Fritz Lehmann Conducts Romantic Overtures

Fritz Lehmann is a little-remembered conductor whose recording heyday was short, but who did manage to make dozens of recordings for Deutsche Grammophon before his early death at age 52 in 1956.

Lehmann has appeared here twice before - with his recording of The Nutcracker Suite and with Brahms and Schumann overtures, along with two of Dvořák's Slavonic Rhapsodies. This post will revisit the Brahms and Schumann works while adding overtures from the Romantic period by Mendelssohn, Weber and Schubert.

About Fritz Lehmann

To paraphrase myself from an earlier post: Lehmann (1904-56) was a busy conductor who died too young. An enthusiast of Baroque music and early advocate of period performance practices, much of his recorded legacy is from the classical and Romantic periods. DG kept him engaged, but he also recorded for other labels.

Although not reflected in this program, it's important to mention Lehmann's advocacy for Bach and Handel. He was conductor of the Göttingen International Handel Festival, from 1934-44, and then again from 1946-53, where he conducted modern revivals of two Handel operas. His death came while he was conducting a performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion. At the time he was in the midst of recording the Christmas Oratorio. The final sections were completed with Günther Arndt.

Two Mendelssohn Overtures

In 1951, Lehmann joined with the Berlin Philharmonic for recordings of two sea-going Mendelssohn concert overtures issued on the 10-inch LP above. The first and better known is The Hebrides (also called Fingal's Cave), a marvelous, dramatic work here in a performance that does it full justice.

Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage - written at about the same time as The Hebrides and inspired by Goethe - starts off (uh) calmly. There isn't enough wind to sail. But soon enough the voyage is on its way. The composer's music is never less than interesting, but the work suffers in comparison with its predecessor.

The recordings - like all here with the Berlin orchestra - were made in the Jesus-Christus-Kirche.

Brahms and Schumann Overtures

The second 10-inch LP is the one I have previously featured, but which has been thoroughly reworked for this post.

It combines Brahms' Tragic Overture, the portentous work that has remained familiar in the concert hall for nearly 150 years. Hugely dramatic and impressive, it is one of the composer's best and best-known works. 

Lehmann is a sure hand with this material, again with the Berlin Philharmonic in a performance from 1952.

From that same year we have Schumann's Manfred Overture, the most familiar part of the composer's set of incidental music inspired by the Lord Byron poem. From that music, the overture alone has maintained a footing on symphony programs.

For the Schumann, Lehmann leads the Bamberg Symphony, which is not as refined as the Berlin ensemble, but which still produces a worthy performance whose dramatic qualities make it a good disk mate for the Brahms.

Weber - Der Freischütz Overture

Late in 1952, Lehmann and the Berliners turned their attention to the overture from the first German Romantic opera - Carl Maria von Weber's Der Freischütz, which also is well performed by the musicians from Berlin. The opera itself is far more often heard in Germany than here in the US, but the engaging overture is a welcome program addition.

This pressing appeared in American Decca's budget 10-inch line. Decca reprinted many of Lehmann's recordings and those of other DG conductors such as Paul van Kempen and Ferenc Fricsay. This collection does not include the second piece on the Decca LP - Gluck's Alceste Overture - because it is not from the romantic period.

Two Schubert Overtures from the Same Work

Our final selections are two Schubert overtures associated with the same work - the composer's incidental music to Rosamunde, a play by Helmina von Chézy.

When Schubert assembled his Rosamunde score, he opted to use the overture he had written for his opera Alfonso und Estrella. This is the overture that is now sometimes called the Rosamunde, as it is here.

In 1855, well after the composer's death, a publisher substituted Schubert's Die Zauberharfe overture in an edition of the Rosamunde score. Since then, conductors have generally used that piece when they program the Rosamunde music, at least in part because it's considered better music than the Alfonso und Estrella overture.

Here you can judge for yourself in these 1952-53 performances from Berlin, again from Decca's budget 4000 series.

DG's sound during this period was impressive, although with a tendency to bass heaviness, which I've clarified in these transfers.

LINK

Another Neglected Schubert Work

This is the second in a series of Schubert's early short operas - works that are little recognized but include much beguiling music.

The first such disc was a Heinz Wallberg-led performance of Der vierjáhrige Posten (The Four-Year Sentry), which the composer wrote when he was all of 18.

By the time he had matured to 23, he had moved on to a better (if still stereotypical) story, while losing nothing of his lyrical gift.

Today's tale is of Die Zwillingsbrüder (The Twin Brothers), which contains a predictable case of mistaken identity, compounded by an improbable coincidence, and how these create complications for young lovers before the also-predictable happy ending.

Now you may feel as though you saw something like this on the Hallmark Channel, and you would not be wrong, but it would not have been accompanied by lovely music performed by a world-class ensemble.

Helen Donath, Nicolai Gedda

The young lovers are soprano Helen Donath and tenor Nicolai Gedda, bass Kurt Moll plays the father of Donath, and baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau appears as both the title characters. On the podium is the august Wolfgang Sawallisch, leading forces from the Munich State Opera.

Wolfgang Sawallisch

As is common with productions of unfamiliar material, the critics caviled about what this wasn't than what it was. John Warrack in The Gramophone made sure that we know he preferred Schubert's more serious operas, noting, "The Singspiele with which Schubert believed he must, and would, conquer the stage are very much slighter; and Die Zwillingsbrüder is not even the most appealing of them."

Let's hear from George Jellinek in Stereo Review: "[I]t is a naive and unconvincing Singspiel that unfolds in the course of this well-produced and elegantly cast first recording, and even the uniformly fine singing and loving direction cannot make it effectively theatrical. There are ten arias, duets, and ensembles separated by spoken passages. One of them, a soprano aria (No. 3), is very attractive, with a clarinet interplay anticipating Der Hirt auf dem Felsen. Throughout, the orchestra writing is delicate and highly accomplished - after all, Schubert at twenty-three had already composed six symphonies - and the melodies are always engaging."

He adds that, "Missing, however, is the dramatic flow, the knack of involving the listener in the plot," while then conceding, "Still, it is an excellent performance of an opera by Schubert - and this description alone makes it almost irresistible."

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

"Almost irresistible" is the key phrase - this indeed is most pleasant to hear, and while it may not reach the heights of Schubert's masterworks, it is entirely enjoyable.

Let me mention that although the cover describes the production as a "Gesamtaufname" (complete recording), it actually is only the complete music. The dialog is cut down. Nor did EMI Electrola provide texts or translations with the disc. So I have included such from the Peter Maag-led performance of years later.

The sound, taken from an original pressing, is quite good; not quite as transparent as Der vierjáhrige Posten, which came from a few years later, but very listenable. The production dates from 1975.

LINK

The Gramophone, December 1976

A Less Familiar - But Delightful - Schubert Work

EMI's German label, Electrola, took up the cause of Franz Schubert's neglected stage works in the 1970s. One such effort was Der vierjáhrige Posten (The Four-Year Sentry), a delightful if insubstantial one-acter that is the subject of today's post.

Electrola engaged some of the best-known singers of the day - the American Helen Donath, the Germans Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Peter Schreier, under the direction of the experienced Heinz Wallberg conducting the Bavarian Radio Chorus and the Munich Radio Orchestra.

Heinz Wallberg at the recording session

Let me call upon the opera critic George Jellinek for his view of the proceedings: "In Der vierjährige Posten, the spoken passages are in verse, the libretto by the highly productive though modestly gifted Theodor Körner. The slight plot concerns the ingenious ways in which a French deserter avoids punishment. 

"This is early Schubert (1815, contemporaneous with his Third Symphony). lightly scored, charming, certainly skillful, but revealing none of the boldness the young Schubert exhibited in his early songs." George may be underselling the merits of this work - he aptly cites the Symphony No. 3, and if you know that score, you know it is a beguiling piece, well worth anyone's time.

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

The excellent singers are to the fore in the superbly vivid recording, with the orchestra and chorus arrayed behind them. To me, this is one of the high points of analogue recording, atmospheric and open.

Here's George's summary: "Both works [he also reviewed another Schubert opera] receive expert performances here, lovingly conducted by Heinz Wallberg. The prominent singers acquit themselves in a manner worthy of their reputations."

Helen Donath, Peter Schreier

Let me mention that Electrola did not see its way clear to provide a libretto or translation, so I have included the relevant parts of the booklet from Peter Maag's recording, which translates the German into English and Italian. The slight plot is explained in the LP's gatefold, along with more about Schubert at the time (he was 18!) and poor Körner, who, annotator Karl Schumann assures us, "produced an uncontrollable amount of mediocre works" before his early death.

LINK

Franz Schubert

A Schubert Mass from St. Paul

When Nonesuch issued this recording of Schubert's A flat Mass in 1977, it had no competition in the catalog. The composer's liturgical works just weren't all that popular - or even known - back then.

So this accomplished version from St. Paul, Minnesota was welcomed avidly - by at least one reviewer anyway.

For good reason - it is a highly enjoyable performance of a fascinating work, and very well recorded. As far as I know it has not been available since the original issue.

Franz Schubert by Wilhelm August Rieder

Although the work is a Missa Solemnis, Richard Freed noted in Stereo Review that it "is more jubilant than solemn, a most attractive blend of Schubert’s characteristic lyricism with the theatrical/virtuoso elements in the Masses of Mozart and Haydn."

The Mass is contemporaneous with two of the composer's most renowned works - the Unfinished Symphony and the Rosamunde music.

Dennis Russell Davies and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra 

Conducting the performance was the young Dennis Russell Davies, then 32 and the music director of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, a fine ensemble. He enlisted a superior solo quartet for the work, soprano Marlee Sabo, mezzo-soprano Jan DeGaetani, tenor Paul Sperry and baritone Leslie Guinn.

Freed compared the disc to another that had been led by Antonio Janigro, which he found "by no means displeasing. But the new version knocks it out of court in just about every respect. First of all, good as Janigro’s concept is, Davies’ is more inspiriting still; in place of the nondescript Italian soloists, Davies has a first-rate quartet; his choral forces are at least equal to Janigro’s, and his St. Paul Chamber Orchestra conspicuously outshines the Milanese ensemble in both the brilliance and the warmth of its playing. Enfolding it all is the rich and realistic sound, which leaves the competition even further behind."

Marlee Sabo, Jan DeGaetani

A few words about the performers: Marlee Sabo has been on the faculty of the Wisconsin Conservatory since 1967, currrently as an emeritus, and has performed extensively in the Midwest. Jan DeGaetani, who died in 1989, was famed for her performances of music from all periods, particularly contemporary works.

Paul Sperry, Leslie Guinn

Paul Sperry, who passed away earlier this year, was another vocalist with a wide repertoire who often performed works written for him. Leslie Guinn also was a specialist in contemporary music and was head of the vocal department at the University of Michigan for many years. He died in 2020.

Dennis Russell Davies is still very active at age 80, currently as chief conductor of the Brno Philharmonic and of the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Recording session in St. Paul's House of Hope Presbyterian Church

Let me also mention the contributions of the various choral ensembles from Carleton College of Northfield, Minnesota, as directed by William Wells.

Finally, the well-regarded sound team of Marc Aubort (d. 2023) and Joanna Nickrenz (d. 2002), who produced hundreds of unobtrusively excellent recordings during this period.

Richard Freed's conclusion: "All in all, a stunning production, one that should go a long way toward making this splendid work as familiar and beloved as Schubert's instrumental compositions and songs." That hasn't happened yet - but even so there are many more recordings today than there were when the St. Paul sessions took place.

The link below is to the 16-bit, 44.1kHz lossless transfer. A high resolution version is available upon request.

LINK

Leinsdorf Special - Mozart, Schubert, Rachmaninoff and the Strausses

Erich Leinsdorf's early career is less remembered than his Boston Symphony tenure and his later spell as guest conductor at major orchestras. On this blog, I've looked at several of his neglected first recordings, all dating from 1946, near the end of his abbreviated Cleveland Orchestra residency. I also presented a Philadelphia disc where he accompanies pianist Ania Dorfmann.

In this post, I'll add a bit to the list of his Cleveland recordings available on this blog, while moving on to explore his 1952-54 discs with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

The appropriate links are at the end of each section. Note (July 2024): these have now been remastered in ambient stereo.

Music of the Strauss Family

Leinsdorf 's Cleveland recordings all were made from February 22-25, 1946, when his successor (George Szell) had already been appointed. Even so, those discs are full of interest, ranging from his own suite from Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande to Schumann's First Symphony and Rimsky-Korsakov's Antar.

Today we take up some of the shorter works explored in that series of sessions. These include a selection of music from the Strauss family: Johann Strauss, Sr.'s "Radetzky March," Strauss, Jr.'s "Thunder and Lightning Polka" and "Perpetuum Mobile," Joseph Strauss' "Music of the Spheres" waltz and Eduard's "Bahn Frei!" The latter is here titled the "Race Track Polka," and is presented in an arrangement by Peter Bodge that I believe was written for the Boston Pops.

This music is well suited to Leinsdorf's skills and personality. While his readings will not remind you of the approach of the Austrian Willy Boskovsky, their spirit and precision are delightful.

The "Music of the Spheres" waltz has appeared on the blog before, but I also included it here to keep the set together. These transfers all come from a Cleveland Orchestra promotional LP issued in the 1970s.

LINK to music of the Strauss family

Rachmaninoff - Symphonic Dances

Leinsdorf was the principal conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic from 1947 to 1955. His first recording with that ensemble was an excerpt from Wagner's Siegfried with Eileen Farrell and Set Svanholm. That came in 1949, but per A Classical Discography it wasn't until 1952 that there was a follow-up.

The second disc was one of unusual interest - the first recording of Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances. This late composition was written for the Philadelphia Orchestra, and premiered by that ensemble under Eugene Ormandy in 1941. Ormandy, however, reputedly did not care for the piece and didn't record it until 1960.

Responding to Leinsdorf's LP, critics were sharply divided about the work but not the performance. The New York Times found the composition to be "tired sounding, without any highlights to capture the mind" while The New Records said it "immediately gains the attention of the listener and holds it until the last measure." Today, many consider it one of Rachmaninoff's best works.

The reviews agreed that the Rochester performance was a fine one: well-played and tautly conducted, as was Leinsdorf's norm at this point in his career. It is an impressive achievement - Rochester had a very accomplished orchestra - and it still sounds well.

The LP came out on Columbia's full-price label, but all of Leinsdorf's subsequent Rochester recordings for the company were issued in budget lines.

LINK to Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances

Schubert - Symphony No. 8; Mozart - Symphony No. 40

Leinsdorf's next session in Rochester was in April 1953, where he taped three of the great works of the symphonic canon: Schubert's "Unfinished" Symphony, Mozart Symphony No. 40 and Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 (the latter not included here).

The first two works were coupled on Columbia's relatively new Entré budget series. As with the Rachmaninoff recording above, Leinsdorf's reading was "alert, rhythmically alive, musically faithful [and] tonally satisfactory," per the American Record Guide, which added that "the Rochester Orchestra is just below the first rank and really far better than the most of the European orchestras we regularly encounter on LP recordings these days." It's hard to disagree. C.G. Burke in High Fidelity, while noting that Leinsdorf had been demoted to the low-price Entré label, added, "Nothing so exalted can be bought for so little as Columbia RL 3070."

This transfer comes from a circa 1957 budget reissue on Columbia's Harmony label. The label identifies the ensemble as the "Rochester Orchestra," but as far as I know it has always been called the Rochester Philharmonic.

LINK to Schubert Symphony No. 8 and Mozart Symphony No. 40

Mozart - Symphonies No. 41 and 35

Perhaps heartened by the response to the Schubert-Mozart pairing above, Leinsdorf programmed two additional Mozart symphonies for his March 1954 recording session in Rochester. Although the performances, to my ears, have the identical approach to the record above - forthright, emphatic and detailed - the critics were not as impressed.

Burke, while noting the conductor's "clear-eyed directness," insisted that, "Most of us prefer more perfume, and more deviations in this breeze" (whatever that may mean). To me, it is hard to not be impressed by Leinsdorf and the orchestra's passion and precision.

This is another recording issued initially on Entré, but transferred from a subsequent release on the Harmony label.

The Rochester recordings all were remastered from lossless needle-drops found on Internet Archive. The sound both from Rochester and Cleveland is quite good. The downloads include scans, photos and reviews.

LINK to Mozart Symphonies No. 41 and 35