# Mahler 4 Singer Variation



## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

It seems the standard if for a soprano to sing in the fourth movement of Mahler's fourth symphony. However, I see there are recordings with a mezzo: Frederica von Stade.

Are there any other mezzo's on recording for Mahler 4?

How about alto or contralto (or are those two the same)?

It can be transposed down perhaps.

How about sopranos who have a deeper, richer voice that sound more mezzo on this work?


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

FvS had such a vocal range that she could record both the Symphony 4 and the Songs of a Wayfarer. I think that any singer that can play Mélisande is able to do it.. Notably, Magdalena Kožená sang both Mélisande and the Song of the Earth for Simon Rattle. Whether I like their results or not is another story.


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## betterthanfine (Oct 17, 2017)

An alto in the finale would spoil the childlike innocence that the text requires. There are even some sopranos who sound too heavy, most notably Renée Fleming in Abbado's second recording. Even though she sings beautifully and scales back her voice, the timbre is just ill-fitting.

My favourites are Miah Persson for Ivan Fischer, Barbara Bonney for Chailly, Kathleen Battle for Maazel, and Elly Ameling for Haitink.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

What about Christine Shafer with Abbado?

EDIT: meant Christine Shafer with Haitink, not Abbado.


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## betterthanfine (Oct 17, 2017)

Fritz Kobus said:


> What about Christine Shafer with Abbado?


I know only her recording with Haitink, which is very good.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I've always liked Judith Raskin on George Szell's classic Cleveland Orchestra recording. Her pure, almost vibrato-less sound seems just right for the music, and her style is very simple and direct without a hint of artifice.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

betterthanfine said:


> I know only her recording with Haitink, which is very good.


My mistake, I meant the Haitink set with her. So you answered my question. Thanks.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

Mahler's lyrics in the 4th:
http://msomn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Mahler-4-Text-Translation.pdf

The words suggest angelic childlike innocence and a lighter voice. Judith Raskin with Szell is tremendous.

The Heavenly Life
(from Des Knaben Wunderhorn)

We enjoy heavenly pleasures
and therefore avoid earthly ones. 
No worldly tumult
is to be heard in heaven.
All live in greatest peace.
We lead angelic lives,
yet have a merry time of it besides.
We dance and we spring,
We skip and we sing.
Saint Peter in heaven looks on.
...


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

...although a boy soprano doesn't really work (e.g. Bernstein)


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Larkenfield said:


> Mahler's lyrics in the 4th:
> http://msomn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Mahler-4-Text-Translation.pdf
> 
> The words suggest angelic childlike innocence and a lighter voice. Judith Raskin with Szell is tremendous.
> ...


I have the Szell set ordered.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Opinions on this one?


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

Fritz Kobus said:


> Opinions on this one?


I found the performance mesmerizing. Lovely lovely soprano. I read the translation of the words as she sang. For me, it adds an extra dimension of understanding... I love that Mahler preserved his sense of childhood innocence into his adult life... I love the 4th and I feel it's very straightforward and accessible for most listeners... I just wish there were times when appropriate in his Mahler performances that Zinman would get a little more excited and not take what sounds to me like a very consistently smooth, even approach. I like a little more constrast. Mahler has his peaks and valley... Nevertheless, I thought this was a lovely performance and one that I got lost in. I felt that her voice was fine for her role.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Larkenfield said:


> I found the performance mesmerising. Lovely lovely soprano.


She gets mixed reviews on this, but is one of my favorite sopranos, noteworthy to me in the NAXOS La Sonnambula recording.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I have Zinman's cycle but rarely play it. I should do as its a good set but, for me, he doesn't hit the emotional peaks and troughs of some of Mahler's symphonies. However, this 4th is one of the best of the set and the soprano, Luba Orgonásová, holds it back enough to be enjoyable in the finale. I prefer Battle with Maazel (especially), Blegen with Levine and Sunhae Im with Honeck.


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## wahidovic (Jan 10, 2019)

Larkenfield said:


> Mahler's lyrics in the 4th:
> http://msomn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Mahler-4-Text-Translation.pdf
> 
> The words suggest angelic childlike innocence and a lighter voice. Judith Raskin with Szell is tremendous.
> ...


very nice thanks


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Fritz Kobus said:


> It seems the standard if for a soprano to sing in the fourth movement of Mahler's fourth symphony. However, I see there are recordings with a mezzo: Frederica von Stade.
> 
> Are there any other mezzo's on recording for Mahler 4?
> 
> ...


If you're thinking of Szell's recording the soloist is Raskin. Von Stade sings in the lieder fill up


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

DavidA said:


> If you're thinking of Szell's recording the soloist is Raskin. Von Stade sings in the lieder fill up


Von Stade sings the solo part on Abbado's recording wih the Wiener Phil. It doesn't lie particularly high, so a mezzo could sing it, and one with Von Stade's light fresh sound and simplicity of manner might just get away with it.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Quite tempting is this one with Neblett /Horne on Mahler 2:


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

Becca said:


> ...although a boy soprano doesn't really work (e.g. Bernstein)


The young Max Emanuel Cencic is pretty good on Anton Nanut's recording with the Ljubljana Radio Symphony Orchestra.

For a truly young and innocent sounding soprano, Netania Devrath takes some beating in her recording with Maurice Abravanel.


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