Dame Kiri Te Kanawa sings "Im Abendrot" - Vier Letzte Lieder - Richard Strauss

[@Berus7777]

Saw her live in 2010 (or 2011?) at Marin Center. I was about 48 at the time - large man, sitting in the center of the 4th row. She performed with a pianist, doing arias, etc. I kept my facial expression neutral (with some effort), but the tears flowed. She looked at me a couple of times -- once while I was wiping a tear. She's probably accustomed to it, but it was an unforgettable experience for me. Her voice is beyond description - and trust me, I have heard quite a few other female soloists - dozens, actually. It's difficult for me to listen to any other female opera singer since that performance. The only other female singer I would put in her class would be Elizabeth Fraser - Scottish singer.

[@paineite]

One of the few truly great composers of the 20th century. Combined with one of the greatest voices. STUPENDOUS. Thank you.

[@sandropaoloni2324]

in abendrot...al tramonto...sublime musica di R.Strauss diretta sir Georg Solti e cantata dalla delicatissima ma intensa e straordinaria voce della meravigliosa Kirii..un Paradiso....

[@willblogskillwriting]

I love Strauss's Last Four Songs by Kiri Te Kanawa.

[@algernon4444]

Superb rendition of one of the greatest songs of the twentieth century.

[@autumnleaves2766]

Recorded 28 years ago. A time when classical music was still valued and shown on TV as well as the radio. Two great artists performing at a venue outside of London, a packed audience, smartly dressed, the Duke and Duchess of Kent seen applauding on the balcony at the end. In Britain now, I wonder what proportion of the population would have even heard of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and the late Sir Georg Solti , who died in 1997 ? More younger people need to hear great music and not just the bog standard chart stuff that many seem to prefer.

[@lundilar]

Well said!!

[@annemariestein7491]

@@lundilar Thank God in France there are 4 channels dedicated to Classical Music, Ballet , Opera and Jazz.

[@erpollock]

In Britain you had classical music valued and shown on TV in 28 years ago? In the US there was no classical music on TV since Leonard Bernstein's program ended, before my time.

[@mikaelb7735]

So rightly said!!!

[@michaelhirst4191]

@@erpollockit is still performed at concerts which are televised. Not often enough, except perhaps during the BBC Proms.

[@MrAndredekock]

Has there ever been a more glorious sound than that note, which just floats out of Ms Te Kanawa at 3:54?! It is absolutely beautifully sublime and her interpretation of these 4 last songs of Strauss, for me, still reign supreme! BRAVA!

[@crwdfwtx]

Andre de Kock you are not wrong

[@christophspiessens3751]

That same note and passage sung by Jessye Norman but a whole 10 seconds longer

[@BerndKlaeger-fq9fl]

Kann ich nur alleine hören. Wem hier keine Tränen kommen, der muss ein Stein sein

[@82plamen]

This music is so beautiful, that it makes me cry each time i listen to it. Thank you Richard Strauss and thank you Kiri Te Kanawa.

[@Skyscraper44able]

The end of an era in music ... from the Eroica to Four Last Songs ...

[@drwsterling]

In the 2021 Classic FM Hall of Fame the Four Last Songs rose 56 places from 167 to 111. There is hope.

[@earltpt]

The orchestral introduction is unbelievable

[@theblueangel28]

sublime..i have so much trouble deciding which is my favorite i just have to listen to them all again and i love all of these pieces so much more with orchestra..well, if it has Kiri in front of it

[@janejarvis3095]

Sublime perfection: brings me to tears every time I hear this.

[@1201alarm]

Me too. How could anyone not feel this music.

[@BlindeEzel]

oh how deep this touches my soul. The end of all our roads.

[@frankeffenberger9698]

Yes. But not too soon!

[@adfontesaquarum]

Johann Sebastian Bach m'a donné l'envie de devenir compositeur, Richard Strauss m'a fait comprendre que je ne le deviendrais jamais. La perfection de cette œuvre est le zénith de 10 siècles de musique occidentale. Qui pourrait aller encore plus loin ? L'interprétation, sublime; sans vibrato inutile, sans portamento - arme des lâches - , sans crier, pleine de nuances... Il faudrait déclarer Kiri Te Kanawa Patrimoine Mondial de l'Humanité... pour qu'il nous appartienne un peu à tous.

