Buy it now from Amazon

Gustav Mahler: Orchestral Songs

Philips

• List price: $17.98
• Lowest new price: $9.94
• Lowest used price: $7.65

1. No 1, Das Trinkleid von Jammer der Erde
2. No 2, Der Einsame im Herbst
3. No 3, Von der Jugend
4. No 4, Von der Schönheit
5. No 5, Der Trunkene im Frühling
6. No 6, Der Abschied
7. Nun will die Sonn'so hell aufgehn
8. Nun seh' ich wohl, warum so dunkle Flamme
9. Wenn dein Mütterlein
10. No 1, Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht
11. No 2, Ging heut morgen übers Feld
12. No 3, Ich hab' ein glühend Messer
13. No 4, Die zwei blauen augen von meinem Schatz
14. Der schildwache Nachtlied
15. Verlorne Müh'
16. Trost im Unglück
17. Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht?
18. Das irdische Leben
19. Revelge
20. Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt
21. Rheinlegendchen
22. Lied des Verfolgten im Turm
23. Wo die schönen Trompeten blasen
24. Lob des hohen Verstands
25. Der Tambourg'sell

Average customer rating:

Couple hits, about as many misses...

This Philips compilation of Mahler song cycles seemed like a promising endeavor at first. The Royal Concertgebouw, Dame Janet Baker, Jessye Norman, Bernard Haitink, this 2-CD package has enough star power to make heads turn. Unfortunately, the result gives us nothing to get too worked up over...

Das Lied von der Erde is perhaps the strongest element. Well-judged tempi, good soloists and excellent execution from the Councertgebouw. On the whole though, it is perhaps a tad too elegant and individual movements could have afforded more character. James King is a decent choice. He's characterful and the opening Das Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde is fully satisfying. He, on the other hand, has the unpleasant habit of reaching high notes from underneath, with a slight portamento, making them sound out of his reach and his tone certainly lacks the color and confidence of a Wunderlich. He loses even more feathers when paired with the likes of Janet Baker, an accomplished Mahlerian. She outshines him with her wonderfully atmospheric tone and diction and her insightful mastery of the poetry. These came a bit late in her career and her pitch is not as focused as it once was, sometimes hindered by a too-opulent vibrato, but she remains a fascinating and accomplished musician and her Abschied is to die for.

It is good to have the Kindertotenlieder performed by a man, as it was intended to be. Hermann Prey is appropriately dark. His tone is not altogether unpleasant but rather somewhat unexciting and too laid back for such gut-wrenching songs. In diesem Wetter is indeed especially lukewarm. His Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen is equally decent but, in the end, unmemorable.

Des Knaben Wunderhorn is the weakest link. Jessye Norman is in glorious voice, as always, but the humor and playfulness required from these pages find her too refined and uninvolved. Much of the same could be said about John Shirley-Quirk whose color and emotional palette doesn't go far beyond using staccati for playful passages. His voice is powerful but his vibrato is often pushed and uneven. Fischer-Dieskau and Schwarzkopf's recording, playful, characterful and poignant, is wildly more involving and both soloists totally eclipse the present pair.

Haitink and the Concertgebouw offer a spotless, polished, refined and elegant execution, where ruggedness, character and excitement would have been required. This is especially true in Des Knaben Wunderhorn which sounds especially dainty. The sound is not helping either. The orchestra (especially the brass) sounds a mile away from the microphones and any attempt at creating a soundstage is nowhere to be heard.

All in all, these are wholly acceptable, but unmemorable performances that could please those looking for an affordable way to get most of Mahler's orchestral songs. For more picky enthusiasts, be sure to check out Janet Baker and John Barbirolli's song cycles and George Szell's Des Knaben Wunderhorn with Schwarzkopf and Fischer-Dieskau or even Abbado's with Anne Sofie von Otter and Thomas Quasthoff.

Mahler Orchestral Songs-Hermann Prey

Having learned some of these cycles with the help of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau recordings,I thought I'd like to hear another interpretation by Herr Prey after reading his memories in First Night Fever. His interpretn is much different than DFD's but very likeable. I've also heard Thomas Hampson's and I still think Dieter isthe most superb.

Excellently Economical Collection, including the Deutche Kitch

I bought this omnibus of Mahler's 'Das Lied von Der Erde', 'Kindertotenlieder', 'Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen', and 'Des Knaben Wunderhorn' AFTER I bought the Phillips 432 279-2 of just 'Das Lied von Der Erde', which is the identical performance as the one on the less expensive and fuller two CD set. This 'Das Lied...' is every bit as good as when I reviewed alone, and it is by far the most interesting collection on the two CDs. I was never a big fan of 'Kindertotenlieder', given its subject, but I love listening to 'Des Knaben Wunderhorn' as it is by far the most gloriously simple borrowing of traditional German popular folk music of the 19th century into a classical interpretation. one can literally hear the oompah bands doing the works from which this was adapted. I love it to pieces.

A grab bag of good and not so good

For a long time British critics have hailed Haitink's Das Lied, even though James King blares through the tenor part without regard for the words and the marvelous Janet Baker was caught about seven years past her prime. As for the Kindertotenlieder, Prey's version is touching and sensitive without being lugubrious. It's appealing to hear this cycle, which is for male voice, done so well by a baritone despite the fact that so many of the classic recordings (Ferrier, Ludwig, and Baker in particular)have been by women. If only Thomas Quasthoff would now record it.

The major disappointment here is the Knaben Wunderhorn cycle with Norman and Shirley-Quirk. She is in glorious voice but sounds too staid and self-involved, while he has no proper German style--one keeps thinking that an English gentleman is trying not very hard to impersonate the brash, tragic, strutting soldiers that are the chief characters in the male songs. Overall, even at a bargain price I would look elsewhere for all these pieces. In particular, try the live Das Lied under Kubelik on the Audite label, which features Baker in much better voice seven years earlier.

The Four Mahler Song Cycles in One Generous and Fine Album

Any time there is a chance to hear the favored orchestra for Mahler - the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam - involved in performances of any of Mahler's four song cycles, it is a reason for rejoicing. Somehow the sound of this orchestra and Mahler were meant to be one. Add to this bit of good fortune the fine conducting of Bernard Haitink and a group of first class soloists and Voila! - an album of 2 CDs, modestly priced, and a must for every collector of Mahler's music.

'Das Lied von der Erde', that would-be 9th symphony of the paranoid superstitious Mahler, is one of his most powerful symphony of songs. Here it is given a warm and introspective performance by Dame Janet Baker (just try to find a more poignant 'Der Abschied') and James King in his prime. This is followed by a soulful 'Kindertotenlieder' this time rendered by a male voice - Hermann Prey - giving these five melancholic songs a special Mahlerian significance, paying homage to the Mahler's inspiration for composing them. Prey then segues into the youthful 'Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen': again one song in particular is glowingly memorable with Prey's interpretation - 'Die zwei blauen augen von meinem Schatz'.

'Lieder aus Des Knaben Wunderhorn' served Mahler well in providing melodies and songs for his first four symphonies and hearing the cycle sung with the grace and fun and dignity by Jessye Norman and John Shirley-Quirk plumbs the depths of Mahler's ongoing inspiration. Haitink offers the support and orchestral playing that fits these soloists like a glove. In all, these are fine performances of these cycles, the binding thread being the same orchestra and conductor. Yes, we all have our favorite recordings of each of these works, but on the whole this album is difficult to match. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, September 05