RECORDING OF THE MONTH- March 2014: DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG by WAGNER

So, it has been a while. Nigh unto a year. Life happens.

What has inspired me to awake from hibernation is one of my favourite operas of all time. It is met by most with misunderstanding and ridicule, for it is just about the longest lasting piece in the entire operatic repertoire lasting around four and a half hours (right up there with goliath works like Siegfried, Götterdämmerung, and the full five act version of Don Carlos). The opera is Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

Meistersinger was originally conceived as a comic appendage to Wagner's earlier work, Tannhäuser, just as Greek tragedies were often followed by a satyr play. Wagner's first prose draft (for the libretto is his own) was written in Marienbad in July of 1845. As historical background information, Wagner used Gottfried Gervinus's Geschichte der poetischen National-Literatur der Deutschen of 1835-42. It is assumed that he used also other relevant volumes in his Dresden library such as Über den altdeutschen Meistergesang by Jacob Grimm, Friedrich Furchau's life of Sachs, and most likely the J. G. Büsching's edition of Hans Sachs's plays. More prose drafts were written up, probably around the time of November 1861, for the Schott publishing company. At this point, Wagner found J. C. Wagenseil's Nürnberg Chronical of 1697, which proved to be a rich source of information relating to the ancient crafts and guilds of Nürnberg. By late January 1862 the poem of Meistersinger was finished and he began composition by March or April. The work was not completed until October 1867.

The premiere, which was immensely successful, was given at the Königliches hof- und National- Theater in München and conducted by Hans von Bülow, a mutual friend of Wagner's and Liszt's, who was married to Lizt's daughter Cosima. Two years earlier Cosima had bore Wagner's child and eventually left von Bülow for Wagner. But even after such a personal offense, von Bülow continued to be a champion of Wagner's music, conducting it regularly.

The work went on to be performed in medium sized houses like Dessau, Karlsruhe, Dresden, Mannheim, and Weimar. It was seen in the Berlin and Vienna Court Operas in 1870, in England in 1882, the Metropolitan in 1886, and Bayreuth in 1888.

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is about the free imperial city of Nürnberg in the 16th century and the Master Singer guild. While on the surface it seems like a simple, 2-dimensional comedy, the work, while different from most of Wagner's output, is incredibly profound. It deals with the role of music in society, Schopenhauer philosophies of art, music and dreams, and the folly of mankind and the human condition.

One must mention some of the negative criticism that Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg continues to get.  Like all of Wagner's music, the Third Reich tarnished its reputation. It is true that some of the music from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg was used often in Nazi propaganda. On that note, many scholars and would-be "intellectuals" claim that the character of Sixtus Beckmesser is an antisemitic statement by Wagner in the form of making the character a Jewish stereotype. This is not the case. Just like all of Wagner's antisemitic sentiments, you can always find it if you are looking hard enough for it. His music makes no statements about the Jewish people. Stop looking. Beckmesser is a caricature of the music critic Eduard Hanslik. Hanslik was Jewish, however that is NOT why Wagner disliked him. Wagner disliked Hanslik because he was the biggest opponent of Wagner's music at the time. His reviews were almost entirely negative and Wagner's ego didn't deal with that very well. Beckmesser is more a criticism on academic pedantism in general than a Jewish stereotype. Scholars like Dieter Borchmeyer point out similarities to the figure of Malvolio in Sakespear's Twelfth Night. 

This opera is the most human of all of Wagner's works. It is a glorious affirmation of humanity and the value of art. It is a parable about tempering the inspiration of genius with the rules of form.

I love this piece. It has all the grandeur and sensual chromaticism of Wagner, but the score is filled with hope and energy and JOY!

The recording that I am reviewing is not necessarily what I would call the BEST recording… but I sure do like it.



The 1956 Bayreuther Festspiel production conducted by André Cuytens.

Hans Sachs - Hans Hotter
Veit Pogner - Josef Greindl
Kunz Vogelgesang - Josef Traxel
Konrad Nachtigall - Egmont Koch
Sixtus Beckmesser - Karl Schmitt-Walter
Fritz Kothner - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Balthasar Zorn - Heinz-Günther Zimmermann
Ulrich Eißlinger - Erich Bänke
Augustin Moser - Josef Janko
Hermann Ortel - Hans Hibietinek
Hans Schwarz - Alexander Fenyves
Hans Foltz - Eugen Fuchs
Walther von Stolzing - Wolfgang Windgassen
Eva - Gré Brouwenstijn
Magdalene - Georgine von Milinkovic
David - Gerhard Stolze
Ein Nachtwächter - Alfons Herwig

Chor und Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele


It is nearly impossible, when thinking about this performance, not to start the review by acknowledging the absolute luxury casting of a young Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau in the second string role of Fritz Kothner. In this case, to say Kothner nearly steals the show, in no way implies a bad performance. As Kothner he calls the roll with a dignity and poetic colouring that reminds one that Wagner wrote this libretto as one big poetic prose. He brings to life the role of Fritz Kothner as the fastidious keeper of the seal that he is, and his recital of the Tabalatur is done with his usual wit and nuance. With his subtle turns of phrase he perfectly evokes all the singing styles Wagner was using, and therein subtly parodying. It does remind us, however, that he never sang the role in this opera that seems as though could have been written for him personally, Sixtus Beckmesser. I have dreams at night about the erudite, elitist portrayal that this artist could have given to the role of Beckmesser, the pedantic, bitter, town clerk and score keeper of the Master Singers.

It is forgivable, however, that he was not singing Beckmesser in this 1956 production because of their casting of the great Karl Schmitt-Walter in the role. Schmitt-Walter is the link here to the past generation of singers. He sang this role many, many times in Bayreuth and elsewhere in Germany and Austria, and while there are other documentations of his performances that may be better (particularly vocally), he uses his intelligence and dramatic intention to the fullest to give this character an adequately comic, yet understated persona, which is a nice change from the usual caricature that was customary at that time. His high lyric baritone, with his expertly deployed laser beam tone and, at times, almost Schoenbergian 'Sprechstimme', allows him the flexibility and freedom to colour this fascinating role in a reading that stands up with the likes of Erich Kunz, Hermann Prey, Thomas Hemsley, and more recently Thomas Allen.

David is a surprise casting of Gerhard Stolze, known for his portrayal of Mime in Siegfried. He sings the role of David with a pleasantly surprising youthful exuberance and we get a chance to see that this actor and his metallic vocal colour can be used with discretion and beauty. Milinkovic's Magdalena is pleasantly sung and acted throughout, but without much individuality or spark.

Josef Greindl sang Pogner regularly, and his understanding of the character shows. His singing lacks a bit of stability at times, but he delivers where it counts. His decree in act one (Das schöne Fest) really is done with an impression of authority and gravitas, and his relationship with Eva is very real and heartwarming.

Gré Brouwenstijn tends to divide people's opinions. Her voice lacks the "shimmer" one might want in Eva. She doesn't sing the role with the beauty of the always exquisite Elisabeth Grümmer, or the elegance of young Schwarzkopf, but she is an intelligent singer and while she has some trouble in act three (particularly in the quintet), her characterization makes up for it. Her Eva is innocent and gentle, with a hint of pep at times, and in her more sincere moments, verges on ethereal. All in all, I think she is great. Not Grümmer or Janowitz, but a commendable performance.

Wolfgang Windgassen is equally questioned by many reviewers. I am a fan of Windgassen. He didn't sing the role of Walther very often, probably because (as we hear at times in this performance) the role sits a bit high in his voice (for it is a terribly high role for most Heldentenöre). But overall his voice sounds full and fresh and he sings Walther with a lyrical skill and elegance one doesn't get to hear as much of in his Tristan or his Tannhäuser. While he does have moments where he seems to struggle with Walther's demanding tessitura, he still sings it better than the majority of performances one hears. He has the delicate balance of knight and poet weighed perfectly. In his first act aria, "Am stillen Herd", he plays with the text in a way that makes one believe that, yes, he may just be making these songs up on the spot.

No question, the true hero of this production is Hans Hotter's Sachs. Just about the largest role in the entirety of the operatic repertoire, he sang the role relatively frequently, but is only on a small number of recordings. Why he was not on Kempe's studio recording of this opera, I will never know, but of the few documentations we have, this is certainly his best. One could not ask for a better Sachs. He sings it with a warmth and stability, all the while taking huge risks that absolutely pay off. His Sachs is truly human. It is among the most intimate renderings of the role I have ever heard. His Act II monologue is beautifully introspective and his "Wahn, wahn!" aria of Act III is a picture of an infinitely wise and sensitive observer of human folly. He covers the gamut in this behemoth role from warm and fatherly, to almost sensual, and he does it with a sharp intellect and a personal quality that touches anyone who listens with adequately open ears. While there have been some excellent Sachs interpreters, i.e. Stewart, Edelmann, Schöffler, Adam, etc., there is no other Hans Sachs that I would call quintessential. Hotter's deep understanding of the text puts him on a level that is absolutely unrivaled. His final monologue is the perfect example of this.

This recording is, no doubt, about the singers and actors. Even the big Meistersinger guild meeting scene in act one, is done in a perfectly uncouth manner that reminds us, these are everyday tradesmen, that participate in the art of song in their free time. The conductor however, adds very little musically.

André Cuytens, a Belgian conductor, specializing in French music, methinks should stick to French music. He did, actually, conduct quite frequently at Bayreuth, and his reading of this score is fine. He gives the singers space and support, when they need it in their special moments, and I suppose he moves the music along in a broad "German" manner. But his performance is unmemorable. Except maybe those moments that suffer from severe lapses in ensemble - namely the end of Act II. With that said, he doesn't have the romanticism of Böhm, the beauty of Karajan, the grandeur of Kubelik… but he doesn't distract from the performance either. He gives what is ultimately a respectable recording.

Looking back on this recording, I ask myself, could it be that the success of this opera about song (which is to say the intimate marriage of text and music) is that so many of the singers here (Hotter, Schmitt-Walter, D. F.-D.) are specialists in song? Is it possible that their inherent understanding of song and text gives them an upper hand in an opera that is all about that very musical phenomenon? Something to think about…

This disc has pretty questionable sound. Live mono from '56, it is riddled with white noise, cracks, odd tape breaks, and even some occasional pitch-waver. But that doesn't bother me particularly, I am used to listening through these things. Some people may not be able to look past it as easily.

It probably shouldn't be your first or only recording of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. For that I may recommend the 1970 Karajan set on EMI. Not my favourite, but it is excellent sound and a solid performance from beginning to end. If you can find it, I would absolutely recommend the 1967 Kubelik recording on Calig with Thomas Stewart, Franz Crass, Thomas Hemsley, the highly underrated Sándor Kónya, Brigitte Fassbaender, and the exceptional Gundula Janowitz, or even the 1956 Rudolf Kempe set with Frantz, Frick, Schock, Grümmer, and a very young Hermann Prey as einen Nachtwächter.

But if you are a fan of this work or a collector, this is an essential recording. It is worth it just to hear Fischer-Dieskau and Hans Hotter in these roles.

-Christopher Michael Kelley

RECORDING OF THE MONTH- May 2013: DIE FLEDERMAUS by STRAUß II

Something that often gets overlooked by musical connoisseurs and afficionados is the genre of Operetta. Operetta, while many claim it began with Offenbach in Paris, and many in the U.S. and the United Kingdom first think of Gilbert and Sullivan... to me, Operetta IS Vienna. Operetta is Johann Strauß II and Franz Lehár and Emmerich Kálmán and Carl Zeller etc. Viennese Operetta has always held a very special place in my heart just as Vienna does and for that matter, Austria. Particularly when the Summer months roll around and I find myself lost in thoughts and memories of my time spent in Austria, I become intoxicated with the elegant lilt of the Waltzes, Ländlers, and Polkas of Viennese Operetta.

What Schubert did for the Lied, what Handel did for Oratorio, what Mozart did for Opera, Johann Strauß II did for Operetta. He brought the genre to life and shaped the way all others would compose in the genre henceforth. He did that with one pivotal work: Die Fledermaus.

The quality of Die Fledermaus is such that it is often referred to as an opera and held up against the German operas of Weber, Lortzing, and Nicolai. Its music is challenging and energetic, the drama is clean and witty and there isn't a misplaced note in this elegantly frivolous, sparkling score. Even so, the flavor of this piece in undeniably operetta.

While it was not entirely well received at its premier at Theater an der Wien in 1874, famous music critic Eduard Hanslick having called it "commonplace," it has become among the most popular of all musical theatre pieces and remains firmly in the repertoire even outside of Vienna.

There are few recordings that I truly respect out there of this work. It must always maintain its heritage. The Viennese style must always be in the forefront, not only in the conducting and orchestral playing, but in the singing and acting style as well.

I love the recording from 1950 conducted by Clemens Krauss with Julius Patzak, Hilde Güden, Alfred Poell, Anton Dermota, Wilma Lipp, Sieglinde Wagner et al. This recording is possibly in many ways the most stylistically accurate as every person involved in this recording is Austrian and most of them Viennese at that, but to most modern ears tends to sound dated.

Another great recording, and among my personal favourites, is the film version conducted by Karl Böhm and directed by Otto Schenk, starring Gundula Janowitz, Renate Holm, Erich Kunz and Eberhard Wächter.

In fact any recording with the young Eberhard Wächter as Eisenstein is golden, as he was the benchmark Eisenstein at the Staatsoper and the Volksoper in the years before he became the general manager of BOTH houses (Volksoper in 1987 and Staatsoper in 1991).

The 1975 recording is sung and conducted phenomenally (if a bit quick for my taste) by Carlos Kleiber with Hermann Prey as Eisenstein, Julia Varady as Rosalinde, Lucia Popp as Adele, Bernd Weikl as Falke. Aside from a very disturbing Orlofsky singing in his relatively undeveloped falsetto the whole time, it is quite good. Lucia Popp and Julia Varady are incredibly charming and Hermann Prey is as close to perfectly sung as it gets.

The document that I think best represents this work however, is the 1971 EMI recording conducted by Willi Boskovsky.

Gabriel von Eisenstein - Nicolai Gedda
Rosalinde - Anneliese Rothenberger
Adele - Renate Holm
Dr. Falke - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Prinz Orlofsky - Brigitte Fassbaender
Alfred - Adolf Dallapozza
Frank - Walter Berry
Ida - Senta Wengraf
Frosch - Otto Schenk
Dr. Blind - Jürgen Förster
Iwan - Gerd W. Dieberitz

Chor der Wiener Staatsoper
Wiener Symphoniker
Dialogue directed by Otto Schenk

While I personally prefer Gabriel von Eisenstein to be sung by a baritone, if one MUST deal with a tenor, Nicolai Gedda is ideal. While the role is not particularly challenging for him vocally, he sings the role with stylish buffoonery and flows through the dialogue with a humorous finesse that displays Gedda's true adeptness with language. The man was fluent in seven of them after all.

Anneliese Rothenberger is a slightly lighter voiced soprano than is often cast as Rosalinde, however it is not hindering for her in the slightest, in fact due to the lighter voice, the highs which are often strident and even screechy at times, maintain a beauty and ease that is quite frankly a relief to the ears and only helps her portray the astute, savvy character of Rosalinde. Operetta was a major part of Rothenberger's career and her style here is perfect.

The relatively unknown Rente Holm was a major player in the Operetta scene in Vienna. She was in many operetta films such as Schön ist die Welt, Der Graf von Luxemburg, Der Vogelhändler, and the film version of Die Fledermaus. She brings an Austrian flare to this saucy Stubenmädchen with a clean, silvery tone. She is truly at home in this role that she practically owned during her time in Vienna.

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is not the first name that comes to mind when thinking about operetta, but as Dr. Falke, he brings the usual erudite nuance and subtlety that he brought to everything he ever sang. His dialogue is smart and charming and when you have a singer of Fischer-Dieskau's calibre, it is a great joy to have the addition in act II of the rarely heard Strauß aria "Die ganze Nacht durchschwärmt,"  from his unknown Operetta, Waldmeister about the revelry of young men. His second act II solo, "Brüderlein" is sung with a grace and beauty that has most certainly never been heard on the piece before or since, but definitely challenged by Olaf Bär's wonderful reading of the role on the set with Dame Kiri and Andre Previn.

The Viennese Walter Berry brings his Wiener Gemütlichkeit to Prison Director Frank. Finding the perfect balance in this difficult comic role between singing and a sort of Buffo Sprechstimme. His scene in the opening of act III in strong Viennese dialect with the famous actor and director Otto Schenk as Frosch is entirely amusing and maintains a bit of subtlety in its comedy which is more than we can say for most productions in the US of this work.

Fassbaender as Orlofsky is wonderful as Fassbaender always is. Her Russian accent is spot on and her aria is sung with a great eccentricity and whimsy. Dallapozza is very funny as Alfred, inserting Wagner arias throughout. Alfred to my thinking, is probably the most amusing role in the opera when done right, and Adolf Dallapozza does it right, even if he could give it a bit more ridiculousness at times. Otto Schenk's directing of the dialogue is a great representation of how it should always sound with great distinction and nuance, even though the dialogue is greatly cut, it is better than the unacceptable readings that cut ALL the dialogue from the recording. This is a Viennese take on this work that rarely hits the mark outside of it native Vienna.

The real reason that this recording beats out all the others is the conductor. Willi Boskovsky is among the greatest Strauß conductors of all time. Having joined the Vienna Academy of Music at the age of 9 for the violin, he became concert master for the Wiener Philharmoniker from 1936 to 1979, and from 1955 he became the long standing conductor of the Vienna New Year's Concert. He was, until his death in 1991, the chief conductor of the Wiener Johann Strauß Orchester, conducting in the Straußian style of the "Vorgeiger," which is directing the orchestra in front while playing the violin just as Strauß I and Strauß II did. His adroit conducting of this piece is exactly as it should be, from his credentials alone, one can tell that Willi has an ingrained flair for the Strauß idiom. He maintains a sophistication throughout, while never losing the moderate dance-like tempi. Never too fast. Never too slow. It conjures up the feeling of grand balls of the Viennese upper crust, stumbling about to waltzes and drowning themselves in champagne. It has moments of farcical comedy, and moments of true beauty - if still lacking any true depth in the most delightful way possible. This recording truly has a personality of its own, and even with the tasteful interpretation of the singers, it possesses an energy that is nearly unrivaled.

This is an unpretentious, yet amazingly stylish reading of this great work. If one is interested in learning about how Viennese Operetta should be done, this is the disc to start with. Perfection.

- Christopher Michael Kelley

In Memorium - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (1925-2012)

This morning, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, described once as "the most influential singer of the 20th Century", passed away just ten days before his 87th birthday.

While many people did not care for the quality of his voice, that he himself once compared to the gentle hum of an oboe, it is undeniable that he left a legacy that is perhaps unmatched. He is the single most recorded singer in history and he has brought the art of Song to the masses single handedly.

What Pavarotti did for opera, Fischer-Dieskau did for song. He took what was for all intent and purpose a dying art form, and revived it through his phenomenal word colouring, his unmatched text understanding, and his impeccable style. He was an artist, a scholar, and a pioneer. He pioneered not only in the interpretation of song, but also in the way the classical music industry records music, all this while maintaining a standard of artistic integrity that few singers, nay musicians, have ever matched.

I am not going to discuss the synopsis of his life; that can be found on a number of websites, and will certainly be discussed in the coming days, but I will leave you all with one slightly more personal bit of information.

He is the single most influential singer in my life. As a teenager, my parents gave me a recording of Fischer-Dieskau singing Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin and it was this gift that spurred what would become a life long love affair with Song, more specifically Lieder, and in effect, the German language as a whole.

The gentleness of tone, the undiluted sensitivity, and the naturalness of his use of words that Fischer-Dieskau was capable of will continue to inspire me every day of my life. Luckily he will live on in his recordings, his writings and his paintings.

He will not be forgotten.

R.I.P.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH- July 2011: Schubert's Winterreise with Gerald Moore 1955/ Hotter vs. Fischer-Dieskau

Franz Schubert, possibly among the most underrated of all composers (in my humble opinion), composed his second song cycle, die Winterreise D.911 between 1827 and 1828. It was 5 years after his first cycle and 5 years after he had been diagnosed with syphilis: the disease which went on to take his life at the young age of barely 31 years of age.

By the time he was writing Winterreise, his illness was rather advanced and this song cycle took up the majority of his time and energy. It seems to have excited him from the beginning, as is shown in his friend, Joseph Spaun's description of the first 'performance' of the cycle, Schubert playing and singing it to his friends at Schober's (another friend) house. Spaun reports that when they didn't particularly care much for the gloomy, mournful tone of the pieces, Schubert said to them, "I like these songs more than all the rest, and you will come to like them as well."

The cycle was written in two halfs. The first, dating to February 1827, and the second, later in 1828. It comprised of 24 poems by Wilhelm Müller. The song cycle is not composed in the same order as the poems were originally published. Some singers in the past have attempted to perform the songs in their original, poetic line-up, but these performances always feel rather contrived and affected. The trust must be given to Franz Schubert.

We see how much these songs took of Schubert's time in the letters and accounts of his friends. By January 1828 he was rarely seen attending the still popular Schubertiads. His friend and poet, Mayrhofer noticed this change not only in his life, but in the music as well.

The choice of Winterreise proved how much more serious the composer had become. Seriously ill for a long time - winter had set in for him.

It is true that his music had undergone a major change in this time. Take for example the opening bars of "Gute Nacht", the first song of the cycle. It opens with a pulsating wandering motive similarly to that in Die schöne Müllerin... but the radical difference in feeling that is evoked shows just how much he had grown in those years since his illness had set in.

This cycle probably proves as the pinnacle of his compositional acheivements, however it is a different kind of composition than his Ballad like Lieder such as Erlkönig and Gretchen am Spinnrade, but Müller was not Goethe. He was a different type of poet. The unpretentiousness and simplicity of Müller's poems are matched by the simplicity of Schubert's musical settings. "His sole interest is in the depth of feeling, not in psychological over-refinements" says Fischer-Dieskau.

Franz Schubert took a group of relatively unexciting, mediocre poetry and made it a cycle that changed Lieder forever and literally defined what a "song cycle" is.

Out of the many wonderful recordings that have been made, two in particular stand out. The fascinating coincidence is that these two were recorded in the same year with the same pianist.

1955 with Gerald Moore

Hans Hotter vs. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

Hotter's recording was released first and by '55 he was a very well established and respected singer in the world of opera and Lieder. Especially recognized for his Winterreise. Fischer-Dieskau was barely 30 years old upon this release and was not yet recognized as the Lied interpreting champion that he would one day become.

Gerald Moore is undoubtedly among the greatest collaborative pianists to have ever lived and graced the world of Lieder. The way he articulates these pieces shows a superlative artistry that has yet to be beaten. In particular, his use of subtle and varied stacatto in pieces like "Gefor'ne Tränen", "Auf dem Flusse", and "Letzte Hoffnung" is especially noteworthy in the perfect creation atmosphere, something so many pianists through the years have failed at. He was one of the first pianists to move beyond the role of accompanist and show us all how much of a partner pianist and singer need to be in this artform. The music that comes out of his fingers is entirely motivated by the text and the communication of whoever is on the other side of that keyboard. Listening to these two recordings exhibits this as clear as day.

First of all, probably the biggest difference between these two artists (Hotter and D. F.-D.) is that Hotter's approach is the perfect example of communicating these texts without "acting them out"... he communicates every emotion and evokes every mood in an effective and personal way while always maintaining a feel of "3rd person." He narrates and comments on the events of the sad wanderer while watching over. Fischer-Dieskau is much more personally involved with his interpretation. He feels what this anonymous lover is feeling. He sucks us into this epilogue of sorts and when he weeps, we weep, when he has a glimmering moment of hope (however much in vain) we feel that glimmer.

The atmosphere that is set by Hotter's readings is a heavy one. This is not a recording that one can casually listen to while getting ready for a dinner party. The haunting, morose feelings that it leaves with the listener will linger like the love that was lost before this cycle even begins. This cycle, while performed originally by a baritone, was actually composed for high voice. Hotter, being a bass, transposes these songs down quite a bit, doing this, they sometimes lose some of their brilliance of tone. They get a bit muddled in the lower registers and even in the top, clarity is not necessarily his strongest suit. Word colouring and the ability to evoke through the means of language, however, are. His dark, molasses-like voice in pieces like "Die Krähe" send a chill down the spine of any coherent listener.

The young Fischer-Dieskau may not have the advantage of years under his belt, but he has the unique gift of individualizing words. Of all the words sung in these 24 poems, while one listens to it, it feels as if no word is ever repeated. The ups and downs of this cycle are showcased by his vigorous colour shifts. Especially in the early songs of the journey, his occasional outbursts leave the listener nothing less than slightly disturbed. His unmatched clarity of tone and language creates a delicacy and subtleness that chills the listener like a ghost recalling these distant and painful memories. Instead of just presenting a dejected lover who has lost hope, he lets us into these poems in a way that makes US the lover, he finds his way into that small hidden place in us and forces us to feel.

Each artist has a stamp of uniqueness by the way they each end the final song. Fischer-Dieskau goes out with a bang and proclaims the final line, with a harsh fortitude, while Hotter fades away like the fine morning mist. What each means to a listener could be infinite, but I am not writing about the psychological implications of Schubert's view of the meaning of Müller's texts. It's about two documentations that one can experience to form their own comprehensions.

Of all the recordings that exist, these two fascinate me most. Other excellent variations are Gerhard Hüsch, Julius Patzak's, Peter Pears's (which uses the some of the original versions of Schubert's songs, before the revision), Matthias Goerne's live recording with Alfred Brendel, Christian Gerhaher's and Fischer-Dieskau's version from 1966 with Jörg Demus (Dietrich's favorite of all the versions he recorded). Some of them are in the original keys which gives them an intricacy that can be lost when transposed down.

Two other recordings of note: Christopher Maltman's latest Wigmore Hall performance with Graham Johnson. He has new transpositions that put the songs very high in the baritone voice so as to counter the original keys better that sit very high in the tenor voice. Also the Peter Harvey's recording with Gary Cooper. They perform on a period Pianoforte and in a period temperament, so it can occasionally sound lightly out of tune to our 21st century ear, but is probably closer to Schubert's sound world that the piece was written in.

Of the two that were discussed, if I had to choose one, I would choose Fischer-Dieskau's. I believe that it is the recording that set the new standard for all Lieder that has been performed and/or recorded since. I think it has more "life" and brings the listener into a more personal and intimate place. However, Hotter has a very unique way of making that original text shine through Schubert's music with a life of its own.

Two must have recordings for any fan of Lieder or art song.

-Christopher Michael Kelley

RECORDING OF THE MONTH- May 2010: CAPRICCIO by STRAUSS (R)

This month I have been relatively obsessed with one specific recording. I have listened to lots of others, but I always come back to this one.

This particular gem is a studio recording of Richard Strauss's "Capriccio, ein 'Konversationenstück für Musik' in einem Akt" or, a 'conversation piece for music' in one act.

The interesting thing about this "opera" that premiered in 1942, is that it really is a "conversation piece". There is a very limited plot and almost no action in the 2+ hours of this piece and it is still absolutely captivating.

It is, in simplified terms, a debate during a salon party between the characters about which is more important... words? or music?

The idea for the libretto was conceived by the famous Austrian novelist Stefan Zweig (librettist for Strauss's Die schweigsame Frau), who stumbled across a short comedy by Giovanni Battista Casti (a rival to Da Ponte). This comedy had actually been set by Mozart's rival Salieri and premiered with Der Schauspieldirektor at Schönbrunn. The concept of the tension between words and music appealed to Strauss, although not the trivial plot that accompanied the original. Zweig, who was Jewish, knew his days in Nazi Germany were numbered so he dropped out of the libretto project and skipped town. The writer and musicologist Joseph Gregor took his place, and his 1935 draft of the neo-Casti piece was not well received by Strauss. What he wanted was nothing like the story, but a "theatrical discussion'. A self-illustrating debate about the nature of Opera. Eventually an acceptable libretto was written by the conductor, Clemens Krauss, and the composer himself. It was originally to be a short opener for Strauss's opera, Daphne, but it quickly outgrew it's modest scale. It became a subtle, intimate, even-handed masterpiece.

The specific recording is the one from EMI in 1957.
Conductor: Wolfgang Sawallisch and the Philharmonia Orchestra
Countess: Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Count: Eberhard Wächter
Flamand: Nicolai Gedda
Olivier: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
La Roche: Hans Hotter
Clairon: Christa Ludwig
Monsieur Taupe: Rudolf Christ
Italian Soprano: Anna Moffo
Italian Tenor: Dermot Troy
Major-domo: Karl Schmitt-Walter

It doesn't take an expert to notice that for Strauss... this is an absolutely star studded cast. It was put together by classical record producer Walter Legge, and the casting is nigh unto perfect. Each singer embodies their role with great honesty and elegance. If I were given the opportunity to change casting of a role... I would change NOTHING.

With all of the roles that Schwarzkopf sang on the stage, it is possible that no role truly fit her personally as well as the Countess Madeleine and her ability to mould words into music is heard here as clearly as ever. She personifies sophistication, elegance, charm and a little bit of the artificiality that only a Prima Donna can have, that works so well for this role.

The young Nicolai Gedda delivers a gentle, yet ardent composer in his Flamand and the equally young Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau portrays the more fiery poet Olivier, with all the intellect and passion required and then some. He brings to this role all the subtlety and nuance he brings to his Lieder of Schubert and Brahms, with the textual emphasis only he truly mastered that is quite frankly, ideal for the poet Olivier. The even younger Eberhard Wächter plays the countess's light-hearted and lascivious younger brother with a graceful buffo quality that foreshadows his future success as Gabriel von Eisenstein in the other Strauß's Die Fledermaus.

One needs not explain the talents of Christa Ludwig who portrays the cynical actress Clairon with intimacy and a nostalgic poise that unfortunately does not exist amongst the stars of today.

But the one who shines the brightest here perhaps is Hans Hotter, who 15 years prior had orginated the role of Olivier in the premier of this work. Why Strauss cast him as Olivier I will never know, but here, as the theatre director, La Roche (possibly a loving caricature of the great Max Reinhardt), he defends the conventions of the theatre and the old Italian operatic mould with fervor and dismisses new and untried methods just as quickly as many of the elders do in every generation. (And how subtle he is when he is introducing his cute, new, little, dancer 'protege')

A treat unto itself is the cameo appearances by the great artists of past generations (Karl Schmitt-Walter) and future generations (Anna Moffo).

The icing on the cake of this wonderful cast is the brilliance of Wolfgang Sawallisch. A conductor that harkens back to a time when true artistry came off of the podium. While never missing the wit or sensuousness of the score, he keeps the story moving officiously.

The vintage Philharmonia Orchestra plays magnificently the refined scoring of Richard, whose orchestrations here perhaps top any of his previous operas.

Dr. Alex Mai claims that this recording is "too pretentious." He has a point. It is a bit snooty in the way it is presented. A bit straight laced. The elegant artifice that he is referring to, I think, works well in this opera. It gives a realistic portrayal of these French aristocrats and elitist artists. For a more friendly and approachable cast I DO love the live 1964 Georges Prêtre recording from the Wiener Staatsoper with Lisa Della Casa, Walter Berry, Waldemar Kmentt, Otto Wiener, and again Christa Ludwig. This recording is a little warmer. The Vienese mentality gives it a bit more of that Austrian Gemütlichkeit. And on the up side, the two young singers playing the Italian opera singers are none other than Fritz Wunderlich and Lucia Popp.

But if the sophisticated Sawallisch recording isn't too pretentious for you, it is a recording that every musician and Strauss lover should own. A true benchmark.

-Christopher Michael Kelley