Search - Elizabeth Schwarzkopf :: Recital at Carnegie Hall

A complete Schwarzkopf lieder recital.

John Austin | Kangaroo Ground, Australia | 09/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Lieder recitals featured prominently in the career of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Not many were recorded in their entirety, however, announced encores and all, or approved for issue. This double CD offers an opportunity to hear her in her prime, recorded in Carnegie Hall, New York, 25th November 1956. With George Reeves, who brings vast experience and plenty of personality to the piano accompanying, Schwarzkopf delivers a succession of her favorite items, none too demanding (apart from an operatic aria) and all enthusiastically applauded by the audience. One or two of the Schubert strophic songs are given interesting dynamic "interpretative" presentations, not attempted in her studio recorded versions. After a bracket of Mozart lieder, Schwarzkopf announces that she has received many requests for the inclusion of an operatic aria. She provides one of Fjordiligi's arias from "Cosi fan tutte", coping wonderfully well with its many difficulties. No allowances need be made for "on location", mono recording. The sound is astonishingly realistic, and the total duration is 103 minutes."

A disappointment among the riches of the Schwarzkopf catalog

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 03/20/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Since this double-CD is long out of print, I suppose there's not much value in criticizing it in detail. EMI has released dozens of lieder and opera recordings with their preeminent star, including great live concerts from Salzburg with Gerald Moore from this period in the mid-Fifties.



Compared to Moore and Edwin Fischer, by far her best accompanist, George Reeves is stiff and unimaginative, not to mention that the paino sounds thin and clattery. Schwarzkopf recorded every song here in at least one and often multiple versions that are much better. Unless you want a souvenir of Schwarzkopf live in New York, this set is a miss."