More Aafje Heynis and "Haunted Heart"

Let me clarify the header - Dutch contralto Aafje Heynis does not attempt the Dietz-Schwartz semi-standard "Haunted Heart." She leaves that fine number to several great pop singers. Instead, she favors us with an Elgar song cycle.

To clarify further, this post is a follow-up to my two most recent items - the contemporary recordings of the 1948 Dietz-Schwartz revue Inside U.S.A., and a 1962 Brahms collection featuring Heynis, the Vienna Symphony and its chief conductor, Wolfgang Sawallisch.

Ilene Woods

First, Inside U.S.A. and its ballad "Haunted Heart." In the comments of my post, I decided to include a link to my remastering of a Frank Sinatra aircheck from Your Hit Parade. (Sinatra never did a commercial recording of the song, to my knowledge.) Old friend David Federman one-upped me (actually five-upped me) by posting contemporary versions from Bing Crosby, Don Rodney with Guy Lombardo, Jo Stafford, Margaret Whiting and the very young Ilene Woods (soon to be the voice of Cinderella). The latter is particularly interesting because it includes a vocal bridge that I have not heard in any other recording. I've now added Frank to the Federman collection, and included a fresh link in the comments to this post.

Aafje Heynis

Meanwhile, reader Andrew alerted me to the existence of an 1962 aircheck of Heynis as the soloist in Elgar's cycle, "Sea Pictures," Op. 37. I quickly hunted it down, remastered what I found and am pleased to offer it to all of you who were enchanted by Heynis' singing in the "Alto Rhapsody." She is accompanied by the Netherlands Radio Orchestra under its chief conductor, Henk Spruit. The sound is good quality mono. Here, too - as always - the link is in the comments.

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Brahms from Vienna with Wolfgang Sawallisch and Aafje Heynis

This post was inspired by nothing so much as my own desire to post something by the radiant Dutch contralto Aafje Heynis (1924-2015), who is a particular favorite of mine.

Aafje Heynis

Heynis first gained wide acclaim for a performance of Brahms' "Alto Rhapsody" with the Concertgebouw Orchestra and Eduard van Beinum, recorded in 1958. Almost exactly four years later, Philips called on her again to perform the same work, this time with the Vienna Symphony under its chief conductor, Wolfgang Sawallisch (1923-2013). That is the version contained on the LP before us today.

Also on the LP are the "Variations on a Theme of Haydn" and the "Schicksalslied" (Song of Destiny). Both are accorded worthy performances by Sawallisch and his forces, which also included the Vienna Singverein.

Wolfgang Sawallisch

Sawallisch was then engaged in a survey of Brahms' symphonies and other works with the Vienna Symphony. The Haydn Variations were among the first to be recorded, in October and November 1959. The Alto Rhapsody and Schicksalslied sessions were in January and February 1962. My transfer comes from a pristine pressing that appears to have been done for the British market.

While I am particularly taken with the Alto Rhapsody performance, in truth all three are beautifully done, and notably well balanced by the conductor and recording crew.

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