Orchestral songs
Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911)
Kindertotenlieder (1904): (Nun will die Sonn' so hell aufgeh'n
[5.46]; Nun seh ich wohl [4.59]; Wenn Dein Mütterlein [4.25];
Oft denk’ich [3.05]; In diesem Wetter [6.12])
Richard WAGNER (1813-1883)
Wesendonck-Lieder (1857): (Der Engel [3.22]; Stehe Still!
[4.04]; Im Treibhaus [6.15]; Schmerzen [2.35]; Traüme
[5.07])
Hugo WOLF (1860-1903)
3 Mörike-Lieder (1888): (In der frühe [2.25]; Denk’es, o
Seele! [2.24]; Wo find’ich Trost [5.26])
Waltraud Meier (mezzo)
Ana Bela Chaves (viola) (Im Treibhaus)
Orchestre de Paris/Daniel Barenboim
rec. live, Salle Pleyel, Paris, February 1988 (Mahler), October 1988 (Wagner,
Wolf)
No essay or texts provided
WARNER CLASSICS APEX 2564 67539-2 [56:12] 
I recall this fine disc on its released in 1996 on Erato 0603 14070-2. Subsequently
it was reissued in 2003 on Warner Classics Elatus 2564604392.
Wagner’s Wesendonck-Lieder and the Mahler Kindertotenlieder
are coupled surprisingly infrequently and make an impressive collection especially
with the addition of three of Wolf’s Mörike-Lieder.
Mahler composed his orchestral song cycle Kindertotenlieder (Songs
for dead children) in 1901/04 to texts by Friedrich Rückert. Following
the deaths of two of his children Rückert wrote over four-hundred poems collectively
titled Kindertotenlieder. Alma Mahler strongly expressed her discomfort
with the subject matter as if composing the Kindertotenlieder would
somehow tempt fate. Subsequently Mahler and Alma became haunted by the death
of their own child Maria in 1907. Given the mournful nature of the inspiration
it is not surprising that an achingly poignant mood cloaks these songs. At
times I felt shades of the exotic sound-world that Mahler established a few
years later in Das Lied von der Erde. Kindertotenlieder is well
represented in the record catalogues today. In the versions that I know well
the highest standards are achieved by three mezzo-sopranos and a baritone.
Firstly the cherishable voice of Janet Baker with the Hallé Orchestra under
Sir John Barbirolli from 1967 at the Abbey Road Studios, London on EMI Classics
5 66981 2. There is also the 1988/89 Jesus Christ Church, Berlin account from
an intense Brigitte Fassbaender and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
under Riccardo Chailly on Decca 473 725-2. Another fine performance was delivered
by Christa Ludwig with the Berlin Philharmonic under Karajan. The insightful
and persuasive Christa Ludwig recorded the score in 1974 at the Philharmonie,
Berlin on Deutsche Grammophon 457 716-2. For those wanting to hear a male
voice in the Kindertotenlieder the outstanding candidate is the baritone
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau recorded in 1963 at the Jesus Christ Church, Berlin
with the Berlin Philharmonic under Karl Böhm on Deutsche Grammophon 477 9375.
Wagner’s Wesendonck-Lieder is a setting of poems by Mathilde Wesendonck,
the wife of Otto Wesendonck, the affluent merchant who was one of Wagner’s
wealthy patrons. Wagner described two of the songs Im Treibhaus and
Traüme as ‘studies’ for his three act music-drama Tristan und Isolde.
The deeply passionate music of the Wesendonck-Lieder is undoubtedly
a reflection of Wagner’s intense feelings for Mathilde. Completed in 1857/58
Wagner originally scored the cycle for voice and piano with the orchestrations
undertaken by conductor Felix Mottl. Pride of place for versions of the Wesendonck-Lieder
goes to soprano Jessye Norman for the sheer nobility of her 1975 London
account with the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Colin Davis on Philips
464 742-2. I also admire the 1993 Dresden interpretation from soprano Cheryl
Studer and the Staatskapelle Dresden under Giuseppe Sinopoli for her expressive
and creamy vocals on Deutsche Grammophon 439 865-2.
Hugo Wolf had been grief-stricken at the death of his father in 1887 and had
gone to an isolated village outside Vienna engrossing himself in the verses
of Swabian poet Eduard Mörike. The fruit of this distressing period was the
writing of his cycle of 53 songs in 1888 known as Mörike-Lieder. Demonstrating
impressive facility Wolf went on to orchestrate a number of them. The three
here are in Wolf’s own orchestral arrangements. Probably the finest selection
of the orchestrated versions is the 2006 release from soprano Juliane Banse
and bass-baritone Dietrich Henschel with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
under Kent Nagano on Harmonia Mundi HMC 901837.
German soloist Waltraud Meier on this Warner Classics Apex disc of orchestral
songs is much in demand internationally especially for her Wagnerian roles.
Würzburg-born in 1956, the mezzo-soprano made her international debut in 1980
at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires as Fricka in Wagner’s Die Walküre.
At the 1983 Bayreuth Festival Kundry in Parsifal brought Meier international
success and has become her signature role.
Whilst not being my preferred version of these orchestral songs Waltraud Meier
is in excellent voice and is sensitively supported by her long standing collaborator
Daniel Barenboim and the Orchestre de Paris. The first song Nun will die
Sonn' so hell aufgeh'n (Now the sun is rising bright) is
sung with the throbbing intensity of heartbreaking grief. I was also moved
by Meier’s rendition of the second song Nun seh ich wohl (Now I
understand): a searing cry of the pain of grief.
The Wesendonck-Lieder is one of my favourite song-cycles and in the
simply glorious Im Treibhaus (In the tropical greenhouse) Meier
is achingly tender and perfectly captures the sense of lovers being parted.
In Wolf’s In der frühe (At dawn) Meier imparts a dark and chilling
feeling of total despair that develops into a contrasting section of hope
and positive energy. Meier’s voice is beautifully controlled with enviable
diction and a strong projection when required. I was struck by the suppleness
of her voice particularly at the top of the register. From dramatically powerful
to soft and tender she is able to glide through with ease. Technically one
senses that finding the exact pitch is a recurring test for her. The orchestral
support from the Orchestre de Paris under Daniel Barenboim is neat and engagingly
alive. Recorded at the Salle Pleyel in Paris I found the sound quality good
but not quite as detailed as those recordings mentioned above. This Warner
Apex release states that these are live recordings made by Radio France, however,
I could not detect any audience noise or applause. Disappointingly, unlike
the original Erato and Elatus re-issues, there is no essay in the Apex booklet
and no texts.
This is a fine collection that I will play again often but the competition
in Wesendonck-Lieder and Kindertotenlieder is extremely fierce.
Michael Cookson
A fine collection that I will play again often but the competition in Wesendonck-Lieder
and Kindertotenlieder is extremely fierce.