Richard Strauss:
Four Last Songs Discography compiled and
maintained by Ron
Burnett |
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Strauss Opera Discography | Opera-L City Files |
Norman Del Mar writes in Richard Strauss:
This group of Vier letzte Lieder was never heard by Strauss himself, nor did he give a clear indication of the order in which they were to be presented, whereas there was never any doubt that they must be sung by a soprano. At the end only the memory of his Pauline's voice could be his companion on these farewell excursions through the music to which his whole existence had been dedicated.
The first performance was given on 22nd May 1950 by Kirsten Flagstad and the Philharmonia Orchestra under Furtwängler in the Royal Albert Hall, London, on which occasion they were sung not in chronological order but with Beim Schlafengehen first and ending naturally with Im Abendrot, September and Frühling taking the remaining places as second and third respectively.
But when during the same year they were published, the editor, Dr Roth came wisely to the conclusion that a more satisfactory as well as more logical order was:
Frühling
September
Beim Schlafengehen
Im Abendrot
and in this form they have throughout the world become beloved above all Strauss's orchestral Lieder, and rank amongst his most admired works in any genre. (Vol. 3, p.466).
In order of composition, the songs (and dates of completion) are:
I = Im Abendrot (6 May 1948)
F = Frühling (18 July 1948)
B = Beim Schlafengehen (4 August 1948)
S = September (20 September 1948)
Soprano | Order | Orchestra | Conductor | Recorded | Published | Reference |
Alexander, Roberta | Dutch NYO | Gatehouse, A. | 1982 | Eurosound ES 46.583 | ||
Anderson, June | FSBI | Legato ALD 3063 (tape) | ||||
Aruhn, Britt Marie | FSBI | RO Stockholm | Köhler , S. | 14 June 1995 | 1995 | Bluebell ABCD 062 |
Augér, Arleen | FSBI | VPO | Previn, A. | 1988 | 1989 | Telarc CD-80180 |
Bonney, Barbara | FSBI | (Piano) | Martineau, M. | June 1998 | March 1999 | Decca 460 812 |
Borkh, Inga | FSBI | Orch. Symph. de Vichy | Leitner, F. | 2002 | Ponto PO-1010 | |
Borowska, Joanna | FSBI | Cracow RSO | Haider, F. | June 1995 | 1995 | Nightingale NC 161864-2 |
Bumbry, Grace | FSBI | Legato ALD 3063 (tape) | ||||
Caballé, Monserrat | FSBI | Strasbourg PO | Lombard, A. | Sept. 1976 | 1995 | Erato 4509-98499-2 |
Caballé, Monserrat | FSBI | NYPO | Mehta | 1978 | 1995 | Legato LCD 134.2 |
Della Casa, Lisa | BSFI | VPO | Böhm | 1953 | 1990/97 | Decca 425 959-2 London 448 150-2 |
Della Casa, Lisa | BRSO | Rieger | 1973 | IGI | ||
Dolukhanova, Zara | All-Union Radio Or. | Rozhdestvensky | 1967 | 1982 | Melodya 10-43971-2 | |
Eaglen, Jane | FSBI | LSO | Runnicles | 1999 | 2000 | Sony SK61720 |
Ewing, Maria | Birmingham | Rattle, S. | 1897 | Legato ALD 1817 (tape) | ||
Farley, Carole | FSBI | Czech State PO | Serebrier, J. | Feb. 1995 | 1997 | Classic FM 756055700022 |
Flagstad, Kirsten | BSFI | Philharmonia | Furtwangler, W. | 22 May 1950 | 1995 | Simax PSC 1823 Arlecchino ARL 111/1112 |
Flagstad, Kirsten | _SBI | State Opera Berlin | Sebastian, Georges | 9 May 1952 | 1989 | Hunt Productions CD 576 |
Fleming, Renée | FSBI | Houston | Eschenbach, C. | 1995 | 1996 | RCA 09026-68539-2 |
Fontana, Gabriele | FSBI | (Piano) | Werba, Eric | 1989 | 1990 | Preiser CD 93377 |
Freni , Mirella | FSBI | Bologna Sym. | Smetacek , V. | Nov. 1973 | Legato BIM 703-2 | |
Freni , Mirella | FSBI | Bologna Sym. | Smetacek , V. | Nov. 1973 | Legato ALD 1554S (tape) | |
Goltz, C. | FSBI | Pro Musica Vienna | Hollreiser, H. | 1965 | VOX PL9400 (LP) | |
Grümmer, Elisabeth | FSBI | Berliner Sinfonie | Kraus, R. | 1970 | 1998 | Gala GL 100.554 |
Hajossyová, Magdaléna | FSBI | Slovak Phil. | Peek, L, | 1983 | 1985 | OPUS 9112 1511 GZ L1 0117-2 011 |
Harper, Heather | FSBI | RPO | Del Mar, N. | 18 July 1981 | 1995 | BBC 15656 91382 |
