Presentation of the Silver Rose from "Der Rosenkavalier," Act 2. -- Finale from " Der Rosenkavalier," Act 2.

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf ; Irmgard Seefried, sopranos ; Vienna Philharmonic ; Ludwig Weber (bass) ; Dagmar Hermann (contralto) ; Otto Ackermann, conductor.

This recording starts with the Octavian theme, with which the Prelude to the opera begins, and continues with Sophie's last words before his arrival, " Herrgott im Himmel" (Lord God in Heaven) the cries, off-stage, of " Rofrano" are omitted and it continues, without the cuts in the earlier version, to the end of the duct after the presentation of the silver rose. Old memories of the Schumann-Olszewska recording are challenged, and met successfully. The orchestral part is, of course, here much better recorded, the detail coming out more clearly, but the singing is of first-rate quality. Sophie's first utterance is, as it should be excited almost to the point of incoherence and the orchestra carries the excitement on to a blaze of tone as Octavian, in his shining white uniform, appears with the silver ro;e. The delicacy and tenderness with which Irmgard Seefried describes Octavian's mission and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's shy replies are admirable and most touching. Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's voice has not, perhaps, the superb poise of Elizabeth Schumann's, but she pitches her high phrases extremely well and negotiates the top C sharp with greater ease than, at the time the previous recording was made, Schumann could achieve. The balance between the two voices is very good and I noted with much appreciation the gradual glow that invested the orchestra as the two young people take in each other's beauty and fall in love at first sight. The conversational duet on side 3 is charmingly done and altogether no one who loves this opera can afford to be without this recording. There is a certain lack of bass, but much lovely playing in the orchestra. Note the tone of the woodwind on side one and the beautifully exact timing of the semiquaver in the characteristic triplet figure. The fourth side starts, several pages earlier than in the old set, with Och's words, after some orchestral phrases, " Da lieg' ich," and the music continues to the end of the act. Ludwig Weber is a good Ochs, less lecherous and vinous than the unforgettable Richard Mayr, but quite evidently a vulgar old man. His provincial dialect is well done, he never clowns the part, and his voice has a greater steadiness of tone than Mayr could command when the earlier recording was made. The sotto voce men's chorus is well done, but Dagmar Hermann as Annina could have made her part more meaningful and could also have kept her tone more steady. Our own Muriel Terry, in the first London production of the opera, characterised this part better than any singer I have heard since. Weber's low E, at the close, is a grand note and maintained with steady tone and the orchestral playing, under Ackermann, is a continual delight. (Gramophone October 1949)

78 recording.

Gerald Goldberg Collection.