Starter Packs

Complete your collection with these curated titles, grouped at a special discount.

Shop Now
SOMM Recordings

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau: A Centenary Tribute

Romantic Virtuosic Dramatic Dark Contemplative
$29.99

Details

Composer
Anna Amalia, Ferruccio Busoni, Zoltan Kodaly, Gustav Mahler, Max Reger, Johann Friedrich Reichardt
Artist
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Gerald Moore, Irwin Gage, Karl Engel, London Symphony Orchestra, Jon Tolan
Format
CD
Label
SOMM Recordings
Released
May 16, 2025
Catalog #
ARIADNE 5038-2
UPC
758871503822

About

SOMM Recordings is proud to mark the centenary of the legendary German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (28 May 1925-18 May 2012) by adding to his canonical discography with live recital and concert recordings from the Music Preserved archive. Fischer-Dieskau was at the very height of his powers from 1960-75, and the performances on this album date from that period. A bonus CD contains two interviews conducted by Jon Tolansky-appearing here in their entirety for the first time-the 75th Birthday Interview (2000) and 80th Birthday Interview (2005). The extraordinarily vast repertoire of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau over his 45-year career comprised lieder, operas, cantatas, and oratorios. He sang these in German, Italian, French, Russian, English, Hebrew, Hungarian, and Latin, from eras that spanned the Baroque to the latter part of the 20th century. Particularly, it was the controlled power and beauty of his voice, and the dramatic intensity and poetry of his interpretations, that led him to excel in the genre of German lieder. In this form he exerted a virtually unprecedented stylistic and interpretative influence-not only on the musical world of his day, but also on generations of performers to come. SOMM's centenary tribute opens with four songs by Ferruccio Busoni, all being works that were written late in the composer's career. They come from a programme that Fischer-Dieskau gave with Gerald Moore in 1962.  At the 1971 Helsinki Festival, Fischer-Dieskau presented a recital with Irwin Gage, which was devoted entirely to songs with texts by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The recital, described by a contemporary critic as "a landmark event," featured compositions by contemporaries of Goethe, who lived from 1749 to 1832, such as the Countess Anna Amalia, Kapellmeister Johann Friedrich Reichardt, and Goethe's friend Carl Friedrich Zelter. The more familiar composers represented on this Goethe-inspired recital were active during the first part of the 20th century. They include Richard Strauss, Max Reger, and Ferruccio Busoni. This tribute to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau also includes six songs from a programme of works by Gustav Mahler, which was presented with his long-time collaborator, Karl Engel. Three of the songs are from Des Knaben Wunderhorn, based on texts of German folk poems, and three are from the collection of five Ruckert-Lieder, after poems written by Friedrich Ruckert. The musical component of this collection closes with a concert performance of three songs by Zoltan Kodaly, sung in Hungarian by Fischer-Dieskau. The composer proves himself an outstanding interpreter of his own music in conducting the London Symphony Orchestra. In the two interviews included on the bonus CD, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau discusses his early years, his teachers, the development of his career, and a small but revealing cross-section of his enormous repertoire.