[@amadeus5889]

It may not seem like it, but to stand there for a minute and a half, after having sung the last note on a flat-6 chord (not even a proper final cadence) is a hell of a thing. The lyrics end on a question, and only the gradual darkening of the sky depicted by the orchestra’s final measures responds. Her vocal performance is perfect, but the way Dame Kiri Te holds herself for those last measures is just as regal and dignified as her voice. Strauss made a brilliant decision in choosing to let the final question not be answered in words, making the audience really immerse themselves in the fearful uncertainty, but also welcome rest, of approaching death.

[@shin-i-chikozima]

Her beautiful singing voice is out of this world, and a great tranqulizer to the human

[@tanskiclaudius]

Einfach wunderbar ! Die Musik und die Interpreten ! Grossartig ! Danke fürs Hochladen ! 5:53 : Bruckner VII ! Hier der Text von Joseph von Eichendorff : Im Abendrot Wir sind durch Not und Freude Gegangen Hand in Hand: Vom Wandern ruhen wir beide Nun überm stillen Land. Rings sich die Täler neigen, Es dunkelt schon die Luft, Zwei Lerchen nur noch steigen Nachträumend in den Duft. Tritt her und laß sie schwirren, Bald ist es Schlafenszeit, Daß wir uns nicht verirren In dieser Einsamkeit. O weiter, stiller Friede! So tief im Abendrot, Wie sind wir wandermüde - Is dies etwa der Tod?

[@matthieudegott3154]

Décidément, Solti aime les tempos énergiques. Te Kanawa effleure toujours les mots, mais qu'importe, ses notes sont tellement belles, sa ligne est tellement majestueuse au dessus d'un orchestre éblouissant, que l'émotion éclot d'elle-même, au-delà du pouvoir des mots. C'est plus de la magie que l'art du lied, mais je m'en fous, c'est tellement beau...

[@gumpgarbonzo]

Wow! A wonderful performance by one of my favorite pieces from the Richard Strauss oeuvre. I've been in love with Dame Kiri since before she was a Dame!

[@markreedy3886]

Thank you Dame Kiri! Great, great post. This is supremely beautiful, and Sir Georg & Dame Kiri are FABULOUS!

[@MrAndredekock]

The note she sings at 3:58 on the Abendrot is just supremely sublime and divine! Bravissima!

[@lucaberardi8689]

La sua voce incanta..perfetta!!...sempre!!!...Solti riesce "a fermare il tempo" trasformando il tutto in un sogno...

[@raffamon1946]

Bellissima interpretazione e ottima direzione. Grazie

[@mariaesperanza6548]

La más emotiva de todas las versiones que he escuchado de este tema. Kiri es especial❤️

[@brianlyons3884]

A really wonderful performance.

[@cubanbach]

We are so so lucky to have these moments from Kiri Te Kanawa....I sigh and shills throb throughout my body....

[@edch7516]

I love everything about this performance. Undescribable.

[@michaeldoyle6702]

+edouard chan You just described it, and perfectly too.

[@MrAndredekock]

Well ALMOST perfectly Michael! Indescribable. But I am a bit pedantic. Lol.

[@CapetownCarework]

the orchestral intro, for one... very grande and expressive

[@ledacarneiro1795]

Magnifique Dame kiri Te Kinawa! Belle voix !!🌹🌹🌹

[@abbieamavi]

*my soul feels like it's flying*

[@udonloews1301]

Who would not fall in LOVE with this performance: THE COMPOSER OF DIVINITY, 1st Chair Conductor, VOICE of the LOVE/ KIRI TE KANAWA💋💋💋

[@FranciscoFerrerGaliana1930]

Exquisita interpretación,!!

[@AleLovesOpera]

No tengo palabras para expresar lo exquisita que suena su voz con esta interpretación.

