CONSISTENTLY is Renee's entire singing instrument, soul, heart, spirit and facial expression connected to the music and what a treat. Thank you Ms Fleming
00.19 Ich atmet´ einen linden Duft 02:45 Liebst Du um Schönheit 05:23 Um Mitternacht 11:12 Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder! 12:40 Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Vienna at the Turn of the 20th Century - A Recital with Renée Fleming - is available on DVD. It's one of my favourite recitals and it worth every penny to hear Renee Fleming sings in live concert! Her voice in this concert is at the peak of its power and luminosity. This is a very personal homage to “Fin de Siècle” music she loves. You can't get any more sublime than watching her sing live in the most beautiful and sumptuous interior of the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna. It's recorded in 2012. Let's hope we will see another great performance from this concert when she sings J. Strauss: Walzer aus Wien - "Frag' mich oft".
5. Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen 5. I’ve gotten lost to the world Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen, I’ve gotten lost to the world, Mit der ich sonst viele Zeit verdorben, With it I ever wasted so much time, Sie hat so lange nichts von mir vernommen, So long has it heard nothing of me, Sie mag wohl glauben, ich sei gestorben! It might well believe I were dead! Es ist mir auch gar nichts daran gelegen, It didn’t matter to me a bit, Ob sie mich für gestorben hält, If it took me for dead, Ich kann auch gar nichts sagen dagegen, Far be it from me to contradict, Denn wirklich bin ich gestorben der Welt. Since I really am dead to the world. Ich bin gestorben dem Weltgetümmel, I have died to the hurly-burly, Und ruh' in einem stillen Gebiet! And I repose in a silent realm! Ich leb' allein in meinem Himmel, I live alone in my own Heaven. In meinem Lieben, in meinem Lied! In my love, in my song!
I cannot believe the extremism of some of the comments below. Granted that Fleming's voice now has the beauty of an autumn leaf rather than a full summer bloom and that she is given to exaggeration, but when all is said and done we are listening to one of the greatest singers of our time in her sunset. There is surely far more to glory in than to carp at. (Listening without picture can diminish some of the exaggerations).
Hear! Hear! The negative posters are tasteless; they are jealous; they are diminished human beings; they are hateful - or, all of these. Anyone who trashes this performance is a little more than a heathen. Barbarism lives among the cockroaches who hide in their dark corners, feasting on rotten dead things as they pan great music on youtube.
@@jsphotos Hardly. Her interpretation lacks insight, and the voice itself--even at the tine of this performance--had lost what once made it breathtaking. The Ich bin das Welt is particularly jarring--Renee the teacher would take a student to task for such an artificial reading.
Why does having a critical opinion equate to being a 'hater'? I do not think you understand that word at all. Some of us have studied classical music, have listened to classical singers from many generations, have sung it or currently sing it, and thence, have a right to have an opinion on the matter. And even if we didn't, what's wrong with not liking something or someone? It's our right as human beings to pick and choose the things we are attracted to, including people. Do I hate the chef to whom I sent back my steak because it wasn't cooked properly? No, it's merely a matter of taste and standards and the chef should know how to do his job properly, as should a singer. Renee has one of the finest instruments around but hasn't a clue how to use it and yes, you can have a great voice and still be a lousy singer. Try to understand that distinction and the reasons behind people's motivations before you toss off such a bland, useless, inaccurate criticism.
@@janetflier6192 I do not see any "haters" of Renee Fleming on this thread. I do see some lovers of Renee Fleming who happen to take exception with her approach to these particular songs. Myself included.
@@maryvallettakeith6146 Before criticizing Renée, one should apply Rotary International’s four rules for what we say, think, and do. They are: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it promote good will? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
At the very end 18:35 (front row and throughout) of "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen" one can see a few members of the audience wiping tears from their eyes; I was with them. This was a moving performance.
Does anyone else find the piano painfully loud in the introductions and codas of lots of the songs? I wonder if the DVD release has this same problem. Wonderful singing! The German is so clear, and the emotional commitment and myriad vocal colours make up for the slight loss of lustre in the instrument.
celloguy No. These are duets of sorts and the piano is as important as the text. Similarly, the great violin sonatas are piano/violin duets too. (see: Debussy cello/violin sonatas)
Yes, the natural dynamics have been "compressed" rather clumbsily, greatly exaggerating the quiet sounds, including the quieter piano parts. That's not how it would have sounded live. A little compression can be helpful but to my ears, and for this type of material, this is over the top.
I am not a Fleming hater but if only she had seen Jessye Normans performance with Mehta and the NY Phil. Norman's utter identification with the song is complete something that Fleming is not able to do with these songs.
Well said. Mahler did not write empty vocalises for canaries to show off the infamous 'pear-shaped tones.' His music is the analogue to the various styles in Goethe: now profound, now comical; and always with a deep empathy with the human condition. Miss Fleming seems not to comprehend Mahler's æsthetic in the slightest.
Ruckert y luego Mahler. Letras estremecedoras y música que las envuelve. Fleming es aquí y donde fuera una top ten, técnicamente. Si su estilo de interpretación no agrada es algo subjetivo, y en la redacción de las críticas hay cómo un dejo de imponer lo que no son más que opiniones. Los lieder han sido cantados por infinidad de artistas de alto nivel, mujeres y hombres, cada cual con su idea y con sus distintas categorias líricas. El que al que escucha le agraden unas versiones y otras no, significa más asunto de gusto que cualquier otro tipo de argumentación. No oyen a aficionadas o aficionados sino a estrellas.
She has a beautiful voice but I did not like Her interpretation of Ich bin Der Weld abhanden gekommen. I have heard Norman, Kozena, DFD and van Dam sing this wrenching, haunting song of despair with much more feeling than Fleming.
Actually, Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen is not a song of despair at all, but rather one that is expressive of the most profound joy and contentment that the world should think the poet dead, when he lives a peaceful, tranquil existence far from the tumult of everyday life. Despair is not present in a single note of this Lied.
