Strauss, R: Four Last Songs (Vier letzte Lieder)

Born in Budapest to a Russian mother and a Hungarian father, Polina Pasztircsák began singing and playing the flute at an early age. She studied voice with Julia Bikfalvy while also studying at the West Hungarian University, from which she graduated with a degree in cultural management. Later she studied with Mirella Freni in Vignola and Modena and at the Conservatorio Frescobaldi in Ferrara, as well as taking advanced classes with Adrienne Csengery, Edda Moser and Evgenij Nesterenko.

In 2004, she won the Josef Szimandy Competition in Szeged, Hungary and was a semi-finalist in the 2007 Renata Tebaldi Competition in San Marino. Polina made her debut at the Modena Theatre in 2007 by performing in a new opera by Lorenza Ferrero.

In 2009 Polina Pasztircsák won the voice competition in Geneva, capturing the First Prize [€20.000], and three special prizes: the audience prize [€3.000], the Cercle du Grand Théatre [a lead role at the Geneva Opera] and the Coup de coeur Breguet [the recording of this CD]. She played Micaëla (Carmen) in 2009 in a production directed by Juraj Valčuha and then the same year she debuted in the role of Mimì in Budapest Montre Breguet and the Geneva Competition are proud to contribute to the revelation of young virtuosos who will undoubtedly leave their mark on culture and on the history of music.

Polina Pasztircsák moved all present with her talents at the 64th Geneva event and with that the financial support for this disc: a selection of pieces from three very different European traditions.

Since 2003, Mariss Jansons has been the Chief Conductor of the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks. With him, the orchestra has experienced one of the most successful phases in its history, not least through its sixth place ranking in Gramophone magazine’s Best Orchestras in the World list.

“His music has been my constant companion throughout my life and has moved me very deeply time and again”, said Mariss Jansons of Richard Strauss. The program on this CD comprises three of Strauss’s best-known compositions, starting with the Rosenkavalier Suite then moving on to the colourful spectacle of Till Eulenspiegel all the way to the Four Last Songs. Here, Mariss Jansons brings one of the most celebrated sopranos of recent times together with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks.

Mariss Jansons, Chief Conductor since 2003 led the Symphonieorchester through one of the most successful phases of its history.

Three of the most popular works by Richard Strauss.

Anja Harteros, the celebrated star on the current operatic horizon, as soloist in the Four Last Songs.

These recordings were made on 9 and 11 May 1952 and document the latter part of Kirsten Flagstad’s career. They were made a few weeks before her 57th birthday, thus at a time when most sopranos will have been forced to move into ‘character fach’, the Norwegian soprano however, was still in almost full command of her incomparably rich voice, even after a demanding career spanning over three decades. These recordings of two concerts given at the Berlin Titania-Palast, with the Orchestra of the Municipal Opera, are particularly noteworthy: on the one hand, the Wagner songs sound fresher and more present than in the recording made four years later under Knappertsbusch; on the other, the Berlin live-recording of the Strauss songs is technically far superior to the recording made in London. In May 1950 Kirsten Flagstad had given the first performance of the Four Last Songs by Richard Strauss, at the request of the composer. A tribute to her unique status was also the multitude of her concert engagements: During the course of her career, she sang more than 80 roles in around 2100 performances and also gave approximately 250 concerts with orchestra and 600 recitals.

On the occasion of its 25th anniversary in 2010, Ondine releases a series of five twofers, containing best-selling titles from the back catalogue.

The focus is on five of Ondine’s star artists: sopranos Soile Isokoski and Karita Mattila, baritone Jorman Hynninen, violinist Pella Kuusisto and clarinettist Kari Kriikku.

These releases are specially priced (2 CDs for the price of 1) and are limited edition, running through 2010 only.

Producer and Audio-Restoration engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn.

Acclaimed as one of her generation’s finest interpreters of Richard Strauss (the composer himself identified her as his ideal Arabella), the Swiss soprano Lisa della Casa was blessed with a seemingly effortless, shimmeringly beautiful voice as well as an innate sense of musical style.

In the words of the distinguished critic John Steane: ‘Della Casa remains one of the best of all sopranos in Richard Strauss. Her voice has that touch of spring and silver that Strauss loved and wrote for; her tone will float and soar’.

These vivid recordings are essential for every collection.

This performance was recorded in Basel in 1958. Bonus works include Strauss’ Four Last Songs performed by both Lois Marshall and Christel Goltz.

Schlusnus (1888 - 1952) was a celebrated German baritone and was considered one of the most important lied performers of his generation. Schey (1895-1981) began his career in Berlin in 1922. Höngen (1906-1997) was known as “the great tragic actress” and chose her programmes with great care.