Customer Reviews

Richard Strauss: Four Last Songs

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

For her debut solo recital disc on the EMI label, dramatic soprano wunderkind chose to record Richard Strauss' "Four Last Songs" along with the final scenes from "Salome" and "Cappricio." Hearing Ms. Stemme perform these is a revelation, and she demonstrates why no one else can do quite what she does. Her performance here is stellar, dramatic, and, perhaps, unmatched by any of her peers. Ms. Stemme is able to move from that bombastic and dramatic final scene from "Salome" to the pensive and stately final scene from "Cappricio" with ease. Moving from a vengeful teenage girl to a wiser, elegant Countess and then into the "Four Last Songs," she uncovers the dramatic tension of each piece with care, allowing each piece to build, as her rich, powerful soprano voice caresses each note. The booklet accompanying the CD includes an introductory essay on Richard Strauss and his music by Michael Tanner, song texts, and translations in German and French. Unfortunately, no artist biographies or notes from Ms. Stemme are included. Considering that these pieces have been recorded so often, this release is a welcome breath of fresh air. Nina Stemme's recording is a more than fine addition to the Strauss catalog that no lover of the soprano voices should be without. (RTS) This review appeared at OperaOnline.us

Stemme makes a most dramatic, marvellous interpretation, one of the best I have ever heard, of the final scene of Salome. The sheer power in her voice points forward to Elektra and Brünnhilde. And the orchestra is in top form. The reason why I do not give this record five stars is to be found in the final scene from Capriccio. Stemme seems not quite to understand the depts of this role. The best recording ever made of this scene is done by Elisabeth Söderström, CBE - also on EMI.
It is wonderful to hear a "Hochdramatische" sing Vier letzte Lieder! Strauss obviously wanted this kind of voice, and here Stemme, I must confess, scores over Flagstad. Ms. Stemme has to attend to a small vibrato. But: Do not miss this record!

Amazon seems to have hired a new reviewer, and for once I hear what he hears. As Mr. Pines points out, Stemme's voice has a prominent vibrato that probably helps it carry in the opera house but is intrusive on CD when she sings either loud or high. It's unusual to hear a dramatic soprano undertake these songs, even though Kirsten Flagstad debuted them with Furtwangler. For anyone who wants to hear a Deborah Voigt-style voice in the Four Last Songs, Stemme does well, and Pappano provides really superior accompaniment, in a class with Karajan and Szell.

Stemme's capacious voice makes more sense in the final scene from Salome, where Pappano again provides great accompaniment, as good as anyone could want in terms of vividness and excitement. My reaction is about the same as to the songs. I like Stemme's timbre, despite the vibrato (which, alas, will probably turn into a wobble fairly soon), and she makes Salome's yearning for Jokanaan poignant rather than crazed or sexually abandoned. There have been almost no voices recently that can encompass this taxing role, so congratualtions to Ms. Stemme, who dives in fearlessly, even if her achievement is only partial. In the end, it will be Pappano's contribution and EMI's excellent recorded sound that I will remember.

I listened to this recording mainly for two reasons - one is to hear another interpretation of incomparably beautiful Vier Letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs) and second, for the singer herself - Nina Stemme, whom I have heard and seen in March in Ariadne auf Naxos in Wiener Staatsoper, where she brought the house down with a standing ovation - it was truly an amazing performance, with the production surprisingly the same as in the classic Gundula Janowitz/Edita Gruberova/Karl Bohm, from the same opera house; it seemed as the staging was re-used now, 40 years later after that historical performance immortalized on DVD:

R. Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos

Richard Strauss created Vier Letzte Lieder toward the end of his abundantly creative life, in 1948, after the war that ruined much of what he valued. The first of four songs was "Im Abendrot" (At Sunset), on a poem by Joseph vin Eichendorff, exploring a theme of a tiring promenade and achieving some ethereal point of exhaustion that could perhaps be death (in its typical German overly sentimental style it reminds of Winterreise mood). Strauss had not envisioned to make a song cycle with Im Abendorf, but shortly thereafter he came across some poems of Hermann Hesse, and in summer of 1948 he set three poems to music. Obviously he admired these poems, even though Hermann Hesse refused to reciprocate Strauss handshake offer because of the composer collaboration with the Third Reich elite. It is always amazing to learn of these anecdotes, since while on the surface such acts look noble, mostly they point to a personal situation - Hesse's wife was Jewish, and so he was against Nazi's antisemitism; but it is also a known fact that he never publicly voiced his opposition to the regime when the Third Reich was solidly in power. It is difficult indeed to meddle in these Teutonic affairs, while it is fascinating to learn of attitudes of those cruel and tumultuous times, so unlike ours.