Tracklist 53 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 Lied des Unmuts 02:55
    Track
    1
    Title
    Lied des Unmuts
    Duration
    02:55
    Composer
    Ferruccio Busoni
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Gerald Moore
  3. 2 Zigeunerlied, Op. 55, No. 2 (version for voice and piano) 02:11
    Track
    2
    Title
    Zigeunerlied, Op. 55, No. 2 (version for voice and piano)
    Duration
    02:11
    Composer
    Ferruccio Busoni
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Gerald Moore
  4. 3 Schlechter Trost 02:25
    Track
    3
    Title
    Schlechter Trost
    Duration
    02:25
    Composer
    Ferruccio Busoni
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Gerald Moore
  5. 4 Lied des Mephistopheles 01:42
    Track
    4
    Title
    Lied des Mephistopheles
    Duration
    01:42
    Composer
    Ferruccio Busoni
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Gerald Moore
  6. 5 Auf dem Land und in der Stadt 02:02
    Track
    5
    Title
    Auf dem Land und in der Stadt
    Duration
    02:02
    Composer
    Anna Amalia
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Irwin Gage
  7. 6 Beherzigung 01:01
    Track
    6
    Title
    Beherzigung
    Duration
    01:01
    Composer
    Johann Friedrich Reichardt
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Irwin Gage
  8. 7 Gleich und gleich 02:01
    Track
    7
    Title
    Gleich und gleich
    Duration
    02:01
    Composer
    Carl Friedrich Zelter
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Irwin Gage
  9. 8 6 Lieder, Op. 56, TrV 220: No. 1. Gefunden (version for voice and piano) 02:00
    Track
    8
    Title
    6 Lieder, Op. 56, TrV 220: No. 1. Gefunden (version for voice and piano)
    Duration
    02:00
    Composer
    Richard Strauss
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Irwin Gage
  10. 9 18 Gesänge, Op. 75: No. 18. Einsamkeit 03:44
    Track
    9
    Title
    18 Gesänge, Op. 75: No. 18. Einsamkeit
    Duration
    03:44
    Composer
    Max Reger
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Irwin Gage
  11. 10 Zigeunerlied, Op. 55, No. 2 (version for voice and piano) 02:08
    Track
    10
    Title
    Zigeunerlied, Op. 55, No. 2 (version for voice and piano)
    Duration
    02:08
    Composer
    Ferruccio Busoni
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Irwin Gage
  12. 11 Lieder und Gesänge aus der Jugendzeit, Book 3: No. 2. Ablösung im Sommer 01:34
    Track
    11
    Title
    Lieder und Gesänge aus der Jugendzeit, Book 3: No. 2. Ablösung im Sommer
    Duration
    01:34
    Composer
    Gustav Mahler
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Karl Engel
  13. 12 Lieder und Gesänge aus der Jugendzeit, Book 2: No. 1. Um schlimme Kinder artig zu machen 01:45
    Track
    12
    Title
    Lieder und Gesänge aus der Jugendzeit, Book 2: No. 1. Um schlimme Kinder artig zu machen
    Duration
    01:45
    Composer
    Gustav Mahler
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Karl Engel
  14. 13 Lieder und Gesänge aus der Jugendzeit, Book 3: No. 5. Selbstgefuhl 02:06
    Track
    13
    Title
    Lieder und Gesänge aus der Jugendzeit, Book 3: No. 5. Selbstgefuhl
    Duration
    02:06
    Composer
    Gustav Mahler
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Karl Engel
  15. 14 No. 1. Ich atmet' einen linden Duft 03:14
    Track
    14
    Title
    No. 1. Ich atmet' einen linden Duft
    Duration
    03:14
    Composer
    Gustav Mahler
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Karl Engel
  16. 15 No. 3. Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder 01:25
    Track
    15
    Title
    No. 3. Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    Gustav Mahler
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Karl Engel
  17. 16 No. 5. Um Mitternacht 07:00
    Track
    16
    Title
    No. 5. Um Mitternacht
    Duration
    07:00
    Composer
    Gustav Mahler
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Karl Engel
  18. 17 No. 1. A kozelito tel (The approaching winter) 11:04
    Track
    17
    Title
    No. 1. A kozelito tel (The approaching winter)
    Duration
    11:04
    Composer
    Zoltán Kodály
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    Ensemble
    London Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Zoltán Kodály
  19. 18 No. 2. Sirni, sirni, sirni (To cry, to cry, to cry) 06:36
    Track
    18
    Title
    No. 2. Sirni, sirni, sirni (To cry, to cry, to cry)
    Duration
    06:36
    Composer
    Zoltán Kodály
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    Ensemble
    London Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Zoltán Kodály
  20. 19 Kádár Kata (Mother, Listen) 15:14
    Track
    19
    Title
    Kádár Kata (Mother, Listen)
    Duration
    15:14
    Composer
    Zoltán Kodály
    Performer
    Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    Ensemble
    London Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Zoltán Kodály
  21. Disc 2
  22. 1 Earliest Musical Memories 00:41
    Track
    1
    Title
    Earliest Musical Memories
    Duration
    00:41
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  23. 2 Singing Winterreise as a teenager - Comments on Winterreise (1) 03:34
    Track
    2
    Title
    Singing Winterreise as a teenager - Comments on Winterreise (1)
    Duration
    03:34
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  24. 3 Opera debut as Posa in Verdi's Don Carlos 01:21
    Track
    3
    Title
    Opera debut as Posa in Verdi's Don Carlos
    Duration
    01:21
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  25. 4 Singing Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with Wilhelm Furtwängler - Memories of Furtwängler 03:41
    Track
    4
    Title
    Singing Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with Wilhelm Furtwängler - Memories of Furtwängler
    Duration
    03:41
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  26. 5 Comments on singing lieder and opera 01:27
    Track
    5
    Title
    Comments on singing lieder and opera
