Lance's program Sat., 23 June 2012: Fischer-Dieskau Memorial

[Lance]

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone

Dear friends of CMG:

On Saturday, 23 June 2012, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time, I offer a memorial tribute to the most-recorded singer of our time, the German-born baritone DIETRICH FISCHER-DIESKAU, born on 28 May 1925 in Berlin, Germany. Fischer Dieskau, called "the most influential singer of the twentieth century," died in his sleep at his home in Upper Bavaria ten days before his 87th birthday, May 18th, 2012. Since 1977, he was married to the Hungarian singer, Júlia Várady. While Fischer-Dieskau sang much opera and oratorio, it was his performances and recordings of German lieder, and particularly his live- and recorded performances with the highly esteemed piano accompanist Gerald Moore. Besides Moore, Fischer-Dieskau worked with a number of other pianists including Herta Klust, Daniel Barenboim, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Sviatoslav Richter, Christoph Eschenbach, Hartmut Höll, Alfred Brendel, Joerg Demus, once with Vladimir Horowitz, and several others.

The Fischer-Dieskau story is a long and interesting one, taking him through World War II when he was captured and imprisoned by the Americans until 1947, who treated him well and recognized his musical genius. Listen to the program for an in-depth biographical sketch about the baritone. Besides being one of the world's supreme artists, he was a conductor, a narrator, a teacher of voice, a writer (having written several books), and a gifted painter of scenes and portraits.

The following will be featured on this broadcast:

♫ Schubert: four (4) lieder (songs): "Du bist die Ruh" (r.1951), "Auflösung" (r.1955), "Auf der Bruck" (r.1957), and "Erlkönig" (r.1958). All with pianist Gerald Moore (EMI).
♫ J. S. Bach: Cantata No. 82, "Ich habe genug" (r.1952) with the Ristenpart Chamber Orchestra, Karl Ristenpart, conductor (DGG/Archiv)
♫ Verdi: La Traviata - "Di provenza il mar" (r.1961) with the Berlin Radio Symphony, Ferenc Fricsay (DGG)
♫ [Duet] Bizet: - "Au fond du temple saint" (r.1982) from The Pearl Fishers with Carlo Bergonzi, tenor; Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, conductor (Orfeo)

Click on this link to take you directly the the broadcast:

http://wpel.streamon.fm/player/streampl ... 32k&type=1

The program can be heard anywhere in the world if your computer is equipped with speakers and you adjust your time schedule to equate to 7:00 p.m. Eastern time.

I trust you will enjoy this program on Saturday, 23 June 2012 featuring baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, which is now heard across the world via the Internet. ♫

[John F]

A very nice selection from his thousands of recordings. All that's missing is any modern music, but then it isn't easy to find a five-minute aria in "Wozzeck" or "Lear."

A small point. The title of Schubert's song is "Erlkönig," not "Der Erlkönig." Just as it's not "Die Winterreise" but "Winterreise," not "Die Götterdämmerung" but "Götterdämmerung," and not "I Pagliacci" but "Pagliacci." This isn't just pedantry, it makes a difference in the meaning, though less so with "Erlkönig" than the others.

[Seán]

This is a lovely selection:

♫ Schubert: four (4) lieder (songs): "Du bist die Ruh" (r.1951), "Auflösung" (r.1955), "Auf der Bruck" (r.1957), and "Der Erlkönig" (r.1958). All with pianist Gerald Moore (EMI).
♫ J. S. Bach: Cantata No. 82, "Ich habe genug" (r.1952) with the Ristenpart Chamber Orchestra, Karl Ristenpart, conductor (DGG/Archiv)
♫ Verdi: La Traviata - "Di provenza il mar" (r.1961) with the Berlin Radio Symphony, Ferenc Fricsay (DGG)
♫ [Duet] Bizet: - "Au fond du temple saint" (r.1982) from The Pearl Fishers with Carlo Bergonzi, tenor; Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, conductor (Orfeo)

I have grown very fond of DFD so I am really looking forward to this program Lance, thank you.

[Lance]

Thank you, John Francis ... so noted (and corrected). I have seen it both ways and "assumed" it was correct either way. But you know what happens when we "assume!" I never studied German or French professionally, though I did study Italian for three years. It got me nowhere when I was in Italy, however! (Well, not totally, but you know what I mean.) Too many dialects. I would love to take a course in German some day - and then French. But just having turned 70, who knows how much time there is to do it all? Given the voluminous number of DFD recordings, my attempt was to cover lieder, oratorio or cantata and then opera. Glad you like the selections!

A very nice selection from his thousands of recordings. All that's missing is any modern music, but then it isn't easy to find a five-minute aria in "Wozzeck" or "Lear."

A small point. The title of Schubert's song is "Erlkönig," not "Der Erlkönig." Just as it's not "Die Winterreise" but "Winterreise," not "Die Götterdämmerung" but "Götterdämmerung," and not "I Pagliacci" but "Pagliacci." This isn't just pedantry, it makes a difference in the meaning, though less so with "Erlkönig" than the others.

[Werner]

Lance, that was a wonderful tribute to a monumentally great artist. The operatic excerpts document his versatility, and I don't remember hearing the cantata in its full length in years.

But to me, the Lieder repertoire brings out the full extent of his special mastery, as the four songs at the beginning convince me again. The smooth flow of his voice, ranging up to fullvolume of drama where called for, still seems unique to me. All four of the Schubert section confirm this, with "Erlkõng" showing his mastery in displaying the voices of the four characters- the father, the son, the Erl King, and the narrator.

[Lance]

Thank you for your kind comments, Werner. Fischer-Dieskau's Schubert, for me (and countless others) is among the best ever if not the best in terms of beauty of voice and conveying meaning to the texts. I would have loved to have given an explanation or synopsis of each song but it all takes time and cuts into the musical content substantially. Nonetheless, the music speaks for itself in such grand interpretations. Needless-to-say, the piano part is of equal importance in conveying the song and Gerald Moore was a master to the nth degree. In really studying the art of Fischer-Dieskau from recordings at the very beginning (1949) to the absolute end of his career, one constantly learns from the master. He was fortunate to have such a grand and long-lasting career among singers. It's good to hear from you!

Lance, that was a wonderful tribute to a monumentally great artist. The operatic excerpts document his versatility, and I don't remember hearing the cantata in its full length in years.

But to me, the Lieder repertoire brings out the full extent of his special mastery, as the four songs at the beginning convince me again. The smooth flow of his voice, ranging up to fullvolume of drama where called for, still seems unique to me. All four of the Schubert section confirm this, with "Erlkõng" showing his mastery in displaying the voices of the four characters- the father, the son, the Erl King, and the narrator.