In any case, the four songs were premiered in the Albert Hall on 22 May 1950 with Kirsten Flagstad and Wilhelm Furtwangler conducting. Since then, every distinguished soprano specializing in German repertoire sang the songs, and it is said that those who master them perfectly would make a perfect Ariadne auf Naxos. In the case of Nina Stemme, it did happen - she was a magical, triumphant Ariadne on March 12, 2011 in Wiener Staatsoper.

Jacopo Tintoretto (Bacchus and Ariadne) Art Poster- 13x19 custom fit with RichAndFramous Black 99 inch Poster Hangers

In this recoding, Nina Stemme affirms her glory as one of the best German repertoire sopranos of today. Her flawless technique and supreme legato make her singing "September" meltingly beautiful. It is my favorite song in the cycle, and I would say Stemme is so far superior to Renee Fleming or Deborah Voigt in these Strauss' songs; however even with her phenomenally good singing I would still give Kirsten Flagstad/Wilhelm Furtwangler and especially Jessye Norman the laurel wreaths in these songs; the quality of Jessye Norman voice is simply breathtaking; in "September" it is so divine, versicolored, capable of astonishing diminuendos, that it will probably remain unsurpassed for the foreseeable future, as it is surely for the past. To fully appreciate the dreamy state in which this music can transform, it is very beneficial to gaze at this marvelous picture, depicting a bountiful September, celebrating vanished summer, as a slowly disappearing diminuendo, and rich harvest still warmed by golden sunrays:

Les Tres Riches Heures Du Duc De Berry (French Edition)

Nina Stemme adds a marvelous characterization to Vier Letzte Lieder. Yet her lilting, girlish rendering of Salome is delectable, her swirling roulades fairly sparkling with exuberance. If she were to sing Strauss in the Met, she would easily win over any current primadonna. Her ability to color each word and phrase to bring out its exact nuance and meaning, her impeccable tuning and unfailing sense of pitch and rhythm make her one of the most distinguished artists in today's Strauss repertoire.

Covent Garden's orchestra plays with tremendous zest and accomplishment under music director Antonio Pappano, a conductor of immeasurable theatrical flair and musical persuasiveness. I wish I were there for live performances of Salome and Capriccio; the recording makes one wants to feel this way.

Recommended.

Words cannot describe the sheer beauty of this recording in brilliance of sound, spaciousness, magnificent playing of the orchestra, Pappano's conducting and above all, the voice and interpretation of Nina Stemme!

I was not that taken back some years ago with her recording of Isolde with Domingo, but this Strauss arias and songs have me speechless.

I own about every recording of the Strauss' Four Last Songs that appeared on disc - hard to find recordings and out of print ones like Nilsson, Harper, Sass, Jones - and the popular Fleming, Norman,Isokoski, Schwarzkopf, etc. I have listened to them all numerous times trying to choose for myself the definitive and ultimate...

One can contrast and compare Stemme's with the others, but it feels sacrilegious to highlight the shortcomings of other singers in a review of this sublime music. So lets just say that some singers recorded it too late in their careers, some had difficulties with interpretation, others were overindulgent, some relied too heavily on their big voices, and conductors where not always sympathetic towards the music and singers either.

Nina Stemme and Pappano come close to perfect with this recording! The sound of her tone is simply gorgeous, soaring... Her rendition of the final scene from Salome is unparalleled. She should definitely record the entire opera.

Norman, Schwarzkpof, Isokoski, Janowitz now have strong competition!

I no longer have the dilemma of deciding which of all my recordings of Strauss' Four Last Songs is my ultimate - in fact, I can probably only have one on my shelve now. Buy it, you will love it!

