# Second Round. Baritone. Denn es gehet. Fischer-Dieskau, Hotter, Quasthoff



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

More of the gorgeous Brahms song. Of course I misspelled Quasthoff's name. It is a given.I hope I picked some good men for this round. It sounds very different with a male voice. I think all three are excellent. Get ready for the next round. It will be surprising and epic.











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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I'm surprised that I like Quasthoff best. He and Fischer-Dieskau interpret it similarly, but I like Quasthoff's dark, plain, masculine tone quality better than F-D's tenorish suavity. It just seems more like the brusque Brahms we've read about. The song can be a solemn, sympathetic meditation on the inevitable, as it is with Hotter, but Quasthoff makes it a stern challenge to any illusions we may have about our importance in the scheme of things. That "autumnal" thing in Brahms can be overdone, and I found Quasthoff arresting and stimulating just when I was starting to feel old and tired. Now I just feel old.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> I'm surprised that I like Quasthoff best. He and Fischer-Dieskau interpret it similarly, but I like Quasthoff's dark, plain, masculine tone quality better than F-D's tenorish suavity. It just seems more like the brusque Brahms we've read about. The song can be a solemn, sympathetic meditation on the inevitable, as it is with Hotter, but Quasthoff makes it a stern challenge to any illusions we may have about our importance in the scheme of things. That "autumnal" thing in Brahms can be overdone, and I found Quasthoff arresting and stimulating just when I was starting to feel old and tired. Now I just feel old.


.

If only you reply it was worth doing this round.'Wow! Doing contests for men is new territory for me but I thought Quasthoff, who I had only heard of before, really brought the music alive as well. By the way, I did an impromptu speech at our first live Toastmaster meeting in two years on how our opera forum has not only brought me great joy, has caused me to grow in unexpected ways, and made me feel valued. They thought it was one of my most moving speeches. Thanks for the inspiration.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I corrected the TQ (and DFD) spelling in the title for you. If I have time, I'll also compare the three versions later - three of my favourite male singers in one of Brahms' best songs.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> I corrected the TQ spelling for you. If I have time, I'll also compare the three versions later - three of my favourite male singers in one of Brahms' best songs.


You are a friend I that I wish I could have had who would have read and corrected my homework before i turned it in!!!!! God's joke on me is getting me interested in opera when I am so notorious for bad foreign name spelling and opera aria titles LOL. We all have our own Achille's heels.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Three very fine versions and I'm not sure that I can make a definite first choice. Of the three, I found Hotter's quiet solemnity less arresting than Fischer-Dieskau's and Quasthoff's more sternly challenging admonitions, but ultimately I'm finding it impossible to choose between them. I'd like to vote for them both, but I can't so I'm reserving judgement for the moment.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau with Hertha Klust (1949). He was 24 at the time of this recording, which I never heard (I have his version with Barenboim from 1972 on CD): a strong reading, but I like the 1972 version better - maybe one needs more life experience to take on these songs?

Hans Hotter with Gerald Moore (1952). He was 43 at the time of this recording. I have rarely listened to Hotter in the Lieder repertoire (but I love his Winterreise recorded during the war). I like this even better than the DFD one, but that is also because I think Moore does better on the piano (not that Klust was mediocre).

Thomas Quasthoff with Justus Zeyen (2001). He was 42 at the time of this recording. There is of course the advantage of the modern recording, but TQ does a great job here - and so does Justus Zeyen, a new name for me I must admit.

All three are excellent interpretations, but Quasthoff gets my vote. An interesting comparison for sure!


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau with Hertha Klust (1949). He was 24 at the time of this recording, which I never heard (I have his version with Barenboim from 1972 on CD): a strong reading, but I like the 1972 version better - maybe one needs more life experience to take on these songs?
> 
> Hans Hotter with Gerald Moore (1952). He was 43 at the time of this recording. I have rarely listened to Hotter in the Lieder repertoire (but I love his Winterreise recorded during the war). I like this even better than the DFD one, but that is also because I think Moore does better on the piano (not that Klust was mediocre).
> 
> ...


Thanks!!!! Knowing there are two DFD recordings is something you can only get with more experience than I can bring, but so far both of you posters are super knowledgeable and still managed to have some fun so I am content I think more than on opera perhaps age might give one an edge in art songs. Good insights. In opera people often prefer younger more pristine voices.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Not my comfort zone so I must depend on my gut, and the one that sounded like his heart would break and gave much depth to his perforance even though his was a lighter voice than the other two was Quasthoff.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

First of all Bravo again to SeattleOperaFan!!! I can't imagine a better way to get to know new music! You're giving me new riches all the time!!

Fischer-Dieskau is a singular artist. Like the great english actors who love to create a discernible character while their best American counter-parts do great things while staying more themselves, F-D loves to create a mini-drama out of his songs and so it is here. I don't think one of the other 5 performers we've heard comes close in this department.

Hotter has some of that same quality. But his tone, here, does not grab me and I don't hear the same variety of expression or story-telling detail as in F-D. He is authoritative and I like the quicker tempo for his approach, but over-all, for me, not as compelling.

What Fischer-Dieskau's approach lacks, I find Quasthoff's has in abundance; a personal, expressive involvement in the music. I don't know if a story-telling drama presents Brahm's intentions as well. I feel this is more the active participant of Wintereise than the narrator of Erlkonig. And there is one touch in which his musical imagination is most poignant without calling attention to itself in any flashy way. He creates a powerful contrast by singing the penultimate words _*Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion*_ with a despair in his tone I found chilling.

I don't know Quasthoff well but this is by far the most moving piece of singing I have heard from him.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

Woodduck said:


> *I found Quasthoff arresting and stimulating just when I was starting to feel old and tired. Now I just feel old.*




.........:lol::lol:


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Oh dear Seattle, another tricky choice. Vielen Dank!

As a D. F-D. fanboy it is with a heavy heart that on this occasion I must give my vote to Quasthoff and Zeyen. Beautifully sung and played and the accompaniment is very important in lieder as I’m sure everyone would agree. 

I think though that the 1972 Dietrich might well give Thomas a run for his money. Nice contest though.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Barbebleu said:


> Oh dear Seattle, another tricky choice. Vielen Dank!
> 
> As a D. F-D. fanboy it is with a heavy heart that on this occasion I must give my vote to Quasthoff and Zeyen. Beautifully sung and played and the accompaniment is very important in lieder as I'm sure everyone would agree.
> 
> I think though that the 1972 Dietrich might well give Thomas a run for his money. Nice contest though.


Should I use DFD again I will look at his older version. It is the opposite of opera. Thanks.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Should I use DFD again I will look at his older version. It is the opposite of opera. Thanks.


If you do another round, I suggest including Alexander Kipnis and Kim Borg.


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