Flotow: Martha / Schler, Berger, Tegetthoff, Anders, et al

1. Martha, opera
   Composed by Friedrich von Flotow
   Performed by Berlin State Choir
   with Erna Berger, Peter Anders, Franz Sauer, Eugen Fuchs, Else Tegetthoff, Josef Greindl
   Conducted by Johannes Schuler
   
   

Flotow: Martha / Schler, Berger, Tegetthoff, Anders, et al,Eugen Fuchs,Franz Sauer,Josef Greindl,Friedrich von Flotow,Johannes Schuler,Else Tegetthoff,Berliner Staatskapelle,Staatskapelle Berlin,Erna Berger,Peter Anders,Berlin Classics,Classical,German/Austrian Romantic Opera,Opera,Opera / Operetta / Oratorio

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Average customer rating: Prima ganz! Tip top! BRILLIANCE! Beautiful but currently negleted opera. Wonderful Historical Document The opera sounded excellent to me until I realized that it w

Flotow: Martha / Schler, Berger, Tegetthoff, Anders, et al Manufacturer: Berlin Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Flotow | Flotow, Friedrich von | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B0000035QG Release Date: 1994-09-20

Tracks:

1. Ov - Staatskapelle Berlin/Johannes Schuler
2. Act I: Chor: Darf Mit Nachtig Dustren Traumen - Chor Der Staatsoper Berlin/Josef Greindl
3. Act I: Rezitativ Und Duett: Teure Lady! - Von Den Edlen Kavalieren - Else Tegetthoff/Erna Berger
4. Act I: Gnaden Tristan Mickleford!/Terzett: Schone Lady Und Cousine - Chor Der Staatsoper Berlin/Josef Greindl/Erna Berger/Eugen Fuchs/Else Tegetthoff
5. Act I: Chor: Madchen, Brav Und Treu - Wohlgemut, Junges Blut - Chor Der Staatsoper Berlin/Johannes Schuler
6. Act I: Duett: Wie Das Schnattert - Ja, Seit Fruher Kindheit Tagen - Josef Greindl/Peter Anders
7. Act I: Finale: Der Markt Beginnt! - Ich Kann Mahen - Chor Der Staatsoper Berlin/Josef Greindl/Franz Sauer
8. Act I: Finale: Vorwarts, Bob - Wetter, Ein Paar - Erna Berger/Else Tegetthoff/Eugen Fuchs/Peter Anders/Chor Der Staatsoper Berlin/Josef Greindl
9. Act I: Quartett: Sieh Nur, Wie Sie Uns Betrachten! - Nun Furwahr, Das Lass Ich Gelten... - Erna Berger/Else Tegetthoff/Josef Greindl/Peter Anders/Eugen Fuchs/Franz Sauer...
10. Act II: Emtre - Akt Und Quartettino - Peter Anders/Josef Greindl/Erna Berger/Else Tegetthoff
11. Act II: Quartett: Was Soll Ich Dazu Sagen? - Peter Anders/Josef Greindl/Else Tegetthoff/Erna Berger
12. Act II: Duett: Nancy! Julia! Verweile! - Blickt Sein Auge Doch So Ehrlich - Erna Berger/Peter Anders
13. Act II: Volkslied: Letzte Rose, Wie Magst Du So Einsam Hier Bluhn? - Martha! - Herr! - Erna Berger/Peter Anders
14. Act II: Warte Nur, Das Sollst Du Bussen!/Notturno: Mitternacht! Schlafe Wohl, Und Mag Dich Reuen - Josef Greindl/Else Tegetthoff/Erna Berger/Peter Anders
15. Act II: Rezitativ Und Terzettino: Nancy! Lady! Was Nun Weiter? - Fort Von Hinnen, Lasst Uns Elien - Erna Berger/Else Tegetthoff/Eugen Fuchs

Tracks:

1. Act III: Entre-Akt Und Lied Mit Chor (Porter-Lied): Lasst Mich Euch Fragen - Josef Greindl/Chor Der Staatsoper Berlin/Josef Greindl
2. Act III: Chor: Hoch, Die Jagdfanfaren Tonen - Auch Wir Frau'n - Chor Der Staatsoper Berlin/Josef Greindl/Josef Greindl
3. Act III: Chor: Blitz! Die Wilde Jagd - Josef Greindi/Else Tegetthoff/Chor Der Staatsoper Berlin/Josef Greindl/Peter Anders
4. Act III: Chor: Darum Pfluck Ich - Wo War Ich? - Peter Anders
5. Act III: Arie - Peter Anders
6. Act III: Finale: Die Herrin Rastet Dort - Hier Im Grun Der Schatt'gen Baume - Diese Stimme!... - Eugen Fuchs/Erna Berger/Peter Anders/Chor Der Staatsoper Berlin/Josef Greindl/Else Tegetthoff
7. Act IV: Quintett Mit Chor: Mag Der Himmel Euch Vergeben - Peter Anders/Else Tegetthoff/Eugen Fuchs/Josef Greindl/Erna Berger/Chor Der Staatsoper Berlin...
8. Act IV: Rezitativ Und Duett: Lady! Mylady! Treuer Freund!/Duet: Der Lenz Ist Gekommen - Else Tegetthoff/Josef Greindl/Erna Berger/Peter Anders
9. Act IV: Rezitativ Und Duett: Fasst Euch, Lady!/Duett: Ja, Was Nun? - Else Tegetthoff/Josef Greindl/Erna Berger
10. Act IV: Finale: Heir Die Buden, Dort Die Schenke-Seht, Dort Naht Er-Jezt, Ihr Freunde-Ich Kann... - Chor Dr Staatsoper Berlin/Johannes Schuler/Erna Berger/Else Tegetthoff/Josef Greindi/Peter Anders

