Dame Janet Baker, Hallé Orchestra & Sir John Barbirolli - Mahler: Kindertotenlieder & Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Remastered) (2020) [Hi-Res]

"I have treasured Janet Baker's performance of the Rückert-lieder for many years (coupled with Elgar's Sea Pictures on vinyl) but have up to now resisted buying her other Mahler song-cycles, believing those to be suitable only for a male singer, and have similarly treasured Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's interpretations of them. However having listened to these Wayfarer songs and Kindertotenlieder, some 40 years after their first issue, I now see what I have been missing. One soon forgets the possible absurdity of a woman singing from the viewpoint of a jilted lover and a bereaved father respectively. Janet Baker's art simply transcends such considerations. This is Lieder singing of the highest quality, coupled with superb playing from John Barbirolli's orchestras. I had not heard the separate recording of Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen with the Hallé before; it is even better than the one in the group of five with the Philharmonia. The recording remains excellent and so I give this the highest recommendation. But hear Fischer-Dieskau as well."

Dame Janet Baker, mezzo-soprano
Hallé Orchestra
Sir John Barbirolli, conductor

Digitally remastered