich, Giesen

ASIN: B000AC5B20
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Tracks:

Finstre Furien, Ihr Geister Der Holle (Crude Furie Delg'orridi Abissi)
Wenn Der Freude Tranen Flieben
Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schon
Lebe Wohl Flandrisch Madchen
Nadir, Du Stehst Wirklich Vor Mir - Und In Des Tempels Grund (C'est Toi, Toi Qu'enfin Je Revois - Au Fond Du Temple Saint)
Wohin Seid Ihr Entschwunden (Kuda, Kuda, Kuda Vi Udalilis)
Ich Denk Ihn Lieber Mir Von Meinem Statde - Liebe Ist Seligkeit, Ist Licht Und Leben (Signor Ne Principe Io O Vorrei - E Il So Dell'anima, La Vita E Amora)
O, Lass Uns Fliehen Aus Diesen Mauern (Parigi, O Cara, Noi Lasceremo)
Und Es Blitzten Die Sterne (E Lucevan Le Stelle)
Wenn Es Abend Wird - Grub Mir Mein Wein
Wien Wird Bei Nacht Erst Schon
Heute Nacht Oder Nie
Ein Lied Geht Um Die Welt
Be My Love
Granada

Tracks:

Nun Schwanden Vor Dem Heiligen Strahle/Verzweiflung, Wut Und Schrecken
Mit Wurd' Und Hoheit Angetan
Ma Qual Mai S'ofre, Oh Dei - Fuggi Crudele
Come Mai Creder Deggio - Dalla Sua Pace
Amici Miei - Il Mio Tesoro Intanto
Nur Einen Wunsch, Nur Ein Verlangen (Unis Des La Plus Tendre Enfance)
O Unverhofftes Gluck - Das Hore Ich Von Dir, Von Meinem Freunde? (O Moment Trop Heureux! - Et Tu Pretends Encore Que Tu M'aimes?)
Hier Nimm Den Ring Der Treue (Prendie: L'anel Ti Dono)
O Schweige Still, O Lasse Dich Erbitten (Ne Parle Pas, Rose, Je T'en Supplie)
Doch Nun Zu Dir - Trenne Nicht Das Band Der Liebe
Di Rigori Armato Il Seno
Heimliche Aufforderung Op.27 No.3
Ich Trage Meine Minne Op.32 No.1
Standchen Op.17 No.2
Zueignung Op.10 No.1
Morgen Op.27 No.4

Customer Reviews:

Delightful!.......2007-01-19

What a beautful voice and such an artist. I've always loved Wunderlich's voice and this album was such a delightful surprise to happen across. The Pearl Fishers' duet with Herman Prey is spectacular--it would be even better than Bjoerling/Merrill if it were in the original French!

A Great and Varied Collection.......2005-12-19

Fritz Wunderlich is a name that is familiar to opera buffs, at least those who enjoy the great singers of the past, but his name is not as familiar with the general public. It probably would have been, had it not been for a tragic and fluke accident that claimed his life. For those who are familiar with this great tenor, he's a beloved musician that makes listeners wonder what could have been.

Wunderlich's voice is one that can be light and airy at times, yet it can also have a dramatic intensity. This two disc set includes a variety of pieces that display Wunderlich's wide range and great vocal talent. His excerpts from Mozart are perhaps his strongest. So often the tenor roles in Mozart operas are cast with performers who are agile and can reach the higher notes, but their voices are somewhat weak. Wunderlich shows just how beautiful these arias can be. The same holds true for his arias from EUGENE ONEGIN and the pieces from well known operettas. His "Au Fond De Temple Saint" performed with Hermann Prey (a dream team pairing if there ever was one) is close to the Bjorling/Merrill rendition. We see his versatility in the excerpt from Haydn's CREATION and the live performance of "Di Rigori Armato" from DER ROSENKAVALIER is a treat and allows the listener to compare his live and studio recordings. The bonus DVD has a few slight flaws, but we see, at least in the scenes from THE BARBER OF SEVILLE that he not only has a wonderful voice but a good stage presence as well.

Most of the tracks are performed in German, even the Bellini, Bizet, and Verdi tracks, as was the case in many of the recordings of famous German singers. This may detract at first, especially of we expect to hear gorgeous French singing and it comes out, well German sounding. Still, it's a wonderful set with great variety and shows us what we missed in this tenor whose career had just begun.

MAGIC is a good word to describe Fritz Wunderlich.......2005-11-08

Magic is a good word to describe Fritz Wunderlich (1930-1966), and if you aren't already familiar with his work, you'll see why when you experience this CD.

Many of the tracks are not new to CDs: I'd say 50% of them are also in the "Art of Fritz Wunderlich" set (DG, 7 CDs), including Handel, Mozart, Bellini, and other opera arias. There are 3 tracks from "Don Giovanni" which I had not encountered elsewhere, and a scene from Richard Strauss's "Der Rosenkavalier" + 5 Strauss Lieder (with orchestra) not previously released in recent years.

Wunderlich was never less than the very best, and here is no exception. The bonus DVD has almost 30 minutes of scenes of Wunderlich (Count Almaviva) in Rossini's "Barber of Seville", sung in German with Hermann Prey (Figaro) and Erika Koth (Rosina) from a 1959 black and white TV production, in very good mono sound; and two scenes from Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin", also sung in German, and with a young Brigitte Fassbaender (a little more hiss but very good, full, rich mono sound). The Rossini is available from English sources, and hopefully will be available in the US soon.

