Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (1925-2012)

The music world lost a towering figure today. At the age of 86, baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau passed away. Known for his rich voice and clean,crisp vocal technique, his career spanned decades and influenced generations of singers and listeners. Fischer-Dieskau was born in Berlin, and began studying music at the Berlin Conservatory when he was 16. During this time he was drafted into the Wehrmacht by the Nazis, and later became a prisoner of war for two years during World War II. Soon after this he made his oratorio debut in Johannes Brahms's Ein Deutches Requiem, and his stage debut in Giuseppe Verdi's Don Carlos. He transferred his stage experience into his performances of lieder, allowing a dramatic musical interpretation of the poetry to shine forth. His collaboration with English pianist Gerald Moore produced masterful recordings of every song by Schubert, Schumann, and Wolf. Their recordings on the EMI label from the 1950s and 1960s demonstrate the pinnacle of musical and dramatic interpretations of this literature. Fischer-Dieskau also recorded lieder by Beethoven, Weber, Haydn, Nietzsche, Brahms, Strauss, and others.

In addition to being a masterful performer of music, Fischer-Dieskau also published a number of books centered around the composers he sang the most. His notable books include:

• The Fischer-Dieskau Book of Lieder: The Original Texts to Over Seven Hundred and Fifty Songs (1977) [An important reference source for any vocalist]
• Schubert: A Biographical Study of His Songs (1976)
• Robert Schumann, Words and Music: The Vocal Compositions (1988)
• Reverberation: The Memoirs of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (1990)

 Fischer-Dieskau appears on no fewer than 490 recordings, and he is a two-time Grammy winner. His first Grammy came in 1971 for his recording of Schubert lieder, and his second in 1973 for Brahms's "Die Schöne Magelone." In addition to being a performer and a writer, Fischer-Dieskau was highly sought out for his teaching and coaching.

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau recorded a vast amount of Lieder, opera, sacred music, and orchestral Lied, yet the standards of performance and interpretation never faulted. It is truly a happy marriage of quantity and quality. He retired from the opera stage in 1978, and on New Years Day 1993, he retired from the stage altogether. Anyone who took advantage to see him perform in person was fortunate. His recordings will live on as the benchmark and goal of perfection. The musical community was blessed and honored that he shared himself, his talent, and his gift with us.

Mahlerites Rejoice!

In may of this year, the David Zinman cycle of Mahler symphonies was released. The 15-CD set includes recordings of all ten symphonies, including the discarded Blumine movement of the First Symphony, and Clinton A. Carpenter's performance version of the Tenth Symphony. Also included in the set is an 80-minute documentary on the rehearsal and recording of the Sixth Symphony.

Zinamn has held successful stewardships with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich, his current position. With the latter orchestra, Zinman recorded all of the Beethoven symphonies using Jonathan Del Mar's critical edition, and this cycle garnered critical acclaim and raised the visibility of Zinman and the Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich. The use of Del Mar's critical edition and Zinman's direction present a refreshing take on Beethoven's symphonies, including the use of early-19th century performance practices that are absent even in most period instrument recordings.

Having heard Zinman's Beethoven cycle, I was intrigued to hear his approach to Mahler. Zinman began his Mahler cycle in 2007, and four years later all the symphonies have been released. So far I have listened to the first three symphonies, and I can describe Zinman's interpretation using two words, balance and clarity. Every motive, whether combined with other motives or intertwined with other motives, comes to the fore, demonstrating a remarkable command of the score and the different groups of the orchestra. I intend to present a symphony by symphony review of the set. Stay tuned!