Notes and Editorial Reviews
This collection features rare recordings made between 1959 and 1984, appearing for the first time on CD, by one of the 20th century’s most questing and influential singers. Many songs by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven remain surprisingly little known, and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau explores them in the company of superb and familiar accompanists.
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau was born in Berlin on 28 May 1925 to parents who were both academics. He sang as a child but only started vocal lessons at the age of 16. Two years later he was drafted into the army on completion of his secondary school studies and one term at the Berlin Conservatoire. He was taken prisoner whilst in Italy in 1945 and spent two years as an American prisoner of
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war during which time he sang lieder in their camps. On return to Germany the indisposition of a major soloist gave him a chance to sing in Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem which he did even without rehearsal.
He gave first lieder recital in Leipzig in Autumn 1947 and a successful concert debut at Berlin’s Titania-Palast followed soon afterwards. The next year the opera beckoned with an engagement as principal lyric baritone at Berlin’s state and guest appearances in Vienna and Munich. Concert tours to France, Italy and the Netherlands brought him to the notice of those outside his own language countries. At 26 he sang Mahler Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with Wilhelm Furtwängler at the Salzburg Festival, the same year as his debut in Britain singing Delius A Mass of Life with Sir Thomas Beecham. That year also marked the beginning of a long association with the piano accompanist, Gerald Moore. In his book “Am I too loud?” Moore recalls how “he had only to sing one phrase before I knew I was in the presence of a master”. Although opera continued to form a significant part of his career with regular appearances at the festivals of Bayreuth (1954 – 1961) and Salzburg (1956 – early 1970s) and other houses, he was also a great performer in Choral works; it is good that he committed his Elijah and Paulus in Mendelssohn’s oratorios as well as his deeply-felt Christus in the Bach Passions to disc; but, in the final analysis, it is with Lieder (or art songs) that he will always be primarily remembered.
He had a indefatigable desire to discover the entire range of the Lied, particularly that which employed great poetry. It was not just a case of performing the greats – Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Mahler, Wolf and Richard Strauss – but to inspire a new generation of composers to express themselves in setting the written word. One of the modern greats who answered his call was Britten who, besides, writing a major part in his War Requiem, wrote Songs and Proverbs of William Blake with his distinctive voice in mind; others have included Barber, Henze and Lutoslawski. Since retiring from singing in 1992 he has conducted, written and painted but his genius will be carried forward in his teaching of this generation, and through his recordings, those to come – how to sing with supreme tonal quality employing a remarkable sound palette, exceptional rhythmic sense and impeccable diction.
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Works on This Recording
1.
Schilderung eines Mädchens, WoO 107 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: ?1783; Vienna, Austria
2.
Selbstgespräch, WoO 114 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: ?1792; Vienna, Austria
3.
Songs (8), Op. 52: no 2, Feuerfarb by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: by 1793; Bonn, Germany
5.
Songs (8), Op. 52: no 4, Maigesang by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: ?1796; Vienna, Austria
6.
Songs (8), Op. 52: no 6, Die Liebe by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: by 1793; Bonn, Germany
7.
Songs (8), Op. 52: no 7, Marmotte by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: circa 1790-1792; Bonn, Germany
10.
Opferlied, WoO 126 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1794/1802; Vienna, Austria
11.
La Partenza, WoO 124 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: ?1795-96; Germany
12.
Adelaide, Op. 46 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1794-1795; Vienna, Austria
14.
Der Kuss, Op. 128 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: ?1822; Vienna, Austria
16.
Songs (6), Op. 48 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: by 1802; Vienna, Austria
17.
Der Wachtelschlag, WoO 129 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1803; Vienna, Austria
18.
Gedenke mein, WoO 130 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: ?1805/20; Vienna, Austria
19.
An die Hoffnung, Op. 32 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1805; Vienna, Austria
21.
In questa tomba oscura, WoO 133 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1807; Vienna, Austria
22.
Die laute Klage, WoO 135 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1815; Vienna, Austria
23.
Andenken, WoO 136 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1809; Vienna, Austria
24.
Lied aus der Ferne, WoO 137 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1809; Vienna, Austria
25.
Der Jüngling in der Fremde, WoO 138 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1809; Vienna, Austria
26.
Der Liebende, WoO 139 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1809; Vienna, Austria
29.
Ariettas (4) and a Duet, Op. 82 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: ?1809; Vienna, Austria
30.
Songs (3), Op. 83 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1810; Vienna, Austria
31.
An die Geliebte, WoO 140 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1811; Vienna, Austria
32.
Der Bardengeist, WoO 142 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1813; Vienna, Austria
33.
An die Hoffnung, Op. 94 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: ?1815; Vienna, Austria
34.
Das Geheimnis, WoO 145 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1815; Vienna, Austria
35.
Sehnsucht, WoO 146 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1815-1816; Vienna, Austria
36.
An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1815-1816; Vienna, Austria
37.
Ruf vom Berge, WoO 147 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1816; Vienna, Austria
38.
Resignation, WoO 149 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Hartmut Höll (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1817; Vienna, Austria
41.
Welsh Songs (26), WoO 155: no 26, Good Night by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Hartmut Höll (Piano),
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Yehudi Menuhin (Violin),
Heinrich Schiff (Cello)
Period: Classical
Written: by 1817; Vienna, Austria
48.
Scottish Songs (25), Op. 108: no 2, Sunset by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Hartmut Höll (Piano),
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Yehudi Menuhin (Violin),
Heinrich Schiff (Cello)
Period: Classical
Written: 1818; Vienna, Austria
56.
An die Hoffnung, K 390 (340c) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Daniel Barenboim (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1781; Vienna, Austria
62.
Lied zur Gesellenreise, K 468 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Daniel Barenboim (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1785; Vienna, Austria
63.
Die Zufriedenheit, K 473 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Daniel Barenboim (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1785; Vienna, Austria
64.
Die betrogene Welt, K 474 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Daniel Barenboim (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1785; Vienna, Austria
65.
Das Veilchen, K 476 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Daniel Barenboim (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1785; Vienna, Austria
66.
Lied der Freiheit, K 506 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Daniel Barenboim (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1785; Vienna, Austria
67.
Das Lied der Trennung, K 519 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Daniel Barenboim (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1787; Vienna, Austria
68.
Abendempfindung, K 523 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Daniel Barenboim (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1787; Vienna, Austria
69.
An Chloë, K 524 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Daniel Barenboim (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1787; Vienna, Austria
70.
Das Traumbild, K 530 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Daniel Barenboim (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1787; Prague, Czech Republ
87.
Spirit's Song, H 26a no 41 by Franz Joseph Haydn
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Gerald Moore (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: circa ?1795; London, England
89.
Abschiedslied, H 26a no F1 by Franz Joseph Haydn
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Gerald Moore (Piano)
Period: Classical
90.
Songs (2), Op. 1 by Arnold Schoenberg
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Aribert Reimann (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: ?1898; Vienna, Austria
91.
Abschied by Alban Berg
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Aribert Reimann (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: c1902
92.
Grenzen der Menschenheit by Alban Berg
Performer:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Aribert Reimann (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1902
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