Suite 5, 17 Holywell Hill, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 1DT t: 01727 865488 e: [email protected] w: www.symmetry-systems.co.uk Esoteric August 2010 / From Deutsche Grammophon (DG) Lehár, Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) J. Strauss II, Die Fledermaus A milestone of Super Audio CD/CD re-mastering, bringing a new experience to all listeners - brought to you by the experience and technology of ESOTERIC. A note from producer… The reissuing of the Decca masterpiece series has attracted a lot of attention both for its uncompromising commitment to recreating the original master recording and for using our hybrid Super Audio CD/CD re-mastering technology to improve sound quality. Now the time has come for the release of Deutsche Grammophon’s fi nest. This series marks the fi rst hybrid SA-CD/CD release of two selections that have been mainstays of the Deutsche Grammophon catalogue since the initial release on LP, later making their way on to CD. These new audio versions feature DSD mastering of the original recordings. ESOTERIC equipment used for re-mastering The criterion of re-mastering is to faithfully capture the quality of the original master tapes. ESOTERIC’s fl ag ship D/A converters, model D-01VU, Rubidium master clock generator model G-0Rb and ESOTERIC MEXCEL cables, were all used for this re-mastering session. This combination of highly advanced technology greatly contributed to capturing the high quality sound of the original master tapes with the performer. Please contact Nigel Crump at Symmetry for further information. 1 pioneering conductor who was dedicated sophisticated splendor. In a live operetta to recording albums with a never performance on stage, there is often more changing, lifelong passion. Karajan left a prominence put on the stage performance large volume of recorded works spanning and audience reaction rather than the finer from SP recordings to digital recordings. points of singing and orchestra parts. But, In the course of a long recording history in this album, the singing and orchestra and career, Karajan reached one of his parts were recreated meticulously so musical peaks in the 1970s. During this that the opulence of the music composed period, Karajan’s relationship with the BPO by Franz Lehár, which could not be finally became so deep that they made experienced so clearly prior to this studio very high-caliber recordings one after recording by Karajan, was manifest for another. Like “Second Viennese School” the first time to listeners. This album has (ESOTERIC ESSG-90017), which contains been regarded highly since its release Lehár Schoenberg’s “Verklärte Nacht” and other as a most creditable masterpiece both in Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) orchestral works, already re-mastered in name and real terms as the first operetta Herbert von Karajan hybrid Super Audio CD/CD format by recording ever made by DG who had had Berliner Philharmoniker ESOTERIC. no prior experience with operettas since its Product Details founding. Product ID: ESSG-90039 / 40 [2 discs] For ESOTERIC’s re-master process, this Format: SA-CD/CD Hybrid Label: Deutsche Grammophon DSD mastering / SA-CD layer: complete album of “The Merry Widow” Ultimate sound quality by Stereo / CD layer: ADD Deluxe Digipak originally released in 1973, is also a Super Audio CD (SACD)/CD packaging landmark masterpiece that demonstrates hybridization Franz Lehár (1870-1948) Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) the musical heights of that era. All the tracks of “The Merry Widow” were [Casting] recorded over seven days in sessions that Zoltán Kelemen, Teresa Stratas, René Kollo, The first ever operetta Elizabeth Harwood, Werner Hollweg, Donald recording made by Deutsche took place at the Jesus Christ Church in Grobe, Werner Krenn, Karl Renar Grammophon Berlin from 1972 to 1973. This album was Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin one of the last recordings made at this Einstudierung: Walter Hagen-Groll “The Merry Widow” was recorded in church by Karajan and the BPO since their Dialog-Regie: August Everding studio sessions that took place purely for recording venue was moved to Berliner [Original Recording] the purpose of recording. It was very rare Executive Producer: Hans Hirsch Philharmonic (BPO’s home concert hall) Recording Producer: Hans Weber for Karajan to make a recording of an after March 1973. The Jesus Christ Church, Balance Engineer: Günter Hermanns opera independently of a live performance Location: Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin located in the quiet suburb of Dahlem, Recording Date: Feb., Nov & Dec 1972 because live opera performances and served as broadcasting and recording recordings were invariably carried out in venue after World War II because of its conjunction at that time (Karajan never superb acoustics. DG produced many conducted this opera on an actual stage). masterpieces at this church following This album represents René Kollo and Elizabeth Harwood were the recordings made by conductors the sublime essence