I'll start
Elizabeth Schwarzkopf
Felicity Lott
Jessye Norman
Any one else better?
Elizabeth Schwarzkopf
Felicity Lott
Jessye Norman
Any one else better?
Renee Fleming does it for me, just as she did in Der Rosenkavalier. Pugg, you do find cute pictures of the cunning little vixen Renee Fleming - Before I met my wife I went around with a secret crush on Ms. Fleming.Lucia Popp.
Renée Fleming (first recording)
Kiri Te Kanawa.
Janowitz (on Philips with Haitink)
Picked up a library copy, but I don't care for her voice. Too light. I want the Jessye Norman.I'd just point out that the Schwarzkopf/Szell version was recorded in Berlin with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, not the LPO. In 1969 she recorded an LP of Mozart Concert Arias coupled to more Strauss songs. These were with the London Symphony Orchestra.
The Schwarzkopf/Szell disc is usually seen combining The Four Last Songs with 12 other Orchestral Songs:
.
Does that mean you're only 15 years old, or have you purchased new ears since 2000?For my 21st century ears, Nina Stemme is the best I've heard. I also have Renée Fleming and Schwarzkopf/Szell in my collection and have listened to most others, but Stemme/Pappano take it out of the museum and breathe some life into it. If I were to get a backup it would be Jessye Norman.