In 1946, the young Elisabeth Schwarzkopf made her first recording with the British producer Walter Legge in Vienna. He became her husband in 1953. All the recordings in this 5-CD collection date from the first six years of their professional and personal relationship, as Schwarzkopf, with the captivating freshness of her voice and finesse of her artistry, established herself as one of the leading sopranos of her time.
J**E
Satisfied customer
Having been a Schwarzkopf fan for well over 60years, being totally won over in 1956 when I attended my first Lieder Recital by her, and have been going to recitals ever since. As she was the first to admit, the voice changed over the years, but I always found vocal technique & her colour & use of words immaculate. Some of these recordings I know from the original 78s I bought in my youth, from LP transfers, but it's nice to have them all collected together.I fully recommend both this collection & the supplier.
H**P
The re-issue sounds fine, thanks to Andrew Walter at Warner
Wonderfull box.Elisabeths Schwarzkopfs timbre is one of the most beautifull and moving voices I have ever heard. The re-issue sounds fine, thanks to Andrew Walter at Warner. He knew Schwarzkopf personally and restored the mono Karajan/Schwarzkopf "Der Rosenkavalier" under Schwarzkops guidening.I heard her twice in Copenhagen i the 60ies and visited her two times in 1990 and 1998 in Schwitzerland for the Danish National Broadcast, making a celebration for her 75th birthday and later a programme about Walter Legge. She was the most intelligent singer I ever met. Great radiation, but also wery hard aginst others. Unforgettable"
J**N
Superb, Early Schwarzkopf
How could Schwarzkopf be anything other than deeply satisfying? Amazing to have these early recordings. A delight.
M**R
One of the greatest artists of the 20th century.
It is really wonderful to have these early recordings of this great artist collected together. Excellent value box.
I**N
very good
great reproduction not one bad track
P**L
Not "complete", alas. Otherwise it would get 5 starts
Although Schwarzkopf's singing in her ravishing prime deserves 5 starts and the transfers, except for a couple of tracks, are to be commended as well, I find it irritating, to say the leas,t when something is called "complete" and it isn't. No one seems to have noticed that Bach's Cantata No. 208 is missing altogether -one of her great 78rpm recordings-, Mein glaubiges Herz (Cantata No. 68) also, the Traviata "cabaletta" ("What madness..." in English, our beloved "Sempre libera"), the sides of the 4th Movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony with Karajan, and a few more. Certainly enough material for a sixth CD which would have truly meant "The Complete 78 RPM recordings", not "90% of Schwarzkopf's 78 RPM recordings". A pity, indeed!
Trustpilot
2 months ago
1 month ago