Arthur Endres Kraeckmann was born in Chicago in 1893 but for most of his career his musical life was centred on France. It was there that he went to study in 1921 - he was soon to become a pupil of the great Jean de Reszke - and where he met Reynaldo Hahn, of whom he became a protégé. By the late 1920s and early 1930s Arthur Endrèze, as he had now become, was a staple baritone on Parisian opera stages, and had begun to make the series of recordings presented in its entirety in this splendid 5-CD set from Marston. The War interrupted his success and he returned briefly to his native country before coming back to Paris, though in his final years he flew back to Chicago where he was to die in 1975.
His first discs were made for French Odeon in November 1929. After a long sequence, he contracted to Pathé in 1932 and he continued to record for them until 1938. Very importantly we also hear from his Radiodiffusion broadcasts - undated but thought to have been made in the late 1930s or early 1940s - which is to say they were broadcast after he had made his last studio recordings for Pathé. Thus we have a collected edition of his discs and ancillary material, which allows one to appreciate his voice through a roughly ten to fifteen year period; compressed, certainly, but very revealing of his musical sympathies and vocal attributes.
His very first disc, an extract from the Pearl Fishers, indicates his strengths: fine, though to the scrupulous ear not wholly idiomatic French pronunciation, excellent diction, phrasal shaping that remains unproblematic and is naturally conceived without any bulbous line-breaking, and the employment of subtle rubati.
His repertoire on disc is almost wholly Franco-Italian, and it’s especially rewarding to hear him in unusual opera extracts, not least Massenet’s Le Roi de Lahore - excellently sung, finely interpreted. Interspersed in the first disc is an extra track, culled from a radio broadcast, in which the baritone talks briefly on the role of Hamlet in Thomas’ opera; this is then followed by an appropriate extract sung many years earlier in 1929. This is a nice touch of programming, and most useful to hear his speaking voice. Better still, musically, is the subtle vocal shading evinced in the brief extract from Massenet’s Hérodiade which reminds one again of his excellence as an interpreter of this composer’s operatic music.
On the evidence of these many discs Endrèze’s metier was elegance rather than torrid passion. His Toreador in Carmen is characterful, and pays due care to dynamics, but it’s not the most extrovert characterisation imaginable. For this reason there is something a little circumscribed in his Italian repertoire which was, as was the custom, sung in French. This is true of his Otello extracts and equally in the potted Tosca, in the Paul Ferrier translation, which was recorded in June 1932 and directed by that studio stalwart Gustave Cloëz. Fine though it is to hear Ninon Vallin, as well as the tenor Enrico di Mazzei and fellow baritone Paul Payen - we hear those extracts in which Endrèze is not singing, incidentally - there isn’t much evidence of rapport with Vallin. Apparently the two never performed on stage together. Cavalleria rusticana was also recorded in potted form by Odeon in 1933. All twelve sides are presented, allowing one to savour the full casting which includes Germaine Cernay, Gaston Micheletti and Mady Arty. Endrèze sings only on three tracks and he’s again a suave but not truly penetrating interpreter.
Disc four contains intriguing repertoire recorded between 1932 and 1934. He’s in solid voice for the single Un Ballo in Maschera extract but perhaps even better in the rare Wagner examples, from Tannhäuser. Yet it’s clear that he was truly most at home in the French repertoire. His Gounod Faust is in excellent style, mobile but refined, and there’s a nobly masculine cut to his Saint-Saëns Samson and Delilah - there’s an edge to the tone that one doesn’t often encounter. Amongst the most valuable examples of his art are the Magnard extracts from Guercoeur, more-than-somewhat Wagnerian in inspiration, but portrayed by the baritone with great appreciation of their textual and lyrical meaning. Also most valuable is the solitary studio Chausson here, from Le Roi Arthus, a compressed piece of Wagnerianism. Fortunately more Chausson was recorded in a later broadcast, presented in disc five.
Many years after their first encounter, Hahn accompanied Endrèze in some of his lovely songs. The 1937 sides are here - sveltely romantic, marvellously interpreted. Strangely I find his Fauré, with his wife accompanying, less convincing. There’s a unique English-language coupling of Passing By and Drink To Me Only as it’s the only time in the studio that he set down a piece in his native language. His very last recordings were some lied from Dichterliebe, in German. What remain are the broadcasts. They include lighter material such a Bordes’ Paysage tristes which are pleasant but hardly distinctive settings of Verlaine, some more Chausson, as noted, a North American service broadcast that includes Edward German’s Rolling Down to Rio and a brief greeting to the baritone’s American listeners. As an envoi there’s Where’re You Walk and Wenn ich in deine Augen seh’ from Dichterliebe, recorded in 1956 when his voice had become frayed and unsteady. He had, in any case, long since retired from the stage.
This excellent tribute to the baritone is supported by a splendid booklet essay with copious illustrations and a full track-listing. The 5-disc box is priced as for three and should prove seductive for lovers of the French tradition on disc during the inter-war period.
Jonathan Woolf
Full track-listing
CD 1 [78:59]
French Odeon, 1929-1932
1. LES PÊCHEURS DE PERLES: Nadir doit expirer … L’orage s’est calmé (Bizet) 4:09
30 November 1929; Hall of the Paris Conservatory, (xxP 6960-2) 123022
2. LE ROI DE LAHORE: Aux troupes du sultan … Promesse de mon avenir (Massenet) 4:08
30 November 1929; Hall of the Paris Conservatory, (xxP 6961-2) 123021
3. LA TRAVIATA: Lorsqu’à de folles amours (Di Provenza il mar) (Verdi) 4:19
30 November 1929; Hall of the Paris Conservatory, (xxP 6962-1) 123021
4. RIGOLETTO: Tous deux égaux (Pari siamo) (Verdi) 4:20
10 December 1929; Hall of the Paris Conservatory, (xxP 6971-1) 123022
5. HAMLET: Spectre infernal (Thomas) 3:57
10 December 1929; Hall of the Paris Conservatory, (xxP 6972-2) 123023
6. Endrèze commenting briefly on the role of Hamlet and on soprano Eidé Norena with French Radio commentator Henry Jacqueton 1:29
7. HAMLET: La fatigue alourdit mes pas … Comme une pâle fleur (Thomas) 4:07
10 December 1929; Hall of the Paris Conservatory, (xxP 6973-2) 123023
8. HÉRODIADE: Salomé, demande au prisonnier (Massenet) 3:36
21 July 1930; (xxP 7106-2) 123033
9. THAÏS: Voilà donc la terrible cité (Massenet) 4:01
21 July 1930; (xxP 7107-2) 123033
10. PATRIE!: Pauvre martyr obscur (Paladilhe) 3:06
21 July 1930; (Ki 3538-1) 188064
11. BENVENUTO CELLINI: De l’art splendeur immortelle (Diaz) 3:10
21 July 1930; (Ki 3539-2) 188064
12. ROMÉO ET JULIETTE: Ô présage alarmant! … Mab, la reine des mensonges (Gounod) 3:16
22 October 1930; (xxP 7140-2) 123720
13. ROMÉO ET JULIETTE: Quoi, ma fille! … Que l’hymne nuptial succède aux cris d’alarmes! (Gounod) 4:00
22 October 1930; (xxP 7142-1) 123720
14. HÉRODIADE: Divine volupté … Vision fugitive (Massenet) 4:09
22 October 1930; (xxP 7141-1) 123725
15. Nocturne (Franck; Fourcaud) 4:32
22 October 1930; (xxP 7143-2) 123726
16. La procession (Franck; Brizeux) 4:40
24 December 1930; (xxP 7215-2) 123726
17. Rondel de l’adieu (de Lara; Hugo) 3:01
28 October 1930; (Ki 3718-2) 188771
18. RIGOLETTO: Courtisans, race vile (Cortigiani, vil razza) (Verdi) 4:38
24 December 1930; (xxP 7216-2) 123725
19. MESSALINE: Ô nuit de mon cœur … Ô nuit d’amour (de Lara) 2:37
29 April 1931; (Ki 4409-1) 188771
20. CARMEN: Votre toast [Air du Toréador] (Bizet) 4:25
14 May 1931; (xxP 7273-2) 123776
