Melvyn Krauss is a professional economist who often writes about music. He has published on music in the Wall Street Journal, Harper's, and Opera News. In his early years, he mostly spent his time in opera houses. But with the decline of great singers and production values, Mr. Krauss abandoned the opera house in favor of the concert hall where he found the standard of performing to be on a much higher level. He resides in Portola Valley, California with his wife Irene, two Irish setters, and two cats. He considers himself to be a New Yorker-in-exile.  
Mahler Songs Triumph at Herbst

Mahler Songs Triumph at Herbst

Melvyn Krauss
Christian Gerhaher

Christian Gerhaher

The Christian Gerhaher recital of Mahler songs in Herbst Theatre last evening presented under the auspices of San Francisco Performances proves that a lieder singer of the first rank does not need a beautiful voice to succeed. 

Mr. Gerhaher’s top is shot, his bottom can be inaudible and the middle voice is dry.

Yet, the audience was treated to a superb recital because Mr. Gerhaher had in abundant quantity the crucial attributes the lieder singer needs to win raves and plaudits--excellent diction, an ability to communicate the sweep, emotion and drama of the song’s narrative and a terrific pianist.

Last evening, the pianist was the superb Gerold Huber, who also was the German baritone’s accompanist for his two previous recitals in San Francisco.

Gerold Huber

Gerold Huber

The piano is probably the less preferred way to hear the Mahler songs, most of which were conceived as orchestral music. Hearing the singer backed by orchestral accompaniment provides a richer and more colorful experience.

Nonetheless, Mr. Huber did all he could to make up for the fact that he is not an orchestra and the overall results were more than satisfying. Gerhaher and Huber make for an awesome partnership! 

The most disappointing thing about the recital was the poor attendance. The Herbst Theatre was only half full for the lieder evening and that is a generous estimate. 

San Francisco is supposed to be a ‘Mahler town’. Michael Tilson Thomas has been slogging Mahler at the San Francisco Symphony for 25 years. Supposedly he developed a Mahler audience during his tenure. 

So where were these people when the wonderful Mahler songs were being performed by one of the world’s best lieder singers? 

I was embarrassed at the recital, not for Mr. Gerhaher but for San Francisco. Judging by the turnout, this whole ‘Mahler town’ business looks to be a giant fraud. Maybe they were watching the first game of the World Series. 

The Herbst program was divided into three parts—the first group was ‘Songs of a Wayfarer’ (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen); the second, ‘The Youth’s Magic Horn ( Des Knaben Wunderhorn); and, finally, ‘Songs on the Death of Children’ (Kindertotenlieder). 

The highlight of the evening came last with the Kindertotenleider. No surprise that this group of dark songs is the most moving of all the Mahler compositions.

The songs are based on the poems of the poet Friedrich Ruckert following the death of two of Ruckert’s children. Mahler selected five of Ruckert’s 428 poems to set as Lieder, which he composed between 1901 and 1904. 

Ironically, four years after Mahler completed the songs, his own daughter Maria died of scarlet fever. He admitted to a friend that he never could have written the songs after his own child had died.

Mssrs. Gerhaher and Huber were at the very best in portraying the sorrow, anguish and resignation in these songs. 

What could be sadder?  




 








 




Gustav Mahler; photo by Moritz Nähr

Gustav Mahler; photo by Moritz Nähr

Goode's Great at Gala

Goode's Great at Gala
Depressed at Davies

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