Richard Strauss: Four Last Songs

Discography compiled and maintained by Ron Burnett
Last updated 1 May 1999

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. Pešek, 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
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
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
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