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On 2024-11-12 11:46 a.m., DeepBlue wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Nov 2024 18:06:57 +0000, Roland van Gaalen wrote:
> 
>> Addendum to my message of 26 January 2009 (see below):
>>
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Last_Songs
>>
>> https://www.pristineclassical.com/products/pasc407
>> -- 
>> Roland van Gaalen
>> The Netherlands
>> ===============================
>> On 26 January 2009 I wrote:
>>
>> << To those who can tolerate the sonic limitations of historical
>> recordings, I
>> recommend a 2007 Testament release
>> (which has already been discussed here, albeit briefly):
>> (1) R Strauss -- Four Last Songs
>> (2) Wagner -- Tristan & Isolde -- Prelude and Liebestod
>> (3) Wagner -- Goetterdaemmerung -- Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey
>> (4) idem -- Finale (starting with "Starke Scheite..."; 19 minutes)
>>
>> (1) is my favorite recording of this piece.
>>
>> It appears to be an improvement over all previous releases, which (if my
>> information is correct) all lacked the final 30 seconds or so of the
>> fourth
>> song.
>>
>> Key features: gorgeous old-fashioned heldensoprano, dramatic orchestral
>> playing, wonderful interpretation
>>
>> (3) an (4) are equally magnificent.
>>
>> After all, Furtwaengler, Wagner, Goetterdaemmerung, Flagstad,
>> Philharmonia
>> Orchestra, Live ... enough said! .
>>
>> I haven't listened to (2) yet.
>>
>> At any rate (1), (3) and (4) are already sufficient for my conclusion:
>>
>> highly recommended, and definitely not only to Furtwaengler completists
>>
>> This is a perfect example that explains why some people develop a
>> lifelong
>> addiction to historical recordings.
>>
>> The performance has enormous intensity, by the way; (3) resembles
>> wartime
>> Furtwaengler; I have never heard a Rhine Journey like this.
>>
>> It all sounds like a life-and-death matter, as it should.
>> -- 
>> Ref.: Testament SBT 1410
>> Wilhelm Furtwaengler / Philharmonia Orchestra / Kirsten Flagstad
>> Live broadcast 22 May 1950
>> EUR 20 (here) and worth it >> [END OF MESSAGE 26 JANUARY 2009]
>> ===============================================================
> 
> Unfortunetaly, "historical sound"
> ain't good enough for this work.
> 
> Personally, I do not like Flagstad
> in this work. Her voice is too thick
> and heavy. In the Vier letzte Lieder
> I prefer lighter, more luminous voices
> such as Lisa Della Casa, and lighter
> superkonduktors like Fritz Reiner.
> 
> A chacun son (dé)goût.
> 
> Cheers!
> 
> PS. In general I do not like Flagstad at
> all. I also do not like Birgit Nilsson at
> all. Wagnerian sopranos with thick heavy
> voices should have been sent to Gulag.

IMO, the most over-rated version is by Bessie Blackhead.
But then, I can't stand her honking voice in anything.