Mahler Decade in Vienna - Singers of The Court Operas 1897-1907

Label : Marston
Format : Ape
Cover : Yes

This three disc set aims at presenting a selection of recordings, photographs, and biographical information of the singers who worked under Gustav Mahler during his tenure at the Vienna Court Opera, 1897-1907. The project has been well over a year in its realization and would not have been possible without the tireless effort of Nathan Davis, our producer, as well as the collectors and archivists who have generously assisted us in locating the requisite recordings and photographs. We have tried to confine our search to period recordings and only when absolutely necessary we have used recordings which date from 1908 or later. Although much of this material is extremely rare and is reissued here on CD for the first time, our problem has been whittling down choices instead of searching for examples. Our goal has been to include recordings that best represent each singer and rarity in itself has not been our primary criterion in selecting the featured recordings. If we have been able to offer some “hen’s teeth”, all the better. We have included operatic arias and ensembles, as well as a smattering of songs to demonstrate the diversity of the singers and to give a bit of relief to the listener as well. It should be mentioned, however, that even the best copies have severe defects. During the early days of recording, singers were usually placed extremely close to the horn in order to produce the clearest possible impression. This often caused extreme distortion on the loudest notes, a flaw that is impossible to correct, but can some times be attenuated by using a wide variety of stylus sizes. No effort has been spared to make each selection as listenable as possible. It has also been my particular responsibility to reproduce each recording at the proper pitch. I have used musical scores as my primary guide, but since the practice of transposition was widely employed in those days, I have used my own ear in cases where score pitch seemed incorrect. It is our sincere hope that our objective of producing a comprehensive survey of rare recordings and photographs in the best possible condition has been achieved.

Tracklist :

CD 1
Irene ABENDROTH
1. MIGNON: Je suis Titania (Thomas) 3:01
1902; (768 1/2x) G&T 43245
2. Vergebliches Ständchen (Brahms) 1:55
1902; (2286b) G&T 43038
Anna von BAHR-MILDENBURG
3. OBERON: Ozean du Ungeheuer (Weber) 2:34
1904; (805e) G&T 43630
Lola BEETH
4. M?ama, non m?ama (Mascagni) 2:55
1904; (OB 28y) G&T 43621
Theodor BERTRAM
5. DAS RHEINGOLD: Abendlich Strahlt (Wagner) 2:47
1905; (2056-f) Favorite 1-15049
Elsa BLAND
6. AIDA: O patria mia (Verdi) 3:03
1905; (12700) Columbia 12700
Hermine BOSETTI
7. DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE: Zum Leiden bin ich auserkoren (Mozart) 3:24
1906; (4445l) G&T 43785
Ellen BRANDT-FORSTER
8. COPPELIA: Valse (Delibes) 1:57
1902; (2530b) G&T 43198
9. LE NOZZE DI FIGARO: Crudel perchè finora (Mozart) 2:12
with Leopold Demuth, baritone
1902; (2529b) G&T 44115
Hans BREUER
10. SIEGFRIED: Als züllendes Kind (Wagner) 2:10
1904; (1131e) G&T 2-42923
Sara CAHIER
11. CARMEN: Habanera (Bizet) 2:48
1907; (10894u) G&T 43944
12. CARMEN: Air des cartes (Bizet) 2:46
1907; (10910u) G&T 43945
Leopold DEMUTH
13. DIE DREI PINTOS: Ein Mädchen Verloren (Weber) 3:46
1903; (19hp) G&T 042030
14. PIKOVAYA DAMA: Ja vas lyublyu (Tchaikovsky) 3:46
1903; (49hp) G&T 042053
Andreas DIPPEL
15. LES HUGUENOTS: Plus blanche que la blanche hermine (Meyerbeer) 2:10
1906; Edison cylinder B-15
Elise ELIZZA
16. DIE KÖNIGIN VON SABA: Lockruf (Goldmark) 2:28
1904; Pathé 19268
17. DIE KÖNIGIN VON SABA: Der Freund ist dein (Goldmark) 3:15
1906; (704r) G&T 43752
Benedikt FELIX
18. Non t?amo più (Denza) 2:54
1902; (869x) G&T 52363
Ottilie FELLWOCK
19. SAMSON ET DALILA: Printemps qui commence (Saint-Saëns) 4:28
1904; (245y) G&T 043030
Frieda FELSER
20. MIGNON: Connais-tu le pays? (Thomas) 3:29
1907; (3043r) G&T 43926
Grete FORST
21. DER FREISCHÜTZ: Kommt ein schlanker Bursch? gegangen (Weber) 3:02
1904; (916e) G&T 43618
Gertrude FÖRSTEL
22. FAUST: Air des bijoux (Gounod) 3:36
1904; (1903x) G&T 43504
Berta FÖRSTER-LAUTERER
23. PRODANÁ NEVESTA: Ten lasky sen (Smetana) 2:45
1903; (763z) G&T 43413
24. LOHENGRIN: Das süsse Lied verhallt (Wagner) 4:05
with Leo Slezak, tenor
1903; (27hp) G&T 044017
Moritz FRAUSCHER
25. Prinz Eugen (Loewe) 3:02
1902; (G 81b) Zonophone X-22150
Marie GUTHEIL-SCHODER
26. DIE LUSTIGEN WEIBER VON WINDSOR: Nun eilt herbei (Nicolai) 2:52
1902; (884x) G&T 43221

CD 2
Alexander HAYDTER
1. DAS RHEINGOLD: Alberichs Fluch (Wagner) 3:21
1906; (Vx 1365) Odeon X 38367
Wilhelm HESCH
2. EVGENIJ ONEGIN: Lyubvi fse vozrastï pokornï (Tchaikovsky) 3:45
1902; (937x) G&T 42849
3. LES HUGUENOTS: Dans la nuit toute seule (Meyerbeer) 3:44
with Betty Schubert, soprano
1904; (Vx 138) Odeon X 38083
Laura HILGERMANN
4. Träume (Wagner) 3:00
1908; (13221u) Zonophone X-23308
5. TANNHÄUSER: Dich teure Halle (Wagner) 2:58
1908; (13222u) Zonophone X-23309
Hermine KITTEL
6. DJAMILEH: Nour-Eddin, roi de Lahore [Ghazel] (Bizet) 3:07
1908; (12945u) Gramophone Pre-Dog 2-43110
7. DJAMILEH: Sans doute l?heure est prochaine [Lamento] (Bizet) 3:16
1908; (12944u) Gramophone Pre-Dog 2-43109
Berta KIURINA
8. FAUST: Faites-lui mes aveux (Gounod) 2:52
1906; (Vx 1425) Odeon X 25709
9. LOHENGRIN: Das süsse Lied verhallt (Wagner) 3:14
with Hubert Leuer, tenor
1914; Pathé 56244
Selma KURZ
10. FAUST: Ne permettrez-vous pas (Gounod) 1:31
1900; (1627a) Berliner 43015
11. ERNANI: Ernani involami (Verdi) 3:16
1902; (X-1669) Zonophone X-23013
12. UN BALLO IN MASCHERA: Saper vorreste (Verdi) 2:03
1902; (2486b) G&T 43305
Georg MAIKL
13. LE DONNE CURIOSE: Aria di Florindo (Wolf-Ferrari) 2:25
1905; Pathé 38085
Richard MAYR
14. LA JUIVE: Si la rigueur et la vengeance (Halévy) 4:01
1905; (460c) G&T 042108
Hans MELMS
15. TANNHÄUSER: O kehr? zurück, du kühner Sänger (Wagner) 2:56
1907; (12846u) Gramophone Pre-Dog V.* 22843
Margarethe MICHALEK
16. DER DOT MON: Ich hab? dich so lieb (Förster) 2:05
1902; (2452b) G&T 43316
17. Es blinkt der Tau (Rubinstein) 2:47
1902; (967x) G&T 43242
Anton MOSER
18. Soldatenart (Abt) 3:06
1905; (12508-1-x) Columbia 12508
Franz NAVAL
19. COSÌ FAN TUTTE: Un aura amorosa (Mozart) 3:12
1902; (857x) G&T 42818
20. LA DAME BLANCHE: Cene main si jolie (Boieldieu) 3:16
with Marie Gutheil-Schoder, soprano
1902; (851x) G&T 44066
Franz PACAL
21. DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER: Mit Gewitter und Sturm (Wagner) 2:47
1902; (943x) G&T 42850
22. Frühlingzeit (Becker) 2:55
1902; (891x) G&T 42832
Josie PETRU
23. LE PROPHÈTE: Ah mon fils! (Meyerbeer) 3:14
1906; (Vx 1406) Odeon X 38282
24. DIE ROSE VOM LIEBESGARTEN: Arioso (Pfitzner) 2:17
with Berta Kiurina, soprano 1906; (OX 1371) Odeon X 38305
25. DIE ROSE VOM LIEBESGARTEN: Duett (Pfitzner) 2:31
with Berta Kiurina, soprano
1906; (OX 1370) Odeon X 38304
Jenny POHLNER
26. DAS RHEINGOLD: Rheintöchter Terzett (Wagner) 2:39
with Elise Elizza, soprano; Hermine Kittel, contralto
1904; (xV 98) Odeon X 38022
Arthur PREUSS
27. DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL: Frisch zum Kampfe (Mozart) 2:26
1906; (4264l) G&T 3-42598

CD 3
Carl REICH
1. ERNANI: Che mai vegg?io?Infelice! E tu credevi (Verdi) 3:21
1903; (89hp) G&T 042042
Frances SAVILLE
2. MANON: Voyons, Manon (Massenet) 3:20
1902; (873x) G&T 43280
3. Morgen send? ich dir die Veilchen (Meyer-Helmund) 3:08
1902; (876x) G&T 43285
Erik SCHMEDES
4. En Drøm (Grieg) 2:01
1902; (2378b) G&T 42709
5. TRISTAN UND ISOLDE: O sink? hernieder (Wagner) 3:06
with Elsa Bland, soprano
1908; (13157u) Gramophone Pre-Dog 2-44412
6. TRISTAN UND ISOLDE: So stürben wir (Wagner) 2:34
with Elsa Bland, soprano
1908; (13156u) Gramophone Pre-Dog 2-44411
Fritz SCHRÖDTER
7. DIE MEISTERSINGER: Am Jordan (Wagner) 1:48
1902; (2426b) G&T 42757
8. DIE FLEDERMAUS: Brüderlein und Schwesterlein (J. Strauss) 2:06
1902; (2484b) G&T 42776
Sophie SEDLMAIR
9. DON GIOVANNI: Or sai che l?onore (Mozart) 2:55
1903; (896z) G&T 43507
10. LE NOZZE DI FIGARO: Voi che sapete (Mozart) 3:10
c.1910; (2046) Janus-Record 5496b
Charlotte von SEEBEÖK
11. NORMA: Casta Diva?Ah, bello, a me ritorna (Bellini) 4:07
1905; Pathé 38220/38221
Johannes SEMBACH
12. LA DAME BLANCHE: Viens, gentille dame (Boieldieu) 2:23
1906; (7226 OE) Lyrophon W.7226
Leo SLEZAK
13. Ungeduld (Schubert) 2:27
1901; (214x) G&T 42409
14. GUILLAUME TELL: Ses jours qu?il sont osé proscrire (Rossini) 3:29
1903; (8hp) G&T 042061
Julius SPIELMANN
15. CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA: Siciliana (Mascagni) 2:23
1905; (180-o) Favorite 1-15218
Gerhard STEHMANN
16. TANNHÄUSER: Blick? ich umher (Wagner) 3:21
1902; (G 7b) Zonophone X-22131
Ernest VAN DYCK
17. Les berceaux (G. Fauré) 2:25
1903; Pathé Cylinder 0796
18. Les roses d?Ispahan (G. Fauré) 2:43
1905; (Xph 541) Fonotipia 39226
Edyth WALKER
19. LE PROPHÈTE: Scène de la prison (Meyerbeer) 2:19
1902; (975x) G&T 43261
20. SERSE: Ombra mai fu (Handel) 2:49
1902; (1114 1/2x) G&T 43279
Friedrich WEIDEMANN
21. DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE: Papagena, Papagena! (Mozart) 3:15
1907; (10053u) Gramophone 3-42755
Lucie WEIDT
22. FIDELIO: Abscheulicher! ?Komm? Hoffnung (Beethoven) 5:47
1904; (3494b) G&T 43380 & (339i) G&T 043048
Hermann WINKELMANN
23. DIE MEISTERSINGER: Preislied (Wagner) 2:36
1905; (6769b) G&T 3-42465
24. DALIBOR: Slysel?s to, priteli (Smetana) 3:12
1905; (6770b) G&T 3-42299
Wilhelm WISSIAK
25. MARTHA: Trinklied (Flotow) 2:01
1906, (Vx1466) Odeon X25745
Lilli LEHMANN
26. TRISTAN UND ISOLDE: Liebestod (Wagner) 5:23
1907; (xxB 3145) Odeon (unpublished on 78 rpm)