Album

For more than half a century, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's 1952 and 1953 recordings of Bach's cantatas Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen, BWV 56, and Ich habe genug, BWV 82, have been among the great German baritone's most sublime recordings. The depth, the tone, the understanding, and the compassion of his performances were not only amazing in their own right; they were amazing coming from a 27/28 year old. Here, as if by magic, are two earlier recordings of Fischer-Dieskau performing the same two cantatas with the same conductor from a live radio broadcast from a year earlier and they are perhaps even more amazing. Live, Fischer-Dieskau's artistry is as consummate as it is in the studio, but before an audience, his spontaneity is perforce increased, thus his intensity is even greater. While one would not want to be without either of Fischer-Dieskau's later studio recordings, these performances deserve to be heard by anyone who loves great singing. Coupled with his 1950 recording of Brahms' Vier ernste Gesänge with pianist Hertha Klust, this disc is emotionally unrelentingly dark but artistically unendingly consoling. Profil's remastering of the 50-year-old radio broadcast original may be a bit close, but it is, in its way, incredibly thrilling.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Cantata No.56: Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen (Trinity), BWV56 Work Recorded 1951 21:05 Berlin Motet Choir Chorus/Choir, Hermann Tottcher Oboe, Traute Wagner Cembalo, Kammerorchester Karl Ristenpart Orchestra, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Baritone
1	1.Aria (Bass): Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen	8:32			$1.49
2	2.Recitative (Bass): Mein Wandel auf der Welt	2:11			$0.99
3	3.Aria (Bass): Endlich, endlich wird mein Joch	6:40			$0.99
4	4.Recitative and Arioso (Bass): Ich stehe fertig und bereit	1:54			$0.99
5	5.Chorus: Komm, o Tod, du Schlafes Bruder	1:48			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Cantata No.82: Ich habe genug (Purification), BWV82 Work Recorded 1951 20:58 Berlin Motet Choir Chorus/Choir, Hermann Tottcher Oboe, Traute Wagner Cembalo, Kammerorchester Karl Ristenpart Orchestra, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Baritone
6	1.Aria (Bass): Ich habe genung, ich habe den Heiland	7:24			$1.49
7	2.Recitative (Bass): Ich habe genung! Mein Trost ist nur allein	1:25			$0.99
8	3.Aria (Bass): Schlummert ein, ihr matten Augen	7:15			$1.49
9	4.Recitative (Bass): Mein Gott! wenn kömmt das schöne: Nun!	0:58			$0.99
10	5.Aria (Bass): Ich freue mich auf meinen Tod	3:56			$0.99
Johannes Brahms Composer 4 ernste Gesänge, Op.121 Work Recorded 1950 18:24 Hertha Klust Piano, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Baritone
11	1.Denn es gehet dem Menschen wie dem Vieh	4:39			$0.99
12	2.Ich wandte mich und sahe in alle	4:27			$0.99
13	3.O Tod, wie bitter bist du	4:26			$0.99
14	4.Wenn ich mit Menschen und mit Engelszungen redete	4:52			$0.99