21. CARMEN: Je suis Escamillo (Bizet) 3:17
with Gaston Micheletti, tenor9 May 1931; (xxP 7271-2) 123776
CD 2 [76:47]
French Odeon, 1929-1932 (continued)
1. Endrèze commenting briefly on the role of Iago in Verdi’s Otello with French Radio commentator, Henry Jacqueton 0:35
2. OTELLO: Je crois en un Dieu cruel (Credo in un Dio crudel) (Verdi) 4:22
15 May 1931; (xxP 7279-4) 123777
3. OTELLO: Seigneur, calmez votre âme ... La nuit dernière (Signor frenate l’ansie … Era la notte) (Verdi) 4:00
8 October 1931; (xxP 7306-2) 123777
4. OTELLO: Vous avez vu, sans doute, aux mains de votre femme … Par le ciel (Talor vedeste in mano di Desdemona … Si pel ciel) (Verdi) 4:07
with René Verdière, tenor15 May 1931; (xxP 7280-2) unpublished
5. LES PÊCHEURS DE PERLES: C’est toi, toi qu’enfin je revois … Au fond du temple saint (Bizet) 7:26
with Paul-Henri Vergnes, tenor6 October 1931; (xxP 7302-1 and 7303-1) 123803
6. LAKMÉ: C’est un pauvre qui mendie … Lakmé, ton doux regard se voile (Delibes) 4:18
6 October 1931; (xxP 7304-2) 123802
7. PAGLIACCI: Bonjour, c’est moi (Si può?) [Prologue] (Leoncavallo) 4:17
6 October 1931; (xxP 7305-1) 123802
8. MANON: Les grands mots que voilà … Épouse quelque brave fille (Massenet) 2:49
29 January 1932; (Ki 5236-1) 188864
9. LA BOHÈME: Ô défroque si chère (Vecchia zimarra) (Puccini) 2:23
29 January 1932; (Ki 5237-1) 188864
TOSCA (excerpts) (Puccini)
French Odeon
French translation by Paul Ferrier
Ninon Vallin, soprano; Enrico di Mazzei, tenor; Arthur Endrèze, baritone; Paul Payen, baritone; Gustave Cloëz, conductor
Note: Presenting all fourteen sides as originally recorded; Paul Payen, the baritone, should not be confused with the famous bass, Paul Payan.
10. Notre Dame! Son portrait! ... Ô de beautés égales (Sante ampolle! Il suo ritratto! … Recondita armonia) 4:18
Payen and di Mazzei8 June 1932; (xxP7325-2) 123810
11. Mario, tu t’enfermes (Mario, perchè chiuso) 8:35
Vallin and di Mazzei8 June 1932; (xxP7326-2 and xxP7327-2) 123810
12. Ce vacarme à l’église! (Un tal baccano in chiesa!) 4:25
Endrèze and Vallin8 June 1932; (xxP 7328-2) 123811
13. Gloire à toi, Tosca (Tosca è un buon falco!) 4:21
Endrèze and Payen9 June 1932; (xxP 7329-2) 123812
14. Où est l’Angelotti? (Dov’è Angelotti) 4:16
Endrèze, Vallin, and di Mazzei9 June 1932; (xxP 7330-2) 123812
15. Mario! ... Permets que je parle! (Mario! ... Consenti ch’io parli!) 8:07
Endrèze, Vallin, and di Mazzei9 June 1932; (xxP 7331-1 and xxP 7332-2) 123813
16. D’art et d’amour (Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore) 2:54
Vallin10 June 1932; (xxP 7333-2) 123814
17. Grâce! Les mains jointes j’implore encore! (Vedi, ecco, vedi, le man giunte io stendo a te!) 5:32
Vallin and Endrèze10 June 1932; (xxP 7333-2 and xxP 7334-2) 123814
CD 3 [78:00]
TOSCA (excerpts) (Puccini) (continued)
French Odeon
1. Mario Cavaradossi? À vous! ... Le ciel luisait d’étoiles(Mario Cavaradossi? A voi … E lucevan le stelle) 4:01
Payen and di Mazzei14 June 1932; (xxP 7335-1) 123815
2. Franchise à Floria Tosca … Ô douces mains (Franchigia a Floria Tosca … O dolci mani) 4:21
Vallin and di Mazzei14 June 1932; (xxP 7336-2) 123815
3. C’est par toi que la mort m’était triste (Amaro sol per te) 8:01
Vallin and di Mazzei14 June 1932; (xxP 7337-2 and xxP7338-1) 123816
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA (excerpts) (Mascagni)
French Odeon
French translation by Paul Milliet
Germaine Cernay, mezzo-soprano; Gaston Micheletti, tenor; Arthur Endrèze, baritone; Mady Arty, contralto; Alice Héna, soprano; Gustave Cloëz, conductor
Note: Presenting all twelve sides as originally recorded.
