Mahler’s songs with Orchestra.
The San Francisco Symphony has just completed its release of the final CD in the series of Mahler orchestral works. This is really a milestone in the orchestra’s achievements, and it includes recordings of all the Symphonies, “Das Lied von de Erde”, as well as the Symphony #10. And in this final CD of the series we get the songs for either males or female voices, with orchestra.
CD Contents are:
Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen:
1. Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht
2. Ging heut’ Morgen übers Feld
3. Ich hab’ ein glühend Messer
4. Die zwei blauen Augen
Rückert-Lieder:
5. Ich atmet’ einen linden Duft
6. Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder
7. Liebst du um Schönheit
8. Um Mitternacht
9. Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Selections from Des Knaben Wunderhorn:
10. Lied des Verfolgten im Turm
11. Der Tamboursg’sell
12. Wo die schönen Trompeten blasen
13. Revelge
14. Urlicht
San Francisco Symphony
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Susan Graham, mezzo-soprano
Thomas Hampson, baritone
Recorded live at Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, on September 16-20, 2009
The selections from Des Knaben Wunderhorn are the composer’s interpretations on folk tunes, that are both playful and touching. The Songs of a Wayfarer (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen) tell of young love lost. And the Rückert Song settings are, in a word, gorgeous.
Singing this wonderful music are Susan Graham and Thomas Hampson, two of today’s great Mahler singers, as they join Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony in this final album of the award-winning MTT/SFS Mahler cycle.
Here are quotes from some reviews:
“Graham was characteristically poised and radiant. The American mezzo-soprano lent her full, lustrous tone, regal bearing, and keen sensitivity to these uniquely beautiful songs, beginning here with “Liebst du um Schönheit” (If you love because of beauty), conducted with great sensitivity by Michael Tilson Thomas and sung by Graham’s lovely, rounded projection of the text.”
– Georgia Rowe, San Francisco Classical Voice
“Hampson and the orchestra probed the music for all the pity and terror they conveyed…. Hampson’s singing [of the last song] was as robust and mellifluous as ever, and he projected all the bite and tenderness of Mahler’s melodies flawlessly. “
– Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle
And here is a moving video in which the performing artists tell us much more about Mahler and his music: