Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:
Das Veilchen, KV 476
Als Luise die Briefe ihres ungetreuen Liebhabers verbrannte, KV 520
Abendempfindung an Laura, kV 523
Dans un bois solitaire, KV 308 (295b)
Der Zauberer, KV 472

Béla Bartók:
Dorfszenen. Slowakische Volkslieder, Sz 78

Johannes Brahms:
Deutsche Volkslieder, WoO 33:
Erlaube mir, feins Mädchen
In stiller Nacht
Wie komm’ ich denn zur Tür herein?
Da unten im Tale
Feinsliebchen, du sollst

Robert Schumann:
Myrthen, Op. 25:
Widmung
Der Nussbaum
Jemand
Lied der Braut I-II
Lied der Suleika
Im Westen
Was will die einsame Thräne
Hauptmanns Weib

Richard Strauss:
Schlechtes Wetter, Op. 69/5
Die Nacht, Op. 10/3
Ach, Lieb, ich muss nun scheiden, Op. 21/3
Meinem Kinde, Op. 37/3
Hat gesagt – bleibt’s nicht dabei, Op. 36/3

Hugo Wolf:
Auch kleine Dinge können uns entzücken aus Italienisches Liederbuch

Edith Mathis, who celebrated her 80th birthday last year, is one of Lucerne’s most famous “daughters”. The 1960s saw her firmly establish herself on the international opera stage. She enthused audiences in New York and London, in Munich, Vienna and Paris, at Glyndebourne and Salzburg, working alongside all major conductors of her time, from Karl Böhm to Herbert von Karajan. The grace and natural charm of her iridescent, silvery soprano voice was inescapable. Mozartian roles in particular, such as Cherubino, Susanna and Pamina, found their ideal representation in Edith Mathis: she shaped the Mozart sound of her time. But her performances of the Bach passions, Haydn oratorios, as Ännchen in Weber’s Der Freischütz or as Sophie in Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier were met with equal enthusiasm. She also set the benchmark as a song recitalist, including in the summer of 1975 in her home city of Lucerne.

The live recording of this Lucerne song recital, now released for the first time, demonstrates the entire span of her expressive vocal artistry, from the great naturalness (resulting from the highest virtuosity) of her Mozart through to the elaborately crafted folk-like tone in the Village Scenes by Béla Bartók and the German Folk Songs of Johannes Brahms. Edith Mathis’ partner at the piano is the exceptionally gifted Swiss accompanist Karl Engel.

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Live recording: Kunsthaus Luzern, 3 September 1975.