It’s a rare singer who conveys her true face through vocal production alone. Lotte Lehmann could and did, even when she was past her prime. This collection gathers all of the great soprano’s last official recordings, made in 1947 and 1949. Her voice is drier and less responsive than it once was, yet every note grabs your attention. To my ears, the kinetic momentum of Lehmann’s raw-nerve diction and generously nuanced phrasing was not so much calculated as it was specific. The Brahms Zigeunerlieder (Lehmann sings numbers 1 through 7 plus the 11th song), for instance, come off with both youthful swagger and internalized expression, as does Der Schmeid. Conversely, the same composer’s Feldeinsamkeit and Der Kranz leave you breathless, if only because of the singer’s noticeable intakes of air. It’s good to hear Lehmann’s Schubert specialties (Ständchen, An den Mond, An die Musik, and Der Erlkönig) without the treacle-ridden orchestral arrangements that marred her earlier versions. Here and elsewhere, Lehmann’s trusty pianist Paul Ulanowsky is an equal partner rather than a mere accompanist.
Even the kitsch has communicative charm, although Lehmann’s heavy tread through The Kerry Dance lacks the requisite lilt. On the other hand, the sugary arrangement of Irving Berlin’s God Bless America is memorable for the singer’s excellent English. If the vocalised Schumann Träumerei and muzak-laden Brahms Lullaby (also sung in English) are hard to take, there’s compensation with the Strauss songs and French rarities by Hahn, Duparc, and Paladillhe that conclude this disc. Mark Obert-Thorn’s exemplary transfers make these recordings sound as good as they can, and Alan Blyth’s loving, informative notes are a plus. Lehmann collectors need no recommendation from me, but first-time listeners may want to start with her earlier Schubert, Brahms, and Wolf traversals, reissued on various labels.
