Das Lied von der Erde

[Late]

Please list your favorite versions of The Song of the Earth!

[David Ayers]

Bites finger. Orchestral song is a genre I love, but live, and I'm reminded I haven't heard Das Lied in a while. For me it's got to be in the flesh. Have you got a preferred recording?

[king ubu]

Can't say I'm very familiar yet, but Kathleen Ferrier does it for me, at this point.

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/editorial/mahlers-das-lied-von-der-erde

Edited February 1, 2014 by king ubu

[paul secor]

Chuck recommended Horenstein's version with the BBC Northern Symphony and Alfreda Hodgson. It moved me so strongly that I've had no desire to check out another version. Perhaps I will someday.

[Larry Kart]

I agree with Chuck but also like Klemperer with Wunderlich and Ludwig and Van Beinum with Haefliger and Merriman.

[J.A.W.]

Although Mahler is one of my favourite composers (really), I'm not too fond of his song cycles. That said, I like Klemperer's version of Das Lied von der Erde with Christa Ludwig and Fritz Wunderlich best.

[JSngry]

Horenstein is going for crazymad dolls these days, so here.

or if you prefer B&W, here:

[David Ayers]

Who has been singing these roles recently? The last London performance (which I missed) featured Christianne Stotijn and Burkhard Fritz.

Edited February 2, 2014 by David Ayers

[A Lark Ascending]

Despite my aversion to owning multiple copies of classical pieces I have owned 3.

The Giulini from the mid-80s has been my main listen but the soundstage always bothered me. Like many of those early digital recordings it sounds like it was recorded in a cavern.

I was driving round Austria in the late 90s with no Das Lied so bought the Phillips twofer with the Haitink/King/Baker version on. Very enjoyable and it's got played more than the Giulini.

But today I found my first Das Lied on Spotify - Solti/Minton/Kollo. This is - regardless of where it falls in the approved hierarchy - how I hear the piece. In those early years I could only afford a few records so they got played again and again and stamped themselves on my memory. This one evokes those angst ridden late-teen years, sitting in a student hall of residence worrying about whether I was going to make it with my studies or how I was going to approach that unattainable girl. Not what Mahler had in mind but worrying about death or the possibilities of the eternal was not high on my list of priorities at the time.

I've never seen a live performance - would like to.

Edited February 2, 2014 by A Lark Ascending

[Late]

Thanks for all the posts. I have three versions (Walter, Giulini, and Bernstein with Ludwig & Kollo), and probably reach for the Walter the most. I need to hear the Klemperer; I like his way with Mahler, particularly the 2nd symphony.

I'll be hearing Das Lied live for the first time in May. Looking forward to it. I agree with David — Mahler is great live! Whenever there's a Mahler performance within driving distance, I try to go.

=========

Related:

I only have Horenstein's 9th, and like it, but need to listen to it more. There was a time I was collecting Mahler more than listening. That's changing now, and Horenstein is on my backlog.

Anyone here heard Mitropoulos's Mahler? Perhaps even more eccentric than Scherchen's (e.g. fast tempi), but I think Mitropoulos's overall intent works. I like Scherchen's 1 in an old Westminster recording.

[David Ayers]

Wrote a longer post but lost it. Upshot was, has anyone followed new recordings in the last 20 or 30 years? I know I haven't, apart from Urmana/Schade/VPO/Boulez. There seem to be a lot.

[David Ayers]

Here's what I got on a quick search on spotters for more non-historical versions. It includes two all-boy versions plus the Chinese version on BIS. Place to start, anyway.

Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde

Edited February 3, 2014 by David Ayers

[king ubu]

not having access to spotters, there's other ways to find many versions:

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/albumList.jsp?name_id1=7537&name_role1=1&comp_id=14812&bcorder=15

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/59578/Gustav-Mahler-Das-Lied-von-der-Erde

Plenty of more recent recordings around indeed!

Btw, I ordered the Horenstein, promped by this thread ... no shipping confirmation just yet, but crossing my fingers!

[Д.Д.]

Although Mahler is one of my favourite composers (really), I'm not too fond of his song cycles. That said, I like Klemperer's version of Das Lied von der Erde with Christa Ludwig and Fritz Wunderlich best.

Let me second that. Der Abschied by Ludwig is just devastating.

[mikeweil]

Besides the Ferrier I like this one:

This is the Schönberg/Rihm chamber version, but just as impressive.

[Late]

... the Chinese version on BIS.

I was just reading about this edition. Sounds interesting. Anyone here heard it?

And ... anyone here happen to have the Japanese hybrid SACD version of the Klemperer (TOGE prefix) ... ? (It came out in 2012, but is already out-of-print.)

[HutchFan]

Picking up an old thread. . . 

Without a doubt, this is my favorite version of DLvdE:

 

[soulpope]

1 hour ago, HutchFan said:

Picking up an old thread. . . 

Without a doubt, this is my favorite version of DLvdE:

 

Tee best performance hands down .... case closed  ....

[soulpope]

10 hours ago, soulpope said:

Tee best performance hands down .... case closed  ....

For what its worth, also to be mentioned - as sort of left fielder - Horenstein's performace with Alfreda Hodgson + John Mitchinson recorded in 1972 and released on BBC Legends ....

[Alexander Hawkins]

Kathleen Ferrier also incredible in this IMHO...and for another left field suggestion, there is a live recording of Carlos Kleiber(!!!) with Christa Ludwig...

[soulpope]

1 hour ago, soulpope said:

For what its worth, also to be mentioned - as sort of left fielder - Horenstein's performace with Alfreda Hodgson + John Mitchinson recorded in 1972 and released on BBC Legends ....

Btw both singers also perform this euvre admirably with Alexander Gibson + SNO (recorded in 1975) ....