Titled ‘Great Singers Live’ this series of CDs showcases
an international cast who appeared as guests at the Munich Sunday
Concerts and is proving a great success. The brainchild of Alfred
Schröter head of light classics at Bavarian Broadcasting
these live radio concerts began in 1952 using the Munich Radio
Orchestra. This particular collection, sung by baritone Hermann
Prey, consists of previously unreleased material.
A lyric baritone, Hermann Prey (1929-1998) was born and studied
in Berlin. As a young man he lived through the Russian assault
on Berlin in 1945 part of the time hiding with his family in
a cellar with only tinned food to eat. Prey is probably best
known for his light comic roles in opera and in the lieder recitals
that launched his career in 1959. I generally associate Prey
with Figaro, the Barber of Seville in the Rossini opera and
in Mozart operas, Figaro, Guglielmo and especially Papageno
the ridiculous feather-suited bird-catcher in The Magic Flute.
In lieder Prey enjoyed programmes of Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann,
Mahler and Richard Strauss also championing the German art-songs
of Carl Loewe. Prey sang at Bayreuth making his debut in 1965
as Wolfram. In 1981 he was there again as Beckmesser. He died
suddenly in Munich the city that he had made his home aged 69
having sung at the Prince Regent Theatre only four days before.
For this BR Klassik release Prey demonstrates his versatility
with a selection of songs that range from Bach to Verdi, from
Mozart to Berlin and from Lieder to Broadway musicals. There
is nothing progressive or difficult in the programme which probably
reflects Prey as a sensitive singer who loved melody and traditional
classical and romantic music. The opening song Ein Madchen
oder Weibchen wunscht Papageno sich! (A girl or a little
wife wishes Papageno) is from The Magic Flute. Immediately
Prey’s golden baritone is evident together with his expressive
powers and impressive diction. From The Barber of Seville
Prey’s Figaro’s cavatina Largo al factotum della
città (Make way for the factotum of the city), a
staple of the repertoire, is exciting and, given its difficulty,
extremely well controlled. Valentin’s wonderful cavatina
Avant de quitter ces lieu (Before leaving this place)
from Gounod’s Faust is full of melody and is sung
with real assurance. Toni’s prologue the popular Si
puo? Si puo? Signore! Signori! (May I? May I? Ladies! Gentlemen!)
from Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci is dramatic and masterly.
Prey is accompanied in An die ferne Geliebte by Munich-born
accompanist Wolfgang Sawallisch; far better known as a conductor.
I enjoyed Prey’s interpretation and he sounds wonderfully
at home despite the cycle’s contrasting demands. Especially
enjoyable is Prey’s poignant Auf dem Hügel sitz
ich spähend (Sit on the Hill, Gazing) and the rapt
sense of joy he delivers in Es kehret der Maien, es blühet
die Au (May returns, the meadow’s in Flower).
It is fascinating to hear Prey sing something different. The
final track ‘They say that falling in love is wonderful’
from Irving Berlin’s musical Annie Get Your Gun
is certainly that. As I expected, Prey sings well but he doesn’t
feel particularly at home as Frank the star of the Buffalo Bill
Wild West Show. It all seems rather too buttoned-up.
The Munich Radio Orchestra, who celebrated their 60th anniversary
in the 2011/12 season, provides wholehearted support. They play
with total assurance.
The sound quality delivered by Bavarian Broadcasting from the
various Munich venues is first class. Sadly the omission of
the sung texts has reduced the value of the series.
This BR Klassik ‘Great Singers Live’ series often
introduces us to remarkable performances from a host of distinguished
singers. Prey is in outstanding voice. This is a disc that I
will often return to.
Michael Cookson
Track listing & recording details
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
1. Aria: Ein Madchen oder Weibchen wunscht Papageno sich! from
Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) [3:54]
2. Recitative and Aria: Tutto e disposto … Aprite un po'
quegli occhi from Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of
Figaro), K.492 [4:07]
3. Aria: Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo from Così fan
tutte (Women are like that)
K.588 [4:52]
Gioacchino ROSSINI (1792-1868)
4. Aria: Largo al factotum della citta from Il barbiere di
Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) [4:43]
Albert LORTZING (1801-1851)
5. Recitative and Aria: Wie freundlich strahlt die helle Morgensonne
from Der Wildschütz (The Poacher) [4:47]
Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901)
6. Aria: Di Provenza il mar from La Traviata [4:12]
7. Scene and aria: Alzati! Eri tu che macchiavi quell'anima
from Un ballo in maschera (The Masked Ball) [5:42]
Charles GOUNOD (1818-1893)
8. Cavatina: Avant de quitter ces lieux from Faust [3:37]
Ruggero LEONCAVALLO (1857-1919)
9. Prologue: Si puo? Si puo? from Pagliacci [5:21]
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
10. Grosser Herr, o starker König (Great Lord and Mighty
King) from Christmas Oratorio (6 Cantatas, from Christmas
to Epiphany), BWV248 [4:56]
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Lieder (Song cycle): An die ferne Geliebte (To the distant
beloved), Op.98 (1816):
11. a. Auf dem Hügel sitz’ ich spähend (Sit
on the Hill, Gazing) [3:18]
12. b. Wo die Berge so blau (Where the blue, blue Mountains)
[1:56]
13. c. Leichte Segler in den Höhen (Light Sailors of the
Firmament) [1:44]
14. d. Diese Wolken in den Höhen (These Clouds on high)
[1:15]
15. e. Es kehret der Maien (May returns, the meadow’s
in Flower) [2:13]
16. f. Nimm sie hin denn, diese Lieder (Accept them, then, these
Songs) [4:54]
Irving BERLIN (1888-1989)
17. They Say that falling in love is wonderful from
the musical Annie Get Your Gun (1946) [3:05]
Münchner Rundfunkorchester (Munich Radio Orchestra)/Argeo
Quadri (Tracks 1, 4, 5, 8); Heinz Wallberg (Tracks 2, 7, 9);
Heinz Fricke (Tracks 3, 6); Kurt Eichhorn (Track 10); Roberto
Abbado (Track 17)
Piano: Wolfgang Sawallisch (Tracks 11-16)
rec. live: 10 Feb 1966 (Tracks 1, 4 ,5), 16 Jan 1977 (Tracks
2, 7, 9), 1 Dec 1966 (Tracks 3, 6), 1 Sept 1972 (Track 8), 17
Dec 1972 (Track 10) Congress Hall, Deutsches Museum, Munich;
10 Jan 1988 (Track 11-16) Prince Regent Theatre, Munich; 29
July 1992 (Track 17 ) Hercules Hall, Residenz, Munich.
rec. 1966-92