Episode 301. Christa Ludwig Sings Lieder
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SUBSCRIPTION PLATFORM
Since Christa Ludwig’s death more than three and a half years ago, her reputation has only increased. A significant portion of that reputation rests on her prowess as a singer of Lieder, a repertoire she took quite seriously and on which she focused a good deal of her performing career, especially in later years. At the time of her death, I published two episodes in her honor, the second, a bonus one, focusing on her work as a recitalist. That episode, which I reframe and re-present today, includes a full program of Lieder in mostly live performances between 1961 and 1993. She sings songs by Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Mahler, as well as a selection of German folksongs from a German television 1978 program hosted by the enormously popular Schlagertenor Peter Alexander. She is accompanied by Leonard Bernstein, Erik Werba, Irwin Gage, Geoffrey Parsons, and James Levine.
RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE
All tracks feature Christa Ludwig.
Richard Strauss, Adolf Friedrich von Schack: Heimkehr, Op. 15/5. Erik Werba [live Salzburg 07 August 1984]
Traditional German: Deutsche Volkslieder. Peter Alexander [from Peter Alexander präsentiert Spezialitäten (1978)]
Gustav Mahler, Traditional German arr. Clemens Brentano, Achim von Arnim: Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht? (Des Knaben Wunderhorn). Leonard Bernstein [live Wien 24 April 1968]
Johannes Brahms, Traditional Hungarian, arr. Hugo Conrat: Kommt dir manchmal in den Sinn (Zigeuenerlieder, Op. 103/7). Leonard Bernstein [live Tel Aviv 02 May 1972]
Franz Schubert, Friedrich von Schlegel: Das Mädchen, D.652. Irwin Gage [1975]
Franz Schubert, Matthäus von Collin: Nacht und Träume, D.827. Geoffrey Parsons [1961]
Franz Schubert, Wilhelm Müller: Einsamkeit (Winterreise, D.911/12). James Levine [1986]
Franz Schubert, Wilhelm Adolf Lindau after Andrew MacDonald: Lied der Anna Lyle, D.830. Irwin Gage [1975]
Robert Schumann, Joseph von Eichendorff: Mondnacht (Liederkreis, Op. 39/5). Erik Werba [live Buenos Aires 1969]
Robert Schumann, Justinus Kerner: Stille Tränen, Op. 35/10. Erik Werba [live Buenos Aires 1969]
Gustav Mahler, Traditional German arr. Clemens Brentano, Achim von Arnim: Das irdische Leben (Des Knaben Wunderhorn). Leonard Bernstein [live Wien 24 April 1968]
Gustav Mahler, Traditional German arr. Clemens Brentano, Achim von Arnim: Wo die schönen Trompeten blasen (Des Knaben Wunderhorn). Leonard Bernstein [live Wien 24 April 1968]
Johannes Brahms, Hermann Lingg: Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer, Op. 105/2. Leonard Bernstein [live Tel Aviv 02 May 1972]
Johannes Brahms, Hermann Allmers: Feldeinsamkeit, Op. 86/2. Leonard Bernstein [live Tel Aviv 02 May 1972]
Johannes Brahms, Friedrich Rückert: Gestillte Sehnsucht, Op. 91/1. Daniel Benjamin, Leonard Bernstein [live Tel Aviv 02 May 1972]
Johannes Brahms, Traditional German arr. Clemens Brentano, Achim von Arnim (verse 1), Georg Scherer (verse 2): Wiegenlied, Op. 49/4. Charles Spencer [live Salzburg 09 August 1993]