- Performer: Thomas Hampson
- Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor: Leonard Bernstein
- Composer: Gustav Mahler
- Audio CD (18 April 1996)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Import
- Label: DG
- ASIN: B000001GET
- Other Editions: MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 214,099 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
albums ever recorded. If I had to take five albums to a desert island, this would be one of them. I am a singer, and have sung these cycles many times. This only increases my respect for all concerned in this cd. Mr Bernstein takes a very personal approach to the music. Not afraid to really make big statements, or pair the dynamics down. He is just big and full hearted. As is Mr Hampson. No prissy Lieder singer here, he really inhabits the full anguish of these songs. When he sings phrases like "in kunfte Nachten..." (last page of song 2- "in coming nights the memory of your eyes will be only as stars!"), he breaks away from the bizaare tradition of singing Mahler in a contained, emotionally detached BRITISH style that I detest. But never vulger or showy. The feeling of resignation and exhaustion is never broken. The music just has balls!!!
For me this is how Mahler should be. Not tied to a strict metronome structure, nor an excercise in how perfect and introvert we can be. I own dozens of copies of other recordings, many of which I love. But this is very very special!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
12 reviews
34 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Heartfelt, almost prayerful
26 May 1999
Format:Audio CD
I have, probably, 30 different recordings of the kindertotenlieder. I have probably heard 30 live performances of the work - everything from college recitals to professionals. When I found this Hampson/Bernstein disc, I was thrilled - arguably the two best Mahler interpreters working together! When I first listed to the Kindertotenlieder, I found myself sobbing in my living room. The angst and anger of the parent who lost their children come through so strongly. Then, in the last song, the resolution comes through so solemnly and prayerfully.
This is a must have disc for any Mahler fan and any classical vocal fan.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
So wonderful that hurts.
1 Feb 2006
Format:Audio CD
We can say this is the best cycle of Mahler's songs on CD. Of course there are marvellous performances available on the stores (Dieskau-Furtwängler, Baker-Barbirolli, Dieskau-Kubelik...), performances you will need if you want to discover some of the possibilities this songs offer, but if I'm asked for the most completely couple of the lieder I would say this is the one, the recordings in which everything is quite perfect, the singer, the orchestra, the conductor and the recording. Apart from being everything perfect, the recordings transmit the deep emotions the performances gave even to the artists we listen here; we have to remember Hampson's words about the end of Kindertotenlieder, after which both singer and conductor were crying of emotion, something I hope we can watch in a future DVD if these concerts are released.
Thomas Hampson is, in my opinion, the best mahlerian singer in our days, with a property personality, not trying to go into Fischer-Dieskau steps, something very important, because that use to be the `fault' of many singers, to try to `copy' the maestro. His understanding of every lieder is very deep and I really prefer man's voice for these songs than the very usual female one, for many reasons, one of them because of the songs' texts, which are really told by a man. Of course that feelings could be felt by every human being, man or woman, but I found the sense much more apropiate to be sung by a bariton... in my opinion, of course.
The orchestral playing is simply terrific and electrifying, perfect from quite all the points of view. Bernstein's baton understand Mahler's universe like no one and he represents the last years of a period in Mahler performing, the last maestros of the second half of XXth Century. This CD is, in my opinion one of his best in Mahler, and that's really too much. The dynamics, the tempi, the technical playing is perfect and the recording is so good we can listen everything. The piece called `In diesem Wetter in diesem Braus' is a clear example of how amazing this CD can be. I have never listen this like in this CD. The last piece is marvellous too, the contrasts are perfectely done always.
The sound is magnificent and the booklet great, with a beautiful photo of the concert.
I hope it will be released on DVD soon, because it's one of the best Mahler's recording I know... and I know hundreds... I hope we can finish the watching of that DVD on tears, like the players... this music sometimes hurts, it have to be so...
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
Thomas Hampson is, in my opinion, the best mahlerian singer in our days, with a property personality, not trying to go into Fischer-Dieskau steps, something very important, because that use to be the `fault' of many singers, to try to `copy' the maestro. His understanding of every lieder is very deep and I really prefer man's voice for these songs than the very usual female one, for many reasons, one of them because of the songs' texts, which are really told by a man. Of course that feelings could be felt by every human being, man or woman, but I found the sense much more apropiate to be sung by a bariton... in my opinion, of course.
The orchestral playing is simply terrific and electrifying, perfect from quite all the points of view. Bernstein's baton understand Mahler's universe like no one and he represents the last years of a period in Mahler performing, the last maestros of the second half of XXth Century. This CD is, in my opinion one of his best in Mahler, and that's really too much. The dynamics, the tempi, the technical playing is perfect and the recording is so good we can listen everything. The piece called `In diesem Wetter in diesem Braus' is a clear example of how amazing this CD can be. I have never listen this like in this CD. The last piece is marvellous too, the contrasts are perfectely done always.
The sound is magnificent and the booklet great, with a beautiful photo of the concert.
I hope it will be released on DVD soon, because it's one of the best Mahler's recording I know... and I know hundreds... I hope we can finish the watching of that DVD on tears, like the players... this music sometimes hurts, it have to be so...
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
The Heart and Angst of Mahler
15 Mar 2006
Format:Audio CD
For everyone who has been exposed to the wonder of the song cycles of Gustav Mahler this CD is one that is a must for collecting. The recorded date is not stated but it obviously was when Leonard Bernstein and Thomas Hampson were in their heyday as the leading interpreters of Mahler's music, this CD remains the gold standard despite the fat that there are many superb performances now available. The recording was released in this format in 1991. Bernstein and Hampson simply were on the same wavelength and that long collaborative history is what makes this particular recording so special.
Hampson's voice here is clear, and nuanced and relatively free of some of the mannerisms that can at times disrupt his performances both live and on recording. Here he sings the 'Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen', the 'Kindertotenlieder', and the 'Rückert-Lieder' with all the haunting sadness and despair with which Mahler imbued these works. His enunciation is perfect (Germany is his second home) and his sense of drama and of legato line is seamless.
Bernstein conducts the Vienna Philharmonic with his usual caressing legato and rhythmic freedom we have come to accept as the Bernstein Mahler mode. Here it works beautifully and the Orchestra has rarely sounded so lush and responsive.
Mahler/Bernstein/Hampson are a triad that history will always revere and nowhere is that more evidenced than in this splendid recording. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, March 06
Hampson's voice here is clear, and nuanced and relatively free of some of the mannerisms that can at times disrupt his performances both live and on recording. Here he sings the 'Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen', the 'Kindertotenlieder', and the 'Rückert-Lieder' with all the haunting sadness and despair with which Mahler imbued these works. His enunciation is perfect (Germany is his second home) and his sense of drama and of legato line is seamless.
Bernstein conducts the Vienna Philharmonic with his usual caressing legato and rhythmic freedom we have come to accept as the Bernstein Mahler mode. Here it works beautifully and the Orchestra has rarely sounded so lush and responsive.
Mahler/Bernstein/Hampson are a triad that history will always revere and nowhere is that more evidenced than in this splendid recording. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, March 06
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