Like conductor Karl Bohm (1894-1981), I'm going to try to get as much Fritz Wunderlich material as I can find, CD or DVD, as is practical (and even when it isn't!).

Average customer rating:

The "Clinker" of the bunch

Brahms: The Masterworks (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00062FLIS
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Customer Reviews:

The "Clinker" of the bunch.......2006-12-19

Having collected the entire "The Masterworks" series (including the Bach and Mozart Complete Works) this set is the 'clinker' of the bunch. First off... 6 CD's of Lieder 'historic' (pre-historic) recordings. No Overtures, No Orchestral Seranades, No Haydn Variations?? The performances of the Symphonies and the Concertos are shakey and not very well recorded. Brilliant Classics, who has done such a wonderful job with the Hadyn Complete Symphonies (licensed from Nimbus), the Mozart and Bach Complete sets, has stumbled a bit with this release.

Average customer rating:

Stratospheric waves of sound - Straussian rarities
The Compleat Strauss Begins - with a Brilliant Christine Brewer
A wonderful recital from a wonderful artist

Strauss: The Complete Songs, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Strauss: Four Last Songs; Wagner" Excerpts from Tristan und Isolde & Götterdämmerung

ASIN: B0008F1088
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Customer Reviews:

Stratospheric waves of sound - Straussian rarities.......2005-11-06

Christine Brewer is not a name that springs to mind when it comes to Lieder singers, and it's easy to understand why. Her career has focused upon opera, and there's little doubt that is where Ms Brewer's greatest love lies. Her voice is more than ample - often luscious, often beautiful, and with a fabulous range.

I listened to this recording with pleasure, even though that pleasure was alloyed with some dissatisfaction. To sing Lieder is not the same as singing opera. It's much more intimate and much more detailed on a smaller scale - it's like a painting seen up close, so that every flaw is laid bare, every quiver and tremble, every moment of blandness, every lack of wordplay.

With the best Lieder singers in the world, one is in a ferment of delirious pleasure. The words come alive, highlighted with highly intellectual and yet deeply emotional use of the musical aspects of the Lied, given edge and dimension by exquisite and pointed use of the words themselves. There really are not many great Lieder singers in the world today...

What we see in Ms Brewer is musical intelligence and a glorious voice, some quite good approach to the Lieder, but not that perfect connection between words and music which speaks to the listener without doubt, without a single loss of textual meaning, without a moment's veering from the beauty of the song to the strings of the heart. The Lieder singing on this disc is good, but not great. In terms of sheer singing...? Lovely, but that's not exactly the same thing.

Christine Brewer's voice and technique give many of the songs on this recording a beautiful sense of spacious richness, soaring easily into the notes. The text did not soar... Perhaps I am expecting too much, but that is what I want with Lieder singing. Ms Brewer did best with the dramatic coloratura Lieder, where her voice showed what a magnificent vehicle it is. But when it came to the more intimate Lieder, "Zugeignung" for instance, or in PARTICULAR the heartbreaking "Befreit", the problem becomes apparent - she does not move the heart with the poetry that should strike like an arrow through the soul. For this, we must still rely on the Schwarzkopf recordings, or a very moving recording made by Margaret Price.

Some of the Lieder on this disc are unusual, and it is strange indeed to see such masterpieces not in the public repertoire. Perhaps this recording will remedy the lack.

In spite of my faint qualms, I consider this a very good disc, and I look forward to more in the series.

The Compleat Strauss Begins - with a Brilliant Christine Brewer.......2005-08-22

Richard Strauss wrote over 200 songs for voice and piano/orchestra and the fine Hyperion label has committed to recording the Complete Songs in eight CDs. If all eight rise to the brilliance of this first installment, we are indeed in for a luxurious treat!

Volume I, now released, contains eighteen songs written from 1882 to 1928, not all of them are outstanding but each of these songs is historically significant. Strauss understood the female voice range from mezzo to coloratura and wrote some of the most hauntingly beautiful songs in the repertoire. Opening with the 'Zueignung' (still one of his most often performed songs) and proceeding in chronological order of writing, this recital continues with unknown songs along with familiar ones. It is a feast!

Making this recital consummate is the gifted young singer Christine Brewer, a musician with a near faultless, gorgeous vocal technique and interpretative ability to probe the poetry as well as the musical line as well as any singer living. Having experienced her live in the infamous Los Angeles Philharmonic production of 'Tristan und Isolde' makes it easy to attest to her stage demeanor and communicative powers. She is a rising giant. Her capable collaborator on this disc is pianist Roger Vignoles who not only matches Brewer's quality, he also enhances the intellectual aspect of this recording venture with exception Program Notes.

Be advised that this series has begun and if all of the subsequent installments are of the standard of this Volume I, the Strauss lovers should plan to collect them all. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, August 05

A wonderful recital from a wonderful artist.......2005-06-25

Finally a truly great Strauss recital disk! Of course, there have been great Strauss recitals in the past but none in quite a while. Of the recent recordings, Renee Fleming is too in love with her voice, Karita Mattila sounds uninvolved (which is weird since she's almost always incredibly expressive), Felicity Lott is impassioned but her voice isn't always pristine, Soile Isokoski sounds a little light. Then comes Brewer with the total package: intelligence, involvement, musicality, and a big gorgeous gorgeous voice. This is an artist! Each selection is sung with care without becoming fussy and overdone. There could be a tad more weary sorrow in "Befreit" (Debbie Voigt shattered me in her Carnegie Hall performance) but her voice is so naturally expressive that it doesn't really matter. The ever popular "Zueignung" sounds fresh and original. I highly recommend this disk!