Harper, Heather | FSBI | LSO | Hickox, R. | Feb. 1987 | 1998 | EMI 7 49726 2 |
Hendricks, Barbara | FSBI | Philadelphia | Sawallisch, W. | Oct. 1994 | 1996 | EMI 5 55594 2 |
Janowitz, Gundula | _S_I | Munich RO | Eichhorn, K. | 1968 | 1994 | ORIGINALS SH 832 |
Janowitz, Gundula | Rome RAI | Celibidache, S. | 1969 | Nuovo Era CD 2217 Arkadia CDHP 570.1 Fonit Cetra FCA-2012 Fonit Cetra FCA CDO 136 |
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Janowitz, Gundula | FSBI | BPO | Karajan, H. von | Feb. 1973 | 1995 | DG 447 422-2 |
Jones, Gwynneth | FSBI | Tokyo SO | Paternostro, R. | May 1991 | Koch Schwann 314081 | |
Jurinac, Sena | FSBI | Stockholm PO | Busch, F. | 2 May 1951 | 1989 | EMI 7 63199 2 |
Jurinac, Sena | FSBI | National Orch. | Horvat, M. | 1960 | Voce della Luna VL2005-2 | |
Kollo, René | ___I | Berlin Opera | Thielemann, C. | Sept. 1992 | 1992 | EMI 7 54776 2 |
Kuhse, Hanne-Lore | SFBI | Leipzig GWH | Neumann, V. | Apr. 1964 | 1993 | Berlin BC 2075-2 |
Lear, Evelyn | FSBI | VPO | Böhm, K. | 1964 | 1998 | VAI 1159 |
Lott, Felicity | BSFI | Scottish NO | Jarvi, N. | 8 Dec. 1986 | 1992 | Chandos CHAN 9054 Chandos CHAN 7113 |
Marton, Eva | FSBI | Toronto SO | Davis, A. | 1985 | CBS 42019 (tape) Sony 44910 |
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Mattila, Karita | FSBI | Berlin Phil. | Abbado, C. | Dec. | 1998 | DGG 289 445 182 |
Meyer-Topsøe, Elisabeth | FSBI | Copenhagen PO | Bihlmaier, H. | Feb. 1993 | 1993 | Kontrapunkt 32156 |
Nilsson, Birgit | FSBI | Swedish RSO | Segerstam, L. | 3 Jan. 1970 | 1988 | Bluebell ABCD 009 |
Norman, Jessye | FSBI | Leipzig GWH | Masur, K. | Aug. 1982 | 1988 | Philips 411 052-2 |
Norman, Jessye | __B_ | Leipzig GWH | Masur, K. | Aug. 1982 | 1996 | Philips 442 157-2 |
Pollet, Françoise | FSBI | Nice PO | Weise, K. | Apr. 1995 | 1995 | Accord 204822 |
Popp, Lucia | FSBI | LPO | Tennstedt, K. | Mar. 1982 | 1982 | EMI 7 64290 2 EMI 7 47013 2 |
Popp, Lucia | FSBI | LSO | Tilson Thomas, M. | 22 May 1993 | 1994 | Sony SK 48242 |
Price, Leontyne | FSBI | New Philharm.onia | Leinsdorf, E. | 7 July, 1973 | 1988 | RCA 6722-2-RG |
Price, M. | Lyon Opera | Nagano, K. | 1988 | Legato ALD 1817 (tape) | ||
Price, M. | Scotland? | Gibson? | 1975 | Legato ALD 1554 (tape) | ||
Rothenberger, Anneliese | FSBI | LSO | Previn, A. | 16 Dec. 1974 | 1995 | EMI 5 68795 2 |
Sass, Sylvia | FSBI | Hungarian SO | Lukács | 1982 | Hungaroton 12397-2 | |
Schwarzkopf, Elisabeth | FSBI | Philharmonia | Ackermann | 25 Sept. 1953 | 1987 | EMI 7 61001 2 |
Schwarzkopf, Elisabeth | FBIS | Philharmonia | Karajan, H. von | 20 June 1956 | 1990 | EMI 7 63655 2 |
Schwarzkopf, Elisabeth | FSBI | Berlin Phil. | Karajan | 15 Aug. 1964 | Verona 27075| Virtuoso 2697 152 |
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Schwarzkopf, Elisabeth | FSBI | WNO Orch. | Armstrong, R. | 1981 | HMV | |
Steber, Eleanor | FSBI | Cleveland | Levine, J. | 5 May 1970 | 1992 | VAI 1012 |
Stitch-Randall, Teresa | FSBI | Vienna Radio Orch. | Somogyi, L. | 1964 | Westminster LP XWN19081 | |
Studer, Cheryl | FSBI | Dresden Staatskapelle | Sinopoli, G. | June 1993 | 1994 | DG 439 865-2 |
Sweet, Sharon | FSBI | LSO | Frühbeck de Burgos, R. |
Feb. 1990 | 1991 | Collins Classics 11352 |
Te Kanawa, Kiri | FSBI | LSO | Davis, A. | 1978/79 | Sony/CBS MK 76794 | |
Te Kanawa, Kiri | FSBI | VPO | Solti, G. | 1990 | 1991 | Decca 430 511-2 |
Tomowa-Sintow, Anna | FSBI | BPO | Karajan, H. von | Nov. 1985 | 1986 | DG 445 600-2 |
Voigt, Deborah | FSBI | NYPO | Masur, K. | Dec. 1998 | 1999 | Teldec 3984-259990 |
Welitsch, Ljuba | FSBI | (Piano) | Ulanowsky, P. | 18 Mar. 1953 | 1997 | CBD Odyssey Sony CD MH2K 62866 |
Wyckof, LouAnn | Teatro La Fenice | Schippers, T. | Mondo Musica MDM-10010 | |||
Zylis-Gara, Teresa | Hanover RSO | Decker, F. | 1976 | Rodolphe RPC 32 392 |
Strauss Opera Discography | Opera-L City Files |