+mannail888 You would make better points by not seeming like such a Fleming hater. I haven't been a big fan of hers since the mid-90s when she stopped taking chances and focused on sounding beautiful. But one should acknowledge that Fleming is effective in light, sunny roles and lied that show off her beautiful, straight-forward voice. She is not a deep, probing singer. Sometimes her details seem cutesy or fussy which is fine for Strauss, but absolutely wrong for Mahler. Complexity, gravitas and world-weariness are necessary for anyone singing Mahler. In short, she's horrible here if you care about interpretation. All one has to do is click every few minutes to realize that everything sounds absolutely gorgeous -- which is totally inappropriate for these sad, personal songs. As usual, she is primarily concerned with showcasing her voice and she's just not capable of conveying the sense of brooding loss and inner turmoil that these songs demand. One example: "Ich bin der Welt" sounds like a sexy torch song full of her pretty swooning and pianissimi. One would never know that she's singing about wearying depression and bitterness. I hope she never goes near Kindertotenlieder. THAT would be a crime. Of course people love her. We all love flowers and pretty things. But there are many many artists who are better suited for this music.
I'd be damned if I so much suggest Fleming didn't possess one of the more pleasing soprano voice in recent times, but it's her less than ideal approach with whatever she did that renders her works to a puff of smoke.
@@eliselancrain44 Did you even read what he wrote? And you don't have to be a chef to know when the food is bad. Your argument is trite and moronic and overused. There are specific ways to sing specific types of music. She's singing these lieder all wrong. She doesn't know nor care what they mean (and neither do you, it seems) and a beautiful voice is not enough to compensate for that.
Non si può dire che canti male; tuttavia la Fleming esegue questi brani meravigliosi, che dispiegano tutta la tormentata interiorità del mondo mahleriano (e anche dei bellissimi testi di Rückert, non lo dimentichiamo), in modo troppo ostentatamente teatrale, esteriore, drammatico. Ad esempio, alcuni punti più espressamente drammatici del terzo Lied funzionano meglio, secondo me, dei passaggi che richiedono introspezione del secondo, per non parlare dell'ultimo, dove i portamenti sono proprio brutti e fuori stile. Anche il pianista mi sembra un po' fuori dalle righe, forse nel tentativo di assecondarla.
I feel she doesn't have the depth for Mahler. She has never come across as a thoughtful singer. As you said, there is always too much 'acting' and very little 'feeling'. Having read her autobiography, her life doesn't seem to have had much in the way of tragedy or real struggle. She was born into a musician family and grew up in that environment, spent years in conservatories, etc. I could be wrong, but it feels like she hasn't really 'lived' enough to understand these songs. It's quite tragic, really, as she is gifted with one of the most beautiful instruments in existence.
Her approach in lieder is so natural and from the voice. That I do adore, she understands the instrument. The acoustics work not so well for her, a lot of echo. When you would take this away, the work would sound better.Now you hear her voice in the piano and auditorium.BUT....I love her singing Mahler.
Christiaan d'Hooghe sadly she dooes not understand at all this music and the meaning of it. itś like men in gowns. completely wrong in stile. she is so surficial, horrible!
It must have been a nightmare to transcribe the orchestra parts for the piano (high kudos to Maciej Pikulski's performance, another typically great Polish master) and though it's really humanly quite impossible for anyone to accomplish with any real degree of sufficiency in realizing the orchestral texture, nonetheless my hat's utterly off to the great accomplishments that WERE done. Also the great Jessye Norman's profound entry into the repertoire has to be heard to be fathomed, if even then, by us mere mortals! th-cam.com/video/bxh-VTqNK0c/w-d-xo.html
4. Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder! 4. Don’t try to find me out through my songs! Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder! Don’t try to find me out through my songs! Meine Augen schlag' ich nieder, I cast my eyes down, Wie ertappt auf böser Tat. As if found out doing something wrong. Selber darf ich nicht getrauen, I don’t even dare, Ihrem Wachsen zuzuschauen. To look at their growing myself. Deine Neugier ist Verrat! Your inquisitiveness is betrayal! Bienen, wenn sie Zellen bauen, Bees, building cells, Lassen auch nicht zu sich schauen, Don’t let themselves be looked at either, Schauen selber auch nicht zu. They don’t even look at themselves. Wenn die reichen Honigwaben When they’ve revealed Sie zu Tag gefördert haben, The bountiful honeycombs, Dann vor allen nasche du! You’ll be first to feast on them!
Good Lord. I don't remember ever having heard such clueless, superficial renditions of Mahler's music. Miss Fleming certainly has a beautiful voice, but she seems content to skate over the surface of the music with nary a glance at what the composer was trying to convey, let alone what the poet was expressing. Um Mitternacht, a vivid depiction of a midnight battle with pain and despair, might as well have been a flirtatious dalliance with a cute UPS driver. It is as if Paris Hilton attempted to portray Sophocles' Electra. Music is more than a vocalise to show off a pretty sound, and Mahler's music is an entire universe of the most profound and intimate emotion, but you would never know that from these performances. A sad failure.
@@peterwaksman9179 Gee! Thanks for insulting me by calling me and other Fleming lovers musically dumb! I listen to Renée because I love her sound! Your opinion is neither welcomed nor needed!
It needed the orchestra, the plunking out of parts on the piano was not good. And if Mahler originally wrote the piece for just piano accompaniment, it still needs orchestration. That's the version with Fleming I'd want to hear
She has so much going for her - a great voice, well handled, everything but why is she such a dull performer in my eyes? She does sing the right repertory for her voice . Maybe she doesn’t take chances or risks ? Sorry I know lots love her! The pianist is not dull, however. He brings the music alive from the bench!
I agree. I never feel she is completely emotionally invested and so must resort to exaggerated and overwrought expressions to fill the void. If I had had the sound off at the end of the last song, I would have thought she was singing something completely different. Does she even understand what she is singing?
@@maryvallettakeith6146 Why do you feel compelled to be a “Renée basher”? Let the “uneducated” people who love Renée enjoy her without being criticized by you!