Average customer rating:

no texts -- shame on you EMI
Very Best of Fritz Wunderlich
Wunderlich.. ah what might have been,but glory in what was..
Elegant collection though everything...auf Deutsch!

Very Best of
Fritz Wunderlich
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Fritz Wunderlich: Great German Tenor
Schumann: Dichterliebe / Wunderlich, Giesen
The Magic of Wunderlich [Includes Bonus DVD]
The Very Best of Giuseppe di Stefano
Schubert: Die Schöne Müllerin, 3 Lieder / Fritz Wunderlich

ASIN: B000083GOM
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

Nur Ihrem Frieden - Berliner Symphoniker
Folget Der Heissgeliebten (Il Mio tesoro) - Berliner Symphoniker
Konstanze, Dich Wiederzusehen - Berliner Symphoniker
Der Odem Der Liebe (Un' Aura Amorosa) - Berliner Symphoniker
Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schon - Berliner Symphoniker
Ombra Mai Fu - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Ach, So Fromm - Berliner Symphoniker
Mit Gewitter Und Sturm - Orchester Der Staatsoper Berlin
So Leb' Ich Noch...Vor Deinem Fenster - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Lebe Wohl, Mein Flandrisch' Madchen - Berliner Symphoniker
Selig Sind, Die Verfolgung Leiden - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Horch, Die Lerche Singt Im Hain - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Fenton! Mein Madchen - Edith Mathis
Armer Narr...Es Muss Gelingen - N/A
So Find' Ich Dich...Mein Lieber Schatz, Nun Aufgepasst - Bamberger Symphoniker
Wohin Bist Du Entschwunden (Lensky's Aria) - Berliner Symphoniker

Tracks:

Leb' Wohl, Mignon (Adieu, Mignon) - Berliner Symphoniker
Ich Schloss Die Augen (En Ferment Les Yeux) - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Komm, O Holde Dame (Viens, Gentille Dame) - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Welche Huld Und Welche Reize (Quanto E Bella) - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Wohl Drang Aus Ihrem Herzen (Una Furtiva Lagrima) - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Komm In Die Gondel - N/A
Ach, Wie So Herrlich Zu Schau'n - Berliner Symphoniker
Durch Diesen Kuss Sei Unser Bund Geweiht - Berliner Symphoniker
Freunde, Das Leben Ist Lebenswert - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Von Apfelbluten Einen Kranz - N/A
Dein Ist Mein Ganzes Herz - Symphonie - Orchester
Allein! Wieder Allein! (Wolgalied) - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Zwei Marchenaugen - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Wenn Es Abend Wird... Grub Mir Mein Wien - N/A
Auch Ich Was Ein Feiner Csardaskavalier...Komm, Zigany - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Kleinen Kindern...O Frag Mich Nicht - Symphonie - Orchester Graunke
Man Sagt Uns Nach...O Rose Von Stambul - N/A
Zwei Augen - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Der Rattenfanger - FFB Orchester

Amazon.com

Fritz Wunderlich is one of those singers whose voice, while you are listening to it, seems to eclipse all others. Ravishingly beautiful, perfectly produced, radiant, even, mellow, it flows out with effortless ease like a golden stream. His breath is endless, and there is nothing that he cannot do. On these two very generous discs he sings arias ranging from Handel to Viennese operettas and sounds equally at home in all of them, vocally and stylistically. Mozart was one of his specialties, and the five arias opening the program have a beguiling, caressing lyricism that melts the heart. The selection includes familiar arias by Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Massenet, Donizetti, Smetana (including a duet with Pilar Lorengar), as well as several by composers whose operas were popular in the 1960s, when the records were made, but have now fallen into oblivion, such as Lortzing, Flotow, Cornelius, Kienzl, Nicolai, Thomas, Boieledieu. Wunderlich sings them all with the same seriousness and commitment, making the lesser ones sound better than they are, and creating real characters with color, nuance and expression. In keeping with the European tradition of performing opera in the local language, he sings everything in German, except the famous "Ombra mai fu" from Handel's Serse, which must have escaped the translators. Choosing from the best operettas by Lehár, Johann Strauss, Millöcker, Kálmán and Fall, he captures their smiling, tongue-in-cheek lightness and never lets the catchy tunes become corny or sentimental. (Listen also to his two very different, but equally wonderful recordings of Mahler's Song of the Earth under Schmidt-Isserstedt on BellaVoce and Klemperer.) In 1966, aged 36, at the peak of his artistry and his career, Wunderlich died after a fall, a month before he was to make his debut at the Metropolitan Opera. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

no texts -- shame on you EMI.......2007-02-11

This is not a gripe about Wunderlich, one of the greatest IMHO. It is about the EMI folks, who obviously think that song texts are irrelevant. Well, how do you know if the singing does justice to the text? And if you think that these texts are easily available elsewhere, I would be most thankful if you would share with me Lehar's "Das Land des L"achelns" Kalman's "die Zirkusprinzessin" or Neuendorff's "Der Rattenf"anger".

