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From: Roland van Gaalen <vangaalenusenet@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.recordings
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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]
===============================================================