Track Listing

1. Das Lied von der Erde, for alto (or baritone), tenor & orchestra: No. 1, "Das Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde" (The Drinking Song of Ea
2. Das Lied von der Erde, for alto (or baritone), tenor & orchestra: No. 2, "Der Einsame im Herbst" (The Solitary Autumn): "Herbstnebel
3. Das Lied von der Erde, for alto (or baritone), tenor & orchestra: No. 3, "Von der Jugend" (Of Youth): "Mitten in dem kleinen Teiche"
4. Das Lied von der Erde, for alto (or baritone), tenor & orchestra: No. 4, "Von der Schonheit" (Of Beauty): "Junge Madchen pflucken Blu
5. Das Lied von der Erde, for alto (or baritone), tenor & orchestra: No. 5, "Der Trunkene im Fruhling" (The Drunkard in Spring): "Wenn n
6. Das Lied von der Erde, for alto (or baritone), tenor & orchestra: No. 6, "Der Abschied" (The Farewell): "Die Sonne scheidet hinter de

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16891 in Music
• Released on: 1999-09-14
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.com essential recording
After more than three decades, this remains the Lied of choice if you prefer Mahler's sanctioned baritone alternative in the alto songs. Bernstein's the hero of this intense, powerful reading. The Vienna orchestra, once led by Mahler himself, plays it to the hilt with expressive wind solos, deep, warm strings, and a searing response to Bernstein's (and Mahler's) emotional demands. King copes manfully with the cruelly difficult tenor songs, but Fischer-Dieskau is wonderful in the alto-baritone songs, singing with a great lieder specialist's textual nuance and vocal splendor. I've been imprinted with the versions featuring Ferrier with Walter and Ludwig with Klemperer but would not want to be without this great recording. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews

One of the best Mahler records of all time
Das Lied is one of Mahler's best works, and this is a slightly different version for tenor and baritone, rather than for tenor and mezzo-soprano. But the baritone in question is the great Fischer-Dieskau, and the conductor, arguably the greatest Mahler conductor of all time, teams up with his soloists to make this a fabulous recording, with great sound too. This is among the half dozen Mahler records you need (another is the Fischer-Dieskau recording of the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with the Rueckert Lieder on DGG). But between Bernstein and Fischer-Dieskau, it's hard to choose who is the star. King, the tenor, is fine also. This was a recording deal done between two companies, Decca and Columbia. Decca got this and a Mozart recording with Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic; Columbia got Bernstein's Der Rosenkavalier. I remember passing over the LP years ago, thinking that the "regular" version was to be preferred; now I am just glad that I finally tried this one. The orhestral sound is sumptuous, as is the playing. Fischer-Dieskau is unforgettable.

Essential Mahler
Das Lied von der Erde was the most personal and intimate work that Mahler wrote. Though he himself referred to the work as a symphony, he orchestrated it very much like one would do for a chamber orchestra, thus it makes the piece even that much more personal. This particular recording was made in 1966 by the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by the greatest Mahlerian, Leonard Bernstein. Rather than using the conventional tenor and soprano voices to sing the songs, Bernstein in this recording(he made two) chooses to use the alternative - a tenor and a baritone. I personally prefer the baritone to the soprano, because I feel as if the deep voice better conveys the irony, longing, passion, and pain that Mahler expresses in what I think to be his greatest work. This recording not only features a baritone singer, but the greatest baritone lied singer, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. This makes this particular recording of Das Lied von der Erde the best one currently available, and it is likely to be insurpassable. As usual Bernstein wrings ever ounce of emotion from this great piece, and he chooses singers who can do the same. The sound quality in this new Decca digital transfer is superb, making this old recording sound as if it were brand new. Plus a mid-price add even more to make this appealing. The definitive Lied von der erde with great sound at a great price makes this disc a must have.

One of my all-time favorites!!
An intense moving rendition of Mahler's great symphonic/song poem! King and Fischer-Dieskau are both powerful and lyrical. They take the singing of this work to another level. I have several different versions of this work, but this is my favorite. Bernstein and the VPO are marvelous, it is the intensity and beauty of this interpretation that is so sublime. Everyone involved seems to be at their peak here. If you don't have this CD and you love Mahler, get it now!