Strauss: Four Last Songs; Wagner: Wesendonk Lieder [Original recording remastered]

This is the definitive recording of "Four Last Songs". No-one else achieves that unearthly quality, that enormous sound, the rich, amazing tone that Jessye Norman brings to these beautiful songs. I have tried everyone else's renditions but I keep coming back to Jessye's; it doesn't get any better than this.

This CD synthesizes the most interesting parts of two (or three, counting the original issue of Strauss' Lieder) other issues. From these two R Strauss: Four Last Songs - Strauss, R.: Four Last Songs etc are omitted 6 other Strauss' Orchesterlieder, from this one Wagner : Tristan und Isolde & Wesendonk - Lieder /Jessye Norman are omitted the Tristan und Isolde Prelude and Isoldes Liebestod. The Wagner's Wesendonk Lieder gain the Super Digital Transfer (96kHz-24bit). Indeed, the result is a CD a bit empty (47'41"), but here the matter is quality and not quantity.
Strauss' four last songs are absolute masterpieces. The lyrics of three of them are by Hermann Hesse (one of my favorite writers and poets); the lines of the fourth lied are by Joseph von Eichendorff. Therefore, the mastery and the mellow artistry of the last Richard Strauss (here saying a serene adieu to his earthly experience and preparing to the next life of his soul) jointed to the high poetry of Hesse/Eichendorff creates the miracle. In my opinion Wagner's lieder stay, from an artistic point of view, one or two steps below. Mathilde Wesendonk's lyrics are quite good and touching, but obviously hers is an amateur poetry and suffers a bit from mannerism and a Decadent posture. The orchestration is not by Wagner, but by Felix Mottl. He is an excellent Wagnerian specialist and a gifted musician, but the orchestral effect lacks the involving density and originality of the Master. Therefore, in Strauss' case, the absolute excellence of Norman/Masur's performance gives plentiful evidence of the artistry virtually contained in the score; in Wagner's case, the superb performance by Norman/Davis improves the artistic interest of the compositions.
Generally speaking, Norman's timbre is not of my preferred kind; but a judgement on a vocal timbre, due to the numberless elements that in human voice contribute to determine it, is deeply affected by the individualities of taste. Anyway, here, both in Strauss and In Wagner, she sings astonishingly, quite incredibly, well. Her voice continuously sends shivers down to your spine. It flows from her mouth effortless, dense, perfectly modulated, in every register, from pianissimo to fortissimo and from an astonishing smooth cue to the end of the pitch or of the phrase. Then her voice floats, weightless but steady, in the air, perfectly melting with harmonies coming from the orchestra. But the real miracle is that such a perfect virtuoso technique is completely enslaved to meaning, in a context-sensitive masterful interpretation.
The great and humble (in the sense that he serves music and not vice-versa) Kurt Masur finds the way to englobe the gorgeous vocal leading line in harmonies and countermelodies produced by his Gewandhausorchester Leipzig without overlaps, but perfectly melting everything.
Colin Davis is one of my preferred conductors of his generation, but I did not know him in Wagner. In my opinion, his performance here is really great and matches his celebrated performances in the Berlioz's solo voice+orchestra repertoire: Le Nuits d'Ete, Lelio, Herminie, Cleopatre. He, the London Symphony and, obviously, an ineffable Jessye Norman, give thickness and interest to compositions maybe not robust enough for aiming at the sublime.
The original sound is a 1982 DDD in Strauss and a 1975 ADD in Wagner. In my opinion, Strauss sounds a bit more detailed, with well separated sound layers, but a little bit chilly and flat, while Wagner sounds warmer and deeper, but just a little bit confused. I do not like the use of headphones in listening to music, particularly to this kind of music that has to freely expand and to breath plentifully in the air; by chance I have listened to this CD also through headphones, and my personal impression is that Strauss gains something, while Wagner loses.
Anyway, the superb content of this CD will enrich you and your collection with some of the purest expressions of vocal artistry.

There are many recordings of Strauss' "Four Last Songs" and there are few poor renditions. There are several versions that bring their own identity and something new to the work. You'll see in the many reviews that Elisabeth Schwartzkopf is preferred by many, Soile Isokoski's highly rated, Gundula Janowitz and others too.

Let me say first that the Jessye Norman version isn't the best in all respects but for me has to be first choice. You can question why she really draws out "Im Abendrot" to nearly ten minutes compared to Janowitz' seven but if ever you had linger anywhere this would be that place. Jessye Norman has been a great specialist in the German repertoire and has a clear view of what she is trying to achieve even if we question this pacing.

I prefer Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic with Janowitz as accompanists with a warmer, smoother more autumnal sound. I agree with the other reviewer "Luca" that this recording with the Gewandhaus under Masur sounds a bit flatter but maybe early digital recording is to blame for that. Having said that the wonderful violin solo in the third song in the Karajan recording outclasses this version. Still the Gewandhaus are still very good and sympathetic to the soloist.

Then we come to the trump card of this recording. Have you ever heard anyone sing like this. I'm not, for the most part, a great Richard Strauss plan but may I request, here and now that they play this at my funeral or, even better, someone else's I've been invited to so I get to hear it! It's difficult to get through keeping your eyes dry. Add to Norman's incredible voice the poems which, are enough to set the water works going even without singer and orchestra. What an incredible end to Strauss's career to blend these poems with the finest song setting and orchestration of his distinguished career.

Sorry if I've said nothing of the "Wesendonck Lieder"; again I agree with "Luca" that these are not on the same level as the Strauss but are very attractive and well matched to them and receive a rich, detailed and sympathetic performance from Davis and the LSO. Fine as they are I know which one I will keep turning to.

So, this isn't the last word in how to perform Strauss's songs but no collection is complete without them. Wonderful. A feel another lump coming to my throat just thinking about them.