Jessye Norman sings "September" from Richard Strauss' Vier Letzte Lieder

[wTrevorh]

Ihre version hört sich schön zu mir, Jessye! Wunderbar!

[TsarBovov]

This is so good, it is unreal.

[avarmadillo]

Wonderful voice--but not fit for this music. This is really chamber music. She sings the "song" well, but not the meaning of the text--My take best interpretations: Renee Fleming on youtube and very best: Elisabeth Schwartzkopf with Szell and the Berlin Phil (her last recording of it)---NOT found here on youtube; absolutely astounding coloristic and shape mastery of the voice for expressive purposes. Learn the German too--it's critical to really appreciate Schwartzkofp. Sell your bed and buy it.

[wTrevorh]

@avarmadillo, what?!  Jessye's interpretation of Strauss' four last songs are by far one of the BEST available. For you to make such a comment should certainly be sign that you're going deaf. Have a doctor check on you, please.

[RVP57]

She was in top form at this time. Everything is in place, in line, and perfectly managed. And therefore she's able to make music with it. She doesn't side-step or cut any corners. Leontyne Price said that there can no compromise in great art, and Jessye Norman gloriously verifies that statement. BTW this was around the time Jessye was shaking the walls of the Met with her stunning Sieglinde, one of the finest interpretations of that role ever.

[metropolitan1966]

Sublime!

[littlemiss24077]

it's not necessarry to understand the words,her voice tells you the story. All you need to do is surrender

[Aubury]

oh golly, profoundly moving, a supreme artist Ms Norman

[GourmetGuy]

Difficult to believe that Strauss wrote the 4 Last Songs in 1948. Those and DER ROSENKAVALIER (1909-10) are my favorite works by Strauss, and therefore, in my top ten musical works of all time. (I don't usually rank music that way, but I have such strong feelings about Strauss.) I still think Schwarzkopf is best in the Songs and ROSENKAVALIER.

[kylesflak]

Ethereal. Simply.

[otorino9o9]

mindblowingly wonderfull,i m in heaven

[MrTargenor]

jessie norman. you make me doubt there is a god in heaven....

she must be on earth right there

[MrAndredekock]

Sublime. I won't compare her to anyone, but give her her due in her own right. Bravissima.

[sfmarklh]

Hands down J.N. is the greatest singer of Strauss' Four Last Songs. I am sure Strauss himself would have agreed. Thank You So Much for posting this! Ms Norman thank you for your divine magical gift! You warm my heart and soul.

[newhotmailit]

oh my god. she's divine !!!

[flylooper]

Just wonderful. 

[marhalabszar]

Am I the only one to whom seems that the very first bars are actually a musical quote from Götterdämmerung? From act I, scene III, when evening falls. But maybe just a coincidence.

[jlaurson]

Der Garten trauert, kühl sinkt in die Blumen der Regen. Der Sommer schauert still seinem Ende entgegen. Golden tropft Blatt um Blatt nieder vom hohen Akazienbaum. Sommer lächelt erstaunt und matt In den sterbenden Gartentraum. Lange noch bei den Rosen bleibt er stehn, sehnt sich nach Ruh. Langsam tut er die müdgeword'nen Augen zu.

[kingorthy]

Phenomenal singer of Strauss--equal or better than Schwarzkopf--out of this world talent and taste.....

[nieuwbooy]

@kingorthy you gotta hand it to Schwarzkopf though. Not only is he a great soprano but he also led the coalition forces during Desert Storm.

[Teddyb1939]

@nieuwbooy Why on earth did you bother,silly!

[claprust]

Richard Strauss and Jessye Norman: no better match! My heart melted when I watched this clip. Thank you so much.

[CaptainWebb1512]

Bless you for posting this video. The lyrics are......... The garden is in mourning. Cool rain seeps into the flowers. Summertime shudders, quietly awaiting his end. Golden leaf after leaf falls from the tall acacia tree. Summer smiles, astonished and feeble, at his dying dream of a garden. For just a while he tarries beside the roses, yearning for repose. Slowly he closes his weary eyes.

[azoressinger]

I didn't understand why everyone went crazy over "The Last Four Songs" until I heard Jessye Norman do them...Wow!!!!!!

[ghernan01]

I'm still in the air...after 5 minutes of having listened to this song! The pure definition of beauty!

[n1cc1t]

This is just so beautiful.

[langleywil]

From 1:15 to 1:18 is just...well, awesome.

[wTrevorh]

She just makes me fall in love with Strauss all over again!

[Aldobrandini]

Brilliant. Her voice was still in excellent condition; lots of bloom still. There's nobody around these days who could sing these extremely difficult songs with the same largesse, the same finesse, and the same perfect German diction.

[putzilutzi]

@Aldobrandini i absolutely agree with u. i have listened to many different interprations....but none is like J.N.

Love & Peace from Germany, H.

[desiderius82]

What a legato! Even at this somewhat slower than usual speed! I'm haunted by Norman's rendition of the four last songs, almost can't listen to them sung by anyone else. (Plus, I adore Big Diva Hair.)

But can someone PLEASE post this at higher volume?

[garethross86]

That long decrescendo at the end of the piece is just phenomenal! She grabs a hold of my heart and takes me somewhere where I want to be forever.  She is not of this world.

[TheParentHater]

Simply fantastic! Norman does the 4 last songs the best.

[jcrogers14]

Nobody sings Strauss Four Last Songs better than Jessye Norman, her recording with Kurt Masur is legendary.

[newhotmailit]

i think its a little to slow and heavy, but the emotion beats it all...LOVE HER!!!

[Gav640]

Jessye Norman singing Strauss is a beautiful thing

[LilMack549]

Thank you thank you for posting this. Jessye's recording of the Vier Letzte Lieder with Masur and Leipzig is the absolute best, most touching, heartbreaking, and ultimately sublimely comforting recording of the work, and I've always wanted to see videos of her singing these live.

Do you have any videos of her singing the other songs live in concert?