COMPOSERS: Mahler
LABELS: Naxos
WORKS: Kindertotenlieder; Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen; Rückert Lieder
PERFORMER: Bernadette Greevy (mezzo-soprano); National SO of Ireland/ János Fürst, Franz-Paul Decker
CATALOGUE NO: 8.554156
This makes a rather heavy-going, dimly lit trudge through Mahler’s
most famous songs, especially since Greevy’s dignified mezzo/contralto colourings inevitably bring to mind the greater expressive and dynamic range of Janet Baker; on no account economise with this and miss one
of recorded history’s greatest glories (Baker also features all three cycles,
in the much keener company of John Barbirolli). The Rückert Lieder were recorded seven years after the rest,
an improvement given the necessary sacrifice of tone to text. David Nice