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111244 bk LotteLehmann EU 2/9/07 11:41 AM Page 5 FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797 - 1828) 8.111244 Winterreise, D. 911 (excerpts) 30:22 GREAT SINGERS • LEHMANN ADD (Text: Wilhelm Müller) – Gute Nacht (No. 1) 4:23 § Gefrorne Tränen (No. 3) 2:49 ¶ Erstarrung (No. 4)* 2:54 Lotte • Wasserflut (No. 6) 3:25 ª Rast (No. 10) 4:07 Also available: LEHMANN º Frühlingstraum (No. 11) 4:13 ⁄ Einsamkeit (No. 12) 2:41 ¤ Letzte Hoffnung (No. 16) 2:26 Lieder Recordings, Vol. 3 ‹ Der Leiermann (No. 24)* 3:20 1941 Paul Ulanowsky, Piano Recorded 14th and *19th March, 1941 in Los Angeles SCHUMANN Matrices: XCO 30018, CO 29948, CO 30015, XCO 29949, XCO 29953, XCO 29956, CO 29954, Frauenliebe und -Leben XCO 29951 [part], CO 30014 Dichterliebe First issued on Columbia 17367-D through 17369-D in album M-587 and 71174-D through 71176-D in album M-466 SCHUBERT Winterreise (excerpts) 8.111093 8.111094 Bruno Walter Paul Ulanowsky 8.111244 5 6 8.111244 111244 bk LotteLehmann EU 2/9/07 11:41 AM Page 2 Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976) Producer’s Note ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810 - 1856) ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810 - 1856) Lieder by Schumann and Schubert Frauenliebe und –Leben, Op. 42 20:23 Dichterliebe, Op. 48 27:03 These recordings were originally made on lacquer master discs featuring quieter surfaces and a wider frequency (Text: Adalbert von Chamisso) (Text: Heinrich Heine) By 1941, in her fifties Lotte Lehmann was gradually Sometimes intentionally, sometimes involuntarily breaths range than standard 78 rpm shellacs of the time could offer. At their best, the sound is comparable to early 1950s winding down her operatic career, but the long-serving, are taken in the most unlikely places, but that, and some monaural tape recordings. The transfers have been effected from LPs taken from these lacquers. Some 9 Im wunderschönen monat Mai 1:25 imperfections in the original lacquer masters (not from the LP copies) remain in the current transfer. Although warm-hearted soprano was still very active in the field of other moments in terms of pure vocalisation, are forgotten 1 Seit ich ihn geseh’n 2:35 0 Aus meinem Tränen spriessen 0:47 Lieder, a genre that she advocated throughout her and forgiven before the sheer outpouring of the whole. Columbia’s engineers, like Victor’s before them, recorded Lehmann far too close to the microphone in a small, extensive career. For much of the time she had been a Any soul left untouched by her tremendous ‘Ich grolle rather dry studio, I have not added any artificial reverberation so that the details of the original recordings may 2 Er der Herrlichste von Allen 3:00 ! Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne 0:36 Victor artist, but now she had switched to Columbia, who nicht’ must be damned. Any male heart that doesn’t come through unobscured. 3 Ich kann’s nicht fassen nicht glauben 1:56 @ Wenn ich in deine Augen seh’ 1:27 allowed her to record Dichterliebe and bits of capitulate to the eroticism of ‘Ich will meine Seele Winterreise, cycles usually associated with male singers, tauchen’ or the eager appeal of ‘Allnächtlich im Traume’ Mark Obert-Thorn 4 Du Ring an meinem Finger 2:19 # Ich will meine Seele tauchen 1:04 although she began with Frauenliebe und -Leben, a must be hard indeed. 5 Helft mir, ihr Schwestern 1:41 $ Im Rhein, im heiligen Strome 2:15 specifically female work, depicting a young woman Lehmann, greatly daring given the fact that this work 6 Süsser Freund, du blickest mich verwundert an 4:09 % Ich grolle nicht 1:53 falling in love, marrying, having a baby and then losing had in her time remained the province of male singers, her husband. It is a cycle of open, unfettered and undertook to perform Winterreise, over some months in 7 An meinem Herzen, an meiner Brust 1:13 ^ Und wüssten’s die Blumen 1:18 dedicated expression of love for a man. Somewhat 1940-41, now with her regular accompanist of the day, 8 Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmerz getan 3:27 & Das ist ein Flöten und Geigen 1:12 frowned on given today’s ideas on feminism, the Paul Ulanowski. Dismissing criticism that this is a man- wonderful setting by Schumann surely is its own only cycle, and putting out of court preconceived ideas * Hör ich das Liedchen klingen 1:50 justification, and Lehmann is the sincere, fully committed about the right voice for the work, she offered a bold, Bruno Walter, Piano ( Ein Jüngling liebt ein Mädchen 1:03 artist to make her own case for it. romantic reading that identifies both with the bleak Lehmann is not a singer to pull any punches. She setting and the protagonist’s awful situation. Recorded 24th June, 1941 in Los Angeles ) Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen 2:13 wholly