Kathleen Ferrier "Du Bist die Ruh'" by Schubert

[marshallrkeith]

I weep uncontrollably when i hear this. i don't cry only because of the beauty of the music but as the passing of a great age and sentiment.

[schlusnus]

I agree kasha, one says "it's an acquired taste " it's simply listening deeply and

comparing  in a quiet environment ..becoming immersed in the subject.

Perhaps todays audiences haven't had the advantage of "Great voices of the past "

[kasha1932]

I read that todays' audiences wouldn't appreciate this type of voice. Why is that? Could athe reason be that vocalists just are not singing this type of music...a real shame. I think that this goes right along with the "dumbing down" of just about everything these days. People must have things exposed to them. Sometimes what is new is not appreciated...this music is similaar to eating a new food...it's an acquired taste. We need more

GREAT music for Americans...not more noise!

[singlelaw]

She was born in 1912 and recording was not as good. She is wonderful. I am a singer. I love the depth of tone.

(Agree she struggles at bit with the top E and F if my perfect pitch is working right in guessing those notes)

(Just deciding what songs my twin sons will sing for grade 8 singing - which I can bear to listen to for 4 months every day (whose voices are pretty good - this is too mature a piece for angelic boy trebles...)

[ducadibudapest]

Stupenda interpretazione di questi bellissimi versi di Ruckert sulla immortale musica di Schubert; Kathleen Ferrier una voce superba, un'interprete unica.

[CanadaPisces]

How blessed we are to be able to hear such wonderful singing!

[7inga7]

What a heavenly voice!

[erika64F]

Bouleversante, toujours incroyablement bouleversante.

[Brunnhilde66]

I am a singer (also a contralto) and find her singing excellent. Agreed that it probably wouldn't appeal to a modern audience; however, her line is excellent and her sound is rich and lovely.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with her high notes - she simply isn't a soprano and the register is different.

The criticism I've read here sounds like it has much more to do with an issue of taste than quality as Ferrier was a very fine singer.

[hannahsark]

@Brunnhilde66 I completely agree, I'm a singer too but a soprano. She is a fantastic singer!

She has too much vibrato and colour to be appealing to some of today's listeners but for others that is what makes her such an amazing singer. Her voice and tone are superb. :)

[embenadorfinearts]

The most moving voice and musically superb. It is not say in the description that this is a concert performance with Bruno Walter on the piano (among her last appearances and was already ill). Thank you for posting this exceptional document on Kathleen Ferrier !

[embenadorfinearts]

The most moving voice and musically superb. It is not say in the description that this is a concert performance with Bruno Walter on the piano (among her last appearances and was already ill).

[Canbelto1]

I adore this woman. She had some vocal problems in the evenness of the registers, but what a beautiful artist!

[Tenortalker]

Such warmth and honesty in her singing. Kathleen Ferrier-- each recording is a precious gift as she was takn from the musical world so soon.

[AllForTheMostHighGod]

She sounds absolutely wonderful!

I just recorded Du bist die Ruh and posted it on youtube as well.... Let me know what you all think! thanks!

[pianomags]

I went to college with a girl (sop, probably heading towards Wagner) who said in music history one day "I listened to Kathleen Ferrier last night, I don't get why people liked her so much, it's sounds horrible, very low, like a man. Why would anyone not want to be a soprano?"

Wendy , I have had a lot of mileage telling this anecdote to other musicians, you have no idea how much we've enjoyed it. Bless you, and thanks so much x

[osinging]

@pianomags Because the most hearfelt songs come from contrlatos not sopranos.

Here is a more well known song, possibly THE most well known, and sung by a contralto - tell me a soprano who can sing it as well.

youtube.com/watch?v=JctsTcnM4h­U

[pianomags]

@osinging Haaaaa just listened to it, she was amazing. I remember my mum listening to it but never knowing who it was. If only we could pickthe voice we got, eh?

[Wavewolfaroha]

@osinging Thanks for the referral! Absolutely heartwarming, along with this performance. Two of my favorite songs, too!

[hardimentjake]

@pianomags She did have a point there though. Okay, so she doesn't sound like a man, and not everyone is a soprano, a fact to be celebrated, but her tone is not really in the tastes of current audiences, and the recording equipment does no favours to her vibrato. Her technique seems soun, but those high notes are a bit forced, she seems to be pushing too much from the diaphragm and sending it slightly sharp.

Unfortunately as you can tell, this voice does nothing for me either.

[operaoaf]

This voice is mother earth's beckoning!

[mcleodricky]

Kathleen was one of the great voices of the 20th century....her singing of Schubert's marvelous song Du bist die Ruh stands as one of finest recorded.....in my humble opinion !

[deborahsuewho]

O full es ganz,

[danrouen76]

Il y a longtemps, longtemps...j'ai entendu (sur un vieux poste à transistors crachotant) cette voix magnifique, au timbre exceptionnel, qui m'a conquis définitivement. Oui, je suis tombé amoureux d'une voix venue d'ailleurs.

[barneswriter]

This is equisite and is my favourite of her Lieder interpretations.

[jaadler84]

The greatest of all singers in all times! Thanks for letting me share this joy!

[kynismos]

A puerile statement.

[jakestew2008]

The best interpretation I've ever heard!!!

It melts my heart...

Thanks for posting this wonderful music!

[kynismos]

You obviously have not clicked very far...

[bobdoney1]

Dear Youtube, I want to give this six stars. Or more........

[MrLuke314]

i like her

[bilstew]

I could listen to this voice for hours. God bless her and may her memory last forever. greetings from Ireland.

[foxytierchen1]

Schön, wenn man in der Lage ist den amerikanischen Akzent zu überhören...

[pgw107]

Sie war Engländerin!!!!

[hermx0]

I surely would have travelled far to attend a live concert of her! Such a very touching voice. If someone needs an explanation of what music is all about - just let him listen to her!

[Robertgrade]

Ms. Ferrier's voice was one of the most unforgetable in the last century.

[Robertgrade]

No doubt that Ms. Ferrier'

[boundsie99]

I'm quite surprised at how few hits the Kathleen Ferrier pages have. Very grateful that so much of her stuff is up here though.I'd never heard half of it before I started looking on Youtube.

[CanadaPisces]

A glorious voice removed from us too soon!

[JohnChernoff]

Gee.

[Amiduffer]

I bet there wasn't a dry eye in the house. This is a favorite.

[nog55]

Thankyou so much for posting this,how beautiful.Ithought no-one could come close to D.F.D.She died so young, like Wunderlich it really was a great loss for all of us. A little bit of perfection,thankyou again.

[galine13]

quelle voix!!! même si le style et la façon de chanter sont un peu dépassés, on ne peut qu'apprécier le timbre incroyablement chaleureux et la qualité de la ligne de chant!! une grande dame du chant!!

[Sesto73]

Du bist die Ruh' - could you correct the title, please! :-)