So far, I've only listened to Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen. I prefer orchestra to piano. I did not like Renee's delivery. I watched this performance a few days ago and twice today. The second time I listened to it today, I followed along with the German and English. I prefer the Anne Sofie von Otter recording and the Jessye Norman performance. I just listened to the Anne Sofie von Otter recording. It is quiet. Here, Renee is loud and exaggerated. The piano has too much pedal and possible mistakes.
En cuestión de gustos nada está escrito. Porque aquí se trata de estilos, no de niveles entendidos como óptimos. A veces, tras las críticas, hay como el deseo de imponer opiniones propias a los demás.
2. Liebst du um Schönheit 2. If you love for beauty’s sake Liebst du um Schönheit, If you love for beauty’s sake, O nicht mich liebe! Oh, don’t love me! Liebe die Sonne, Love the sun, Sie trägt ein gold'nes Haar! It has the blondest hair! Liebst du um Jugend, If you love for youth’s sake O nicht mich liebe! Oh, don’t love me! Liebe der Frühling, Love springtime, Der jung ist jedes Jahr! It’s young each year. Liebst du um Schätze, If you love for treasure’s sake, O nicht mich liebe. Oh, don’t love me! Liebe die Meerfrau, Love the mermaid, Sie hat viel Perlen klar. She has lots of limpid pearls. Liebst du um Liebe, If you love for love’s sake, O ja, mich liebe! Oh, do love me! Liebe mich immer, Love me always, Dich lieb' ich immerdar. I’ll love you back forevermore
Appena scoperto un plagio( o forse una citazione?). Il secondo lied(Leibst du um schonheit), quel passaggio con la bellissima scala ascendente è identico ad un passaggio dell'aria " O Don fatale" del "Don Carlo" di Verdi.
@@jamessmith5433 It is not "picky picky" but basic musical appreciation. I am not impressed by pomp and, as many commentors noted, this is a lousy performance.
@@janetflier6192That's the problem: giving the glory to the clueless 'interpreter', rather than the genius who created these ineffably profound Lieder. Let Miss Fleming stick to what she's good at, and leave Mahler alone.
Renee Fleming ist eine der größten saengerinnen. Aber mit Mahler hat sie sich nicht ausreichend beschäftigt. Sonst würde sie seine Lieder nicht wie Opernarien singen. Nun ja, auch große Künstler sind nicht immer zu 100 on top Prozent
+penny ferguson Partisan to the point of blindness, Flemingphiles overlook the one essential problem with her pathetically all purpose approach to everything she does, be it on the gramophone, the recital platform or the lyric stage, which is that one-fifths of the emotions she seeks to express are dishonest, feigned effusions masked in academically correct technique. Stylistically, she's all over the place. The piece deals with the philosophy of life, of a world filled with doom and gloom. But Fleming sounds as if she's more concerned with the freshness of her morning grapefruit, and how she's not being treated like a Julia Roberts or Michelle Obama by the powers-that-be of the institution for which she happens to be performing at the moment. All through the lieder, there's no remorse at past wrongdoings, no regrets at lost opportunities and no bitterness at relationships gone sour. A genuine human soul, with heart to spare, would and should imbue this piece with all those attributes and more. But not Fleming.
Armon Golliday Thank you. I am American, and I am very disappointed by Renee's singing, she could have been so much more. She was born with a beautiful instrument, but her weird gasping, and mannerism, ruin her performances for me. Her mannerisms have gotten worse over the years.
3. Um Mitternacht 3. At Midnight Um Mitternacht At midnight Hab' ich gewacht I was sleepless Und aufgeblickt zum Himmel; And looked skyward; Kein Stern vom Sterngewimmel Of that welter of stars Hat mir gelacht Not one laughed at me. Um Mitternacht. At midnight. Um Mitternacht At midnight Hab' ich gedacht I cast my thoughts Hinaus in dunkle Schranken. Out into the dark firmament. Es hat kein Lichtgedanken No lucid thought Mir Trost gebracht Brought me any comfort Um Mitternacht. At midnight. Um Mitternacht At midnight Nahm ich in acht I dwelled upon Die Schläge meines Herzens; My heart beating; Ein einz'ger Puls des Schmerzes A lone shoot of pain War angefacht Smarted Um Mitternacht. At midnight. Um Mitternacht At midnight Kämpft' ich die Schlacht, I fought the battle, O Menschheit, deiner Leiden; O humanity, your suffering Nicht konnt' ich sie entscheiden I couldn’t resolve it Mit meiner Macht Not with all my might Um Mitternacht. At midnight. Um Mitternacht At midnight Hab' ich die Macht I gave the power In deine Hand gegeben! Into Your hand! Herr! über Tod und Leben Lord! Over death and life Du hältst die Wacht You keep vigil Um Mitternacht! At midnight.
Partisan to the point of blindness, Flemingphiles overlook the one essential problem with her pathetically all purpose approach to everything she does, be it the gramophone, the recital platform or the lyric stage, which is that one-fifths of the emotions she seeks to express are dishonest, feigned effusions masked in academically correct technique. Stylistically, she's all over the place. The piece deals with the philosophy of life, of a world filled with doom and gloom. But Fleming sounds as if she's more concerned with the freshness of her morning grapefruit, and how she's not being treated like a Julia Roberts or Michelle Obama by the powers-that-be of the institution for which she happens to be performing at the moment. All through the lieder, there's no remorse at past wrongdoings, no regrets at lost opportunities and no bitterness at relationships gone sour. A genuine human soul, with heart to spare, would and should imbue this piece with all those attributes and more. But not Fleming.
+roy davie I'd be damned if I so much suggest Fleming didn't possess one of the more pleasing soprano voice in recent times, but it's her less than ideal approach with whatever she did that renders her works to a puff of smoke.
Strange that someone who pulled off lovely moments like "I Can Smell the Sea Air" in Previn's Streetcar (mostly a bore) seems entirely devoid of soulfulness here. She has done no work of interpretation here. Same with her Vier Letzte Lieder. If you put Dawn Upshaw's brain in Renee's body, imagine the results.
