Just how lucky is Magdalena Kožená to have the accompaniment
of her husband Sir Simon Rattle conducting the Berlin Philharmonic
on this her latest CD? Naturally such an advantage brings additional
scrutiny and I was fascinated to hear how well the Czech mezzo
would perform this beautiful programme of orchestral songs entitled
Love and Longing.
It was 2001 when the Brno-born Kožená first came
to my attention with her attractively sung Le Belle Immagini
comprising songs by Gluck, Mozart and Mysliveček that she
recorded at the Dvořák Hall, Prague. She was accompanied
by the Prague Philharmonia conducted by Michel Swierczewski
for Deutsche Grammophon.
Kožená’s opens proceedings with Dvořák’s
Biblical Songs composed in 1894; a product of the composer’s
stay in America. The Bohemian composer wrote comparatively little
religious music and it is thought that he turned to setting
sacred texts from the Book of Psalms as an expression of his
homesickness and also in response to the death of several composer
friends notably Tchaikovsky and von Bülow. It was in 1895
that he orchestrated the first five songs of the set with Vilém
Zemánek tackling the remaining five. Kožená
seem especially at home with these Psalms settings as Dvořák
uses a Czech translation. I was immediately struck by the rich
and opulent orchestration often infused with writing of a highly
dramatic nature which could easily have come from a Puccini
opera. The ten songs of the set predominantly exhibit Kožená’s
flexible and extremely powerful mid-range. I particularly enjoyed
the second song Skrýše má a pavéza
má Ty jsi (You are my hiding place and my shield)
with its calm and reflective opening before developing an acutely
dark and near disturbing quality. She conveys a beseeching tone
for the words Děsí se strachem před Tebou
tělo mé (My flesh trembles for fear of you).
In the third setting Slyš, o Bože, slyš modlitbu
mou (Give ear to my prayer, O God) dark low strings
are interspersed with fruity woodwind figures that at one point
represent the dove mentioned in the text. The closing sentence
beginning Pospíšil bych ujíti větru
(I would hasten my escape) contains a disquieting and
weighty climax. I loved the fourth song Hospodin jest můj
pastýř (The Lord is my shepherd) with
its merciful reverence revealed in Kožená’s
smoky timbre and impressive diction. There are not too many
recordings of the Biblical Songs. The single account
I have contains only six of the set of ten songs and uses a
German translation sung with palpable sensitivity by the famous
baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau who is accompanied by Jörg
Demus. The Austro/German duo recorded the songs in 1960 at the
Siemensvilla, Berlin for Deutsche Grammophon.
Next Kožená turns to Ravel’s orchestral song-cycle
Shéhérazade that reveals the composer’s
fascination with Eastern culture. The Basque-born Frenchman
had already composed an overture titled Shéhérazade
in 1898 and was clearly enamoured of the subject when five years
later he set three poems for voice and orchestra by Tristan
Klingsor the pseudonym of his friend Léon Leclère.
Shéhérazade is a large collection Arabic
poems inspired by the Middle-Eastern folktales known collectively
as the Arabian Nights (or One Thousand and One Nights).
In these perfumed, atmospheric settings Kožená achieves
a substantial intensity. First comes the substantial Asie
(Asia) lasting here just over ten minutes. Straightaway
in this relaxed and dreamlike score one notices exotic, spicy
sights and the sounds and smells of a journey through the orient.
At 7:23 a heart-melting climax is reminiscent of Daphnis
et Chloé. Fibrous arabesques on solo flute open the
enchanting La flûte enchantée (The enchanted
flute) together with other colourful woodwind contributions.
Together the orchestration and Kožená’s voice
evoke a sultry, rather languid mood. More vibrant woodwind figures
are marked in L'indifférent (The indifferent
one). Deliciously seductive singing from Kožená
displays her excellent mid-range to mesmerising effect. Shéhérazade
has some fine rival accounts in the catalogue including one
from Susan Graham. Recorded in 2004 at the BBC Maida Vale Studios
in London, Graham offers beauty of tone and expression with
the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Yan Pascal Tortelier on Warner
Classics. I also admire the recent 2012 Ondine release excellently
sung by Véronique Gens, a native French singer, with
John Axelrod conducting the Philharmonic Orchestra of Pays de
la Loire.
Mahler for his 1901/02 collection of five Rückert-Lieder
set verses by the Franconian poet Friedrich Rückert. Unlike
the song-cycle Kindertotenlieder (Songs on the Death
of Children) Mahler’s chosen verses are independent
of each other, with no common theme. They concern various emotions
namely love, death, life and loneliness. At the time of their
compositionMahler was in a highly productive phase and
was also working on his Symphony No. 5. The first of
the fiveis Liebst du um Schönheit (If
you love for beauty) which is Mahler’s only love song;
a message of his affection to his wife Alma. It is heard in
the orchestration by Max Puttmann. Kožená clearly
relishes this song. It certainly showcases her mellow smoky
tone and bell-like quality. In the abrupt crescendo she
leaps to the highest notes with passion rather than subtlety.