[@giorgioot]

bravissima la adoro !!! gran classe ,un solo "difetto" l'abito!!!!

[@lorenzley1324]

Heavenly voice, but Jessy Norman remains forever the Queen of the Four Songs of Strauss. Jessy Norman is an unbeatable legend.

[@jasonhurd4379]

Strauss' music perfectly captures the autumnal feeling of the poem, in which the aged couple, wearied of wandering, await death. Solti's conducting of this number has always been somewhat too penny-plain and matter-of-fact (his 1977 performance with Lucia Popp is similarly prosaic), but te Kanawa is completely within Eichendorff and Strauss' purple-hued æsthetic here, and gives a worthy rendition of this haunting number. Brava.

[@FreeMySoles]

I respectfully disagree about Solti. His tempo is just right, far better than Kurt Masur's long-drawn-out pace with Jessye Norman (whose singing is superb, of course). Solti's tempo holds the piece together just as it should be.

[@durvalcastro]

The most beautiful song, the most beautiful singing, the most beautiful singer!

[@Eztoez]

Staggeringly beautiful

[@williamdiffin28]

Solti conducts this as if he is in a hurry to get somewhere afterwards. I cannot otherwise understand how a musician of Solti's stature can rush through and thereby diminish this music depicting the end of life as a glorious sunset; I cannot believe that he would fail to apprehend its expansive nature.

[@fransjan451]

Bedankt voor deze inspirerende klanken I.B.

[@FranciscoFerrerGaliana1930]

Simplemente maravillosa.!!

[@theblueangel28]

back again! still divine :)

[@pilouetmissiou]

A me piace questo tempo un pò vivace....sublime musica bellissima voce love love love..

[@swanningaround]

Great quality recording. Wonderful!

[@opera888able]

Orchestra under Solti so vibrant, He and Kiri clearly had a rapport. Feast your ears!!!!!!

[@TheAG59]

Fantastic voice!

[@jubiladajubilosa]

Una bella voz para una deliciosa música.

[@peace-now]

Such a romance. Georg and Kiri. They so admired each other's work.

[@BlackBacon44]

Was there (Free Trade Hall, Manchester) a year or two before this when Alison Hargan sang the songs flawlessly, again with the BBC Phil.

[@highbrain]

Stunning! Beatiful vocal ine, gorgeous orchestratio, great performance (Sir Gyorgy surely rates a mention even tho' he's much less beautiful than Dame Kiri). The closing bars recall the coda from a Bruckner adagio - the highest praise.

[@enriquesanchez3059]

Quizás no sea una soprano completa,pero su versión con Sír George Solti es de lo mejor.

[@gsandell]

I think Solti has the tempo right. Most recordings drag the tempo through the dirt and you can't feel the continuity or experience the harmonic function. I wonder if tempi are taken slow just to occupy more time in the concert...when I heard Renee Fleming sing it at Ravinia, they programmed so it took the entire second half of the evening. Taking at Solti's tempo allows the music to speak for itself.

[@francesca276]

splendido e lei è bellissima.

[@flemmingdalsgaard4979]

I appreciate the craftsmanship of Georg Solti! But personally I prefer a bit slower speed. Accepting death is usually a slow process!

[@TheKFFowler]

I imagine it must be quick at times. But then I haven't been there yet.

[@Allataria]

It's not supposed to be an elegy, it's supposed to be a celebration of life at the end of it.

[@James_Bowie]

@@Allataria Exactly!

[@jasonhurd4379]

@@Allataria Hmmmm...not quite. Read Eichendorff's poem again. There is precious little of celebration therein, but a great deal of resigned acceptance. Quite a different thing.

[@pvaubourg]

je suis d'accord, pour cela je préfère Eschenbach et Flemming, de plus l'orchestre occulte

[@excalibur1812]

In case anyone ever doubted that there was a supreme being in the Universe, all they have to do is listen to THIS and it answers that question!!! What a god-given treasure is Dame Kiri Te Kanawa!!! I first heard this on "The Year of Living Dangerously" with Mel Gibson and I was hooked on Kiri's voice.

[@susanwilson9755]

I thought it was "Being schlafengehen.