Elle chante n'importe comment. Son médium est complètement trafiqué et appuyé. C'est vraiment dommage car elle ne manque pas de moyens ! Et le dernier Lied est d'un vulgaire... Comment peut-on oser surinterpréter une aussi belle musique ?
ekissin Exactement, trop de melodrame. The first should have a floating quality setting the tone for the next songs. The tinny sound of the piano didn't help much either. Unfortunately, she had a habit of emphasizing her timbre over the demands of the music. One could get away with it perhaps in opera but not in Lieder.
I am sorry but these performances left me cold. There did not appear to be any emotional connection. Purely as a matter of personal taste I prefer lower register voices. My all time favourite is Janet Baker
horrible. she chews the vowels and sings so many tones from below. she shows that she has no idea about what Mahler is. what a horrible manierism she shows and how surficial she is.
Flemming and humble?? this is one of the best jokes of the decade! I know her, she did EVERYTHING to become a famous person! she is as egocentric as you may be able to immagine one can be, plus she has zero musical taste. At la Scala they booed her right away and she deserved it a 100 times. Her Mahler is as bad as it gets, worse than Hampsons Mahler, the other egoman with no voice but a huge carreer. Perhaps I'm a bad speller, but I spell in five languages beside my mother tongue, so how about your spelling in Russian, French, Italian, German, Spanish? as well as mine in English???
surchoix Excuse me. Who is the egomaniac now?? How do you, “know”, Renée Fleming?? You must not be an American. It is obvious that you hate Renée Fleming. I think such hate is very undeserved!!
@@janetflier6192 It is obvious that you love Renee Fleming. I think such love is very undeserved! See how this works? 😛 And btw, there is room enough for both opinions. Take yours and let others have theirs.
CONSISTENTLY is Renee's entire singing instrument, soul, heart, spirit and facial expression connected to the music and what a treat. Thank you Ms Fleming
So Fleming. So American. Unfortunately totally unrelated to Mahler
00.19 Ich atmet´ einen linden Duft
02:45 Liebst Du um Schönheit
05:23 Um Mitternacht
11:12 Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder!
12:40 Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Such beautiful colors, from both the singer and the pianist. Such intimacy.
Magnificent and quite beautiful in every way. What good fortune for this world that there is such talent for us to enjoy. Anthony Sharp
Vienna at the Turn of the 20th Century - A Recital with Renée Fleming - is available on DVD. It's one of my favourite recitals and it worth every penny to hear Renee Fleming sings in live concert! Her voice in this concert is at the peak of its power and luminosity. This is a very personal homage to “Fin de Siècle” music she loves. You can't get any more sublime than watching her sing live in the most beautiful and sumptuous interior of the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna. It's recorded in 2012. Let's hope we will see another great performance from this concert when she sings J. Strauss: Walzer aus Wien - "Frag' mich oft".
the first three notes TESTIFIED to the musicality of this accompanist...TY sir,,,,,ust like the first phrase in Renee
5. Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen 5. I’ve gotten lost to the world
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen, I’ve gotten lost to the world,
Mit der ich sonst viele Zeit verdorben, With it I ever wasted so much time,
Sie hat so lange nichts von mir vernommen, So long has it heard nothing of me,
Sie mag wohl glauben, ich sei gestorben! It might well believe I were dead!
Es ist mir auch gar nichts daran gelegen, It didn’t matter to me a bit,
Ob sie mich für gestorben hält, If it took me for dead,
Ich kann auch gar nichts sagen dagegen, Far be it from me to contradict,
Denn wirklich bin ich gestorben der Welt. Since I really am dead to the world.
Ich bin gestorben dem Weltgetümmel, I have died to the hurly-burly,
Und ruh' in einem stillen Gebiet! And I repose in a silent realm!
Ich leb' allein in meinem Himmel, I live alone in my own Heaven.
In meinem Lieben, in meinem Lied! In my love, in my song!
Must’ve been really amazing to hear in person
Really gorgeous!
.....the queeny negative comments, not so much...
I could listen to this forever. Gorgeous.
I cannot believe the extremism of some of the comments below. Granted that Fleming's voice now has the beauty of an autumn leaf rather than a full summer bloom and that she is given to exaggeration, but when all is said and done we are listening to one of the greatest singers of our time in her sunset. There is surely far more to glory in than to carp at. (Listening without picture can diminish some of the exaggerations).
Hear! Hear! The negative posters are tasteless; they are jealous; they are diminished human beings; they are hateful - or, all of these. Anyone who trashes this performance is a little more than a heathen. Barbarism lives among the cockroaches who hide in their dark corners, feasting on rotten dead things as they pan great music on youtube.
@@jsphotos Jealous? Wow, so original.
@@jsphotos Hardly. Her interpretation lacks insight, and the voice itself--even at the tine of this performance--had lost what once made it breathtaking. The Ich bin das Welt is particularly jarring--Renee the teacher would take a student to task for such an artificial reading.
Mrs. Fleming is one of the greatest sopranos on this planet. So sad to sea so many haters here. I loved it. and what a magnificent pianist
Why does having a critical opinion equate to being a 'hater'? I do not think you understand that word at all. Some of us have studied classical music, have listened to classical singers from many generations, have sung it or currently sing it, and thence, have a right to have an opinion on the matter. And even if we didn't, what's wrong with not liking something or someone? It's our right as human beings to pick and choose the things we are attracted to, including people. Do I hate the chef to whom I sent back my steak because it wasn't cooked properly? No, it's merely a matter of taste and standards and the chef should know how to do his job properly, as should a singer. Renee has one of the finest instruments around but hasn't a clue how to use it and yes, you can have a great voice and still be a lousy singer. Try to understand that distinction and the reasons behind people's motivations before you toss off such a bland, useless, inaccurate criticism.
@@maryvallettakeith6146 You certainly may hate Renée, but aren’t YOU criticizing those of us who love her??
If I may quote Thumper’s father (From Bambi), “ If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”
@@janetflier6192 I do not see any "haters" of Renee Fleming on this thread. I do see some lovers of
Renee Fleming who happen to take exception with her approach to these particular songs. Myself included.