Very Best of Fritz Wunderlich.......2007-01-09

Fritz Wunderlich is still one of the Best. This CD is very good value for money, such a variety of songs, excellent tone quality.

Wunderlich.. ah what might have been,but glory in what was.........2004-12-29

Fritz Wunderlich died at the tragically young age of 36, just weeks before his scheduled Metropolitan Opera debut. I have no doubt that he would have been THE tenor of the 1960s and 70s. This collection is a compendium of some of Wunderlich's finest stuff (although his lieder are not represented here). Among the highlights, Granada.
I know, it's a Spanish song, and as the previous reviewer said, everything here is in German, which can get a little annoying with the Italian opera.. but for sheer vocal glory, Granada will make you want to stand up and shout, what a voice!!
If you don't know Wunderlich, get this disc.

Elegant collection though everything...auf Deutsch!.......2004-05-03

Among the lyric tenors, Wunderlich had one of the most handsome voices and a strength not usually related to this type of tenors. One melancholically wonders how much his repertoire could have expanded, had he lived longer.

This new VERY BEST collection has arias of some of his trademark Mozart roles, songs and arias of less popular composers as well as some famous arias of the Italian repertoire. He sings them all with memorable style, unparalleled beauty of tone and - where needed - the right vigour. I only wish he'd escaped the tradition of those decades and recorded the Italian and French arias in their original language and not in German. Only "Ombra mai fu" is sung in Italian and it doesn't reveal any bad Italian accent. Listening for example to his lovely "Una furtiva lagrima" in German is unique for sure but I prefer the Italian version.

Tracks:

Wenn Ich Vergnn
Uch Wollt' Ich W Ein Huhn
Veronika, Der Lenz Ist Da
Bin Kein Hauptmann, Bin Kein Gros Tier
Ein Freund, Ein Guter Freund
Creol Love Call
Bist Nicht Die Erste
Baccarole
Der Sch Blauen Donau
Quant il Pleut
Ein Bisschen Leichtsinn Kann Nicht Schaden
Ich Hab' Fh 'Nen Blumentopf Bestellt
Jetzt Trinken Wir Noch Eins
Ist Die Liebe Der Matrosen
Liebling, Mein Herz L Dich Gr
Irgendwo Auf Der Welt
Ali Baba
Maria Marie
Auf Dem Heuboden
Liebesleid
Tout le Jour
Wir Sind Von Kopf Bis FuAuf Liebe Eingestellt
So Ein KuKommt Von Allein
Musketier Marsch
Mein Kleiner, Graktus

Tracks:

Hoppla, Jetzt Komm'ich
Kannst du Pfeifen, Johanna
Tea for Two
In Der Bar Zum Krokodil
Eine Kleine Frsweise
Eins, Zwei, Drei, Vier Glh Bin Ich Nur Mit Dir
Die Liebe Kommt, Die Liebe Geht
Heute Nacht Oder Nie
Hallo, Was Machst du Heut' Daisy
Ich Khre Hand Madame
Auf Wiedersehen Mein Frein, Auf Wiedersehen Mein Herr
Kleiner Mann, Was Nun
Hein Spielt Abends So Schuf Dem Schifferklavier
Mein Lieber Schatz Bist du Aus Spanien
Onkel Bumba Aus Kalumba
Perpetuum Mobile
Leb' Wohl Gute Reise [Farewell, Have a Good Journey]
Wenn Die Sonja Russisch Tanzt
Morgen MuIch Fort Von Hier
Wenn Der Wind Weht er das Meer
Puppenhochzeit
Was Dein Roter Mund Im Fr Sagt
Es Fein Anderer Weg Zur Seligkeit
SchLisa, Ssa
Wochenend und Sonnenschein
Auf Wiedersch'n My Dear

Customer Reviews:

Comedian Harmonists.......2003-05-23

A wonderful Selection of great Harmonies and Novelty Tunes by this Relatively Unknown Group in America , This terrific German Group is a must for anyone that enjoys Good Harmony and just Plain Vocal Fun with Sounds and Lyrics. Highly Recommended and Enjoyable.

Average customer rating:

Score 4 runs for Strauss/Isokoski
Lyrical Strauss from an appealing Finnish soprano
The Shock of the Old Being Reinvented Anew
Difficult to believe this Strauss selection is so good!
BEST 4 Last Songs in 21st century

Four Last Songs / Orchestral Songs
R. Strauss , Isokoski , Janowski , and Berlin So
Manufacturer: Ondine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Mozart: Arias
Sibelius: Luonnotar Orchestral Songs [Hybrid SACD]
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben - Four Last Songs / Auger, Previn
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Richard Strauss: Four Last Songs

ASIN: B000062TDA
Release Date: 2002-05-21

Tracks:

Das Rosenband, Op.36/1
Ich Wollt Ein Strausslein Binden, Op.68/2
Sausle, Liebe Myrte, Op.68/3
Als Mir Dein Lied Erklang, Op.68/4
Befreit, Op.39/4
Ruhe, Meine Seele!, Op.27/1
Wiegenlied, Op.41/1
Meinem Kinde, Op.37/3
Zueignung, Op.10/1
Morgen!, Op.27/4
Die Heiligen Drei Konige Aus Morgenland, Op.56/6
Vier Letzte Lieder, Op.Posth.: Fruhling
Vier Letzte Lieder, Op.Posth.: September
Vier Letzte Lieder, Op.Posth.: Beim Schlafengehen
Vier Letzte Lieder, Op.Posth.: Im Abendrot

