Jessye Norman - A Portrait - Biem Schlafengehen (Strauss)

[MrTargenor]

gaaaaaaaaaaaaa



[katecool108]

Simply a masterpiece...

[bronxboy47]

@markwain45

And don't forget Hermann Hesse (of Steppenwolf, The Glass Bead Game, and Siddhartha fame), the author of the poem used as text by Herr Strauss.

[angelo1962]

@bronxboy47 with due respect to Herrn Hesse, his poem disintegrates before Herrn Strauss superb music.

[bronxboy47]

You have to hear it to believe it. This performance would have given Strauss a woody. I know: how crude! But Jessye just brought me to the brink of extinction, I have fight back somehow. Too bad the first and last few seconds of this piece were chopped off.

[otorino9o9]

ABSOLUTLY perfection..............transc­ended...bravo

[beingstudlyforlife]

I died at 4:30...... such bliss..... ahhhhhhhh

[acanthe83]

merci pour cette video. Son aisance est sans pareille et sa voix splendide. Je ne connais pas de version aussi belle

[htshoward]

For me, Jessye's is the definitive voice for these glorious songs.

[MrMglgeo]

Esta criatura é especial. Oh, meu Deus!

[sundancer77]

if i knew that i had the chance to become this piece after my death i would immediately start to believe in reincarnation

[wTrevorh]

@SingleSpy, Strauss did not write this, the great poet, Herman Hesse did. Ms. Norman conquered it! You're right, it is "sensational."

[BirchBarlow]

I never get sick of this. It's so beautiful that it's probably illegal in some countries.

[htshoward]

@BirchBarlow very well said!

[77Opera]

Dans quelle sphère sa voix nous conduit! Quelle merveilleuse beauté!!

[villinrakas]

The mesmerizing light installation in the background made this music suddenly bearable. An interesting effect...

She's a great singer, but opera nearly always comes loaded with such heavy weight of history and tradition that is simply unfitting to the contemporary spirit and flow - the inspiring beauty of now. But this kind of stage design interestingly transcended this performance into something new, (nearly) free of history..

[godfreyih]

@villinrakas

Despite SIngleSpy's rude response (clearly music hasn't transformed his/her abrasiveness), villinrakas is right to recognise Brian Eno's lovely installation, creating an entirely appropriate ambience.

[v1x4g2]

This woman is mesmerizing!

[73670000]

La musica di Wagner rappresenta la trasposizione dell'infinito,la voce di Jessie è una gratificazione infinita per l'anima.- Niente di più maestoso.-

Anche Strauss ha deliziato magistralmente i sentimenti più profondi.-

[htshoward]

I remember when I heard The Four Last Songs, there was no doubt in my mind as a student of music this was GREAT music; however, of the many recordings available, I never fell upon one when I felt the soprano was "one" with the music Strauss wrote...then along came Jessye Norman's recording in the 1980s...it was as if Strauss had her voice in mind when he wrote them. Incomporable. Brava!

[sumar26]

@htshoward I could have never put into words what I felt about this song, and now when I read your comment, it's exactly what I sensed: the song and the singer are just one....Beautiful!!! Thank you for clearing up my mind!!!

[htshoward]

@sumar26 You are so kinds to say so. I am glad I could help out in putting your feelings into words, just as Jessye put mine into words. Many happy hours of listening to you!

[latoyalewis]

Sublime.

[lovesGenet]

This is super. Voice more silver than Kiri or Leontyne.I like as much her sound

as Gundula Janowitz .Lisa dellaCasa more thana sound also musicianly !

[blairinnyc]

I can die without regret having heard this.....

[4Topwood]

@blairinnyc

Yes and don't you feel immense relief that you were born in time to hear it? Just think what all the music lovers who died decades ago have missed.

[angelo1962]

@blairinnyc I'd like to have said that first... great comment

[ACULTURE0]

@blairinnyc yes... she is very beautiful... in a multitude of ways... I fail to understand why anyone could think any different...

Oh well...

[pbeppler]

A true beauty to behold...

[TheWisemonkey8]

Probably the best thing to come out of America in the last 40 years. Simply, [she] is miraculous.

[RWVenezia]

wun-der-bar

[fafner76]

wahnsinn

[sternenprinz1]

this is from Andre Heller's portrait film about her... interview took place in Yves Saint Laurent's garden in Morocco or Tunesia, she is wearing frocks by some designer.

It is my all time ever song and recording. But why in the world must she do full playback to a 20 year old recording of hers and fiddle about with her arms?

Better buy the CD, Vier letzte Lieder, conducted by Kurt Masur.

[slvc415]

Where did you find this. Still takes my breath away.  Thanks for sharing.

[katshu210]

Seriously just brought me to tears. Incredible inspiration...

[TheWisemonkey8]

yes...

[agentbrassneck]

Wonderful .... but shame about the brutal cuts at the start & end of the song :-(

[4Topwood]

I love the feeling she gives that she herself is transported, even transformed, by the beauty of the music.

She was born to sing this as surely as Strauss was born to compose it.

[piratzrule]

She is soooo fantastically amazing. I was blown away. I've heard her sing a million times but not this. Its such a fantastic song to. I love Strauss.

[wellie4me]

My all time favourite song and singer. Mind blowing. Miles better than Susan Boyle

[piratzrule]

That's a stupid thing to say. Jessye Norman has had decades of training, and she's an opera singer, while Susan Boyle sings jazz and musicals... completely different voices.

[Ngelic]

beautiful just beautiful... man i wanna be like jessye when i grow up

[kakeygirl93122]

me too. shes a huge inspiration

[momolito]

it takes my breath away!

[paulprocopolis]

Absolutely miraculous - one is grateful to have experienced such vocal and artistic sublimity.

[prolong4291]

maybe the staging has something to do with it, but I feel completely transcended by this performance. Pure heaven.

[jimhandel]

Jessye Norman seems the perfect fit for the Four Last Songs. Very few singers possess the size of voice and range of color required by Mr. Strauss. BRAVO!!

[ariesBLK]

breath taking!!!!!!!!!!!

[texhunk]

" Und die Seele unbewacht " so beautiful ... Jessye Norman is an amazing artist and a great personality, too. i saw the wonderful documentary from Andre Heller in Europe.

[dannyvegasman]

Absolutely stunning. I have the recording of Jesse singing this and the other 3 last Strauss songs. Also on the cd are the Wagner Wesendonk leider.

(wish she wasn't miming here though)