Lieder anyone?


This niche within classical music, largely leaves my cold a defect in my character I'm sure. I suppose it reached a sort of peak in 19th century Germany, becoming an important part of Schubert's output for example. 

But and it's a big but, there is Mahler and Richard Straus, two of my favourite 20th century composers anyway. They both produced achingly beautiful, melancholic song cycles and I never tire of listening to them. If you want to explore them, then anything by Janet Baker or Elizabeth Scwarzkopf are just perfect for Mahler and Leontine Price's 4 Last Songs for Strauss. You can't go wrong with them.

 

David

david12

Hey David - Long time.  I never thought I would be listening to leider, but I somehow acquired a Tacet CD of Mozart's lieder sung by Ibolya Verebics and it is absolutely wonderful.  I recently retired and I think I want to expand my musical universe into some different genres like this and maybe some medieval music.  Gregorian chant and the like. I have a little of it in my collection now, but there is a lot out there, so I hear.   

I have a disc of Elly Ameling doing Schubert Lieder, Dalton Baldwin on piano, a stunning stunning recording of unbelievably great composition.  I understand zero of what she is singing, but its sooo lovely.  

Yep, for me Schubert Lieder are beautiful beyond words.  Strauss is a respectable second, and everyone else is trailing by a considerable margin.  I tried to warm to the Brahms Lieder, but just couldn't make it happen. 

I got my share of lieder on my shelves. I whistle/hum/yodel several lieder tunes when I drive my car...like Schubert's "Im Frueling." I love Ellie Ameling. It doesn't matter what tune she's singing.  I even dig Schoenberg's Gurrelieder. What can I say?

My first exposure to lieder was listening to my grandmothers recordings after her graduation from CCM, about 1924. Schumann, Schubert and Brahms. I believe that Schumann is my favorite. Arias are much easier to come by than lieder, given there shear volume.