Gustav Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde; Symphony No. 4 (Paul Kletzki)

Information

Composer: Gustav Mahler

CD1:

1. Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde: I. Das Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde
2. Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde: II. Der Einsame im Herbst
3. Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde: III. Von der Jugend
4. Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde: IV. Von der Schönheit
5. Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde: V. Der Trunkene im Frühling
6. Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde: VI. Der Abschied

CD2:

1. Schubert -  Rosamunde Overture, D. 644
2. Mahler - Symphony No. 4 in G major: I. Heiter, Bedächtig. Nicht eilen
3. Mahler - Symphony No. 4 in G major: II. In gemächlicher Bewegung. Ohne Hast
4. Mahler - Symphony No. 4 in G major: III. Ruhevoll
5. Mahler - Symphony No. 4 in G major: IV. Sehr behaglich "Wir genießen die himmlischen Freuden"
6. Mahler - Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor: IV. Adagietto. Sehr langsam

Murray Dickie, tenor (CD1)
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone (CD1)
Philharmonia Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Schubert)
Paul Kletzki, conductor

Date: 1957 (CD2 2-5), 1959 (CD2 1 & 6), 1960 (CD1)
Label: EMI

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Review

ARTISTIC QUALITY: 9 / SOUND QUALITY: 8

Paul Kletzki’s recordings of Mahler’s Fourth and Das Lied von der Erde were overshadowed by Klemperer’s versions of the same works, but they are by no means inferior. Indeed, in the symphony many listeners might prefer Kletzki’s livelier first-movement tempo and the easier sense of naturalness and flow everywhere else. Klemperer can sound labored in comparison. Emmy Loose in the finale also does a better job than Elisabeth Schwarzkopf in the later recording, though the climax of Kletzki’s adagio strains the trumpets and lacks brilliance.

Similarly, in Das Lied, Klemperer has amazing soloists in Fritz Wunderlich and Christa Ludwig, but tenor Murray Dickie does a very respectable job for Kletzki, and if you want the version with baritone there is none finer than this one. Fischer-Dieskau is in prime vocal estate, audibly superior to his later Decca recording for Bernstein (where his bark already was becoming more severe than his bite), and the Philharmonia orchestra plays with even greater confidence than it did subsequently, when it was in the midst of transition to the “New Philharmonia” and Klemperer’s age was beginning to show despite his evident love of the score. The sonics, particularly in Das Lied, also sound remarkably clean and fresh. The two shorter items are nice to have, and they’re well done. In short, these performances deserve to be enjoyed, respected, and above all, listened to. They have withstood the test of time.

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday

More reviews:
http://www.amazon.com/Symphony-Das-Lied-Von-Erde/dp/B000B668U4

Tony Duggan's survey
http://www.musicweb-international.com/Mahler/Mahler4.htm
http://www.musicweb-international.com/Mahler/Daslied.htm

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Gustav Mahler (7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austrian late-Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th century Austro-German tradition and the modernism of the early 20th century. In his lifetime his status as a conductor was established beyond question, but his own music gained wide popularity only after periods of neglect. After 1945, Mahler became one of the most frequently performed and recorded of all composers. Mahler's œuvre is relatively small. Aside from early works, most of his are very large-scale works, designed for large orchestral forces, symphonic choruses and operatic soloists.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Mahler

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Paul Kletzki (21 March 1900 – 5 March 1973) was a Polish conductor and composer. During the 1920s his compositions were championed by Arturo Toscanini and Wilhelm Furtwängler. Kletzki's most notable work is his Third Symphony, completed in October 1939, with the subtitle 'In memoriam'. In the post-war years Kletzki was a renowned conductor, especially of Gustav Mahler. In 1954 he was appointed chief conductor of the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Between 1958 and 1961 he was principal conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. From 1966 until 1970 he was the General Music Director of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Kletzki

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