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Thomas Hampson is regarded in some circles as a successor to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau for his mastery of a wide repertory to which he is drawn by an intellectual curiosity of astonishing breadth. Equally at home on the opera stage and the recital platform, Hampson is known for his passion for song and for the research he undertakes on account of this.
In this recital, accompanied by pianist Wolfram Rieger, he sings songs by Gustav Mahler, most of them settings from the immensely popular collection of folk texts titled Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Boy’s Magic Horn). His choice is impressively wide, from the mournful Das irdische Leben (Earthly Life) to the witty Lob des hohen Verstandes (In Praise of Higher Understanding).
Hampson’s performance, recorded live from the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, is inter-cut with informal back-stage interviews in which he introduces the works by Mahler. He gives a fascinating insight into the music and is a compelling and cogent advocate of the power of song.
1. Opening
2. Spring Morning
3. Change in Summer
4. Rhine Legend
5. In Praise of Higher Understanding
6. St. Anthony's Sermon to the Fishes
7. Aus! Aus!
8. Strong Imagination
9. In Strassburg on the Rampart
10. Reveille
11. The Drummer Boy
12. Song of the Persecuted in the Tower
13. Where the Beautiful Trumpets Blow
14. The Earthly Life
15. The Heavenly Life
16. The Primal Light
17. Credits
"Few singers are better qualified to sing and speak about Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn than Thomas Hampson. He has a deep personal identification with these songs, which he has performed all his life. In recent years, he has participated in research into their background. This DVD represents, therefore a ‘state of the art’ interpretation of great music, performed by a singer in his prime with genuine and original insight..This DVD is an object lesson in song and its interpretation, essential for anyone interested in song and performance. On all counts, this DVD is an exceptional, brilliant experience."
- Anne Ozorio, Opera Japonica
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