baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau has died age 86.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

Last edited Fri May 18, 2012, 03:58 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: NY Times

The most recorded artist of the 20th century

Celebrated German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau has died at the age of 86, just 10 days before his 87th birthday. One of the giants in the tradition of Lieder interpretation, Fischer-Dieskau featured prominently in Gramophone's Hall of Fame.

Fischer-Dieskau emerged as a performer following the Second World War, and established a style of interpretation that focused on the poetry allied to an extraordinary control of timbre, tone and colour which gave his performances remarkable insight. Often working with Walter Legge as producer, Fischer-Dieskau's style with its strong focus on the text is often compared with that of his contemporary and frequent partner Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. He was frequently partnered by Gerald Moore, Jörg Demus, Daniel Barenboim and Alfred Brendel, among other pianists. His work in the opera house was very wide-ranging, and linguistically broad (taking in Mozart, Strauss, Verdi, Wagner as well as modern works) but it was in song that he was unequalled. The baritone part in Britten's War Requiem was one of numerous works written for him.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/19/arts/music/dietr

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I have a wonderful recording of him playing Don Giovanni, on vinyl, on the DGG label.

From Wikipedia:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (28 May 1925 – 18 May 2012[1]) was a German lyric baritone and conductor of classical music, one of the most famous Lieder (art song) performers of the post-war period and "one of the supreme vocal artists of the 20th century".[2] Fischer-Dieskau was ranked the second greatest singer of the century (after Jussi Björling) by Classic CD (United Kingdom) "Top Singers of the Century" Critics' Poll (June 1999).

The French dubbed him "Le miracle Fischer-Dieskau" and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf called him "a born god who has it all."[3] At his peak, he was greatly admired for his interpretive insights and exceptional control of his beautiful voice. Fischer-Dieskau also performed and recorded a great many operatic roles. He was the most recorded singer of all time.[4] He dominated both the opera and concert platform for over thirty years.[5]

Recording an astonishing array of repertoire (spanning centuries) as musicologist Alan Blyth asserted, "No singer in our time, or probably any other has managed the range and versatility of repertory achieved by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Opera, Lieder and oratorio in German Italian or English came alike to him, yet he brought to each a precision and individuality that bespoke his perceptive insights into the idiom at hand." In addition, he recorded in French, Russian, Hebrew and Hungarian.

[longship]

1. Schubert Lieder

He was incredible. Thank goodness we have all those wonderful recordings.

I hope he had a peaceful passing.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. One of the best.

I saw him in concert many years ago. A great musician.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. I have a recording of him.

Singing in Beethoven's Symphony Number 9, on Phillips. Claudio Abbado was the conductor, I think. It goes back to the 70s. I can't come up with a serial number for that right now.

[dhill926]

4. he really set the standard for lieder.....

incredible, sensitive talent.....

[radhika]

5. Loved him with Schwarzkopf...

especially in Wagnerian opera. My favorite was Tannhauser.

[BeyondGeography]

6. Great run

He sits near me and every other classical music lover for eternity.

[WestElk]

7. When young, I thought he was borderline perfect.

He had such clarity, such cleanliness, such order. Later, listening to the same recordings, I found those same qualities, but I also found him somewhat bloodless -- he came to have the same sort of effect that Schwartzkopf always had on me. So, I have found myself listening more to Gerald Finley, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, John Mark Ainsley, and, always, Janet Baker, but I can hear the Fischer-Dieskau influence in them all.

[markpkessinger]

12. Ever listen to Hermann Prey?

He is just a few years younger than Fischer-Dieskau and, IMO, an equally great interpreter of Lieder. His singing is far from "bloodless!"

[Beacool]

8. A master has died.

He was a great singer, particularly of lieders. My condolences to his wife (Julia Varady, also a classical singer) and the rest of his family.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

9. My altar today with a candle burning in his memory. In the salt ball in front of Buddha.

<a href="http://imgur.com/2k7uQ"><img src="?1" alt="" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /></a>

[CBHagman]

10. Got to get my Brahms German folksong settings out...

That's one on EMI, and the soprano is Schwarzkopf. Just magic.

[Mira]

11. His artistry and the beauty of his voice

have accompanied my life as far as I can remember.
RIP - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Thank you!