Search - Lucia Popp, Berg, Strauss :: Lieder

Jugendstil-Lieder: The Magic of Lucia Popp

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 05/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"'Jugendstil' is translated as 'youth-style' and is a movement in the arts begun in Munich around 1880. The same concept for the 'revolutionary' movement was known in London as 'Art Nouveau', 'Modernismo' in Spain, and 'Stile Liberty' in Italy. Tomes have been written about these avant-garde movements in which artists rebelled against classic art, respecting more the

'dreamlike and exotic forms with symbols of sexuality, death, and resurrection'. The movement touched painting, sculpture, architecture, writing, the decorative arts...and music!



In this extraordinarily fine recording the brilliant Czechoslovakian soprano Lucia Popp joins with pianist Irwin Gage in a recording created in 1992 that showcases some to the finest examples of the Jugenstil-Lieder. Included are the '7 Early Songs' by Alban Berg, '4 Lieder' by Arnold Schoenberg, five songs by Hans Pfitzner, four by Franz Schrecker, and the '3 Lieder der Ophelia' plus four other songs by Richard Strauss. The songs are all presented with Popp's usual highly sophisticated manner of singing and communication.



Rarely have these songs found that level of beauty to which they each strive as they are presented by Popp with the superb collaboration of Gage. Popp is in radiant form and while she has long been applauded as the consummate lieder recitalist, this album certainly is one of her finest. Moments like those she creates in Berg's 'Nacht' or Schoenberg's 'Erwartung' or in the Ophelia songs of Strauss are rare. This is a recording to capture before it disappears into the bins of discards of the recording companies. It deserves to be in the Great Recordings of the Century. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, May 06

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