Strauss: Four Last Songs, 15 Lieder / Bonney [IMPORT]

Richard [1] Strauss (Composer), Malcolm Martineau (Performer), Barbara Bonney (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Malcolm Martineau, Barbara Bonney
• Composer: Richard [1] Strauss
• Audio CD (February 2, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Decca Import
• ASIN: B00000I92W
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #295,495 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful recording of Richard Strauss, September 15, 1999

By A Customer

I love this CD because there are many wonderful lieder by R.Strauss and Ms. Bonney is one of my favorite sopranos. Well, I like the version of Scwalzkopf/Szell, but this version is fresh and sung them beautifully.

I think this is a must buy for Bonney's fan as well as that of R. Strauss!

Now this is one of my favorite albums. Brava, Ms. Bonney!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Four Last Songs: A new vision. . . ., November 16, 2005

By	Opera-rater "Christopher" (Fayetteville, AR) - See all my reviews

I have to disagree with previous reviewers about the Four Last Songs:
of course, one must be famliar with the orchestral version, but this
recording with piano turns a completely new light on the songs.
The piano, unlike the thick and lush texture of the orchestra, is
delicate as filagree, turning the songs into NEW pieces. I'm not
sure if Strauss sanctioned the performance of these songs with
piano, but they are exquisite. I'm not sure if Bonney could handle
these songs in their orchestral setting, but who cares?
She is a wonder of line, elegance, and phrasing. Her limpid tone
is consistantly delicious. I have recordings of the Four Last Songs
by Studer and Fleming in their orchestral setting, both wonderful
in different ways. BUT: I would not have missed this new
vision of these songs for the world. BUY IT.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Only if you have listened to an orchestra version., April 4, 2000

By	Sen Peng Eu "ESP=Math+Music+Literature" (Kaohsiung, Taiwan) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

R. Strauss's Four last songs are among my most favorite repertoire. This work is so celestial that almost on facing the death it becomes immortal. R.Strauss always loved orchestra and soprano, and in his last work he dedicated himself to both. So, this piano-accompanied version is very special and strange, it even sounds like a new work of R.Strauss. Although piano gives us a large room for imagination, it in fact lacks vibration, lacks lasting note, lacks rich tone color. Bonny and Martineau indeed did a good and hard performance in 'Four last songs'. But I still found this not a successful attempt. Besides, Bonney took a relatively fast tempo than other version, therefore some contemplative essence in R.Srauss's long sentence is marred. A suggestion: Only if you have listened to the orchestra version, then listen this cd. Or you will get a very distorted image of R.Strauss's great "Four last songs". Other songs in this recital are well selected and good enough.