4. Prelude 1:57
5. Ô Lola, blanche fleur à peine éclose (O Lola, ch’ai di latti la cammisa) 2:18
Micheletti13 March 1933; (xxP7345-1) 123817
6. Dites, mère Lucie … Piaffe, mon cheval fringant (Dite, Mamma Lucia … Il cavallo scalpito) 4:01
Cernay, Arty, Endrèze, and chorus13 March 1933; (xxP 7340-1) 123817
7. Regina coeli [Chœur de l’Église] 3:59
Cernay, Arty, and chorus13 March 1933; (xxP 7272-3) 123818
8. Vous le savez, ma mère (Voi lo sapete, o mamma) 4:06
Cernay and Arty13 March 1933; (xxP 7343-1) 123818
9. C’est toi, Santuzza? (Tu qui, Santuzza?) 10:57
Cernay, Micheletti, and Héna13 March 1933; (xxP 7275-2, xxP 7274-2, and xxP 7276-2) 123819 and 123820
10. Ah! Vous venez à propos vous, Maître Alfio (Oh! Il Signore vi manda, comprar Alfio) 3:44
Cernay and Endrèze13 March 1933; (xxP 7344-1) 123820
11. Intermezzo 3:24
Orchestra13 March 1933; (xxP 7348-1) 123821
12. Commère Lola, vous vous en allez … Vive le vin qui pétille (Comare Lola ve ne andate via … Viva il vino spumeggiante) 3:16
Chorus, Héna, and Micheletti13 March 1933; (xxP 7348-1 and xxP 7341-1) 123821
13. Le bonjour, camarades! (A voi tutti, salute!) 4:48
Endrèze and Micheletti13 March 1933; (xxP 7341-1 and xxP 7342-1) 123822
14. Mère, ce vin est généreux (Mamma, quel vino è generoso) 4:57
Micheletti and Arty13 March 1933; (xxP 7342-1 and xxP 7277-1) 123822
Pathé, 1932-1938
15. GUILLAUME TELL: Mon fils … Sois immobile (Rossini) 2:48
July 1932;(250 276-MC1) X 90060
16. LA FAVORITE: Jardins de l’Alcazar … Léonor, viens ... Léonor, mon amour brave (Donizetti) 4:21
1932; (250 233-MC1) X 90038
17. LA FAVORITE: Pour vous, qui vous taisiez … Pour tant d’amour ne soyez pas ingrate (Donizetti) 4:13
1932; (250 232-MC1) X 90038
18. LA DAMNATION DE FAUST: Voici des roses (Berlioz) 2:48
July 1932; (250 277-MC1) X 90073
CD 4 [78:14]
Pathé, 1932-1938 (continued)
1. UN BALLO IN MASCHERA: Oui, c’est toi (Eri tu che macchiavi quell’anima) (Verdi) 4:24
1932; (250 268-MC1) X 90066
2. TANNHÄUSER: En contemplant cette assemblée immense (Blick ich’ umher) (Wagner) 4:22
1932; (250 239-MC1) X 90040
3. TANNHÄUSER: Mortel présage … Ô douce étoile, feu du Soir (Wie Todesahnung … O du mein holder Abendstern) (Wagner) 4:19
1932; (250 238-MC1) X 90040
4. FAUST: Avant de quitter ces lieux (Gounod) 3:44
1932; (250 269-MC1) X 90054
5. FAUST: Écoute-moi bien, Marguerite! [Mort de Valentin] (Gounod) 4:11
1932; (250 267-MC1) X 90054
6. SAMSON ET DALILA: Maudite à jamais soit la race (Saint-Saëns) 2:26
July 1932; (250 278-MC1) X 90060
7. HAMLET: Ô vin dissipe la tristesse (Thomas) 4:11
December 1932; (250 300-MC1) X 90066
8. HAMLET: J’ai pu frapper le misérable … Être ou ne pas être (Thomas) 4:24
1932; (250 225-MC1) X 90035
9. SIGURD: Et toi, Freia, déesse de l’amour (Reyer) 3:49
1932; (250 226-MC1) X 90035
