Ich Bin Der Welt Abhanden Gekommen ''I am lost to the world with which I used to waste so much time. It has heard nothing from me for so long, That it may very well believe I am dead! It is of no consequence to me If it thinks me dead; I cannot deny it, for I really am dead to the world. I am dead to the world's tumult, And I rest in a quiet realm! I live alone in my heaven, In my love and in my song. ‘’ _________________________________________________________ These past few months of "lock down '' have helped me, perhaps, understand the lyrics better. I live alone. I do not go to work or to the gym or out to cafes or classes. Days go by when I don't speak face to face with anyone. I often ignore the news media. It's just ME in my studio where I draw and paint. Pascal said that all of our miseries derive from our inability to sit quietly in a room. Wordsworth wrote "The world is too much with us.... Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers" Many great artists and thinkers have benefited from periods of isolation. Sometimes voluntary. Sometimes as a result of illness or imprisonment. We waste our powers with distractions. This forced disconnection from the daily round of busy-ness might turn out to be a blessing. Maybe that's what Mahler was feeling.
Joyce sculpts her sound creating a tangible dimension to her voice. You can feel it not only emotionally but as if it were something you could caress like leaves or dive into like an ocean...
I have heard both versions just now after reading your comment. I agree Kathleen Ferrier is better on a dramatic expression and articulation. But DiDonato has a better voice control here and a quasi-violon tone, especially with a much reduced setting (just her + piano) where her voice is more exposed. Maybe if there was a piano + Kathleen Ferrier it would have been better. Janet Baker/Barbirolli is really great (i prefer this one to Kathleen Ferrier, the recording is not so good unfortunately). But again, what makes DiDonato performance very strong is the absence of piano which concentrates our attention on her voice. Another version I like is Abbado/ Magdalena Kožena Anyway, whatever version, i love this song to death.
I'll take Christa and LHL, but Baker, Seefried, Ferrier, Kozena and DiDonato are all amazing. There's no Platonic ideal of the song. Why not enjoy ( or wallow in) what all have to offer?
She almost eliminated her fast vibrato which can become tiresome to the ear. A very unique and mystical voice and interpretation. I don't know who did her hair, but together with the earrings, she looks like some sort of rare tropical bird, especially on close-ups.