Customer Reviews:

Prima ganz! Tip top!.......2004-08-18

"Martha" is a German comic opera from the bel canto era that has retained its place in the repertoire - at least in Germany and Austria - on and off ever since. The plot, like most comic operas, is simple, but the music is unsurpassed in its lightness of spirit and melodic beauty. Flotow created a sound-world in which the characters can romp vocally, set to music that is bright, spirited, and refreshingly light for a German work.

There have, however, only been three complete recordings of this work. This is the first, made in wartime Germany in 1944, and it has survived because of the excellent singing, sprightly conducting and joie-de-vivre it exudes. The second recording, made in 1967, featured Annaleise Rothenberger, Nicolai Gedda and Hermann Prey, but the conducting by the (very) aged Robert Heger was slow and pedantic, thereby killing the work's sprightliness and humor. The third recording, made in the mid-1980s, featured Lucia Popp and Peter Dvorsky. Dvorsky did not sing particularly well and, again, the conducting was not at the highest level, despite digital sound.

Thus this ancient relic, available for years on the dull-sounding Urania LP label, has now been resuscitated for reissue on several CD labels. The Grammofono 2000 issue is the best, using Cedar and other digital processing to restore decent sound without damaging the fullness of sound of the original, but even with these miracle improvements there is still some blasting and distortion at loud peaks which detracts somewhat from one's listening enjoyment, which is why I only give it 4 stars.

As for the performances, they are wonderful. Erna Berger sparkles as Lady Harriet (Martha), Peter Anders is a smooth and lyrical Lionel, Eugen Fuchs is a swaggering, colorful Plunkett, and Josef Griendl is a comically grumpy Tristan Meckleford. The plot centers around two gentleman farmers (Lionel and Plunkett) who hire two servant girls to help with the cooking and spinning; but the "servants" are Lady Harriet and her maid Nancy in disguise, just for fun, who are TERRIBLE at domestic chores! Unfortunately, poor Lionel falls in love with "Martha," who is actually royalty, so when she returns to her real life he is left high and dry. Fortunately, Lionel turns out to be a Count whose father was unfairly stripped of is lands and title, so Lady Harriet restores both and marries him.

Plunkett, of course, gets the maid!

Johannes Schuler, a name totally unknown to me, conducts with great brio, making sure that this is a comic souffle that will rise to great heights.

As for the misguided person who condemned this recording because it was made during the Nazi era in Germany, please remember, many of these artists were only party members because they were forced to be, the same as Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Many of them, including Erna Berger, actually helped their Jewish friends escape the clutches of the concentration camps and gas chambers. Know who you are accusing before you point fingers. This is the kind of misinformation that condemned Kirsten Flagstad to nearly a decade of harassment for absolutely no reason!

BRILLIANCE!.......2003-09-23

If you don't know ~ this IS ART - and artists - {they survive during the most peculiar times} at their best ... severly neglected, but shoud be reborn!

More would be stupid ... just get this recording and surrender to this beauty. For the serious collector of unsurpassed vocal talent.

{That is if this period of beauty means .....}

Beautiful but currently negleted opera........2002-10-09

Martha is one of the most tuneful operas ever written. In the 19th century -- and even in the first half of the 20th century -- its beauty made it a favorite in Germany and reasonably popular in the U.S. Unfortunately, the old-fashioned romance of its plot has caused Martha to fall out of favor in these unromantic times. But the melodic beauty of Martha is as appealing now as it ever was if you will listen to it without bias. I love this beautiful opera and I think you may too. This version is the only one currently abvailable, to the best of my knowledge. It is a re-release on CDs of a performance from the 1940s (hence the four stars for this five-star opera). But the remastering is quite acceptable -- and the opera is beautiful.

Wonderful Historical Document.......2002-05-20

This appears to be the only available recording of Flotow's absolutely delightful opera. Luckily, it is a terrific re-mastering of an early 40's recording featuring definitive performances as the two leads by Erna Berger and Peter Anders. The conducting is lively, and all of the performances convincing. Most surprising, the sound is amazingly good (the fact that it isn't up to "modern standards is the only reason for a less-than-perfect rating).

The opera sounded excellent to me until I realized that it w.......1999-10-28

It is remarkable that such a lovely opera is generally unavailable, even in Italian, let alone in German. When I heard half of the first disk I thought the opera and the perfomrance were lovely. At that point I read the label and learned that it was recorded in 1944, when Jews were being incinerated in the "kingdom of night" and Allied soldiers were sacrified at the altar of Adolf Hitler. It is incredible to me that these wartime recordings are re-issued without any warning, and I urge all involved to stamp them as Nazi products. The series of Entartete Musik is belatedly bringing to life those whose voices were stilled by the Nazis. These recordings are the real "degenerate music." I hope vendors will note in their search data the date of original issue, which was not visible when I erroneously ordered this set. Those for whom World War Two has no personal significance will derive enormous pleasure from this set.

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