10. TANNHÄUSER: Je savais bien la trouver en prière (Wohl wusst’ich hier sie in Gebet) (Wagner) 3:26
December 1932; (250 304-MC1) X 90073
11. L’AFRICAINE: Fille des rois … Quand l’amour m’entraîne (Meyerbeer) 6:33
December 1932; (250 305-MC1 and 250 306-MC1) X 90074
12. THAÏS: L’ardent soleil m’écrase … Baigne d’eau mes mains et mes lèvres [Duo de l’oasis] (Massenet) 8:34
with Yvonne Gall, sopranoDecember 1932; (250 307-MC1 and 250 308-MC1) X 90072
13. GUERCœUR: Où suis-je? Quel murmure me charme (Magnard) 4:19
March 1933; (250 316-MC1) X 90079
14. GUERCœUR: Si cruelle, si touchante! … Le calme rentre dans mon cœur (Magnard) 4:27
March 1933; (250 315-MC1) X 90079
15. LE ROI ARTHUS: Pommiers verts … Ne m’interroge plus, ô Roi [Prophétie de Merlin] (Chausson) 6:26
December 1934; (CPT 1688-1 and CPT 1689-1) PD 6
16. DIE WALKÜRE: Adieu superbe, adieu, chère enfant [Leb wohl, du kühnes, herrliches Kind] (Wagner) 8:42
December 1934; (CPTX 100-1 and 101-1) PGT 12
CD 5 [79:49]
Pathé, 1932-1938 (continued)
1. DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER: L’heure a sonné … Ange du ciel (Die Frist ist um … Dich frage ich, gepriesener Engel Gottes) (Wagner) 9:02
October 1936; (CPTX 275-1 and 276-2) PGT 26
2. FAUST: Le veau d’or (Gounod) 2:07
October 1936; (CPT 2874-1) PG 77
3. FAUST: Vous qui faites l’endormie (Gounod) 2:52
October 1936; (CPT 2875-2) PG 77
4. Psyché (Paladilhe; Corneille) 2:44
February 1937; (CPT 3137-1) PG 88
5. ÉTUDES LATINES: Phyllis (Hahn; Leconte de Lisle) 3:19
February 1937; (CPT 3138-2) PG 88
6. L’enamourée (Hahn; Banville) 3:21
February 1937; (CPT 3139-3) PG 89
7. CHANSONS GRISES: L’heure exquise (Hahn; Verlaine) 2:52
February 1937; (CPT 3140-1) PG 89
8. Les berceaux (Fauré; Sully-Prudhomme) 3:07
December 1937; (CPT 3638-1) PA 1986
9. Automne (Fauré; Silvestre) 3:21
December 1937; (CPT 3639-1) PA 1986
10. Passing by (Purcell-Cockram; Herrick) 2:41
December 1937; (CPT 3640-2) PA 1377
11. Drink to me only with thine eyes (Traditional; Johnson) 2:53
December 1937; (CPT 3641-2) PA 1377
12. DICHTERLIEBE: Wenn ich in deine Augen seh’, Op. 48, No. 4 (Schumann; Heine) 2:03
July 1938; (CPT 3982-1) PA 1545
13. DICHTERLIEBE: Ich grolle nicht, Op. 48, No. 7 (Schumann; Heine) 2:40
May 1938; (CPT 3885-2) PA 1497
14. DICHTERLIEBE: Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen, Op. 48, No. 12 (Schumann; Heine) 2:18
May 1938; (CPT 3886-2) PA 1497
15. DICHTERLIEBE: Ich habe im Traum geweinet, Op. 48, No. 13 (Schumann; Heine) 2:52
July 1938; (CPT 3981-1) PA 1545
RADIODIFFUSION, undated broadcast
Odette Pigault, piano
Note: The discs containing this broadcast are undated. Since Endrèze’s voice sounds similar here to his last Pathé sessions, this broadcast has been placed in the late 1930s or early 1940s.
16. Introductory announcement 0:25
17. PAYSAGES TRISTES: Soleils couchants (Bordes; Verlaine) 2:56
18. PAYSAGES TRISTES: Chanson d’automne (Bordes; Verlaine) 1:44
19. PAYSAGES TRISTES: L’heure du berger (Bordes; Verlaine) 3:25
20. PAYSAGES TRISTES: Promenade sentimentale (Bordes; Verlaine) 3:44
21. Hébé, Op. 2, No. 6 (Chausson; Ackermann) 2:47
22. Nanny, Op. 2, No. 1 (Chausson; Leconte de Lisle) 3:05
RADIODIFFUSION: NORTH AMERICAN SERVICE, undated broadcast
23. Rolling down to Rio (Edward German; Kipling) 1:18
24. Endrèze greets his American listeners 0:43
RADIODIFFUSION: ARTISTES DE RENOM, 30 April 1956
25. SEMELE: Where’er you walk (Handel) 4:36
26. DICHTERLIEBE: Wenn ich in deine Augen seh’, Op. 48, No. 4 (Schumann; Heine) 1:30
27. DICHTERLIEBE: Ich will meine Seele tauchen, Op. 48, No. 5 (Schumann; Heine) 0:52
28. DICHTERLIEBE: Im Rhein im heiligen Strome, Op. 48, No. 6 (Schumann; Heine) 2:36
29. DICHTERLIEBE: Ich grolle nicht, Op. 48, No. 7 (Schumann; Heine) 1:56
CD 1
Tracks 1-5, 7-19 accompanied by orchestra, conducted by Henri Defosse; track 6, spoken; tracks 20-21 accompanied by orchestra, conducted by Gustave Cloëz All tracks in French
CD 2
Track 1, spoken; tracks 2-17 accompanied by orchestra, conducted by Gustave Cloëz All tracks in French
CD 3
Tracks 1-14 accompanied by orchestra, conducted by Gustave Cloëz; tracks 15-18 accompanied by orchestra, conducted by François Ruhlmann All vocal tracks sung in French
CD 4
Tracks 1-11 and 13-16 accompanied by orchestra, conducted by François Ruhlmann; track 12 accompanied by orchestra, assumed to be conducted by François Ruhlmann All tracks sung in French
CD 5
Tracks 1-3 accompanied by orchestra, conducted by Selmar Meyrowitz; tracks 4-7 accompanied by Renaldo Hahn, piano; tracks 8-11 accompanied by Jeanne Endrèze-Krieger, piano; tracks 12-15 and track 23 accompanied by piano; tracks 16 and 24 spoken; tracks 17-22 accompanied by Odette Pigault, piano; tracks 25-29 accompanied by piano Tracks 1-9, 16-22 [French]; 10-11, 23-25 [English]; 12-15, 26-29 [German]
