RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Love and Longing
Antonín DVOŘÁK (1841-1904)
Biblické písně (Biblical Songs) for voice and orchestra,
Op.99 (1894)
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)
Shéhérazade, three poems for voice and orchestra on verses by
Tristan Klingsor (1903)
Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911)
Rückert-Lieder, five songs on poems by Friedrich Rückert (1901/02)
Magdalena Kožená (mezzo)
Berliner Philharmoniker/Sir Simon Rattle
rec. live, January 2012, Philharmonie, Berlin, Germany
Full texts with English translations provided
Full track-list at end of review
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 479 0065 [64:11]
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
Kožená and Rattle in awesome form.
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]