Jessye Norman - Strauss - Beim Schlafengehen

Richard Strauss - Vier letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs)
III. Beim Schlafengehen (Hermann Hesse)
Jessye Norman - soprano
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, l982
conducted by Kurt Masur

Category:

Music

Tags:

• jessye
• norman
• richard
• strauss
• Beim
• Schlafengehen
• vier
• letzte
• Lieder
• four
• last
• songs
• kurt
• masur

[TheVaughan5]

This is unquestionably the finest recording of the 4 Last Songs, there are many very fine intrepretations but Jessye Norman is the benchmark.

[Linus107]

Es gibt viele schöne Interpretationen der vier letzten Lieder, aber hier hat Jessey wirklich die Preise versaut - schöner, perfekter, großartiger geht es einfach nicht - niemals zuvor und auch niemals wieder! Diese Kathedralen aus edelstem und reinstem Wohlklang sind so unvergleichlich schön - ich kann einach nur heulen vor Freude. Aber bitte - kauft euch die CD - die Youtube Qualität wird dieser Aufnahme mit Kurt Masur und dem Gewandhausorchester nicht gerecht. Trotzdem danke fürs Hochladen!

[grumy67]

I first heard this recording in the apartment of a friend on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam in 1992. We sat, he and I, in the twilight of a winters afternoon and as I listened tears began to fall. What the tears were for, I cannot tell. An all-too-brief glimpse of truth, perhaps? Twenty years on, I still do not know what it is about this collection of songs or Miss Norman's beautiful voice that brings out such a response in me, but I am profoundly grateful for it.

[tixalldude]

oh Miss Norman what magic and delight you bring to this world! Thank you and also to the person who put this divine performance on YouTube.

[Loumademe]

Always one of my favorites from Ms. Norman (lost my copy somehow). Thank You!

[brolobear]

As much as I adore the versions with Te Kanawa, this one particular rendition of THIS song has always been my favorite. When Norman sings "schwebe" she is one of the few who actually SOUND like they're floating. The final word "leben" is amazing...first person I ever heard who did a crescendo on the note...the end is ecstatic...and so am I.

[Gatltonian]

I have always thought Schwarzkopf was the unquestionable benchmark, which only goes to show that there is very little that is unquestionable.

[Gatltonian]

@tuberobotto

I think the version used in The Year of Living Dangerously was actually Kiri Te kanawa.

[MrBluedanube]

Now that I am wearied of the day, I will let the friendly, starry night greet all my ardent desires like a sleepy child. Hands, stop all your work. Brow, forget all your thinking. All my senses now yearn to sink into slumber. And my unfettered soul wishes to soar up freely into night's magic sphere to live there deeply and thousandfold.

[kazishikawa]

violin solo: Gerhard Bosse (1922-2012)

[tuberobotto]

@Jenny1954 Btw, I'm not sure if I hit the right film for you though it's worth checking out coz if I remember correctly, it stars Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver and with Linda Hunt (the height-challenged brilliant actress). It's an old film from the late 80s set in the Philippines during what most journalists called "dangerous era" of the Marcos martial law regime. Pls. let me know if my details are correct coz I'm only trying to recall from a distant memory hehehe. Cheers.

[tuberobotto]

@Jenny1954 I first heard and got to know it in a not so well known film called "Year of Living Dangerously" about the Marcos Era in the Philippines and the scene shows Linda Hunt listening to the song before she got murdered. The music drove me so ecstatic, after I got the title I searched all over for it but I realised it was mistitled as "September" in the film. ??! Anyway, I found Shwarzkopff's album and I listened to it like so many Xs in a row. This is my favorite in the set.