Amazon.com

Strauss songs with orchestra, especially his final masterpiece, the Four Last Songs, have fared well in recordings, with compelling versions by Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, Lisa Della Casa, Jessye Norman, Gundula Janowitz, and others of their caliber. But the Finnish soprano Soile Isokoski yields nothing to her distinguished predecessors. For some sopranos, Strauss's soaring melodies invite lingering tempos and arch interpretations that dwell on individual words and syllables, breaking the composer's long lines. Not here. Isokoski's sunlit voice and stunning legato illuminate music and text with restrained feeling. The Four Last Songs are taken at a perfect tempo, slow enough to let their message sink in, fast enough to let the music flow unimpeded. It's a lesson in the artfulness of simplicity, where less tinkering with the music equals more profundity and pleasure. The 11 other songs on the disc are as good, and while the quality of songs and singing is high throughout, it's hard to rid the memory of Isokoski's renditions of "Wiegenlied" and "Morgen!" once you hear them. But the same may be said of "Die heiligen drei Könige aus Morgenland" or "Befriet," among others. A disc to treasure. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Score 4 runs for Strauss/Isokoski.......2006-03-11

Mr. Strauss may or may not have described himself as a first-rate second-rate composer, but he could be proud of the Four Last Songs - a grand slam out of the musical ballpark - some of the most sublime music in the repertoire.

But why purchase Isokoski's CD over others? Well, you shouldn't, but rather have the recordings of all the other icons. Each brings a particular interpretation, as insightful other reviewers have noted, and I suppose in the end it really is more a matter of whose voice/sound you prefer at any given time. Forced to choose, however, I would select this recording. Ms. Isokoski sings with a purity of tone, sweet when needed but with enormous strength other times. Her rendering rings with a real joy and freshness, much like when rain suddenly stops and all is fragrantly wet.

A deciding factor, too, would be the coupling of eleven other orchestral songs to the title draw. Each is stand alone beautiful yet forming a wonderful musical tapestry, enhanced by an absolutely superb recording by the Ondine label engineers.

For the ultimate enjoyment, I would recommend listening with the Bose noise reducing headphones, in singular repose, with the effect of Ms. Isokoski singing in the middle of your head. It can be an out of body experience. Given the option, I would hope that the last sound I hear on Earth would be the last of the Four Last Songs - sort of for the definitive out of body experience.

Lyrical Strauss from an appealing Finnish soprano.......2006-01-11

Soile Isokoski was a total unknown before making this breakthrough recording in 2002. Her voice has a trembling vulnerability reminiscent of Barbara Hendicks, and the two could share the same roles of Sophie, Pamina, and others poised between lyric and colorature soprano. The blend of voice and orchestra in Strauss's luscious candy-coated orchestrations is excellent.

In Strauss songs voice can be enough, and for many listeners it will be. Marek Janowski and the Berlin Radio Sym. play beautifully, if not exactly with depth, and they are caught in Ondine's typically clear, bright sonics. The real test, however, is the Four Last Songs, where the singer must convey not just lyric beauty but the melancholy depth of Hesse's poetry. Janowski takes the first song too fast for Isokoski to make points with the words, but she spins a lovely vocal line. Tone continues to dominate as the singer swallows the words in the next two songs. I waited eagerly for the concluding Im Abendrot, the slowest song, but Janowski is glib, uninflected and colorless here, and Isokoski, now vocalizing with touching sensitivity, has little to work with. To give her credit, while not in the same league as Schwarzkopf or Norman, she sings with purity and dignity throughout. Her career was well launched, and a few short years later she made it to the Met.

The Shock of the Old Being Reinvented Anew.......2005-09-25

The right kind of voice can make you fall in love - - and see the world in a new light... It happened to me for real once. And now it did again, sort of. This whole album sounds - as it always should, maybe, but which it so seldomly does - as if these songs, one after the other, are being reinvented, being recreated by Soile Isokoski! And the stunning playing of the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin under Marek Janowski are the ideal accompaniment for Soile Isokoski's singing, which is velvety but at the same time clear like a bell and with a full and ringing high. From the gentlest pianissimo's to the greatest fortissimo's Soile Isokoski's voice just soars, with the orchestra always the equal of and supportive to the soprano's art, which is simply magnificent. Her art displays a deep understanding of and a complete familiarity with the words she is singing, combined with the clearest diction. The same clearness and freshness, combined with a deep richness and colorfulness of sound, is displayed in the playing of the orchestra, so it all fits together wonderfully!
This must be one of the best Strauss Lieder albums ever to have emerged and TMHO it can hold pride of place beside the great Schwarzkopf/Szell album. If Elisabeth Schwarzkopf is the queen, then Soile Isokoski must surely be the crown princess.

