RECORDING OF THE MONTH     CHOPIN Waltzes and Impromptus Vladimir Feltsman £11 post free World-wide VIVALDI The four seasons London Mozart Players/Juritz £12 post free World-wide BEETHOVEN Symphonies 4 and 5 LSO/Yondani Butt £12 post free World-wide

AVAILABILITY Metronome Distribution

Albert LORTZING (1801-1851) Der Wildschütz. Excerpts Count Eberbach, Gottfried Hornik (bar); Countess, Doris Soffel (cont); Baron Kronthal, Peter Schreier (ten); Baronin Friemann, Edith Mathis (sop); Baculus, Hans Sotin, (bass); Nanette, Gertrud Von Ottenthal (m. Sop); Gretchen, Georgine Resick (sop) Chorus of Berlin Radio and the Orchestra of the Staatskapelle Berlin/Bernhard Klee Recorded Christuskirche Studio, Berlin, 1980-1982 Bargain Price BERLIN CLASSICS ETERNA COLLECTION 003267BC [59.15]

Premiered on New Year’s Eve 1842, this delightful work has long been a regular in the repertoire of German opera houses, although rarely getting an airing elsewhere. Its convoluted plot involves an elderly schoolmaster, Baculus, who goes poaching, his young fiancée, and members of the local aristocracy. Cross-dressing and mistaken identity make for a frivolous and light-hearted mélange that, unlike most operas, has a happy ending. Given its popularity in Germany and its lengthy spoken dialogue in that language, it is no surprise that the two versions that have dominated the catalogue emanated from that country. The 1963 EMI Electrola issue featured the delightful, but light, Anneliese Rothenberger and the beautifully toned Fritz Wunderlich as the Baron, the whole rather lacking the vivacity found on the set, first issued by DG in 1984, from which these excerpts are derived. Despite the ADD designation the recording quality is first rate with voices and orchestra well balanced in an open airy acoustic. Whilst Schreier as the Baron hasn’t the heady tonal beauty of Wunderlich on the EMI, his voice is firm toned and well tuned. He certainly characterizes well (tr.11). As the Count, Gottfried Hornik, a renowned Papageno, is light voiced and even toned (trs.12-13). Edith Mathis is ideal in vocal weight and palette in her aria (tr.2) and ‘rides’ the orchestra well. However, it is the ensembles that dominate both the opera and this selection. I note how well the voices blend and carry the plot along under Klee’s idiomatic and vibrant phrasing and tempi (trs.5-9). This excerpts disc is a delightful representation of a work little known outside Germany. It derives from the best recording and performance issued. It is thoroughly recommended to any opera lover who doesn’t know the work. Those who do will, I suspect, already have the complete performance, dialogue and all. Robert J Farr     Advertising Rates Visitor stats MusicWeb International has over 40,000 Classical CD reviews on offer Discs received Having a problem Donating? Gerard Hoffnung Concerts & The Bricklayer Story   New Releases New Releases   MusicWeb sells the Polish catalogue CDAccord £10.50 post free W-W MusicWeb sells the Arcodiva catalogue £12.00 post free W-W £11.75 post-free world- wide MusicWeb can now offer you discs from the following catalogues: Prices include postage [Acte Préalable £13.50] [Arcodiva £12.00] [Avie from £6.25] [British Music Society £12.00] [CDACCORD from £13.50 ] [ClassicO £12.50] [Hallé from £11] [Heritage £10] [Hortus £14.99 ] [Lyrita ONLY £11.75 ] [Nimbus Special prices] [Northern Flowers £13.50] [REDCLIFFE £11 ] [Sheva £11] [Tactus £11.50 ] [Talent from £12.00 ] [Toccata Classics £10.50 ] Musicweb Special Offers Monthly Best Buys     Google Ads - for information about privacy matters, click here.  Amazon Musicweb International is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

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