[@MD-md4th]

@@susanwilson9755You are correct, it was “Beim Schlafengehen”. Excalibur is just being a drama queen.

[@VladimirKhrobystov]

no words. more than perfect.

[@loudlong]

So very lovely.

[@joseantoniorodriguezhernan5972]

BELLO EL CANTO Y BELLA LA CANTANTE...

[@MrAndredekock]

BEAUTIFUL! BRAVISSIMA!

[@nuriajuncadellaroig9752]

Kiri Te Kanawa i el mestre Solti dirigin, fan una meravella musical de l'obra de Richard Straus. Sempre és un plaer escoltar a Kiri, per`en aquesta peça ho broda.

[@XPRT10R]

I'd love for Solti's conducting to be just a tad less pedestrian and driven to allow for the sumptiousness of the music the unrushed journey from ear to brain... to heart and soul. Kiri is perfect - as she always was - for Strauss. In her 1st recording of the Four Last Songs with Andrew Davies I think voice and orchestra are better suited in their pairing

[@josquin101554]

The opening tempo of the introduction is too fast for my taste. The counterpoint of the violins at the end of the introduction is exquisite, and there is little time to savor their pathos. More moderate tempo of the rest more to my liking, and her interpretation and singing is lovely.

[@markconway3711]

Stephen Rothman Whatever!

[@gsgs-ye8ju]

it is your taste, and nothing more

[@feelingpaulie3943]

Did you hear it in "Wild at Heart"???? I first heard this via David Lynch's "Wild at Heart", and it does seem hurried in comparison, but I have managed to enjoy it!

[@Arch5280]

It gives Dame Kiri the option to take a slightly faster tempo. If the introduction had been fast, it would sound silly if Dame Kiri were to suddenly speed it up. I think the tempo plan is a slow broadening out, to the end.

[@peteowen3539]

@@feelingpaulie3943 jessye’s version I think.

[@ИринаВанн]

Божественная! Одна из лучших певиц в 20 веке! Когда слушаешь Даму Кири те Канаву, то кажется , что её голос течёт с Небес!

[@teresalaceternalove6049]

perfect ...

[@stuartwigmore3738]

Intro was like a rocket - typical Solti for some reason. Tempo stabilised when the vocal line started.

[@MariaPerez]

divino, sublime

[@leosoaressilva]

Absolute beauty

[@gonzalomoreno2216]

Sublime

[@bindugross5615]

❤

[@TomHeys]

We will sail round the cape of good hope and we will sail around the horn!

[@vincentlombardo9797]

creme de creme .. richard strauss well-deserved...

[@opera888able]

This Kiri Te K at the height of her powers. Her rapport with Solti is obvious. It does overpower the listener with an excess of sound, from either soloist or orch. It encourages reflection as the composer wanted.

[@glummdelclitch451]

+Warren Hamlet I know you meant to write, does NOT overpower the listener...and you are of course correct. Solti reads these pieces with extreme sensitivity.His version with Lucia Popp is a masterpiece, but this one is also quite remarkable.

[@alger3041]

+frank “fancyboy” rella I will take Lisa della Casa with Karl Bohm. That version has a certain imprimatur in that R. Strauss allegedly had her in mind when he wrote these songs. And they were the best in their time, far better than Elisabeth Schwartzkopf, in my opinion. I only don't like the fact that Bohm rushes the introduction to Im Abendrot which seems totally uncalled for and out of character, but maybe Lisa recorded a later verson that I don't know about.

[@elkecouperus1122]

Warren Hamlet in

[@kamesennin1760]

Bestes Orchester (Dirigat) und stimmliche Interpretin

[@Jeke316]

Pure, unadulterated magic.

[@fredbloggs6080]

While this is beautiful, I actually prefer the 1978 version conducted by Andrew Davis. The analog recording creates an etheial resonance. Dame Kiri said about the recording it was the first time a recording sounded like her voice sounded to her when she sings.

