Great Moments of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf

Great Moments of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf

EMI Classics 2001

CD 1 - Frühe Aufnahmen 1946-1954:
John DOWLAND - Come again! Sweet love doth now invite (1)
Johann Sebastian BACH - Jagdkantate BWW 208: Schafe können sicher weiden (2)
George Frideric HANDEL - L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato: First and chief - Sweet bird (3)
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART - Der Zauberer, K.523 (4)
Franz SCHUBERT - Die Vögel, D.961, Liebhaber in allen Gestalten, D.558 (5)
Robert SCHUMANN - Aufträge, op.77/5 (6)
Hugo WOLF - Mausfallensprüchlein (7)
Richard STRAUSS - Der Rosenkavalier: Herrgott im Himmel (8)
Engelbert HUMPERDINCK - Hänsel und Gretel: Suse, liebe Suse - Brüderchen, komm tanz mit mir; Der kleine Sandmann bin ich - Abends, will ich schlafen gehn (9)
Giacomo PUCCINI - Turandot: Tu, che di gel sei cinta (10)
- Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro (11)
- Madama Butterfly: Un bel dì vedremo (12)
Georges BIZET - Carmen: Je dis, que rien ne m'épouvante (13)

CD 2 - Opernaufnahmen 1956-1959:
Carl Maria von WEBER - Der Freischütz: Wie nahte mir der Schlummer - Leise, leise, fromme Weise! (14)
Richard WAGNER - Lohengrin: Euch Lüften, die mein Klagen; Elsa! - Wer ruft? - Entweihte Götter! Ortrud, wo bist du? Wie kann ich solche Huld dir lohnen (15)
Giuseppe VERDI - Otello: Emilia, te ne prego - Piangea cantando; Ave Maria, piena di grazia (16)
Giacomo PUCCINI - La Bohème: Sì, mi chiamano Mimì (17)
Richard STRAUSS - Der Rosenkavalier: Marie There'! - Hab' mir's gelobt (18)
Bedrich SMETANA - The Bartered Bride (in German): Wie fremd und tot ist alles (19)

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano), Irmgard Seefried (soprano) (8, 9), Theresa Stitch-Randall (18), Margaret Elkins (mezzo-soprano (16), Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano) (15, 18), Niedermayer (flute) (2, 3), Reznicek (flute (2), Maurer (violoncello), (2), Ahlgrim (harpsichord) (2), Karl Hudez (pianoforte) (1), Gerald Moore (pianoforte) (4, 5, 6, 7)

Philharmonia Orchestra (9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19), Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (3, 8, 10, 11)/Karl Böhm (10), Alceo Galliera (12, 13)

Herbert von Karajan (8, 11), Josef Krips (3, 9), Nicola Rescigno (16, 17), Heinrich Schmidt (19), Walter Süsskind (14), Heinz Wallberg (15)

Take a string of semi-rejects and bits of repertoire Schwarzkopf was not noted for and call them "Great Moments"? Well, yes, there's no other word for them and it makes you wonder if Schwarzkopf ever had a minor moment in her career. The Dowland may sound odd today with its piano accompaniment and slightly heavy English but the purity of emission and the fascination of her timbre hold you from the start. The up-tempo Bach (English listeners know the piece as "Sheep may safely graze") compares well with what we do today and is gorgeous as sheer singing, and you'd have to go back to Galli-Curci for better duetting with a flute than you get in Sweet bird, un-Handelian though it may sound. The lieder with Gerald Moore have a wonderful vivacity, the words crystal clear and not a trace of the archness which was to come later.