Difficult to believe this Strauss selection is so good!.......2003-06-11

Soile Isokoski, where have you been hiding? Long an ardent devotee of Strauss songs (especially the Four Last Songs) I thought I had heard the finest interpretations by the usual suspects - Schwarzkopf, Della Casa, Popp, Te Kanawa, Fleming, Janowitz, Norman, Auger etc. Granted each of these great singers "owns" certain songs, but few have the incredible consistency of Isokoski. Not only is hers a voice of crystaline beauty that seems to know no specific range, her intelligence pays homage to the music and words without the 'milking for effect' that is the tendency of many very fine singers who sound as though they have fallen in love with their own sound as much as Strauss' intentions. Radiantly beautiful from beginning to end. She is the new Strauss heroine for the decade! Brava!

BEST 4 Last Songs in 21st century.......2002-09-04

I have most of 4 last song recordings: te kanawa, norman, schwarzkopf, fleming, janowitz, della casa, auger; although there were great recordings (according to the experts) - but I believe; this is ONE of the best; the more I listen to this one, the more I am convinced that Soile and Marek are great team and express more sensible and sensitive feeling to the songs. Super highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

One of the best of the Masterworks series
Will not buy this
Worth it!
Great way to jumpstart a schubert collection
Better to Pick a Few First-rate Performances

Schubert: The Masterworks [Box Set]

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set]
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ASIN: B00062FLJC
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Customer Reviews:

One of the best of the Masterworks series.......2007-07-06

Brilliant Classics' "Masterworks" series, if you can get them cheaply (and currently they go for about $1/CD from Amazon's France Web site), are a great way to amass a significant library of the works of several great computers. The production values and the performances themselves are uneven, and the interpretations are not always historically-informed (unlike the bulk of Brilliant's "Complete Editions" of the works of Bach and Mozart). But there are numerous gems in the rough in The Masterworks, and the economic value is unsurpassed, even if you were to throw away half of the CDs in each set.

You're unlikely to throw away much of this Schubert collection though. This seems to be the finest of the Masterworks sets, with a succession of solid, often first-rate performances of most of the major Schubert works. Here's what you get:

- The symphonies, performed by The Hanover Band in a historically-informed style. Very interesting performances perhaps marred by an odd recording balance that makes the woodwinds sound distant. Takes up four CDs
- The six Latin masses. Also the Deutsche Messe in the version with wind instruments. Five CDs in all
- Edison Denisov's completion of Schubert's unfinished dramatic work Lazarus (2 CDs, Helmuth Rilling's premier recording)
- The last four string quartets (including the Quartettsatz) with #9 thrown in. Also the octet, piano quintet ("The Trout"), string quintet and both piano trios. In short all the canonical chamber works. Performances are strong, and well recorded
- Two CDs of violin/piano duets, including Op. 137 and Op. 162
- 19 of the 21 "canonical" piano sonatas (missing #7 and #12) as well as the Moments Musicaux, Impromptus, German Dances, Wanderer Fantasy and several other piano works, 11 CDs in all. As with the chamber music, the performances and recordings are strong, often stunning
- Two CDs of piano duets, including the Divertissements and D. 617
- Song cycles: Die Schöne Müllerin, Winterreise, Schwanengesang, and four CDs of standalone songs, including such "standards" as Erlkönig and Gretchen am Spinnrade. The singers are a bit uneven here, ranging from standouts Robert Holl, Deitrich Fischer-Dieskau and John Shirley-Quirk to the somewhat shrill Arleen Augér

Missing from the collection is Rosamunde, and a number of famous songs: Die Forelle (The Trout), Death and the Maiden, Ellens Gesang III (the so-called Ave Maria, D. 839), Der Hirt auf dem Felsen and Der Wanderer. But you do have almost all the important instrumental works, and most of the vocal works generally considered to be essential, with some padding added in the form of minor works such as the parochial Deutsche Messe, the German Dances, and the modernist-informed completion of Lazarus by the 20th Century Russian composer Denisov.

As with the other Masterworks sets, there are no program notes. You'll need to do your own research. Answers.com is a good starting point for Schubert compositions. There are also no song texts or translations provided, so again you'll need to track down your own. Try "The Lied and Art Song Texts Page" for lieder lyrics and translations. Hunt down a good price on this collection, browsing one of Amazon's European sites if necessary, and treat yourself to many hours of lovely music for the cost of a modest night out.

Will not buy this.......2007-03-16

I can't see D965 or D945 on this 40 disks worth of Schubert. Bizarre! There are so many great songs missing it scares me.

Worth it!.......2006-12-19

One of the best in "The Masterpices" series. Many of the discs (the symphonies in particular) were licensed from Nimbus and other full-line labels. Not all that long ago these discs would have set you back $18 to $20 a piece. That said, I still wouldn't part with my Hyperion collection. 40 CD's at this price... you can't go wrong.

Great way to jumpstart a schubert collection.......2006-12-19

Hartmut Holl, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Stephanie Brown, and Jaime Laredo as well as the Stuttgart Bach Collegium performing Schubert are hardly "left-behind artists and ensembles" as the previous naysayer states. These are licensed from major label releases and from the original masters issued at a bargain price, especially for the number of discs you get. Sound quality ranges from good to excellent. Good for all Schubertians and anyone who wants to jumpstart a Schubert collection.

Better to Pick a Few First-rate Performances.......2006-11-14

This is a bargain in dollar/listening time ratio, but who cares? There are many second-rate performances by left-behind artists and ensembles. Obviously the economics of resurrecting disks that don't require royalties has been the driving factor of selection. (On the other hand, the complete edition boxed sets of Bach and Mozart, which you'll find if you look, are stupendous successes artistically.)