@@maryvallettakeith6146 Before criticizing Renée, one should apply Rotary International’s four rules for what we say, think, and do. They are: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it promote good will? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
At the very end 18:35 (front row and throughout) of "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen" one can see a few members of the audience wiping tears from their eyes; I was with them. This was a moving performance.
Moved me to tears too, but not for those reasons...
in tears every time and haven't noticed any audience at all. total lost.
OMG Pikulski is just the best!
Always wonderful Renee,and what a pianist!
Does anyone else find the piano painfully loud in the introductions and codas of lots of the songs? I wonder if the DVD release has this same problem. Wonderful singing! The German is so clear, and the emotional commitment and myriad vocal colours make up for the slight loss of lustre in the instrument.
celloguy No. These are duets of sorts and the piano is as important as the text. Similarly, the great violin sonatas are piano/violin duets too. (see: Debussy cello/violin sonatas)
Yes, the natural dynamics have been "compressed" rather clumbsily, greatly exaggerating the quiet sounds, including the quieter piano parts. That's not how it would have sounded live. A little compression can be helpful but to my ears, and for this type of material, this is over the top.
celloguy What lack of luster?? She sounds wonderful!!
One might add that in the orchestral versions of these songs, the orchestra is quite prominent. The balance seemed fine to me
No. The balance is excellent for thuis type of lieder.
Thank you, Renée Fleming, I'm speechless.
Bellísimo lieder--Renée Fleming
Such a clarity of voice,sung with such joy
I am not a Fleming hater but if only she had seen Jessye Normans performance with Mehta and the NY Phil. Norman's utter identification with the song is complete something that Fleming is not able to do with these songs.
I agree.
As Leonard Cohen said, the cracks are where the light get in. Renee's life didn't allow for cracks.
@@maryvallettakeith6146 ??????
Maravillosos Lieder (Gustaf Mahler )
She is so theatrical!!
I love Renee Fleming, but for me this approach to Mahler sounds more like a combination of Puccini, Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday.
Well said. Mahler did not write empty vocalises for canaries to show off the infamous 'pear-shaped tones.' His music is the analogue to the various styles in Goethe: now profound, now comical; and always with a deep empathy with the human condition. Miss Fleming seems not to comprehend Mahler's æsthetic in the slightest.
Hey you just don't like the woman.
Very mannered and affected.
Hey you just don't like the woman
Beautiful.
Living the music,
Ruckert y luego Mahler. Letras estremecedoras y música que las envuelve. Fleming es aquí y donde fuera una top ten, técnicamente. Si su estilo de interpretación no agrada es algo subjetivo, y en la redacción de las críticas hay cómo un dejo de imponer lo que no son más que opiniones. Los lieder han sido cantados por infinidad de artistas de alto nivel, mujeres y hombres, cada cual con su idea y con sus distintas categorias líricas. El que al que escucha le agraden unas versiones y otras no, significa más asunto de gusto que cualquier otro tipo de argumentación. No oyen a aficionadas o aficionados sino a estrellas.
Judging from all the coughing, it seems that the audience has TB!!
First song - i hear Berceuse by Chopin.
She has a beautiful voice but I did not like Her interpretation of Ich bin Der Weld abhanden gekommen. I have heard Norman, Kozena, DFD and van Dam sing this wrenching, haunting song of despair with much more feeling than Fleming.
Actually, Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen is not a song of despair at all, but rather one that is expressive of the most profound joy and contentment that the world should think the poet dead, when he lives a peaceful, tranquil existence far from the tumult of everyday life. Despair is not present in a single note of this Lied.
@@jasonhurd4379- I quite agree
+mannail888 You would make better points by not seeming like such a Fleming hater. I haven't been a big fan of hers since the mid-90s when she stopped taking chances and focused on sounding beautiful. But one should acknowledge that Fleming is effective in light, sunny roles and lied that show off her beautiful, straight-forward voice. She is not a deep, probing singer. Sometimes her details seem cutesy or fussy which is fine for Strauss, but absolutely wrong for Mahler. Complexity, gravitas and world-weariness are necessary for anyone singing Mahler. In short, she's horrible here if you care about interpretation. All one has to do is click every few minutes to realize that everything sounds absolutely gorgeous -- which is totally inappropriate for these sad, personal songs. As usual, she is primarily concerned with showcasing her voice and she's just not capable of conveying the sense of brooding loss and inner turmoil that these songs demand. One example: "Ich bin der Welt" sounds like a sexy torch song full of her pretty swooning and pianissimi. One would never know that she's singing about wearying depression and bitterness. I hope she never goes near Kindertotenlieder. THAT would be a crime. Of course people love her. We all love flowers and pretty things. But there are many many artists who are better suited for this music.
I'd be damned if I so much suggest Fleming didn't possess one of the more pleasing soprano voice in recent times, but it's her less than ideal approach with whatever she did that renders her works to a puff of smoke.
It is apparent you are not a Soprano and you probably don't even sing. You just miss out on beautiful moments by being critical. Renee is perfection!
@@eliselancrain44 Did you even read what he wrote? And you don't have to be a chef to know when the food is bad. Your argument is trite and moronic and overused. There are specific ways to sing specific types of music. She's singing these lieder all wrong. She doesn't know nor care what they mean (and neither do you, it seems) and a beautiful voice is not enough to compensate for that.
@@eliselancrain44 There is no such thing as "Perfection."
"One would never know that she's singing about wearying depression and bitterness." Maybe because that's not what the song is about?
Glorious 🎶🥃🤔🧐
Exquisite
Non si può dire che canti male; tuttavia la Fleming esegue questi brani meravigliosi, che dispiegano tutta la tormentata interiorità del mondo mahleriano (e anche dei bellissimi testi di Rückert, non lo dimentichiamo), in modo troppo ostentatamente teatrale, esteriore, drammatico. Ad esempio, alcuni punti più espressamente drammatici del terzo Lied funzionano meglio, secondo me, dei passaggi che richiedono introspezione del secondo, per non parlare dell'ultimo, dove i portamenti sono proprio brutti e fuori stile. Anche il pianista mi sembra un po' fuori dalle righe, forse nel tentativo di assecondarla.
