The Schuchter Lohengrin
wagnerfan
another listen after a long time and was really surprised at how good it is
and how favorably it compares to some more famous versions esp. the 1964 EMI
set under Kempe. I even prefer the sound of the earlier set - to my ears
EMI's attempt to record the Kempe set at the Theater an der Wien was not a
success - the chorus sounds distant and diffuse and the brass have no impact
at all. In the earlier set, the chorus has much more impact and the brass
really cut through. As for the conducting, I am a fan of Kempe's lyric
approach but for some reason much of his stereo version really drags without
much impetus. Schuchter is much more alive to the dramatic situations - I
even prefer Kempe's early Urania conducting of this work to his later
version.
Going on to the singers:
Frick (King Henry) was not in good form for the stereo version - he
constantly strains at the upper reaches. In the earlier set, he encompasses
the role easier and is just as impressive dramatically.
Metternich (Telramund) - I'm not a fan of Metternichs high baritone for the
Hollander but it fits this really difficult role like a glove and he really
strikes sparks with--
Klose (Ortrud) - her voice may be a bit more frayed than in her stupendous
1942 Berlin set but Margaret Hamilton couldn't be a better Ortrud and her
scene with Metternich at the start of Act two is terrifying. Interestingly,
for me that scene is also the highlight of the Kempe version with
Fischer-Dieskau and Ludwig playing off against each other.
Cunitz (Elsa) is a little unsteady but oh so sympathetic - her long
experience with the role has much to offer but I still love my near the end
of her career Grummer.
Schock (Lohengrin) - neither Schock nor Thomas in the Kempe has a
partuclarly beautiful voice (we're not talking Konya here) but Schock is
much more interesting as a character where Thomas sings it fairly straight.
So there you go - for me the Schuchter really sounds like a "Performance"
which the Kempe doesn't always - but give a listen for yourself if you don't
know the performance - you could be in for pleasant surprise. Wagner fan
wkasimer
> For some reason I gave the 1953 HMV Lohengrin under Wilhelm Schuchter
> another listen after a long time and was really surprised at how good it is
> and how favorably it compares to some more famous versions esp. the 1964 EMI
> set under Kempe.
Hi, WF -
I owned this set for a while, and listened to it a few times, but
ultimately jettisoned it as uncompetitive with the other available
recordings. I'm a lot less charitable towards both Kunitz and Schock,
which presents an obvious problem. Frick, Metternich, and Klose are
indeed good to great (I am a huge Metternich fan, and this is among
his best recordings) - but the recorded competition in these roles
(particularly Telramund and Heinrich) is very, very stiff. And as I
recall, there are some significant cuts in Act 3.
I agree about the Kempe, which I also culled. Looks good on paper,
but doesn't add up to the sum of its parts. I still turn to the 1959
and 1962 Bayreuth recordings most often, and occasionally to the
Jekyll&Hyde RCA recording conducted by Colin Davis.
Bill
wagnerfan
news:17e61201-aad0-45ac...@y12g2000vbg.googlegroups.com...
Hi, WF -
Bill
I would think, all told, the 1959 Bayreuth is the one to have if you're
having only one - every singer is in their primes and its a great line up
(Konya, Grummer, Gorr, Blanc and Wachter) and Matacic propels everything
along. I'm less happy with the 62 - Silja is really too limited vocally for
Elsa (she sounds "pretty' and thats not enough), and Vinay is very unsettled
in his first year back as a baritone. Varnay is interesting as always but
you can get her just as effective and better vocally in the 1953 Bayreuth
set. The sound is very good but there are not only cuts in Act Three but in
Act Two as well - in this case, the whole is greater than the sum of the
parts. Wagner fan
Ken Meltzer
I'd like to put in a good word for another vintage recording of
Lohengrin:
Lorenz Fehenberger, tenor (Lohengrin), Annelies Kupper, soprano
(Elsa), Ferdinand Frantz, bass-baritone (Freidrich von Telramund),
Helena Braun, soprano (Ortrud), Otto von Rohr, bass (Heinrich der
Vogler). Chorus and Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio, Eugen Jochum,
Conductor. Preiser 90603.
Originally recorded in the early-50s by DGG and reissued by Preiser,
this features a strong cast (and one of my favorite Lohengrins in
Fehenberger), marvelous conducting by Jochum, and gorgeous playing by
the Bavarian Radio Orchestra.
Best,
Ken
wagnerfan
news:2b9654f1-e1ca-4978...@y12g2000vbg.googlegroups.com...
I'll have to listen to that again - I recall being impressed by Fehenberger
and Jochum but not much else. Perhaps another listen will change that.
Wagner fan
Ken Meltzer
> "Ken Meltzer" <commsp...@aol.com> wrote in message
I think they are definitely the two strongest contributors to the set,
but the rest of the cast is good enough to make the recording very
competitive (IMO). BTW, I like the Schock Lohengrin as well. That's
for your review of it.
Best,
Ken
mark
I second your good word. I wonder why this set is overlooked.
Fehenberger is wonderful in the Third Act Bridal Chamber scene, and
Jochum's pace seems just right.
I had the set on a DG LP (Heliodor?) reissue. Haven't heard the
Preiser CDs.
Ken Meltzer
Mark:
My impression on hearing the set is that the Preiser CD issue was made
from a quiet, good-quality LP set.
DGG has reissued a lot of Jochum's finest recordings. This Lohengrin
should have been among them.
Best,
Ken
mark
> Mark:
> My impression on hearing the set is that the Preiser CD issue was made
> from a quiet, good-quality LP set.
> DGG has reissued a lot of Jochum's finest recordings. This Lohengrin
> should have been among them.
> Best,
> Ken
Good luck with that one being reissued by DG.
They issued the James King/Kubelik recording on CD back in the 1990s,
but they didn't sell it in the USA. I licensed that recording and
issued it through MHS, where it sold very, very well.
wagnerfan
news:56d37e94-4326-4d55...@q8g2000vbm.googlegroups.com...
Mark - I bought the DGG Kubelik version here in the US (I don't recall
where) but it certainly was available here. IMHO it is superbly conducted
but has some real problems on the distaff side. Wagner fan
mark
> "mark" <markstenr...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
I believe Tower and some other places sold it as a parallel import,
but it was never released thru DG's domestic catalog in the USA.
wkasimer
> Mark - I bought the DGG Kubelik version here in the US (I don't recall
> where) but it certainly was available here.
Polygram "Special Import".
Bill
rich...@gmail.com
was remastered (sic) in 1995 on EMI References, and I will try to
listen again tonight.
On May 24, 10:09 pm, "wagnerfan" <wagner...@comcast.net> wrote:
rich...@gmail.com
Random impressions.
I love the brass, and the woodwinds just behind. The brass may not be
powerhouses, but they are totally natural, as if they were born to
this, and there were a few monents where I almost teared-up hearing
how they 'sang' their music so easily and so much listening to each
other.
The key word for the set to me is 'naturalness' in the all singers.
For me, there is not a moment's self-consciousness (which is what made
me so emotional about the brass as well). It sounds like there was no
patching - of course, there must have been - and as if everyone just
stepped up to the mikes and did what was so much second nature that it
almost passes as first. That to me is the highest kind of singing art
- I know interpretive brilliance and great voices are wonderful, but
nothing for me substitutes for utter naturalness - and you just never
hear that now. I hear some of the vocal limitations, probably not as
well as others, but it's not that they are unimportant, but that it is
a completely authentic experience for these singers. But not workaday,
but rather authentic. The pleasure in that is great for me, and it
makes any opera fly by.
The slight downside, and this I remember from hearing it 15 years ago,
was that a lot of the time each singer seems to be singing without a
lot of involvement with the other singers. I remember when I heard
this first, I kind of thought each singer was 'encased' in the
orchestra, and not interacting. However, when Klose is on stage with
any of them, that disappears.
KR sats Maud was only 41 or so(and born in London, apparently). I knew
her first from that dodgy Vespri. There are moments when she sounds
wiry, yes, but the middle and bottom are still warm and she does
everthing with her voice that she can. I actually find it quite
affecting.
The great mystery is why, when we make lists of 'ten most expressive
singers", Klose isn't always on those lists. I have rarely heard
something from her not communicative. At the end, I think she was a
little tired (I don't mean vocally, but sometimes the late remakes
aren't as involved), but it was a remarkable singing personality imho.
Thanks a lot. Very nice to go back and hear something that, I think,
truly, won't be captured again.
Richard
On May 25, 9:34 am, wkasimer <wkasi...@comcast.net> wrote:
> On May 24, 10:09 pm, "wagnerfan" <wagner...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > For some reason I gave the 1953 HMV Lohengrin under Wilhelm Schuchter
> > another listen after a long time and was really surprised at how good it is
> > and how favorably it compares to some more famous versions esp. the 1964 EMI
> > set under Kempe.
>
wagnerfan
news:eede91c7-9926-4930...@q33g2000vbt.googlegroups.com...
Random impressions.
Richard - so glad you enjoyed it as I did and it clearly holds its own
against the competiton. Regarding the interaction of the singers - I wonder
if thats a result of the sound (the vocal instrumental placement) -
certainly if you hear Metternich's hurried interjections during Elsa's first
act interrogation , he is reacting to what is going on. But in the end I
certainly agree with you about the naturalness of the artists - it sounds
like they really know this work and are living it. Wagner fan