- Four Last Songs, Don Juan, and “Also sprach Zarathustra”.
German composer, Richard Strauss, wrote his “Four Last Songs” (German: Vier letzte Lieder) for soprano and orchestra in 1948 when the composer was 84 years old.
The song titles are “Frühling” (Spring), “September”, “Beim Schlafengehen” (When Falling Asleep) and “Im Abendrot” (At Sunset).
Strauss died in September 1949, prior to the first performance of these works. Since then, these songs have become some of Strauss’ best known and most highly regarded compositions.
This recording features three of Strauss’ major works:
Strauss, R:
- Vier letzte Lieder, performed by Erin Wall (soprano)
- Don Juan, Op. 20
- Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
Performed by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis conducting.
Soprano Erin Wall delivers an amazing performance of Strauss’ Four Last Songs. She’s an exciting young soprano with a repertoire encompassing Mozart’s Donna Anna through to Strauss’ Arabella for the Metropolitan Opera.
Wall’s voice is warm, full, creamy and rich toned, with strong musicianship and control. With Andrew Davis they deliver a performance where her voice totally merges with the orchestra under the maestro’s baton.
The orchestra is performing this repertoire at the 2014 BBC Proms in London, and at the Edinburgh Festival.
Here is “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici” from La Traviata, as performed by Erin Wall, Soprano:
And next, here she is as one of the soloists in Beethoven’s Symphony #9, Op. 125:
Finally, in the next video you can see Erin Wall as Tamina in Mozart’s Magic Flute:
Tags: Erin Wall, Soprano, Strauss, Four last songs, Don Juan, Also sprach Zarathustra