Daccordo!
I feel she doesn't have the depth for Mahler. She has never come across as a thoughtful singer. As you said, there is always too much 'acting' and very little 'feeling'. Having read her autobiography, her life doesn't seem to have had much in the way of tragedy or real struggle. She was born into a musician family and grew up in that environment, spent years in conservatories, etc. I could be wrong, but it feels like she hasn't really 'lived' enough to understand these songs. It's quite tragic, really, as she is gifted with one of the most beautiful instruments in existence.
Glorious!
2:46 Leibst du um Schönheit
Utterly superb but where are the subtitles in English
Listen to Jessye Normans interpretation!!
Jessye Norman's Ruckert Lieder is the best!
ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!
And Janet Baker.
Her approach in lieder is so natural and from the voice.
That I do adore, she understands the instrument.
The acoustics work not so well for her, a lot of echo.
When you would take this away, the work would sound better.Now you hear her voice in the piano and auditorium.BUT....I love her singing Mahler.
La France
Christiaan d'Hooghe sadly she dooes not understand at all this music and the meaning of it. itś like men in gowns. completely wrong in stile. she is so surficial, horrible!
It must have been a nightmare to transcribe the orchestra parts for the piano (high kudos to Maciej Pikulski's performance, another typically great Polish master) and though it's really humanly quite impossible for anyone to accomplish with any real degree of sufficiency in realizing the orchestral texture, nonetheless my hat's utterly off to the great accomplishments that WERE done.
Also the great Jessye Norman's profound entry into the repertoire has to be heard to be fathomed, if even then, by us mere mortals!
th-cam.com/video/bxh-VTqNK0c/w-d-xo.html
mahler himself wrote the piano version of these songs . you should check the facts first
Mahler first composed these songs for voice and piano and later orchestrated the piano part.
too bad those detractors don't understand perfection when they hear it...
She missed every note at the beginning. You don't understand flawed performances.
There is no such thing as perfection. One can love an artist (as I do Renee
Fleming) but can take exception with some of her/his performances.
The "coughiest" audience I have ever heard.
Just bought the DVD and it doesn't have the same problem of the piano being far too loud. phew!
Too loud?
Really?
It's a duet.
50/50
I can hear every word, clear as a bell.
A most enjoyable and well informed performance.
@@a.jamesstretton3813the high notes are piercingly loud on headphone. They’ve accidentally been boosted.
All the world loves Renée. She's is a gift to humanity. Thank you, lady of miracles. #ReneeFleming
+Sean Kroll ..How lovely you said this....ditto for me. Penny Ferguson
Beautifully stated. Renée is an American treasure!
I love Renee Fleming but take exception with her approach to these songs.
4. Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder! 4. Don’t try to find me out through my songs!
Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder! Don’t try to find me out through my songs!
Meine Augen schlag' ich nieder, I cast my eyes down,
Wie ertappt auf böser Tat. As if found out doing something wrong.
Selber darf ich nicht getrauen, I don’t even dare,
Ihrem Wachsen zuzuschauen. To look at their growing myself.
Deine Neugier ist Verrat! Your inquisitiveness is betrayal!
Bienen, wenn sie Zellen bauen, Bees, building cells,
Lassen auch nicht zu sich schauen, Don’t let themselves be looked at either,
Schauen selber auch nicht zu. They don’t even look at themselves.
Wenn die reichen Honigwaben When they’ve revealed
Sie zu Tag gefördert haben, The bountiful honeycombs,
Dann vor allen nasche du! You’ll be first to feast on them!
5:24 Um Mitternacht
i wonder what the austrians think of her diction? any german speaker can comment?
***** Absolutely indeed!
She speaks very well German... but the enunciation in the singing is not what one would expect of a Lied specialist.
her German is perfect. She jsut seems not to understand the real meaning of what she is singing. itś so cheap what she does here. horrible.
contraltissima SHE IS PERFECT! Shut up!
Darling, as with all singers it's about the voice.
Good Lord. I don't remember ever having heard such clueless, superficial renditions of Mahler's music. Miss Fleming certainly has a beautiful voice, but she seems content to skate over the surface of the music with nary a glance at what the composer was trying to convey, let alone what the poet was expressing. Um Mitternacht, a vivid depiction of a midnight battle with pain and despair, might as well have been a flirtatious dalliance with a cute UPS driver. It is as if Paris Hilton attempted to portray Sophocles' Electra. Music is more than a vocalise to show off a pretty sound, and Mahler's music is an entire universe of the most profound and intimate emotion, but you would never know that from these performances. A sad failure.
Too bad you are such a hater! I feel that Renée interprets these songs very well. I especially like Liebst du um Schonheit.
The commenters divide into musically sophisticated and musically dumb. Fleming lovers are in the latter camp.
@@peterwaksman9179 Gee! Thanks for insulting me by calling me and other Fleming lovers musically dumb! I listen to Renée because I love her sound! Your opinion is neither welcomed nor needed!
Renee ruined one of the most beautiful and haunting lieder ever, Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen.
So true!
It needed the orchestra, the plunking out of parts on the piano was not good. And if Mahler originally wrote the piece for just piano accompaniment, it still needs orchestration. That's the version with Fleming I'd want to hear
I could not disagree more
@@mz.w.671the pianist was excellent and an orchestra could never have given that wonderful feeling of intimacy.
She has so much going for her - a great voice, well handled, everything but why is she such a dull performer in my eyes? She does sing the right repertory for her voice . Maybe she doesn’t take chances or risks ? Sorry I know lots love her!
The pianist is not dull, however. He brings the music alive from the bench!
michael roberts I don’t find her, “Dull”, at all!!
I agree. I never feel she is completely emotionally invested and so must resort to exaggerated and overwrought expressions to fill the void. If I had had the sound off at the end of the last song, I would have thought she was singing something completely different. Does she even understand what she is singing?
