EXTREMELY RARE! LIVE: Elly Ameling sings R. Strauss' 4 LAST SONGS (COMPLETE) in 1982 - Concertgebouw

[@blues123ization]

I heard her give two master classes in Los Angeles for our NATS chapter. The morning session was how to interpret German lieder. The afternoon session was how to interpret French Chanson. Magnificently presented.

[@jamesgardner6225]

Lucky you!

[@sylviarienzo6955]

It took quite an effort to find a CD containing her singing Four Last Songs. I finally found it on a site in The Netherlands but they refused to sell outside the EU. I am a Californian. I contacted a fellow German Shepherd fancier living in The Netherlands with whom I’d had a very brief conversation many years ago and eventually he agreed to buy it for me. Of course I repaid him and gave him a gift. And with some extra effort, I did get the recording!

[@maestrojimbo]

So are you saying you bought this same recording (radio broadcast) or is there a studio recording that nobody here seems to know about?

[@sylviarienzo6955]

I bought a multi-CD called “Elly Ameling 75 Jaar Live Concertopnamen 1957-1991”

[@sylviarienzo6955]

Four Last Songs was included on the.CD. GOOD LUCK to anyone who looks for it. I looked around the world for days before coming across it, and then as I said in my earlier message, the site in the Netherlands wouldn’t sell it to me directly. It was just sheer luck that I had this very tenuois relationship with a Netherlander and he was willing to buy it for me and send it to me.

[@maestrojimbo]

Your luck has no boundaries!

[@afrofinka]

The most delicate version I've ever heard from this piece I accompanied several times in the orchestra. Ameling has such a light but flexible voice and Sawallisch follows her as close as possible. And the Concertgebouw Orchestra... my goodness, what a sound! Silk and luscious, just perfect for Strauss.

[@MrMountainJohn]

Cutting through all the B.S. this is an absolutely marvelous recording of a work that stands alone as a tribute to one of the greatest composers. It is sung magnificently and effortlessly by a truly great artist who understands the music so well. A perfect match of conductor, orchestra and soloist and to hear a live version makes it more special.

[@maestrojimbo]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@davidmees5562]

Thank you so much for posting this beautiful recording. I fell in love with Elly Ameling after hearing her Mozart, Schumann and Schubert work, I had no idea she ever sung Strauss , although I saw her once in Mahler no4, so why not. I wrote her a (probably embarrassing) fan letter once and got a handwritten reply ! ❤️❤️

[@jhb134]

@davidmees5562 - I suppose you have the 8-CD/EMI Classics set, with her in Bach, Debussy, etc.

[@mclaire12]

Ameling is a singers dream. i saw her over 4 times in Chicago and there are no words.

[@lpgoodsale3427]

this will be my Reference to judge other performances thanks a lot for the upload

[@apfelsnutz]

I played in Nederland in the 70s & 80's in the Nederlands Kamer Orkest. We shared the Concertgebouw with Het Concertgebouw Orkest, and I do remember this concert. It created quite a stir amongst those of the Music world there. Listening here for the first time, I can say the recording engineers did wonders with balance while the soloists did the Musical Creation and Nuaince. The sound is actual not colored or enhansed. Unfortunately the interior of the hall was repainted a few years previous to this recording using a latex paint and not the original oil based paint. This changed the natural warmer but clear original sound of the hall. I marvel that this recording is found... a true LIVE recording that surpasses most of the current modern recordings we hear nowdays. Ely Amelings artistry surely had no bounds ! I thank you so very much bringing this all back to me...

[@grahammorgan3858]

Simply one of the all time great sopranos giving us a gorgeous performance of these great art songs.

[@markfischer9628]

Thank you for posting this sublime recorded performance!!! ❤

[@larryhamlet8479]

I am so sorry only now to hear this rendition of the four last songs. Elly Ameling is liquid gold!

[@norahdealmeida5847]

Larry, very nice your comment : “ liquid gold “ .

[@rolfbertsch5451]

One of the greatest works ever written performed by a team of some of the greatest performers ever to grace us with their artistry!

[@paulparent4408]

I have a few of Elly Amerling's CDs and I have to say they are among my favorites. She has one of the sweetest, most sensitive voices I've ever heard. I have another artist singing 4 Last Songs, but I'm really enjoying hearing these performed by Elly Ameling. Thanks so much for posting this treasure.

[@chantaldionnediva]

Magnifique! Voix cristalline, pure et non trafiquée pour soutenir cette musique d'un extrême lyrisme. Merci Mme Ameling

[@NEFESHI]

OUI

[@seidensaenger]

One of the best recordings of the Vier Letzte Lieder I've ever heard.

