Anne Sofie von Otter: Rendezvous with Korngold: Songs & Chamber Music

Erich Wolfgang Korngold (Composer), Anne Sofie von Otter (Performer), Bengt Forsberg (Performer), Mats Lidstrom (Performer), Kjell Lysell (Performer), Ulf Forsberg (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Anne Sofie von Otter, Bengt Forsberg, Mats Lidstrom, Kjell Lysell, Ulf Forsberg
• Composer: Erich Wolfgang Korngold
• Audio CD (January 12, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B00000HY3U
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #131,491 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #28 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Otter, Anne Sophie von
  • #39 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > Composers > Korngold, Erich Wolfgang
  • #87 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Featured Performers, A-Z > M to P

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Four Songs Of Parting Op. 14: 1. Sterbelied - Anne Sofie Von Otter

2. Four Songs Of Parting Op. 14: 2. Dies eine kann mein Sehnen nimmer fassen - Anne Sofie Von Otter

3. Four Songs Of Parting Op. 14: 3. Mond, so gehst du wieder auf - Anne Sofie Von Otter

4. Four Songs Of Parting Op. 14: 4. Gefasster Abschied - Anne Sofie Von Otter

5. Quintet For 2 Violins, Viola, Violoncello And Piano In E Major: 1. Massiges Zeitmass, mit schwungcoll bluhendem Ausdruck - Anne Sofie Von Otter

6. Quintet For 2 Violins, Viola, Violoncello And Piano In E Major: 2. Adagio. Mit grosster Ruhe, stets ausserst gebunden und ausdrucksvoll - Anne Sofie Von Otter

7. Quintet For 2 Violins, Viola, Violoncello And Piano In E Major: 3. Finale. Gemessen, beinahe pathetisch - Anne Sofie Von Otter

8. Songs Of the Clown Op. 29: 1. Come Away, Death - Anne Sofie Von Otter

9. Songs Of the Clown Op. 29: 2. O Mistress Mine - Anne Sofie Von Otter

10. Songs Of the Clown Op. 29: 3. Adieu, Good Man Devil - Anne Sofie Von Otter

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Four Shakespear Songs Op. 31: 1. Desdemonas Song - E.W. Korngold

2. Four Shakespear Songs Op. 31: 2. Under the Greenwood Tree - E.W. Korngold

3. 3. Four Shakespear Songs Op. 31: Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind - E.W. Korngold

4. Four Shakespear Songs Op. 31: 4. When Birds Do Sing - E.W. Korngold

5. Three Songs: 1. Was Du mir bist? - E.W. Korngold

6. Three Songs: 2. Mit Dir zu Schweigen - E.W. Korngold

7. Three Songs: 3. Welt ist stille eingeschlafen - E.W. Korngold

8. Suite For 2 Violins, Violincello and Piano (left hand): 1. Praludium und Fuge - E.W. Korngold

9. Suite For 2 Violins: 2. Walzer - E.W. Korngold

10. Suite For 2 Violins: 3. Groteske - E.W. Korngold

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not to be missed, July 10, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Anne Sofie von Otter: Rendezvous with Korngold: Songs & Chamber Music (Audio CD)

Listening to the songs (which are the chief attraction of this set) it's difficult to understand why Korngold is not more well known than he is, at least for his "serious" works (i.e. not film scores). As beautifully executed by Anne Sofie von Otter, it should be apparent that his songs are worthy to be ranked with those of Schubert and Strauss and should be performed and recorded as often. Of the German songs "Sterbelied" ("Requiem") and "Mond, so gehst du wieder auf" ("Moon, thus do you rise again") from Op. 14 and "Was du mir bist?" ("What are you to me?") from Op. 24 are the most beautiful, in my opinion. It's no wonder that Korngold reused their melodies in the chamber works included. The Op. 14 songs come off better in their purely instrumental guise than does "Was du mir bist?" which, compared to the perfection of its vocal form, is little more than a barely adequate transcription as the fourth movement of the Suite, Op. 23. Of the English songs, "Desdemona's Song" from Op. 31 is memorable for it haunting quality and heartbreaking simplicity.

While I would agree that the recording of the Suite, Op. 23, is better handled by Fleisher et al. on Sony (I have no comparison for the Quintet, Op. 15), in one respect I prefer this recording. In my opinion, the third movement "Groteske" requires a kind of wildness that this recording contains (perhaps inadvertently) while on Sony the playing is almost too controlled and thus sounds relatively restrained.

The chamber arrangement of "Mariettas Lied" from "Die tote Stadt" is an interesting curiosity and while once again the singing is exquisite, without its lush orchestral colour the music is missing something. Charming but a bit thin.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ecstatic, Voluptuous Korngold, May 26, 2000

By 

Shaun Greenleaf - See all my reviews

This review is from: Anne Sofie von Otter: Rendezvous with Korngold: Songs & Chamber Music (Audio CD)

Perhaps the best introduction yet to the unique sound world of the great Erich Korngold, this varied, entirely enjoyable set will be loved by afficianados and newcomers alike. Don't miss it.