On Tue, 4 Dec 2001, Nande wrote:
> Oh, goody, I can add something to Karens list! (well, that's a first!)
>
> How about the Four Last Songs by R. Strauss? They're definately not
> easy, but so wonderful and about a not very 'common' aspect of love:
> two elderly people in the final stages of life. Especially 'At dusk'
> (or Im Abendrot) is very lovely.
>
> They're not "I love you's", but Strauss wrote these songs for his wife
> when they were old and he never got to finish them. (There were
> supposed to be 5 songs) Im Abendrot is from a poem by Joseph von
> Eichendorff where an elderly couple is watching the sunset (and the
> approaching death) together. It's very touching.
It's funny you should mention the Vier letzte Lieder. I thought long and
hard about including these, but having heard Barbara Bonney's recording
with piano accompaniment, I realised I never, EVER again want to hear
these songs done without full orchestra. Sorry - with piano accompaniment,
these just don't work, IMO.
Karen Mercedes
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html
***************************************
Verdi and Wagner delighted the crowds
With their highly original sound.
The pianos they played are still working,
But they're both six feet underground.
- Michael Palin
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