identifies with all the girl’s emotions, and pours Although we do not have the complete performance Matrices: CO 31508 through 31515 ¡ Ich hab’ im Traum geweinet 1:47 them out in her own, very generous terms. Her word- here, enough is suggested in the chosen songs to get the First issued on Columbia 17362-D through 17365-D ™ Allnächtlich im Traume 1:28 painting is, as ever, something to wonder at, as is her still- flavour of Lehmann’s interpretation, one only matched by warm tone. Portamento is used in a way frowned on a woman in recent times by the equally individual and in album M-539 £ Aus alten Märchen winkt es 2:38 today, but it is part of her interpretative manner, and she involved Brigitte Fassbaender. Like her successor, ¢ Die alten, bösen Lieder 4:05 uses it to telling effect throughout. If the reading is not to Lehmann identifies with the spirit of each song, is not today’s more fastidious taste so much the worse for that averse to ritenuti ad portamenti as a means of expression, taste. If you let yourself relax into Lehmann’s very and, more important, lives every word of the text in a Bruno Walter, Piano personal ways, the rewards are huge. This is an wholly involving way - take, as an example, the final two instinctive, giving artist making Schumann’s cycle her lines of ‘Frühlingstraum’ where she balances the Recorded 13th August, 1941 in Los Angeles very own. Bruno Walter’s playing is another matter - timescale of past and present to perfection. Ulanowsky is Matrices: indulgence is needed to allow for some carelessness in his a faithful partner in all she does, but for better or worse, CO 31380 (Tracks 9-11), CO 31377 (Tracks 12-13), efforts, but - like his singer (a frequent colleague in the lacks the inspired if wayward quality of Walter. opera house) - his idiosyncrasies are forgiven for his As a singer, Lehmann was a force of nature who XCO 31383 (Tracks 14-15), XCO 31381 (Tracks 16-18), many musical revelations. obeyed her own musical and interpretative inclinations CO 31384 (Tracks 19-20), CO 31378 (Tracks 21-22), The same can be said of his contribution to rather than following the stylistic verities. Nothing she Dichterliebe; any mistakes are forgiven in his heartfelt, ever did was lightly undertaken or ill-considered; XCO 31379 (Track 23) and XCO 31382 (Track 24) serene rendering of the long postlude. As for Lehmann everything came from the heart and went to it. A new First issued on Columbia 17295-D, 17296-D, 71308-D once again impassioned delivery, free declamation, utter generation of listeners may at first be disconcerted by her conviction are of the essence as the first song immediately singing but I am sure in the end they will, like me, be and 71309-D in album M-486 reveals. With what meaning she invests the text captivated by a unique artist. throughout: ‘Nur einer kennst meinen Schmerz’ in ‘Und wüssten's die Blumen’, for instance, rends the heart. Ꭿ 2007 Alan Blyth 8.111244 2 3 8.111244 4 8.111244 111244 bk LotteLehmann EU 2/9/07 11:41 AM Page 2 Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976) Producer’s Note ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810 - 1856) ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810 - 1856) Lieder by Schumann and Schubert Frauenliebe und –Leben, Op. 42 20:23 Dichterliebe, Op. 48 27:03 These recordings were originally made on lacquer master discs featuring quieter surfaces and a wider frequency (Text: Adalbert von Chamisso) (Text: Heinrich Heine) By 1941, in her fifties Lotte Lehmann was gradually Sometimes intentionally, sometimes involuntarily breaths range than standard 78 rpm shellacs of the time could offer. At their best, the sound is comparable to early 1950s winding down her operatic career, but the long-serving, are taken in the most unlikely places, but that, and some monaural tape recordings. The transfers have been effected from LPs taken from these lacquers. Some 9 Im wunderschönen monat Mai 1:25 imperfections in the original lacquer masters (not from the LP copies) remain in the current transfer. Although warm-hearted soprano was still very active in the field of other moments in terms of pure vocalisation, are forgotten 1 Seit ich ihn geseh’n 2:35 0 Aus meinem Tränen spriessen 0:47 Lieder, a genre that she advocated throughout her and forgiven before the sheer outpouring of the whole. Columbia’s engineers, like Victor’s before them, recorded Lehmann far too close to the microphone in a small, extensive career. For much of the time she had been a Any soul left untouched by her tremendous ‘Ich grolle rather dry studio, I have not added any artificial reverberation so that the details of the original recordings may 2 Er der Herrlichste von Allen 3:00 ! Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne 0:36 Victor artist, but now she had switched to Columbia, who nicht’ must be damned.