111011-13 bk Rosenk EU 16/12/2004 01:21pm Page 16 Producer’s Note The present transfer was made from two mint British LP pressings. The original master tape contains some RICHARD STRAUSS electronic clicks, noticeable edits and occasional overload distortion which can also be heard in Decca’s own CD transfer. Mark Obert-Thorn Der Rosenkavalier KLE ICH IBE ER R Mark Obert-Thorn Mark Obert-Thorn is one of the world’s most respected transfer artist/engineers. He has worked for a number of 195 ing specialist labels, including Pearl, Biddulph, Romophone and Music & Arts. Three of his transfers have been 4 Record nominated for Gramophone Awards. A pianist by training, his passions are music, history and working on projects. He has found a way to combine all three in the transfer of historical recordings. Obert-Thorn describes himself as a ‘moderate interventionist’ rather than a ‘purist’ or ‘re-processor,’ unlike those who apply significant additions and make major changes to the acoustical qualities of old recordings. His philosophy is that a good transfer should not call attention to itself, but rather allow the performances to be heard Maria Reining • Sena Jurinac with the greatest clarity. There is no over-reverberant ‘cathedral sound’ in an Obert-Thorn restoration, nor is there the tinny bass and Hilde Gueden • Ludwig Weber piercing mid-range of many ‘authorised’ commercial issues. He works with the cleanest available 78s, and consistently achieves better results than restoration engineers working with the metal parts from the archives of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra modern corporate owners of the original recordings. His transfers preserve the original tone of the old recordings, maximising the details in critical upper mid-range and lower frequencies to achieve a musical integrity that is Erich Kleiber absent from many other commercially released restorations. 8.111011-13 16 111011-13 bk Rosenk EU 16/12/2004 01:21pm Page 2 Great Opera Recordings tries to leave, his way obstructed by Annina, the make, Sophie understanding Octavian’s divided children and waiters, coachmen and house-boy, all of feelings, and Octavian himself now in love with Sophie. Richard whom demand payment. Eventually he makes his The Marschallin leaves the lovers together. For both of escape. them this is a dream. The Marschallin returns with STRAUSS Faninal, ready to give the couple his blessing. She and (1864–1949) @ Sophie, the Marschallin and Octavian are left alone. Faninal leave the couple together once more. Sophie realises the whole thing was only a farce and Der Rosenkavalier sees that Octavian is in love with the Marschallin. The $ For both of them the whole thing is a dream, that older woman now urges Octavian to go to Sophie; she now they can be together for ever. Sophie falls into Comedy for Music in three acts by Hugo von Hofmannsthal has already told him that sooner or later he must leave Octavian’s arms. They kiss and run out of the room her. She looks closely at Sophie, guessing her feelings together, Sophie dropping her handkerchief. The little The Marschallin, Princess Werdenberg . Maria Reining (soprano) for Octavian, who has been standing embarrassed. Black Boy trots in, retrieves the handkerchief and trips Baron Ochs of Lerchenau . Ludwig Weber (bass) out again, as the curtain falls. Octavian . Sena Jurinac (soprano) # The three express their own mixed feelings, the Herr von Faninal . Alfred Poell (baritone) Marschallin sadness at the sacrifice that she must now Keith Anderson Sophie . Hilde Gueden (soprano) Marianne Leitmetzerin, the Duenna . Judith Hellwig (soprano) Valzacchi . Peter Klein (Tenor) Annina . Hilde Rössel-Majdan (mezzo-soprano) A Singer . Anton Dermota (tenor) A Police Commissioner . Walter Berry (bass) The Marschallin’s Majordomo . Harald Pröglhof (bass) Faninal’s Majordomo . August Jaresch (tenor) A Notary . Franz Bierbach (bass) Animal Vendor / A Landlord . Erich Majkut (tenor) A Milliner . Berta Seidl (soprano) Three Noble Orphans . Wilfriede Loibner (soprano) Elfriede Hochstätter (mezzo-soprano) Maria Trupp (contralto) Four of the Marschallin’s Footmen . Alois Buchbauer (tenor) Ludwig Fleck (tenor) Fritz Maier (bass) Otto Vajda (bass) Four Waiters . Wolfgang Daucha (tenor) Rudolf Stumper (bass) Fritz Erbner (bass) Ferdinand Settmacher (bass) Vienna State Opera Chorus • Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra • Erich Klieber, Conductor Recorded 29th May to 28th June 1954 in the Musikvereinsaal, Vienna First issued as Decca LXT 2954 through 2957 Reissue Producer and Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn 8.111011-13 2 15 8.111011-13 111011-13 bk Rosenk EU 16/12/2004 01:21pm Page 14 4 Mariandel’s melancholy continues: everything is the scandal and rushes at the Baron, only to fall back, CD 1 71:26 # Ach, du bist wieder da! 5:31 hopeless, however much one may want it. The Baron fainting, to be helped out by his servants and Sophie. (Marschallin, Octavian) suggests that her dress is too tight and tries to undo it Act I and then, feeling hot himself, takes off his wig. 8 The Baron finds his wig, regains something of his $ Die Zeit, die ist ein sonderbar’ Ding 8:58 composure and declares himself ready to pay and go 1 Prelude 2:51 (Marschallin, Octavian) 5 At this moment a head appears in the alcove. He home. He will take Mariandel home with him and will, (Orchestra) looks at Mariandel and seems to see Octavian and then he says, probably marry her, as he has no idea who the % Ich hab’ ihn nicht einmal geküßt 3:31 sees another face staring at him from the wall. Terrified other woman is, with her children. Octavian refuses and 2 Wie du warst! Wie du bist! 7:53 (Marschallin, Footmen) he seizes a hand-bell from the table and rings it in calls the Police Officer aside, to explain to him the true (Octavian, Marschallin) agitation. Now the blind window opens and Annina situation. From behind the curtains of the alcove, appears, calling for her husband, the Baron, and Mariandel’s clothes are thrown, to the Baron’s alarm. 3 Marie Theres’! … Octavian! 4:10 speaking in a respectable Bohemian German accent. The Baron must go to her, but now the Landlord (Octavian, Marschallin) She is followed by the Landlord and waiters, who announces the arrival of the Marschallin. observe in sympathy as she accuses the Baron of 4 Quinquin, es ist mein Mann! 3:28 intended bigamy. He thinks he is going out of his mind 9 The Marchallin enters, attended by her people, her (Marschallin, Octavian, Marschallin’s Majordomo, and then seems to remember her. The four children she train carried by the little Black Boy. Octavian puts his Baron) has brought with her now call for their father and the head through the alcove curtains, but the Baron signals Baron tries to fend them off. The Landlord warns the to him in agitation, fearing that the Marschallin will see. 5 Selbstverständlich empfängt mich Ihro Gnaden Baron of the morality-police, who will take a stern view When the Baron’s back is turned, Octavian emerges, in (Baron, Footmen, Marschallin) 8:19 of bigamy, while the latter calls out for the police his own clothes, telling the Marschallin that this was not himself. as he had planned things. She looks at the Baron, as the 6 Hat Sie schon einmal mit einem Kavalier 6:17 door is opened and Sophie appears, telling the Baron (Baron, Octavian, Marschallin) 6 At this moment a Police Officer enters and seems to that her father repudiates him entirely. He tries to go out mistake the unwigged Baron for the Landlord. The to speak to Faninal, but is prevented by the latter’s 7 Nein! Er agiert mir gar zu gut! 3:38 Baron announces his identity, but Valzacchi will not servants. (Marschallin, Baron, Octavian) vouch for him, while Mariandel pretends agitation, threatening to drown herself and deliberately revealing 0 The Marschallin tells him to go, with what dignity 8 I komm’ glei! 2:16 the bed. The Baron, to avoid a charge of seduction, he can, since his engagement is at an end. She explains (Octavian, Orphans, Milliner, Animal Vendor, declares Mariandel his bride, the daughter of Herr von to the Police Officer, an old soldier in her husband’s Marschallin, Valzacchi)) Faninal. regiment, that the whole thing was simply a farce. The Officer and his constables withdraw. The Baron now 9 Di rigori armato il seno 2:54 7 Faninal now makes his way through the crowd of sees Octavian and begins to understand something of (Singer) onlookers at the door, claiming to have been summoned the situation, but the Marschallin is adamant that his by the Baron himself. The latter has to try to explain engagement with Sophie Faninal is now impossible. 0 Als Morgengabe – ganz separatim jedoch 3:13 that this is another Faninal, a relation. Faninal, however, She advises the Baron to withdraw, as a gentleman (Baron, Notary, Singer) insists that he is the father of the Baron’s bride, but not should, to his dismay at the upsetting of his plans of of the girl who is with the Baron: Sophie, he tells them, marriage. ! Mein lieber Hippolyte 3:37 is in his carriage outside. The Baron rushes round (Marschallin, Valzacchi, Baron, Annina) looking for his wig, and the children renew their cries of ! Valzacchi comes in, with the men who had been ‘Papa’. Sophie enters and goes to her father, while the concealed and with Annina, now as herself. The @ Da geht er hin 4:51 Baron tries to hide his baldness. Faninal is horrified at Landlord presents the Baron with a long bill. The Baron (Marschallin) 8.111011-13 14 3 8.111011-13 111011-13 bk Rosenk EU 16/12/2004 01:21pm Page 4 CD 2 59:59 @ Ist gut! Ist gut! Ein Schluck von was zum Trinken! # He returns, perplexed, to his anger at Octavian, seems to be learning her part.