Description
Volume 4 of Lotte Lehmann's Lieder recordings made in America focuses on three composers, Brahms, Wagner and Wolf, all particularly suited to the soprano's velvet and sensuous tone. In her book 'More than Singing' (1945) Lehmann makes revelatory comments about much of the repertoire to be heard in the treasurable performances on this disc, recorded four years earlier. Of Brahms' 'Auf dem Kirchhofe', she rightly points out the amazing change of mood from thoughts about the transitory nature of life at the beginning, to be sung \with great force and an expression of helpless despair, to the expression of calm and resignation that fills the final section in the major. Of Wolf's 'Gesang Weylas' Lehmann writes: "In singing this whole song you should be moved by deep and noble feeling", and of Wagner's 'Wesendoncklieder' she comments: "You must yourself feel deeply what you are singing, must draw your audience with you into the flow of emotion."""