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"Des Knaben Wunderhorn"
Des Knaben Wunderhorn is an anthology
of old German poems and folk songs published in the early 1800s,
a product of the Romantic yearning for the simple days of the
past. By the time Mahler set a number of them to music, the Zeitgeist
had changed, and his approach is almost antiromantic in feeling.
He used eight of them in his symphonies, and chose 13 for this
collection. The recording by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Elisabeth
Schwarzkopf has set the standard for many years, but this new
version is just about as good. Anne Sofie von Otter and Thomas
Quasthoff have fine voices. Thomas Quasthoff doesn't quite have
Fischer-Dieskau's security and pointed phrasing, but he comes
close, and Anne Sofie von Otter sings with a subtlety that rivals
Schwarzkopf and with greater beauty and radiance. The accompaniment
by Claudio Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic is crisp and idiomatic,
and the sound is excellent. Highly recommended. --Alex Morin |
Customer review from Amazon
Reviewer: Jonathan B Horrocks, Reston United
States
With good ingredients, the product
is bound to be good. Quasthoff is quite at home with lieder,
so he sings his songs with imagination. Von Otter brings much
personality to her contribution, especially to her last two songs.
Claudio Abbado is flexible as usual and the Berlin Philharmonic
have a wide variety of color at their disposal. The only problem
listeners may or may not encounter is the recording balance,
which favors the upper bass. This is not uncommon in Berlin,
but is more intrusive on this recording. Regardless, if you love
any member of this team, you should buy the recording - it is
bound to give pleasure. |
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