Search - Richard [1] Strauss, Antonio Pappano, Liora Grodnikaite :: Richard Strauss: Four Last Songs

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Nicolaas Van Den Heever | La Quinta, CA United States | 05/19/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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!

"

Marvellous Salome

Dag Kyndel | Hölö, Sweden | 05/24/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"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 deeps 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!"

A gratifying new voice for Strauss

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 05/20/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"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."