and appointed as the two leading characters Wilhelm Furtwängler and Ferenc Fricsay. sophistication of Lehár of this operetta. René Kollo was becoming DG’s distinguished tone meister Gunter recorded by Herbert von prominent as a Wagnerian tenor vocalist Hermans, who had an in-depth knowledge Karajan with the Berlin at that time and sang in the role of Walther of this church’s acoustics, was in charge Philharmonic Orchestra for Karajan’s 1970 recording of “Die of recording “The Merry Widow.” The (BPO) at their prime. At Meistersinger von Nümberg” in Dresden famous opera director August Everding, long last, listeners can prior to this recording. On the other hand, experience all the tracks who was an attendant at Hamburg State Elizabeth Harwood, the English soprano Opera at that time, was in charge of of “Die Lustige Witwe” vocalist who was favored by Karajan, (The Merry Widow), in the directing the dialogs of the performers. This sang in the role of Musetta in the complete masterpiece album was released on CD ultimate sound quality of album of “Ba bohème.” Besides these two, Super Audio CD/CD hybrid from the earliest days of digital recordings. other roles were assigned to Karajan’s technology. This time, however, ESOTERIC has issued preferred vocalists including Teresa Stratas, a Direct Stream Digital (DSD) re-mastering “The Merry Widow” studio Zoltan Kelemen (who sang in the role of from high sound quality master, allowing recording made during the Alberich in all tracks of Karajan’s “The the listeners to appreciate the sophisticated heydays of Karajan and the Ring of Nibelung”), Werner Hollweg (tenor world of Lehár via a crystal clear and yet Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra vocalist in Haydn’s “The Seasons”), Donald fresh sound for the first time. Grobe, and Werner Krenn. Together with The works of Herbert von Karajan (1908 these distinguished vocalists and the choir to 1989) have been re-evaluated from of Deutsche Opera Berlin, lead by the various standpoints since 2008, which eminent choir director Walter Hagen-Groll, marked the 100th birth anniversary Karajan produced an operetta of ultimate and the 10th death anniversary of the Please contact Nigel Crump at Symmetry for further information. 2 of slowing down six years after his death. the biggest appeals of this album that you Kleiber was a charismatic conductor who cannot perceive in other performances is held his many audiences spellbound with the masculine sound of the orchestra that overwhelming and inspired performances— quickly responds to Kleiber’s flexible style regardless of whether it was an opera of conducting. This quality can be heard or symphony—as well as his graceful throughout the tracks on this album, most and dazzling approach to conducting, notably in the overture, which was often despite the extremely small number of conducted by Kleiber for the encore at concert appearances and repertoire and concerts, as well as the awe-inspiring “Unter frequent cancellations of his performances. Donner und Blitz” (Thunder and Lightning), Kleiber’s studio recordings started with “Der which is played in Act 2 and considered to Freischütz” in 1973 and ended with “Tristan be the climax among all the tracks. For this und Isolde” in 1982. Only eight recordings recording, the dialog of the performers was by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) and one supervised by Otto Schenk, who was director J. Strauss II recording by EMI have been released. for the opera performance. You can capture Die Fledermaus Other than those, all recordings were made the feel of a lively stage from this recording Carlos Kleiber from live performances, both official and session that is almost like a live opera Bayerisches Staatsorchester unofficial. Following his first complete opera performance, in the same way as Karajan’s Product Details Product ID: ESSG-90041 / 42 [2 discs] album “Der Freischutz” from DG, Kleiber recording session album “Die Lustige Witwe” Format: SA-CD/CD Hybrid Label: Deutsche recorded the complete “Die Fledermaus” (The Merry Widow). Grammophon DSD mastering / SA-CD layer: Stereo / CD layer: ADD Deluxe Digipak between 1975 and 1976. “Die Fledermaus” Ultimate sound quality by packaging was the first recording Kleiber made with the Super Audio CD (SACD)/CD Johann Strauss II (1825-1899) Orchestra of the Bavarian State Opera with Die Fledermaus hybridization whom he had a close relationship during the [Casting] The recording sessions of this album took Hermann Prey, Julia Varady, Lucia Popp, Benno later 30 years of his career. Kusche, Iwan Rebroff, René Kollo, Chor der place at the Munich Herkulessaal concert Deutschen Oper Berlin, Einstudierung: Walter “Die Fledermaus” directed by Otto Schenk hall, which has superb acoustics. This hall Hagen-Groll, Dialog-Regie: August Everding was performed for the very first time at the Bayerischer Staatsopernchor makes it possible to clearly reproduce the Einstudierung: Wolfgang Baumgart Bavarian State Opera on New Year’s Eve, details of the performances with a high Dialog-Regie: Otto Schenk 1974.