You have to be a brave soprano to challenge the hegemony of the singers listed above in Strauss’s Four Last Songs, not to forget at least half-a-dozen others who have recorded them successfully. Voigt certainly has the generous voice, the stamina and breath control to conquer their technical demands, although once or twice her tone discolours, the last thing you want to happen in this, of all works. Where her cool reading fails is in a sense of personal involvement with the texts, just the area where Schwarzkopf excels (I obstinately persist in preferring the earlier of her two studio performances, the easier and more natural of the two). Then there’s della Casa, first interpreter on disc, and still in some ways – creamy, smiling tone, supple accomplishment of runs – supreme. And, of course, Janowitz’s performance, lovingly partnered by Karajan, is the most gorgeously sung of all. If you want the weight of voice provided by Voigt, go for Studer’s sensitive, glowing account with the glorious Staatskapelle.
Masur has previously approached the work in the company of Jessye Norman. Here, he’s able to avoid the undue lingering found in that version with the Gewandhaus, but the Leipzig orchestra is more conversant with this music’s style and melos than its New York counterpart. When it comes to Don Juan and Death and Transfiguration, the American orchestra is, of course, virtuosity itself, but as in the songs, some element of German empathy with Strauss is wanting. In the listed Originals coupling of the Janowitz you’ll hear the latter tone-poem handled more consistently by the Berlin Philharmonic. If you want this particular configuration – supposing, big supposition, you had none of these works in your collection – this spaciously, even brilliantly recorded CD, with a wide sonic range, may attract you, but don’t forget that Janowitz in all manifestations of her Vier letzte Lieder is at mid price and the sound’s also good there, indeed the voice is more forwardly recorded.'