Plácido Domingo & Deborah Voigt - Wagner Love Duets ~ Tristan und Isolde, Siegfried

Average customer rating:

Really a delightful album
Voices flowing on currents of sensuous emotion ...
Made me like Wagner
Less Heavy Wagner Pure Soul
Domingo

Plácido Domingo & Deborah Voigt - Wagner Love Duets ~ Tristan und Isolde, Siegfried
Richard Wagner , Antonio Pappano , Plácido Domingo , Deborah Voigt , and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House - Covent Garden
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Obsessions (Wagner & Strauss: Arias and Scenes)
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All My Heart: Deborah Voigt Sings American Songs
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde [Includes Bonus DVD]
Renée Fleming: Bel Canto

ASIN: B00004TVUO
Release Date: 2000-08-15

Tracks:

Siegfried Akt III, Szene 3: Sehr Langsam
Siegfried Akt III, Szene 3: Heil Dir, Sonne! Heil Dir, Licht!
Siegfried Akt III, Szene 3: O Wusstest Du, Lust Dir Welt
Siegfried Akt III, Szene 3: Dort Seh' Ich Grane, Mein Selig Ross
Siegfried Akt III, Szene 3: Heilig Schied Sie Aus Walhall
Siegfried Akt III, Szene 3: Ewig War Ich, Ewig Bin Ich
Siegfried Akt III, Szene 3: Dich Lieb' Ich: O Liebtest Mich Du!
Siegfried Akt III, Szene 3: Siehst Du Mich Nicht?
Tristan Und Isolde Akt II, Szene 2: O Sink Hernieder, Nacht Der Liebe
Tristan Und Isolde Akt II, Szene 2: Nie-wieder-Erwachtens Wahnlos...Einsam Wachend In Der Nacht
Tristan Und Isolde Akt II, Szene 2: Lausch', Geliebter!
Tristan Und Isolde Akt II, Szene 2: Doch Uns're Liebe
Tristan Und Isolde Akt II, Szene 2: So Starben Wir, Um Ungetrennt...Haber Acht!
Tristan Und Isolde Akt II, Szene 2: Soll Ich Lauschen?

Amazon.com

This stunning disc includes the two long love duets from Act III of Siegfried and Act II of Tristan und Isolde (including a new "resolution" that was written into the latter from the Act III "Liebestod"). In Plácido Domingo and Deborah Voigt, Richard Wagner's characters find powerful, vulnerable, almost transcendental exponents. Domingo's voice, of course, is no longer in the freshest bloom of youth. But, if he is not the impossibly ideal 25-year-old Heldentenor about whom one fantasizes singing Siegfried, he brings an authority and sensitivity to the role that sweeps one away. Voigt, too, gets to the heart of the female characters, and sings Brünnhilde with such subtle vulnerability that her moments of powerful exclamation sound as if she is trying to convince herself of their truth. There is no bombast for bombast's sake, and the result is psychologically all the more true. Antonio Pappano, a conductor alive to every nuance of the singers' phrasing, brings a Mediterranean sensuousness to the score, and draws some remarkably luxurious sounds from the Royal Opera House band. The acoustic also gives a wonderful depth to the texture, and the brass especially sounds gorgeous. --Warwick Thompson

Customer Reviews:

Really a delightful album.......2007-01-20

When I bought this CD, I had been looking, in vain, for a certain Chicago Symphony recording, when this item popped up as a "people screwy enough to buy what you're looking for also bought this:" selection. Domingo, the Orchestra, and the music were all a plus, but I'd never really warmed up to Debby Voight. I took a flyer and ordered the CD anyway.

This album, in short, contains performances so beautiful as to make a stone weep!

Domingo, Voight, the Covent Garden Orchestra and Wagner are a sublime combination.

The sole drawback to this CD is EMI's goofy copy protection scheme. It can be defeated with only moderate effort, but does leave a bad taste in one's mouth as regards EMI releases.

Now quit reading these boring reviews, and buy this CD. You won't be sorry.

Voices flowing on currents of sensuous emotion ..........2006-10-17

First of all it would be fair to tell you - putting any of my qualifications of the album under review here in clearer perspective - that I have a special fondness for the 'Barenboim Ring' in all of its aspects, but especially the music as conducted by Daniel Barenboim: the clear instrumental articulation and phrasing combined with the dramatic purposefulness and powerful, 'muscled' orchestral playing of the Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele in top form under maestro Barenboim is IMHO unbeatable. (I also believe his Tristan und Isolde is quite legitimate, and I think it is just beautiful - the same clear and purposefully dramatical playing, which I like.)