@@maryvallettakeith6146 Why do you feel compelled to be a “Renée basher”? Let the “uneducated” people who love Renée enjoy her without being criticized by you!
So far, I've only listened to Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen. I prefer orchestra to piano. I did not like Renee's delivery. I watched this performance a few days ago and twice today. The second time I listened to it today, I followed along with the German and English. I prefer the Anne Sofie von Otter recording and the Jessye Norman performance. I just listened to the Anne Sofie von Otter recording. It is quiet. Here, Renee is loud and exaggerated. The piano has too much pedal and possible mistakes.
En cuestión de gustos nada está escrito. Porque aquí se trata de estilos, no de niveles entendidos como óptimos. A veces, tras las críticas, hay como el deseo de imponer opiniones propias a los demás.
Zu viel Gefühl. ((( Schrecklich. Mahler ist eine reine Musik, sondern kein Theater. (((
2. Liebst du um Schönheit 2. If you love for beauty’s sake
Liebst du um Schönheit, If you love for beauty’s sake,
O nicht mich liebe! Oh, don’t love me!
Liebe die Sonne, Love the sun,
Sie trägt ein gold'nes Haar! It has the blondest hair!
Liebst du um Jugend, If you love for youth’s sake
O nicht mich liebe! Oh, don’t love me!
Liebe der Frühling, Love springtime,
Der jung ist jedes Jahr! It’s young each year.
Liebst du um Schätze, If you love for treasure’s sake,
O nicht mich liebe. Oh, don’t love me!
Liebe die Meerfrau, Love the mermaid,
Sie hat viel Perlen klar. She has lots of limpid pearls.
Liebst du um Liebe, If you love for love’s sake,
O ja, mich liebe! Oh, do love me!
Liebe mich immer, Love me always,
Dich lieb' ich immerdar. I’ll love you back forevermore
Very bad singing - Sorry for Mahler
Poul E. Nørgaard Very Good Singer, Mahler would be so proud
Bad singing????
This is not a Strauss operetta!
Appena scoperto un plagio( o forse una citazione?). Il secondo lied(Leibst du um schonheit), quel passaggio con la bellissima scala ascendente è identico ad un passaggio dell'aria " O Don fatale" del "Don Carlo" di Verdi.
Are you kidding? Mahler is unlikely to have written those glissandos.
Picky picky
@@jamessmith5433 It is not "picky picky" but basic musical appreciation. I am not impressed by pomp and, as many commentors noted, this is a lousy performance.
@@peterwaksman9179 Not for Renée lovers!
@@janetflier6192That's the problem: giving the glory to the clueless 'interpreter', rather than the genius who created these ineffably profound Lieder. Let Miss Fleming stick to what she's good at, and leave Mahler alone.
@@jasonhurd4379 How can you call Renée clueless?? She is GREAT at EVERYTHING she does!!!
Being used to hearing these songs sung in a lower register - Kathleen Ferrier and Janet Baker, I find I cannot relate to Fleming's interpretation
This is the key in which it was written.
the 'interpretation' is one suited to operetta, not lied of this caliber.
Get over it
Renee Fleming ist eine der größten saengerinnen. Aber mit Mahler hat sie sich nicht ausreichend beschäftigt. Sonst würde sie seine Lieder nicht wie Opernarien singen. Nun ja, auch große Künstler sind nicht immer zu 100 on top Prozent
Fleming didn't have a clue as to how Mahler should and could be interpreted.
+mannail888 agreed
+erick vazquez So glad to have a kindred spirit around.
+mannail888 Bet you don't either.
+penny ferguson Partisan to the point of blindness, Flemingphiles overlook the one essential problem with her pathetically all purpose approach to everything she does, be it on the gramophone, the recital platform or the lyric stage, which is that one-fifths of the emotions she seeks to express are dishonest, feigned effusions masked in academically correct technique. Stylistically, she's all over the place. The piece deals with the philosophy of life, of a world filled with doom and gloom. But Fleming sounds as if she's more concerned with the freshness of her morning grapefruit, and how she's not being treated like a Julia Roberts or Michelle Obama by the powers-that-be of the institution for which she happens to be performing at the moment. All through the lieder, there's no remorse at past wrongdoings, no regrets at lost opportunities and no bitterness at relationships gone sour. A genuine human soul, with heart to spare, would and should imbue this piece with all those attributes and more. But not Fleming.
+mannail888 I have no idea of what you speak...obviously you need a platform of some type...try politics.
Her dress has a baggy bodice!
Incredible from America's favorite soprano Renee Fleming!!
speak for yourself. she certainly IS NOT america's favorite soprano. if so, american's have extremely low standards.
Armon Golliday Thank you. I am American, and I am very disappointed by Renee's singing, she could have been so much more. She was born with a beautiful instrument, but her weird gasping, and mannerism, ruin her performances for me. Her mannerisms have gotten worse over the years.
+Armon Golliday O. K. Armon...Who is?
These songs were no written for a soprano. Sounds like everyone in the audience has a cold, with all the hacking!
Bob Burns You got that right!!
The microphon is much to near to the piano. And Fleming not a soprano for Mahler-intimity, sadness and pain. Sorry, not optimal at all.
🙉
Con tutto il rispetto ma preferisco le versioni di questi magnifici Lieder di Kathleen Ferrier, Christa Ludwig, Maureen Forrester, Jessye Normann....
Romea Romeo FLEMING, CASTA DIVA
...Janet Baker.
3. Um Mitternacht 3. At Midnight
Um Mitternacht At midnight
Hab' ich gewacht I was sleepless
Und aufgeblickt zum Himmel; And looked skyward;
Kein Stern vom Sterngewimmel Of that welter of stars
Hat mir gelacht Not one laughed at me.
Um Mitternacht. At midnight.
Um Mitternacht At midnight
Hab' ich gedacht I cast my thoughts
Hinaus in dunkle Schranken. Out into the dark firmament.