Briefly stated, if you like singing in Strauss' final work that is operatic in the worst sense, and prefer a voice with a vibrato beat so heavy it almost sounds like trills, this is the recording for you. But if you think this music requires something more personal, there are a hand full of fine recordings, though none perhaps that are perfect. My favorites include the recording by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (1953 with Ackermann, much preferred to her later, overly mannered and overrated performance with Szell), Jessye Norman (although she too is too operatic and too loud in the first movement, and must overcome glossy, Hollywood sounding orchestral accompaniment throughout), and Cheryl Studer (who sings beautifully but is unsteady in the final song, and doesn't quite match the "inner" quality of Schwarzkopf and Norman).

I was stunned and disappointed that the Gramophone critics gave this a favorable rating. It was such a torture to listen to that I had to turn it off before the 3rd song finished.

For her debut solo recital disc on the EMI label, dramatic soprano wunderkind chose to record Richard Strauss' "Four Last Songs" along with the final scenes from "Salome" and "Cappricio." Hearing Ms. Stemme perform these is a revelation, and she demonstrates why no one else can do quite what she does. Her performance here is stellar, dramatic, and, perhaps, unmatched by any of her peers. Ms. Stemme is able to move from that bombastic and dramatic final scene from "Salome" to the pensive and stately final scene from "Cappricio" with ease. Moving from a vengeful teenage girl to a wiser, elegant Countess and then into the "Four Last Songs," she uncovers the dramatic tension of each piece with care, allowing each piece to build, as her rich, powerful soprano voice caresses each note. The booklet accompanying the CD includes an introductory essay on Richard Strauss and his music by Michael Tanner, song texts, and translations in German and French. Unfortunately, no artist biographies or notes from Ms. Stemme are included. Considering that these pieces have been recorded so often, this release is a welcome breath of fresh air. Nina Stemme's recording is a more than fine addition to the Strauss catalog that no lover of the soprano voices should be without.

THE ARTIST IS NOT JEREMY WHITE. CHANGE YOUR LISTING. THAT ARTIST IS NINA STEMME

A couple years ago, Stemme starred in a modern, somewhat strangely staged Rosenkavalier DVD. She was spectacular as the Marschallin, easily helping me ignore the unsightly set design. I wanted to hear her sing the Four Last Songs quite desperately. Here it is. First, the orchestra is spectacular. Pappano is possibly the best conductor there is today. Credit is also given to two soloists who add fine contributions to the songs, the horn and violin soloists. Please take notice that this is a swift performance of the songs. The languorous beauty of the Jessye Norman version is definitely absent from this interpretation. Great detail is given to the orchestra and the recording favors the orchestra. Fear not, however, for Stemme's voice is large and powerful. Most will remember her from the much talked about Tristan and Isolde recording with Placido Domingo. Her tone is deep, with a mezzo-like timbre. I prefer the Gundula Janowitz/ Karajan version where the songs take on an ethereal quality with her metallic, crystalline voice. The greatest liability of this interpretation is the swiftness; it seems she is anxious to speed through them, which doesn't work when these songs, for me, represent a resigned conciliation with death. Judicious, ideal speeds at which to perform these four gems would be slightly slower, which would not only be true to the meaning of the songs, but would also showcase a soprano's ability to sustain gorgeous legato lines. If you are a collector of this work and would welcome many interpretations, as I do, you need to get a copy. There are excerpts from Capriccio and Salome that are exquisite. However, this is not a definitive performance of the Four Last Songs. For truly inspired performances, stick with the two classic Elisabeth Schwarzkopf versions, the previously mentioned Janowitz/Karajan version or the digital Soile Isokoski version (as briskly sung as Stemme, but with extremely gorgeous tone).

I could not believe it when I picked up this disc in my local music store to see my favourite music by Strauss on one CD. The first thing I thought is how is Nina Stemme going to pull off each of these selections. The answer is unfortunately, much to my expectations, she excels in the Salome scene, while the remainder of the CD shows her to a bit of a disadvantage. She sings the Countess's Final Scene music well enough, but just like the 4 Last Songs, she lacks the inner-most feeling and cannot penetrate the music like Fleming or Schwarzkopf. Her vibrato also seems to get in the way of most of the music, although it seems to work better in the Salome Final Scene than anywhere else. Pappano and ROH Orchestra provide worthy accompaniment.