    Duration
    01:27
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  27. 6 Singing the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni 03:12
    Track
    6
    Title
    Singing the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni
    Duration
    03:12
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  28. 7 Singing the title role in Wagner's Der fliegende Holländer 02:00
    Track
    7
    Title
    Singing the title role in Wagner's Der fliegende Holländer
    Duration
    02:00
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  29. 8 Stage direction in opera 02:01
    Track
    8
    Title
    Stage direction in opera
    Duration
    02:01
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  30. 9 Singing Hans Sachs in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg 01:10
    Track
    9
    Title
    Singing Hans Sachs in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
    Duration
    01:10
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  31. 10 Singing title role in Verdi's Macbeth 02:28
    Track
    10
    Title
    Singing title role in Verdi's Macbeth
    Duration
    02:28
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  32. 11 Singing Iago in Verdi's Otello 03:12
    Track
    11
    Title
    Singing Iago in Verdi's Otello
    Duration
    03:12
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  33. 12 Singing Mandryka in Strauss's Arabella 01:14
    Track
    12
    Title
    Singing Mandryka in Strauss's Arabella
    Duration
    01:14
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  34. 13 Championing new contemporary music 00:43
    Track
    13
    Title
    Championing new contemporary music
    Duration
    00:43
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  35. 14 Singing the title role in Berg's Wozzeck 01:55
    Track
    14
    Title
    Singing the title role in Berg's Wozzeck
    Duration
    01:55
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  36. 15 Singing the title role in Reimann's Lear 01:46
    Track
    15
    Title
    Singing the title role in Reimann's Lear
    Duration
    01:46
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  37. 16 Singing the title role in Messiaen's Saint François d'Assise 00:55
    Track
    16
    Title
    Singing the title role in Messiaen's Saint François d'Assise
    Duration
    00:55
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  38. 17 Conducting career - Recollections of renowned conductors 07:56
    Track
    17
    Title
    Conducting career - Recollections of renowned conductors
    Duration
    07:56
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  39. 18 Singing with Britten 01:31
    Track
    18
    Title
    Singing with Britten
    Duration
    01:31
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  40. 19 Teaching singing to pupils 01:17
    Track
    19
    Title
    Teaching singing to pupils
    Duration
    01:17
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  41. 20 Piano Accompanists 00:58
    Track
    20
    Title
    Piano Accompanists
    Duration
    00:58
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  42. 21 Painting (1) 00:48
    Track
    21
    Title
    Painting (1)
    Duration
    00:48
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  43. 22 Early days becoming a singer 03:07
    Track
    22
    Title
    Early days becoming a singer
    Duration
    03:07
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  44. 23 Singing Winterreise as a teenager - Comments on Winterreise (2) 01:26
    Track
    23
    Title
    Singing Winterreise as a teenager - Comments on Winterreise (2)
    Duration
    01:26
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  45. 24 Grieg songs 01:03
    Track
    24
    Title
    Grieg songs
    Duration
    01:03
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  46. 25 Wolf lieder 01:43
    Track
    25
    Title
    Wolf lieder
    Duration
    01:43
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  47. 26 Young people coming to study with him 01:38
    Track
    26
    Title
    Young people coming to study with him
    Duration
    01:38
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  48. 27 Busoni's Doktor Faust 03:53
    Track
    27
    Title
    Busoni's Doktor Faust
    Duration
    03:53
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  49. 28 Wotan and Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen 03:11
    Track
    28
    Title
    Wotan and Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen
    Duration
    03:11
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  50. 29 Singing the role of Wotan with Herbert von Karajan 02:33
    Track
    29
    Title
    Singing the role of Wotan with Herbert von Karajan
    Duration
    02:33
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  51. 30 Singing the title role in Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle 03:02
    Track
    30
    Title
    Singing the title role in Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle
    Duration
    03:02
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  52. 31 Singing Golaud in Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande 01:10
    Track
    31
    Title
    Singing Golaud in Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande
    Duration
    01:10
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  53. 32 Singing Hans Sachs in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg 03:18
    Track
    32
    Title
    Singing Hans Sachs in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
    Duration
    03:18
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  54. 33 Revelge in Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn 01:19
    Track
    33
    Title
    Revelge in Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn
    Duration
    01:19
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
  55. 34 Painting (2) 01:31
    Track
    34
    Title
    Painting (2)
    Duration
    01:31
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau