Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (b. 1925)

I am not sure when I first became aware of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau but it had to be around 1971-72 when I was a freshman music education major (voice) at what was then Western Connecticut State College in Danbury, CT.  Fischer-Dieskau was THE voice to aspire to if you were a baritone with a love of German lieder.  Over the years I purchased many of his recordings of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann and Mahler (not to mention even a recording of songs by Charles Ives).  I loved his recording of Samuel Barber's "Dover Beach".  His English was quite good.  Unfortunately, I never heard him live since his few concerts in New York would sell-out immediately and I was poor college student. I had several recordings of Fischer-Dieskau singing Mahler and one of my favorites was "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen" which had a heart wrenching text by the German poet, Friedrich Rückert. Every time I hear it it  puts a lump in my throat.  

My father was so proud of me and would religiously record EVERYTHING I performed at Western Connecticut even though I begged him not to since it made me so nervous.  When my parents came to my Senior Recital my father did not bring his tape deck.  He finally listened to me.   I concluded my Senior Recital in the Spring of 1975 with this great Mahler lied.  A friend was taping the recital in the balcony but I did not tell my parents because I knew my father would want to once again bring the recording into work and play it for all these people who couldn't care less.   About 4½ years later my father died suddenly of a heart attack.   I put the cassette recording of my Senior Recital inside my father's breast pocket next to his heart. It was my only copy.