Kathleen Ferrier
Her story mixes fairytale and tragedy. She is also a paradox: if Kathleen Ferrier remains very much a presence in the hearts of music lovers more than 65 years after her death; her career was very brief, 6 years in all; and she made very few records. But the story of the young, beautiful postal telephonist who became an adored singer cut down in her prime by sickness remains a tangible example of the injustice of fate. Kathleen Ferrier was above all an exceptional contralto, warm, profound, strong and natural: she inspired emotion. She started her performances in small recitals as a pianist. Then, as she accompanied and listened to singers, she learned to sing for her own amusement, without taking things seriously, and with a modesty that she would retain throughout her period of fame and success.
It was in the middle of the Second World War that Kathleen Ferrier began to emerge. In 1943, she sang Handel's Messiah alongside Peter Pears in Westminster Abbey, an appearance which marked the start of her recognition. Presented to the great pianist Gerald Moore, she made sallies into recording with him, working on Brahms's Lieder for EMI, but Kathleen didn't get along with Walter Legge, the firms all-powerful producer. She would then head to DECCA, who would record her touchstone pieces which are the pride of today's serious record collections: Gustav Mahler's Kindertotenlieder and Das Lied von der Erde, under the direction of the composer's great friend and disciple, Bruno Walter.
In 1946, after much hesitation, she agreed to sing the title role in the Rape of Lucretia by Benjamin Britten at the Glyndebourne festival, under the direction of Ernest Ansermet. The following year, this same festival would mark Kathleen Ferrier's début when Bruno Walter, who was reticent at first, agreed to take her on to sing Das Lied von der Erde, under his direction. A great friendship was kindled between the two and Bruno Walter opened all the doors of the world of Mahler, and those of New York the following year, by introducing her to Kindertotenlieder of which she would deliver a stunning rendition, as if Mahler had thought of her voice when he wrote the piece. It is rare that any work has been so permanently marked by a performer.
Her career sped up rapidly in the USA and in Europe: New York, London, Glyndebourne, Amsterdam, Paris, Vienna where she sang the Mass in B Minor with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf under Karajan's baton. She began to record for studios. The future looked bright - but breast cancer, incurable at the time, cut short the young woman's life at the age of 41. The rest is history: and her rare records bear witness today to her art and the fervour of her performances.
© FH / Qobuz
Artistas semelhantes
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Great Singers - Kathleen Ferrier, Volume 3, Recordings 1945 - 1951
Classical - Lançado por Classical Moments em 10 de jan. de 2010
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Das Lied von der Erde
Kathleen Ferrier, Julius Patzak, Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra, Bruno Walter
Classical - Lançado por Naxos em 31 de mar. de 2003
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert, schumann, brahms: lieder by kathleen ferrier & bruno walter
Kathleen Ferrier, Bruno Walter
Miscellaneous - Lançado por G.O.P. em 28 de fev. de 2023
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Kathleen Ferrier: In Memoriam
Classical - Lançado por Tahra em 17 de abr. de 2012
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gluck Opera Highlights - Orfeo Ed Euridice (Abridged) & Alceste (Selections)
Kathleen Ferrier, Kirsten Flagstad
Opera Extracts - Lançado por Musical Concepts em 14 de jun. de 2011
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler: Kindertotenlieder / Brahms: Liebeslieder-Walzer
Classical - Lançado por Decca Music Group Ltd. em 1 de jan. de 1992
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Great Singers - Kathleen Ferrier, Volume 1, Recordings 1945 - 1951
Kathleen Ferrier, Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Lançado por Classical Moments em 10 de jan. de 2010
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
LP Pure, Vol. 28: Bruno Walter Conducts Mahler (Recorded 1952)
Julius Patzak, Kathleen Ferrier, Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra, Bruno Walter
Classical - Lançado por Archiphon em 3 de jun. de 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Hommage à Kathleen Ferrier (Kathleen Ferrier)
Classical - Lançado por Tahra em 17 de mar. de 2003
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde, Three Rückert-Lieder Songs [1952]
Kathleen Ferrier, Julius Patzak, Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Lançado por Classical Moments em 5 de nov. de 2010
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Kathleen Ferrier: What Is Life?
Classical - Lançado por Regis Records em 1 de jan. de 2001
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
J.S. Bach & Handel Arias [1960 Stereo Remake] (Adrian Boult – The Decca Legacy II, Vol. 6)
Kathleen Ferrier, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult
Classical - Lançado por Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. em 1 de jan. de 1960
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
St. Matthew Passion & Stabat Mater
Classical - Lançado por Dutton Epoch em 22 de nov. de 1999
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Kathleen Ferrier: "What is Life?" 21 favourites
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Lançado por Musical Concepts em 23 de nov. de 2010
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Unforgetttable Kathleen Ferrier
Classical - Lançado por Memory Lane em 27 de nov. de 2012
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Kathleen Ferrier Broadcasts & Live Recordings (Remastered)
Opera - Lançado por Andromeda em 1 de set. de 2015
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Lieder Recital: Schuman, Schubert and Wolf
Classical - Lançado por Mach60 Music em 18 de mar. de 2012
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Blow The Wind Southerly
Pop - Lançado por H&H Music Ltd em 10 de jan. de 2008
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Johann Sebastian Bach : Mass In B minor, BWV 232 (Wien 1950)
Wiener Symphoniker, Herbert von Karajan, Elisabeth Schwartzkopf, Kathleen Ferrier
Classical - Lançado por OperaPrima-Carillon em 1 de jan. de 2009
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Kathleen Ferrier sings Lieder
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Lançado por Musical Concepts em 8 de nov. de 2011
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo