2002: "LEISE FLEHEN MEINE LIEDER..." THE ART OF SCHUBERT LIEDER: A 10 CD box set of vintage singers as well as more recent specialists such as Souzay and Schwarzkopf. Lehmann's 1942 recording of Die schöne Müllerin with Paul Ulanowsky, piano can be compared to the 1945 recording of the same cycle with Aksel Schiøtz accompanied by Gerald Moore. History: 205154

2002: WAGNER MANIA: This 20 CD box contains many other great singers from the past as well as Lehmann's recording of the first act of Die Walküre with Melchior etc., conducted by Bruno Walter. History: 205096-302

2002: SCENES FROM RICHARD STRAUSS OPERAS IN HISTORIC RECORDINGS: Lehmann's 1928 recording of "Es gibt ein Reich" from Ariadne auf Naxos is included among many other standard setting performances. Preiser: 89950

2002: ARCHIPEL 0037: SCHUBERT; BRAHMS; WAGNER; HAYDN; SCHUMANN; STRAUSS; MENDELSSOHN - Lotte Lehmann - This recording had previously been available on the old Eklipse label. It features the celebrated singer in recordings with Monteux in San Francisco from December 12, 1943; concert hall tracks from 1944 with Paul Ulanowsky on piano; an August 11, 1945 appearance at the University of Washington with the Seattle Symphony conducted by Carl Bricker, also five tracks from the Hollywood Bowl with Ormandy conducting and two from the Standard Hour in San Francisco - Bruno Walter at the piano.

On none of these recordings is Lehmann at her best, but for those who want a complete collection, this is Lehmann live, with important conductors and accompanists.

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2001: VAI 69232 LOTTE LEHMANN: MASTER CLASSES, VOL. 1: A legendary performer and teacher, Lehmann is seen in a series of master classes filmed in 1961 at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California. In this first volume, Lehmann coaches students in scenes from Der Rosenkavalier and Le Nozze di Figaro, and songs of Robert Schumann. In the case of the Marschallin’s monologue from Der Rosenkavalier, Lehmann herself enacts the scene by way of demonstration.* A priceless document! 57 minutes, B&W. *You may hear Lehmann sing this monologue in her prime on this Website along with the English translation.

2001: ROMOPHONE 81032: Romophone released a 2 CD set of many of Lehmann's Columbia recordings of 1941-42. Reviews of these CDs are forthcoming. My first impression, when listening to the complete Die schöne Müllerin available here, was that Lehmann seemed to be having a difficult time with the more florid portions of the cycle. Her interpretation was, as expected, intense, but my ear was distracted from that by vocal clumsiness. Other recordings on this CD seemed among her highest Lieder accomplishments.

Romophone writes: These recordings that Lotte Lehmann made for American Columbia 1941-2 represent the apex of her art as regards Lieder... In 1941 she seemed to have found a new repose reflecting her pleasure at being away from the storm and strife of war-torn Europe. As she wrote in the foreword to her book on interpretation of song "More than Singing" (1945): "America that wonderful country to which I now feel that I belong has during this bitter time of war never forgotten that this German art (ie Lieder) stands above the confusion of the present time."

In her book Lehmann comments: "You must yourself feel deeply what you are singing must draw your audience with you into the flow of emotion you and your listeners must be one in the enjoyment of what you give.?" That is as true here as in everything she undertook. In her book she commentated on a deal of the repertory included here a distillation of the best of the American Columbia series many of the items appearing on CD for the first time. This 2-CD set includes Die Schöne Müllerin...[other] Schubert Songs Leibesbotschaft (Schubert); Brahms Songs; Wolf Songs; Strauss Songs; Wesendonck Lieder [Wagner] and Viennese Songs.

The Wesendonck Lieder appearance here is of particular importance... Only two appeared in 78rpm form. In the Viennese Songs Lehmann evokes the Vienna she loved so much and had to leave three years earlier. As in all these Columbias she seems in her best voice and to be enjoying herself as much as she undoubtedly did on the recital platform.

Alan Blyth's exemplary booklet notes summarize Lehmann's own comments on each of the recordings taken from her book. All of the original recordings have been lovingly restored in new digital transfers. The booklets are presented with full discographic information and lavish illustrations.

March/April 2002 Fanfare

Past Music Present by Martin Scot Cosins

[This release] features an artist who, as Bruno Walter wrote, combined "stylistic purity and infallible instinct," and used these to render a "beauty of the melodic line, as well as the spiritual and emotional contents of the words." She had achieved, by a lifetime of devotion to the genre, total mastery Lieder interpretation. In her own detailed writing, Lehmann put forth her feelings about such works as Schubert's Die Schöne Müllerin, how each song should be characterized, and the motives from which the words should be shaded. "Put all the glow, all the warmth of your heart into the address to the stream," she advises for "Der Müller und der Bach," then she invests this, as well as everything she sings, with this high level of forethought and understanding. All of the music in this two-and-a-half-hour set comes from 1941 and 1942, when Lehmann was at the peak of her vocal powers, and recording for American Columbia. Pianist Paul Ulanowsky was a most sensitive partner in all of the selections.

Alan Blythe, in his notes, mentions that Lehmann's approach to Die Schöne Müllerin may not be to the taste of today's purist listener. Lehmann does omit "Ungeduld" completely, although she did record it for Victor in 1935 and she never sang more than three verses of the final lullaby. But if the purists can resist a performance like Lehmann's, then they deserve to miss it. I am becoming very weary of the purists. As a disclosure, my favorite version of the work is the 1933 Richard Crooks--not released until 1941. Crooks also omitted verses here and there. At the time, it was not a scandal to do so. And there is much more here besides the Schubert: Lieder by Brahms, Wolf, and selections of Wagner that were unpublished on 78s. Also, delectable Viennese bonbons, and the lightest fleetest and most optimistic Strauss Morgen! you may ever hear. To return to the Schubert selections for a moment, I do not remember hearing any singers of the period being recorded so closely. Lehmann seems to be an inch from the microphone, and the acoustic is very dry. On high notes at forte, there is noticeable blasting. I discussed this with record expert Jim Peters, whose 78-rpm discs were among those used for this release. Neither one of us can remember if these overloads are inherent on the originals. I suspect that dubbing at a slightly lower level would have mitigated this problem. Otherwise, the transfers are almost silent, and this much anticipated release will reward fully anyone who hears it. Just listen to "Tränenregen" where you can hear the notes feather away in Lehmann's throat, even as she is still projecting the actual tone!

Omega Opera Archive
P.O. Box 305
Pomona, New York, 10970
http://www.operaphile.com/omega.html OmegaTwo@msn.com

44. Dec. 21, 1935 Lohengrin Lehmann, Lawrence, Melchior, Schorr, List - Bodanzky Cond.
Duration: 3 hours N.B. Last 8 1/3 minutes missing. So far, best available copy.

1532. Dec. 21, 1935 Final 8 minutes. Lohengrin. Melchior, Lehmann, List, Lawrence_Bodanzky Duration: 8 minutes
Finally the ending to catalogue item #44. This is free when you get Item #44 complete opera. VG sound.

112. Oct. 24, 1936 Die Walkure (Act 2) Flagstad, Melchior, Lehmann, Duration: 1 1/4 hours Schorr - Reiner Cond. From private acetates.

540. Rosenkavalier — Met, Feb. 5, 1938. Lehmann, List, Schorr, Thorborg - Bodanzky

1568. Feb. 5, 1938 Rosenkavalier. Lehmann, Thorborg, Schorr, Fisher, List Duration: 2 1/2 hours. Bodanzky. Fair to Good private acetates.

530. Lotte Lehmann — NYC, Oct. 18, 1938. 28 items

200. Jan. 7, 1939 Der Rosenkavalier Lehmann, Stevens, Schorr, Duration: 2 1/2 hours Farrell, List - Bodanzky Cond. Private acetates.

61. March 30, 1940 Die Walkure Lehmann, Lawrence, Melchior, Schorr, List - Leinsdorf Cond. Duration: 3 3/4 hours. With Koussevitzky interview. Original transcription.

211. 1943, 1945 Two rare Lotte Lehmann Recitals Standard Hour
Duration: 3/4 hours. Seattle Symphony. Privately recorded acetates.

1713. Lotte Lehmann Recital. Hollywood Bowl, Aug. 5, 1948. 6 items w/E. Ormandy Duration: 2 hours. VG. Private acetates

STRAUSS: Der Rosenkavalier (abridged)

Schumann, Lehmann, Olszewska, Madin, May; Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Heger.

Plus Excerpts from Der Rosenkavalier with Lehmann, Kemp, Supervia, Tauber, Mayr, others. No texts or translations. Naxos 8.110191-92 (2)

This legendary recording, known for years in its previous incarnations, simply as "The Lehmann Rosenkavalier," offers an invaluable glimpse into the style of performance of this piece when it was new. Although the recording date of 1933 postdates the opera's world premiere in Dresden by twenty-two years, three of its principals had close ties to productions that took place within three months of that premiere, and all became inseparably associated with the roles that they sing on this recording. Although abridged (only an hour and a half of the opera is presented), this version is full of riches: the interpretive insights of its singers, the vocal style, and the conducting of Robert Heger.

Lotte Lehmann's Marschallin is, of course, unforgettable. A singer whose voice seemed to embody the emotional intent of every word of text, while never becoming self-conscious or precious, she seems to be this woman. During her delivery of the Act I monologue, one feels as if one is peeking through a keyhole, observing the actual person upon which this operatic character was based. Never a singer with a long breath line, or the greatest arsenal of effects, Lehmann transcends all of that, making one believe her singing is ravishing by getting directly to the truth in every phrase. Her two colleagues, through many memorable Rosenkavaliers, Elisabeth Schumann and Richard Mayr, contribute indelible impressions of Sophie and Baron Ochs, although both were beyond the age of vocal freshness when this recording was made. Mayr, like Lehmann, owns his role; his Ochs, both appalling and lovable, is not performed so much as lived. He was fifty-six when he set down this version (and died two years later), but there is a youthful spontaneity to his Ochs that makes the humor infectious, and one actually laughs at loud at some of his line readings. Schumann first sang Sophie in the 1911 Hamburg premiere, and was such a favorite of Strauss's that he accompanied her during an extensive recital tour in which she featured his songs. At fifty-five, her Sophie is doubtless no longer as vocally alluring as it once was, but again, the delivery of the text and the style provide an invaluable lesson, and many of the vocal passages retain beauty. Maria Olszewska, the Octavian, had sung the role with her three colleagues two years earlier at Covent Garden. Olszewska's dark-voiced, ardent Octavian is the perfect partner for Lehmann vocally and she brings a detailed, credible interpretation.

It is said that Strauss himself was to conduct this recording, the first of such length until the LP era brought complete Rosenkavaliers some seventeen years later, but that because the composer's required fee was prohibitive, Heger, an admired conductor at the Berlin Staatsoper, was brought in as maestro. Heger's wonderfully paced reading has all the requisite wistfulness, passion and sweep.

This recording has been available on previous LP and CD incarnations. Restoring the matrices used here apparently posed difficulties for the restoration engineer, according to notes from Mark Obert-Thorn; anyone familiar with previous LP pressings knows the sound was not good. But it is clear and present enough to be enjoyable.

The Rosenkavalier excerpts that fill out the balance of the second disc are fascinating and wonderful. Both Lehmann and Mayr are presented in music not included in the abridged version. She is heartbreaking (and in fresher voice) in her 1927 "clock" monologue from Act I, while he is heard in a more extended version of the finale of Act II, featuring his famous whistling in the scene with Annina (the marvelous Anni Andrassy). Alexander Kipnis sings the same selection with his customary magnificent tone, and a good measure of humor. Barbara Kemp, a noted Marschallin, and Wagnerian soprano, is heard in most of the Act I monologue, as well as the "clock" section; both are beautifully sung and articulated. Conchita Supervia, who created Octavian in the 1911 Rome premiere, is joined by Maria Ferraris for the presentation of the rose duet (in Italian). Supervia is wonderful, and Ferraris sounds about fifteen years old! And Richard Tauber appropriately overdoes the Italian tenor carrying-on in "Di rigori armato il seno" (transposed down a half tone), while singing the hell out of it. Most fascinating are two excerpts recorded live by HMV at the Theater Unter den Linden in Berlin, during the 1927-28 season. Kemp is heard again as the Marschallin, along with the marvelous Octavian of Delia Reinhardt, and Sophie of Marion Claire. The trio and final duet are sung magnificently by all three, and conducted eloquently by Richard Lert. The recorded sound is excellent, and, of course, the fact that it is a live recording in-house from 1928 adds that extra frisson.

IRA SIFF