Now here we have something quite different!
Where Daniel Barenboim is intent on purposefully underlining the drama that is happening on stage in robust but clearly delineated, freshly articulated musical lines in all of the orchestral 'registers' - a Parthenon or Pantheon in music -, Antonio Pappano is intent on creating more of what I feel as a flowing, sensuous (or even sensual) (under)current of emotions on which the singers float along in flowing musical lines, their voices truly 'voicing' the emotional currents the orchestra expresses in 'one great, heaving voice' of its own. This more sensuous approach is as legitimate as any other, and maybe comes closest to what Wagner meant when he said his singers should sing his lines in a more Italian(ate) manner, with a more flowing legato. Indeed, Pappano and Placido Domingo are an ideal match in this respect, of course, as they both hail from Europe's southerly regions steeped in Italian operatic tradition.
And Deborah Voight matches excellently with Placido Domingo, I believe, both of them singing their legato lines with heroic, but at the same time sensually seductive, tones and in burnished colors. Quite different from, for example, Anne Evans' Brunnhilde and Siegfried Jerusalem's Siegfried in the 'Barenboim Ring', but maybe balm to the ears for those who want to hear his Wagner 'differently'.
Anyway, the sheer opulent beauty of tone is especially convincing (and seductive) in the duets/pieces from Tristan und Isolde, I think. But at the same time something strange happens on this recording with this more flowingly 'Italianate' approach under this conductor and with these singers: the harsher, darker, brooding sentiments (these lovers are destined to die!) are downplayed somewhat, it seems - at least to the ears of this particular listener.

This album is for pure, sensuous listening pleasure, bringing Wagner in more refined shades of color and with finer orchestral nuances of light and shadow than we have come used to in Wagner, maybe. This is also result of the recording as such, which blends the orchestral colors nicely together in a warm and sonorous soundstage.
Together with the later album of Antonio Pappano and Placido Domingo, 'Scenes from the Ring', this is a magnificent way to sample a 'different Wagner', bathing in 'warmer lights from the South'. Wagner could only love it, couldn't he? Anyway, this album - together with its 'Scenes from the Ring' counterpart - is highly recommended, and certainly invaluable for those, like I myself, who love Domingo in Wagner.

Made me like Wagner.......2006-07-05

Before I bought this CD, I didn't care much for Wagner. But after listening to these two extraordinary artists sing these entrancing duets, I must say that I have a new found respect and fondness for Wagner's music. Placido Domingo isn't a singer that most people associate with Wagnerian roles, and alot of people scoff at the idea of him singing such roles. But on this CD, his voice is absolutely entrancing, especially in the duet from Tristan und Isolde. Even though he is getting up there in years, his voice is still utterly beautful. His high notes are still strong and powerful and lovely, his interpretations are superb. Deborah Voigt, the up and coming Wagnerian/Strauss Soprano, is very powerful and strong in her singing here, yet she's also very ladylike. Not having an overwhelming, imposing voice that alot of the dramatic sopranos have, but still having the strenght, stamina, and authority in her voice to sing these grand roles. I guess what I'm trying to say is that she's a well-balanced singer. Not to mention that her voice is very very lovely and pretty, having a golden timbre, and a fluttery vibrato, which I love in a singer. The orchestra, in my opinion, is probably one of the Top 5 best orchestras I've ever heard. Absolutely gorgeous playing. An added bonus is the Mezzo-Soprano Violetta Urmano in the role of Brangane. I had never heard of her before I bought this CD, but she has a delicious voice, with a very rich quality to it. Even though she is a Mezzo, I would like to hear her sing the role of Isolde sometime. She has the perfect voice for it. This would be a good CD to give someone to introduce them to Wagner. It is lovely in every way.

Less Heavy Wagner Pure Soul.......2005-05-07

Placido Domingo, now in his sixties, is not ready to call it quits. He has added Wagner into his repertoire, and in fact has sung (on stage and record) the Wagner heroes of Tannhauser, Lohengrin and Parsifal. In November this year, he will sing Parsifal at the LA Opera. Now, I personally think that he can sing Tristan, as he does here, in its entirety and it would be heavenly if he sang next to Deborah Voight's Isolde. However, all we have is this "concert version" for now. Domingo's voice has been criticized for not sounding "Wagnerian" in the traditional sense. So what ? He doesnt have that annoying "Bayreuth bark" and he is certainly no Jon Vickers, but he has integrity, discipline and soul. There is no doubt his mellow, flowing, gorgeous voice would make his heroes sound particularily spiritual, even if it lacks the intensity and vigor that other interpretors give to their Wagner characters. Perhaps Wagner didn't intend for his heroes to be too melodramatic. They are all introspective, spiritual seekers, all on quests to find something greater than themselves or searching for redemption. Tristan is without a doubt the most challenging and difficult role for a dramatic tenor, just as Isolde is the most difficult part for a dramatic soprano. This is because it seems that to Wagner, Tristan and Isolde represented the Uberman and the Uberwoman, the heighest and most powerful form of male and female.

But Voigt and Domingo pull it off, simply out of their artistry and the relaxed vocal spirit that resonates between them. They are both great artists with a lot of admiration for each other and their voices are glorious. Please don't be put off by the fact their voices are "lighter" in the Wagnerian style. This is terrific music. Conductor Pappano makes a wonderful interpretation of Wagner's music, which he suffuses with tone color and sumptuous lyric lines linked together by the mystic "Tristan chord" which dominates the work. The Liebestod, wow. What more can be said ? Is it simply a musical orgasm or is it the transfiguration of Isolde from life to death, a great transformation of soul ? The music is sublime.

Domingo .......2005-02-19

I am pretty sure Domingo's fans are over-excited with these reviews.Really, Domingo's voice is not suited for wagnerian drama, is an uneven, cold and boring voice. Indeed, these love duets are far from the "passionate" characters called Tristan and Siegfried.

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