[@comminge170116]

In response to "excalibur1812": I, too, had never heard this piece until I saw the same film. I sometimes lull myself to sleep listening to the Four Last Songs. En réponse à Mattheiu Degott: Vous vous exprimez de façon très élégante. In response de "vistasofaldebaran": Yes, the dress was a poor choice.

[@opera888able]

To Manila Sayang; You could sing them, there's nothing to stop you. But I doubt weather it's been done publicly. Strauss wrote these last four for the soprano voice-his undoubted favorite vocal range. I'd be very wary of attempting it.

[@peterbaettig4837]

Gibt es etwas ergreifenderes ? Grossen Dank für die Wiedergabe.

[@binoculos3]

DOLCISSIMA

[@carmeloserafin5101]

che bell'intesa... fra orchestra e questo Direttore da me molto amato....e lei sicura....peccato l'abito Tirolese di lei....ma forse §Strauss era Austriaco e va bene così.....una vera spada di luce crepuscolare dove Chiunque si interroghi sulla morte ...sa che l'Eterno è Luce pura?

[@hughcapetien]

Just love Kiri Te Kanawa who is perfect soloist in this beautiful elegy, but the tempo is too fast. Renee Fleming did a wonderful job, but a much slower tempo.

[@Allataria]

It's not supposed to be an elegy, it's supposed to be a celebration of life at the end of it.

[@mvcpastkambcstccr8563]

BRAVA

[@michaeldoyle6702]

That fast intro by Solti really works. The other account by Solti and the Chicago with Lucia Popp is very poorly recorded and sounds shrill.

[@Teddyb1939]

I love it but is the orchestra over powering Kiri a bit to much ?. Kiri has such a beautiful voice.

[@Teddyb1939]

Gundula Janowitz and Karajan have it just about right. Gundula on full show. As said I still regard Kiri Te Kanawa singing this beautiful song as magical. hope no one is offended.

[@FranciscoFerrerGaliana1930]

Deliciosa musia

[@jackhapfli6896]

@excalibur1812 YOLD used another Strauss song (Beim Schlafengehen)

[@sandropaoloni2324]

Insuperabili....

[@mancrunning1210]

Noel Edmonds makes an appearance very early on.

[@James_Bowie]

There is a wonderful documentary showing Dame Kiri rehearsing with Maestro Solti for this performance, here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zoqqeq2ejaZ6rZY

[@theblueangel28]

@Jeke316 yeah that :)

[@ManilaSayang]

Honest question: Can these 4 last songs be sung by a male (baritone maybe)? How come I can't find any recording with male vocalist?

[@damekirilover]

Thank you for the message. Personally, I don't think this song cycle would suit any male voices...Mr. Richard Strauss had already set his vocal preferance.

[@ManilaSayang]

Dame Kiri Lover Even if the entire score is transposed an octave lower? The text is not feminine nor masculine, but gender neutral, and written by two male poets (Hesse and Goethe)

[@eppurs1muove]

+Its not easy being handsome not Goethe

[@comminge170116]

+Its not easy being handsome I see no reason why not.

[@onigbajamo]

+ian1856 It was written for soprano.

[@cubanbach]

@cubanbach cccchills ...I meant :)

[@hochang927]

Im Abendrot" (At Sunset

[@TomHeys]

Noel Edmonds at 0:04

[@miguelangelcrespoalonso9824]

the end of the occidental civilation

[@noemibandi-szabo5268]

I'm teasing.

[@jdeeside5021]

Bless her for trying. You can see what it takes for her to try and get this interpretation across and it doesn't come across as naturally flowing at all. Just cannot understand why she is admired.

[@axe7064]

Jessye Norman . She is The Standard

[@Beadle_Bamford]

Because she is a great artist who left us many many wonderful interpretations. Others leave nothing but stupid comments on KZbin.

[@geraldharvey8979]

The orchestra’s playing is so overwrought, the mistake of the conductor, it threatens to swallow Dame Te Kanawa’s gorgeous tone whole.

[@peterschwarzenbacher6904]

Nach Soile Isokoski die zweitbeste Interpratation, aus meiner Sicht; da hat Sir G. Solti bestimmt großen Anteil daran.