[@markgoretsky766]

Many thanks to the uploader of this marvel. Ameling is the sole of those songs. Translated texts augment the experience of such a great music. With gratitude, Mark

[@charlesturner1079]

Very grateful to you for posting this. She is an artist of the first rank. Heard her in concert only twice, but will never forget them. Her Lieder singing is a life-affirming experience for me.

[@waynesmith3767]

Had no idea that this recording existed and it’s a marvel; she had the voice and the technique and she really gets Strauss. The conductor and orchestra are both amazing and they all deliver a great performance. I know I’ll be listening again. Jessaye Norman and Isokoski are still my favorites and I have Janowitz as well but this is a keeper!

[@Tenortalker]

The reason that Elly Ameling was able to sing these songs although a light voiced soprano is that she had an excellent vocal technique. She may not have specialised in the Italian Bel Canto repertory , but she had a bel canto technique - each note securely placed within a flowing legato line. This allowed her voice to carry without strain over the the orchestral texture ( there is no feeling here of her having to fight to get her voice across) and it allowed her to focus on the text . Sawallisch was as always an attentive conductor. Lucia Popp whom I heard sing these songs live was similarly accomplished. I am so grateful to have heard this version. Thank you for posting.

[@Teddy_Toto]

Tenortalker thank you for your comment. Very insightful.

[@jeanpierredevos3137]

Thank you for this comment. I never could understand how this beautiful but small voice could do this but now I understand.

[@robertberkhout4744]

Elly Ameling bel canto? Oh Pleassse

[@Goorhuis48]

Wonderfull performance. I love this.

[@lordgeous1766]

Wonderful. As good as it gets!

[@dutchcub]

This is the way these songs should be sung! Absolutely gorgeous.

[@dialogueswithhildegard9290]

forever Elly Ameling ! :-)

[@Teddy_Toto]

Thank you so much for this treasure!

[@dialogueswithhildegard9290]

thank you for uploading that rare recording !

[@richardfairhurst2580]

Would never have associated Ameling with these songs, absolutely marvellous!

[@bigcedock]

Ameling is wonderful, but who wouldn't want to have support from someone like Sawallisch, the ideal Strauss conductor, imhp -- Wonderful recording!!!

[@eduardovillanueva1331]

I´ve been a follower of Ameling´s artistry since 1970, but I never expected her to sing such difficult songs with so much grace and so much magic. She never forces her voice, which adds to the enchantment of this cycle. Ameling is unique, and Sawallisch was the perfect Strauss conductor.

[@operassassinOperaAssassin]

Such a musing and graceful rendition! Thanks for sharing.

[@tomwestbrook]

Wonderful. Thanks so much for posting this!

[@peterlunow]

absolutely great!!!

[@TheAG59]

Absolutely wonderful!!!

[@miuzefreak]

WOW! wish she had a srudio recording of this masrerpiece!

[@WHITECK9]

Beautiful sound!

[@carolkessler-qz5ht]

GORGOUS!!!

[@SolomonPlunket]

I should not be surprised. Some famous interpretations were made by not-so-loud-voices, like Lucia Popp, Kiri Te Kanawa, Arleen Auger, and last but not least, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf!

[@teresinhagata]

Magical.

[@razdoburdina]

Bravissima! Jamais entendis une meilleure interprétation de ces Lieders !!!

[@petelovesbevsills]

Elly was just such a gracious lady and lovely singer. She defied all the political nonsense ans rubbish in South Africa and gave us a recital that stood us all on our ears.She graciously greeted every fan backstage too.

[@margaretham5832]

Ellie is absolutely wonderful here. For me it is Janowitz. All the way.

[@maestrojimbo]

You are right, this is the original key - otherwise all orchestra instruments would be lower as well and very "muddy" sounding. Ameling is a high soprano and she can't ask an orchestrta to transpose it down some notches. And why would she? There are already some passages with notes below middle c. FWI: Callas was asked to record Mozart's Queen of the Night arias, but she wanted it to be transposaed down a whole step! (never happened)

[@ronaldmasin4928]

Prachtige herinneringen!

[@jurgenstephany6383]

What a beautiful voice (Engelsstimme)

[@mauriziorocchi]

Meraviglioso, sublime, celestiale

[@EliriaHHaigh]

Delicate and tender sung by a supreme artist . Deeply moving and my favourite Strauss next to Der Hirt aus dem Felsen.

[@contraltissima]

der Hirt is by Schubert, not by Strauss.