Es hat kein Lichtgedanken No lucid thought
Mir Trost gebracht Brought me any comfort
Um Mitternacht. At midnight.
Um Mitternacht At midnight
Nahm ich in acht I dwelled upon
Die Schläge meines Herzens; My heart beating;
Ein einz'ger Puls des Schmerzes A lone shoot of pain
War angefacht Smarted
Um Mitternacht. At midnight.
Um Mitternacht At midnight
Kämpft' ich die Schlacht, I fought the battle,
O Menschheit, deiner Leiden; O humanity, your suffering
Nicht konnt' ich sie entscheiden I couldn’t resolve it
Mit meiner Macht Not with all my might
Um Mitternacht. At midnight.
Um Mitternacht At midnight
Hab' ich die Macht I gave the power
In deine Hand gegeben! Into Your hand!
Herr! über Tod und Leben Lord! Over death and life
Du hältst die Wacht You keep vigil
Um Mitternacht! At midnight.
Partisan to the point of blindness, Flemingphiles overlook the one essential problem with her pathetically all purpose approach to everything she does, be it the gramophone, the recital platform or the lyric stage, which is that one-fifths of the emotions she seeks to express are dishonest, feigned effusions masked in academically correct technique. Stylistically, she's all over the place. The piece deals with the philosophy of life, of a world filled with doom and gloom. But Fleming sounds as if she's more concerned with the freshness of her morning grapefruit, and how she's not being treated like a Julia Roberts or Michelle Obama by the powers-that-be of the institution for which she happens to be performing at the moment. All through the lieder, there's no remorse at past wrongdoings, no regrets at lost opportunities and no bitterness at relationships gone sour. A genuine human soul, with heart to spare, would and should imbue this piece with all those attributes and more. But not Fleming.
+mannail888
Good Lord! Supercilious much?
+mannail888 Nonsense !
+roy davie I'd be damned if I so much suggest Fleming didn't possess one of the more pleasing soprano voice in recent times, but it's her less than ideal approach with whatever she did that renders her works to a puff of smoke.
mannail888 Unless you have equal talent, you have no right to criticize!!!
Incoherent. Please think harder and rephrase.
Renee Fleming kills everything she touches, this poignant and deeply beautiful Mahler cycle shouldn't be defiled like this, FUCK :(
John Appleseed Lighten up!!!
But what's important these days is she showed the top of her cleavage, it's gotten that bad, yawn.
For the grand dame's touch, the great Jessye Norman's the rich class act Flemming can't touch: e.g. th-cam.com/video/bxh-VTqNK0c/w-d-xo.html
John Appleseed Renée Fleming gives life every aria she sings, she is a perfect Diva in Performing
John Appleseed You ruin everything you touch
Butchery.
Strange that someone who pulled off lovely moments like "I Can Smell the Sea Air" in Previn's Streetcar (mostly a bore) seems entirely devoid of soulfulness here. She has done no work of interpretation here. Same with her Vier Letzte Lieder. If you put Dawn Upshaw's brain in Renee's body, imagine the results.
What a disaster 😂😂
@@brunott9802 i know of her better than you!
@@brunott9802 her Mahler is a disaster doubtlessly!
Elle chante n'importe comment. Son médium est complètement trafiqué et appuyé. C'est vraiment dommage car elle ne manque pas de moyens ! Et le dernier Lied est d'un vulgaire... Comment peut-on oser surinterpréter une aussi belle musique ?
ekissin Exactement, trop de melodrame. The first should have a floating quality setting the tone for the next songs. The tinny sound of the piano didn't help much either. Unfortunately, she had a habit of emphasizing her timbre over the demands of the music. One could get away with it perhaps in opera but not in Lieder.
+zamyrabyrd d´accord!!
Why
erick vazquez Why are you where?
Out of rhythm, out of tune, out of passion, out of practice
봉디옐 Wrong!!
I am wondering if she was drunk.
@@peterwaksman9179 HAHAHA!!!!
She's not as good as Kathleen Ferrier.
I am sorry but these performances left me cold. There did not appear to be any emotional connection. Purely as a matter of personal taste I prefer lower register voices. My all time favourite is Janet Baker
I was expressing a personal opinion. You are equally entitled to yours.
Not a good Mahler interpretation, poor german articulation and voice too harsh... this is Mahler not Strauss, she is perfect for Strauss
she does a lot of Strauss in deed, wish she speaks German,
@@道-p2e She DOES speak German!!
Zu viel Gefühl. (((
Nice dress but bad singing
you may have no idea of singing dear friend, I'm afraid....
in this time i agree with you...miss fleming is an amazing singer but in this concert im a little bit disappointment about her
But is that dress blue and black or white and gold? ;)
Jajajajajajajajajajaja
Mandotwang jajajajajaaka
horrible. she chews the vowels and sings so many tones from below. she shows that she has no idea about what Mahler is. what a horrible manierism she shows and how surficial she is.
She is not surficial, she is humble, (And a Diva)
surchoix And what a bad speller you are!!
Flemming and humble?? this is one of the best jokes of the decade! I know her, she did EVERYTHING to become a famous person! she is as egocentric as you may be able to immagine one can be, plus she has zero musical taste. At la Scala they booed her right away and she deserved it a 100 times. Her Mahler is as bad as it gets, worse than Hampsons Mahler, the other egoman with no voice but a huge carreer. Perhaps I'm a bad speller, but I spell in five languages beside my mother tongue, so how about your spelling in Russian, French, Italian, German, Spanish? as well as mine in English???
surchoix Excuse me. Who is the egomaniac now?? How do you, “know”, Renée Fleming?? You must not be an American. It is obvious that you hate Renée Fleming. I think such hate is very undeserved!!
@@janetflier6192 It is obvious that you love Renee Fleming. I think such love is very undeserved! See how this works? 😛 And btw, there is room enough for both opinions. Take yours and let others have theirs.
The keys are too high for the sentiment in the words. The songs are better suited to mezzo sopranos
not the best , its off key and flat
Redpilled_Tuber The best***
NOT off-key and NOT flat!!