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Lotte Lehmann - Lieder Recordings, Vol.
4 (1941) Johannes BRAHMS (1833–1897) 1. Die Mainacht, Op. 43, No. 2 [3:54]
2. Feinsliebchen, du sollst mir nicht barfuss
geh’n (Volkslied) [3:39]
3. An die Nachtigall, Op. 46, No. 4 [2:59]
4. Auf dem Kirchhofe, Op.
105, No. 4 [2:38] 5. Wie bist du, meine Königin,
Op. 32, No. 9 [3:20] 6. Wir wandelten, Op. 96,
No. 2 [3:11] 7. Erlaube mir, fein’s Mädchen (Volkslied)
[1:43]
8. Da unten im Tale (Volkslied) [2:00]
9. Sonntag, Op. 47, No. 3 [1:37]
10. O liebliche Wangen, Op. 47, No. 4 [1:44]
11. Wiegenlied, Op. 49, No. 4 [1:46]
12. Ständchen, Op. 106, No. 1 [1:39]
Richard WAGNER (1813–1883) Wesendoncklieder 13. Der Engel [2:45] 14. Im Treibhaus [4:34]
15. Schmerzen [2:36]
16. Träume [4:38]
Hugo WOLF (1860–1903) 17. Verborgenheit [3:02]
18. Zur Ruh, zur Ruh [2:43]
19. Gesang Weylas [2:00]
20. Wer tat deinem F’usslein weh?[2:46] Rudolf SIECZYNSKY
(1879–1952) 21. Wien, du Stadt meiner Träume
[3:17] Ernst ARNOLD
(1890–1962) 22. Da draussen in der Wachau
[3:15] Robert STOLZ
(1880–1975) 23. Im Prater blüh’n wieder die
Bäume [3:24] LEOPOLDI (?-?) 24. Wien, sterbende Märchenstadt
[2:48] Ralph BENATZKY
(1884–1957) 25. Ich muss wieder einmal in Grinzing sein
[2:07]
Johann STRAUSS II (1825–1899)(Arr.
Nico Dostal)
26. Heut’ macht die Welt Sonntag für mich
[2:48]
Lotte Lehmann (soprano) Paul Ulanowsky (piano) rec. USA, 19 March 1941 (1-10), 30 June 1941 (11,
12, 17-19), 2 July 1941 (15), 9 July 1941 (13, 14, 16, 20, 21) and
14 July 1941 (22-26)
NAXOS HISTORICAL
8.111095 [72:49]
On
this, the fourth volume in Naxos’s series with Lotte Lehmann’s
Lieder recordings, we meet her during five recording sessions
and in spite of her being 53 at the time her voice is in mint
condition and her insight is second to none. As before the songs
are presented chronologically in the order they were recorded,
except for the Wesendonck songs, which were split over
two sessions and not recorded in the order they were published,
but the producer, Walter Andrews, rightly wanted them to be
heard together. For some inexplicable reason only two of them
were published on 78 rpms and of the Wolf songs none at all.
Having sung Wagner all her life she was better suited for these
songs than most other sopranos and she sings them as well as
any other recorded version I have heard. She also catches the
varying moods of the Wolf songs to perfection, the nervously
rushing Wer tat deinem Füsslein weh? perhaps the most
remarkable.
Even
better is her Brahms. Die Mainacht is dark and husky,
the three songs from Deutsche Volkslieder (tr. 2, 7 and
8) light and warm and especially Feinsliebchen (tr. 2)
is cajoled and coloured with obvious relish. An die Nachtigall
is light, Auf dem Kirchhofe forceful and darkly brooding
in the beginning, inward and filled resigned towards the end,
sung with perfect legato. Wie bist du, meine Königin?
is light and warm, Sonntag girlish and joyful, Wiegenlied
simple and unaffected and, best of all, the beautiful contemplation
on the moonlit nightscape of Ständchen.
The
six Wiener Lieder, which conclude the disc, are sung with true
affection and, having had to leave the Austrian capital three
years earlier, the city, not of her dreams but of her life for
so many years, there had to a large dose of nostalgia involved.
Wien, du stadt meiner Träume, also a great favourite
of Birgit Nilsson’s, who regularly sang it on her recitals,
is sung with a light lilt and especially the reprise of the
refrain is enticing. Unfortunately there is some distortion
here and in the following song. Im Prater blüh’n wieder die
Bäume is lovely and she caresses the slow melody in Heut’
macht die Welt, which may be a totally unknown song by Johann
Strauss but in reality it is the well-known first waltz theme
from Kaiser-Walzer, which Nico Dostal has adapted and
amended.
Some
readers may already own this compilation, since it was previously
released on Romophone. Those who didn’t buy it then shouldn’t
hesitate this time and they should also start saving up for
the next volume in this series which will be due before long.
In
short: some of the best Lieder singing from a golden era and
the charming Viennese songs are sung with just as much feeling
as the rest.
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