The Jessye Norman Collection - Richard Strauss Lieder

Richard [1] Strauss (Composer), Kurt Masur (Conductor), Gewandhausorchester Leipzig (Orchestra), Geoffrey Parsons (Performer), Jessye Norman (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Geoffrey Parsons, Jessye Norman
• Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
• Conductor: Kurt Masur
• Composer: Richard [1] Strauss
• Audio CD (May 10, 2005)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B0007XZUE6
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #267,981 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #58 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Norman, Jessye

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Vier letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs), for soprano & orchestra, o.Op. 150 (TrV 296, AV 150): September - Jessye Norman

2. Vier letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs), for soprano & orchestra, o.Op. 150 (TrV 296, AV 150): Beim Schlafengehen (Going to sleep) - Jessye Norman

3. Vier letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs), for soprano & orchestra, o.Op. 150 (TrV 296, AV 150): Im Abendrot (At sunset) - Jessye Norman

4. Morgen ('Und morgen wird die Sonne wieder scheinen'), song for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 27/4 (TrV 170/4) - Jessye Norman

5. Zueignung ('Ja, du weisst es, teur Seele'), song for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 10/1 (TrV 141/1) - Jessye Norman

Disc: 2

1. Mit deinen blauen Augen, song for voice & piano, Op. 56/4 (TrV 220/4)

2. Ich trage meine Minne, song for voice & piano, Op. 32/1 (TrV 174/1)

3. Kling! ('Kling!...Meine Seele gibt reinen ton'), song for voice & piano, Op. 48/3 (TrV 202/3)

4. Allerseelen ('Stell' auf den Tisch die duftenden Reseden'), song for voice & piano, Op. 10/8 (TrV 141/8)

5. Die Nacht ('Aus dem Walde tritt die Nacht'), song for voice & piano, Op. 10/3 (TrV 141/3)

6. Einerlei ('Ihr Mund ist stets derselbe'), song for voice & piano, Op. 69/3 (TrV 237/3)

7. Befreit ('Du wirst nicht weinen'), song for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 39/4 (TrV 189/4)

8. Ach Lieb, ich muss nun scheiden!, song for voice & piano, Op. 21/3 (TrV 160/3)

9. Lied an meinen Sohn ('Der Sturm behorcht mein Vaterhaus'), song for voice & piano, Op. 39/5 (TrV 189/5)

10. Wir beide wollen springen ('Es ging ein Wind durchs weite land'), song for voice & piano, o.Op. 90 (TrV 175, AV 90)

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have CD pair, May 21, 2007

By 

Edward F. Schlenk "efs" (iowa) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Jessye Norman Collection - Richard Strauss Lieder (Audio CD)

Jessye Norman's voice is a force of nature, and this collection of Richard Strauss songs shows it off beautifully. Her singing style on these discs shows awesome power when singing with the full Gewandhaus Orchestra (disc 1) and delicate intimacy when singing with the wonderfully responsive piano accompaniment of Geoffrey Parsons (disc 2). Throughout, Jessye Norman's musicianship and diction remain both expressive and crystal clear.

For me the "Four Last Songs" of Richard Strauss, which begin the first disc, are the epitome of vocal music. As sung by Jessye Norman, they restore my faith in humanity. The additional Strauss songs add to that pleasure.

Both discs were recorded in the mid-1980's using DDD technology. The sound engineering is excellent. The somewhat distant-sounding mike placement in the first few bands improves with the more intimate sound of the later bands of disc 1 and the entirety of disc 2. The liner notes unfortunately do not include the text or translation of the songs, and give no internet address to download them from the record company. These might be available from other sources, but are not essential to the enjoyment of these discs.

All in all, this is one of those must-have CD pairs for anyone who appreciates what poetry, music, and the human voice can achieve together. These songs will bring many hours of pleasure to the attentive listener.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Lovely, March 5, 2010

By 

J. Roller "lonesomesilver" (Warrensburg, MO USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Jessye Norman Collection - Richard Strauss Lieder (Audio CD)

I received my copy of this CD a couple of weeks ago, and I have been avidly listening to it since. (In fact, I'm listening to it right now.) I want to make this clear: no one can sing Richard Strauss's music like Jessye Norman. The first time I heard her sing "Ständchen," I nearly wept. She knows these Lieder inside and out, and that shows in her performances of them.

In Richard Strauss: Lieder, Norman artfully interprets many old favorites such as "Allerseelen," "Schlechtes Wetter," and "Traum durch die Dämmerung." The pianist is also very good. If I could have only one CD of Strauss's Lieder for the rest of my life, this would be the one. Jessye Norman certainly does not disappoint.

The other CD includes Strauss's Vier letzte Lieder and other songs like "Cäcilie" and "Zueignung." The quality of this recording is superior. Jessye Norman's powerful voice is able to glide upon the wonderful orchestral tapestry Strauss has woven rather than just sit on it. I much prefer this recording of the Vier letzte Lieder to Kiri Te Kanawa's recording.

I strongly recommend this collection to anyone who loves classical music.

5.0 out of 5 stars Now I understand, February 10, 2012

By 

Mark (Manchester, NEW HAMPSHIRE, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Jessye Norman Collection - Richard Strauss Lieder (Audio CD)

I must confess, for years I held dear a visceral and irrational dislike of Jessye Norman: my only exposure to her coming from Levine's 1990 Ring, which I have owned on VHS since way back when the words "HI-FI" and "VHS" could be said in quick succession without so much as a smirk. I love that Ring passionately, which is probably why I passionately despised what I saw as its only flaw: Jessye Norman. Her all-too-evident mixture of vanity and insecurity; her lackluster interpretation Seglinde's character. Sure, you could hear that there was a great instrument there, but she did not seem able to play it very well. No subtlety at all, just supreme vanity laid thick on top of a desperate insecurity. (Which really should have prompted compassion in me, but I am not that good of a person. A pretty bad one actually.)

Well, after listening to these "Last Four Songs" I understand where that vanity came from. Who could NOT be vain after hearing such miraculous things coming from one's own throat?! She lays every other interpretation of Strauss so far in the dust that is now impossible for me to listen to them. As one reviewer said, Norman is "a force of nature." Absolutely. Like the voice of God or something. She's unbelievable -- I don't even have words. Please, buy this one, and none other. It just might change your life.