[@duncanrichardson2167]

@@contraltissima You will surely agree that Der Hirt is also a beatiful song

[@tomcraggs1298]

Ahhh. I'm ready now. Elly Ameling's voice never lost its fresh, artless, unforced quality, despite, or perhaps because of her impeccable training and technique. This is most evident in her recordings of the final movement of Mahler's 4th Symphony, evoking a child's naivetè in the voice of an angel.

[@Dianaemanuel]

Wow!

[@antoniocotzia8622]

Voce bellissima e dolcissima😚

[@Agenamigo]

Yep. I agree. So far, I like this one, Gundula Janowitz, and Lisa Della Casa. I listen to Janowitz the most because I have the CD. I don't think this one exists in commercial recording.

[@FranciscoFerrerGaliana1930]

Impresionante, una maravlla.

[@MrInterestingthings]

I always thought Ameling a small voice suited to leider evening in a small room.How wrong have I been. Remarkable in every way.Sawallisch is a great partner here !

[@peterlunow]

+John e martin III I made the same mistake:-)

[@contraltissima]

her voice was small but she knew how to float.

[@estherkapinga7082]

Heel mooi

[@eboli7146]

agree! I also add Lucia Popp to my list of favourites. Would love to hear Barbara Bonney with orchestra, she has recorded this but only with piano!!!! Admittedly it is the great Malcolm Martineau but still, all that wonderful orchestration...

[@tommymoore8390]

surprisingly wonderful

[@oberon481]

Ameling is truly lovely here. Not to detract from the hers - or any of the many wonderful recorded versions - I have a special affection for Teresa Zylis-Gara's 1977 "live" version with Franz-Paul Decker conducting the Sinfonieorchester Rundfunk Hannover.

[@Prieneke]

Elly Ameling is divine!

[@malogeo1]

Elly Ameling é singular na sua interpretação. Não é a voz que gera impacto, mas sua musicalidade e expressividade. É genial. Simplesmente uma diva da poesia x música.

[@sylviarienzo6955]

Are these songs available on LP or CD? I’ve searched and searched without success. Elly Ameling’s Four Last Songs is truly a rare treasure! What a beautiful version and I so want it in my own music library. And I don’t know if it’s my imagination or not but the orchestra sounds magical too! It is an absolutely perfect match to the sentiments and style of her voice. Just gorgeous.

[@akkelienbijmolt1440]

Yes it is on cd. Elly Ameling 75 jaar, box with 5 cd.

[@sylviarienzo6955]

@@akkelienbijmolt1440 I’m so glad you mentioned this. It sent me on a search that for a long time was fruitless. I finally found a copy on a site in The Netherlands. I bid on it, but when it came time to pay I discovered they don’t sell outside the EU. I remembered a very very brief contact with a Netherlander, searched for his contact info and send him an ask via Facebook’s Messenger. Eventually, he agreed to buy it for me and mail it to me. It was a sort of minor miracle to finally have it in hand. It plays beautifully.

[@andyiswonderful]

yes, breath control was excellent.

[@TheEkaterinaSCH]

best of the best

[@SolomonPlunket]

I was mistaken. I thought hers was a small voice. She is a singer with many faces indeed!

[@contraltissima]

her voice was small.

[@smurf902]

She's just singing more to the house in this. Has the ability but it seems it was a more delicate voice than many of the operatic sopranos.

[@ericculver1718]

There are things the orchestra plays that are in the score but that I've never heard.

[@johengen]

I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Elly Ameling sing these songs live right around this time (1984?) with the Rochester (NY) Philharmonic. While Ameling's voice was naturally too small for these orchestral songs, her performance was nonetheless compelling - musical and expressive. What a treat to hear this radio broadcast.

[@TheVaughan5]

Absolutely wonderful! I wonder if the first performance with Flagstad/Philharmonia/Furtwangler could have been any better or even as fine as this?

[@gloriadigiuseppeantonio3693]

La voce e' chiara ma la Ameling supplisce con il suo fraseggio e tecnica L' orchestra diretta da Savallish la sostiene con delicatezza

[@MsRobTube]

Wonderschoon.

[@Goorhuis48]

The discussion about the key is nonsense. Do realize also that this is a live performance. From that point of view this is really wonderful.

[@maestrojimbo]

Lucky you!

[@francesca7564]

Céleste ...

[@ManricdelaVirolla]

Did he finally find any example of Elly singing Wagner? I am curious, too.

[@haxankreutz2157]

Magnificent. First time I've heard this cycle. Love Strauss. (Did I hear some whiffs of Brahms, just toward the very end?--just a short signature reminded me of the German Requiem)

[@maestrojimbo]

OK - what key is it IN? I am a conductor anf have performed this. There is no optional key for this piece. It was written for a dramatic soprano. Like I said, there are low notes in the score and further alteration would render it impossible not only for the singer but also the brass instruments who are also playing close to their bottom tessitura. And the key is....?