Wonderfully played by the Berliners the orchestral accompaniment
is most affecting. The very short Blicke mir nicht in die
Lieder! (Do not look at my songs!) flows with a quirky
lyricism. I adored Kožená’s clear articulation
and the striking horn passage also warrants a mention. Wind
figures decorate Um Mitternacht (At midnight, Summer)
a rather grey almost creepy, anxiety-laden nocturne which concludes
with thick dark textures. Unusually Mahler employs an orchestral
piano. The writing spans this singer’s range with those
lower reaches sounding a touch guttural at times. A powerful
projection is required to cut through the thick orchestration
and Kožená has this in spades. I was struck by the
light rocking accompaniment in Ich atmet’ einen linden
Duft (I breathed a gentle fragrance) especially the
glorious short solo parts for oboe and flute and the sensitive
playing from the horns. In quite enchanting voice Kožená
maintains a smooth delivery that adds to the soothing nature
of the writing. One of my favourite Mahler works is Ich bin
der Welt abhanden gekommen (I am lost to the world)
a multi-faceted score full of world-weary introspection which
feels like a miniature tone-poem. In this intensely melancholic
writing Kožená communicates a real sense of yearning
to moving effect which felt like a spiritual experience. Throughout
her performance of these stunning Mahler orchestral songsthe
impressive Kožená is in beguiling voice and seems
to be living the music. Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder
are exceptionally well served which is testimony to their quality.
My collection contains what can now be described as highly recommendable
‘classic’ accounts from mezzo-sopranos Dame Janet
Baker, Christa Ludwig, Anne-Sofie von Otter and Brigitte Fassbaender,
and another from baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. From 1969
at Watford Town Hall Dame Janet Baker accompanied by the New
Philharmonia under Barbirolli is in splendid form, singing with
fluidity and wonderful expression on EMI. At the Berlin Philharmonie
in 1974 Christa Ludwig sings with eloquence and ravishing tonal
beauty. Ludwig has the advantage of Karajan conducting the Berliner
Philharmoniker on Deutsche Grammophon. I also admire the 1993
silky smooth account sung by Anne-Sofie von Otter with the NDR
Sinfonieorchester under John Eliot Gardiner. Otter recorded
the Mahler songs live at the Großer Saal, Musikhalle,
Hamburg for Deutsche Grammophon. For Fassbaender’s account
she is joined by the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin under
the Italian maestro Riccardo Chailly. Fassbaender’s fierily
passionate performance was recorded in the marvellous acoustic
of the Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin-Dahlem in 1989 for Decca.
In 1963 Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau recorded four of the five Rückert-Lieder
with the Berliner Philharmoniker under Karl Böhm. Sadly
Fischer-Dieskau and Böhm leave out Liebst du um Schönheit;the
score which Mahler didn’t orchestrate. Using the Jesus-Christus-Kirche,
Berlin-Dahlem Fischer-Dieskau blends eloquent control with rapt
expression on the Deutsche Grammophon ‘Legendary Recordings’
series.
Kožená, the Berliner Phil and Rattle are in awesome
form with Kožená benefiting from a warm, well balanced
sound. I could not detect any unwanted audience noise and no
applause has been left in. Full texts are included with English
translation.
Michael Cookson
Masterwork Index: Rückert-Lieder
Track-List
Antonín DVOŘÁK (1841-1904)
Biblické písně (Biblical Songs) for voice
and orchestra, Op.99 (1894):
Oblak a mrákota jest vůkol něho (Clouds and
darkness are round about him) [2:18]
Skrýše má a pavéza má Ty jsi
(You are my hiding place and my shield) [2:06]
Slyš, ó Bože! Slyš modlitbu mou (Give
ear to my prayer, O God) [3:35]
Hospodin jest můj pastýř (The Lord is my shepherd)
[2:38]
Bože, Bože! píseň novou (I will sing a
new song unto you, O God) [3:12]
Slyš, ó Bože, volání mé
(Hear my cry, O God) [3:12]
Při řekách Babylonských (By the rivers
of Babylon) [2:55]
Popatřiž na mne, a smiluj se nade mnou (Turn you unto
me and have mercy upon me) [3:00]
Pozdvihuji očí svých k horám (I will
lift up mine eyes unto the hills) [2:05]
Zpívejte Hospodinu píseň novou (Sing unto
the Lord a new song) [2:07]
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)
Shéhérazade, three poems for voice and orchestra
on verses by Tristan Klingsor (1903)
Asie (Asia) [10:05]
La flûte enchantée (The enchanted flute) [3:17]
L'indifférent (The indifferent one) [4:12]
Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911)
Rückert-Lieder, five songs on poems by Friedrich Rückert
(1901/02)
Liebst du um Schönheit (If you love for beauty) [2:27]
Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder! (Do not look at my songs!) [1:30]
Um Mitternacht (At midnight, Summer) [5:54]
Ich atmet’ einen linden Duft (I breathed a gentle fragrance)
[2:48]
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen (I am lost to the world)
[6:57]
Magdalena Kožená (mezzo) 