[@maestrojimbo]

with piano or orchestra? She has a small buy beautiful voice - can't imagine her singing this with an orchestra - the texture is way too thick for her delicate instrument. Piano cannot sustain the lush harmonies inherent in the orchestra score.

[@skzion2]

I'm confused. She's obviously singing this with an orchestra.

[@niklakislakis6557]

the truth is that Wagner fits her talent......no dreaming on Strauss but I'll keep it!

[@davy91101]

I only saw Ameling once and I think it was towards the end of her public career. The hall was not large (seating 1000) but I was disappointed: the voice was small although her charm and audience rapport was much in evidence. I doubt that clip was intended for public consumption. Sawallisch who was a master conductor and a great Strauss conductor as well is surprisingly insensitive--compare his other VLL with Price. Is Ameling miked separately? The voice sounds much larger than I remember. Also the tempi seems faster which is my main objection to Janowitz.vonKarajan but preferable to Norman's.Masur. There are now so many recordings of this music and so many of them are worth acquiring; I wonder why none of them include the 5th song (I have forgotten the title).

[@maestrojimbo]

There are only FOUR!

[@Moshmorenko]

@@maestrojimbo The 5th song is presumably Malven, which Strauss wrote after the so-called Four Last Songs, and was his last composition. Kiri te Kanawa gave its premiere in 1985. It exists only in a version for piano, which probably explains why it isn't included in orchestral recordings of the Four Last Songs.

[@maestrojimbo]

I hope not.

[@WHITECK9]

Do you mean a low key signature? I think it's the original; same as Szell/Schwarzkopf, no?

[@Moshmorenko]

The song Frühling is here in the same key as the Szell/Schwarzkopf performance, which means it's not the original key. Schwarzkopf transposed the song down a semitone for that recording; in earlier performances she sang it in the original key. Interestingly, Flagstad never performed that song again after the world premiere.

[@ManilaSayang]

Would anyone here know if an adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy can help improve one's singing voice?

[@maestrojimbo]

Wagner? Give me one example.

[@henrithellier5736]

Tous de qualité , mais il n´y a pas ici d´atmosphère qui nous touche .particulièrement. Pourquoi ?

[@ManilaSayang]

I need an answer from a doctor

[@jimwigler]

This is wonderful, but Jessye Norman owns the Four Last Songs.

[@dutchcub]

Jessye Norman was shouting like she was on top of the Bastille.

[@dudeforcaster8630]

​@@dutchcub Never understood the JN worship; heard her live and left at the interval, the glacial tempos, the monstrous self-regard and the affected interpretations were very off putting.

[@dutchcub]

@@Beadle_Bamford That is exactly what I was writing. Norman had a nice voice but very often way too loud.

[@Beadle_Bamford]

@@dutchcub Rubbish

[@andyiswonderful]

love the beauty of her voice. The orchestration is interfering with that.

[@aysegshanal2670]

no, it's lower key signature.

[@jeanpierrejourdan]

voix celeste ! la porte du paradis mille mercis Elly !!!

[@stenjerdenius1683]

Good but not as good as Haverinen who has made´the most impressive recording to my mind.

[@margaretahaverinenbrandt9679]

Hello Sten. Do you happen to have a copy of the recording, or a broadcast on the radio?I am looking for one. And would love to have it. The Norwegian radio does not have it .Best thoughts, Margareta

[@stenjerdenius1683]

@@margaretahaverinenbrandt9679 Dear Margareta. I have a casette with your fantastic intepretation and with Kjell Ingebrektsen conducting. If you give me you email address or be my friend at facebook, I will be able to send it to you. Regards Sten.

[@margaretahaverinenbrandt9679]

I am so happy for your reply!I have been looking for you and never believed that it would be this simple.I heard about your beautiful comment not long ago.I see first if I find your facebook account....Thank you Sten!

[@aysegshanal2670]

it is in low key....

[@jeanpierredevos3137]

Gundula Janowitz used exactly the same key. Just compared them. Love Gundola but this is devine

[@Beadle_Bamford]

Rubbish

[@dutchcub]

You have no idea what you are talking about.. sorry to say so.

[@Moshmorenko]

@@jeanpierredevos3137 Janowitz sings Frühling in the original key, but in this performance, as in Schwarzkopf's recording with Szell, the song has been transposed down a semitone.

[@Rettihsllub]

I've loved her voice since I first heard it on record in the 1970s. This is a great recording, and thank you for posting it!