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Label
and Album of Wagner's Lohengrin on Polydor PD-27395/8 conducted by Hermann
Weigert.
Images
courtesy Schellacksammlung
- Walter Schwanzer,
Austria.
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Looking at
a specific listing in an old long playing gramophone record catalog,
in hindsight, one often tends to think that a recording was made accidentally,
or incidentally if you wish, as if there were no events leading up
to the release, as if there was no context.
In the case of the two early Remington recordings of Astrid Varnay
there is the important fact that this soprano had captured the attention
of the audience in the New York MET as well as the listeners to the
radio broadcast of Wagner's Die Walküre in which she sang Sieglinde,
replacing an indisposed Lotte Lehmann. That was on Saterday December
6, 1941. Since that afternoon she was going to establish herself at
the Metropolitan Opera as one of the great Wagner singers and was
going to conquer New York. And not just New York.
Don Gabor was
probably aware of the impact she made and if he was not, because of
the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the following Sunday morning
which overshadowed Varnay's performance and made Donald Gabor
enlist in the Navy eventually, it certainly was conductor Laszlo
Halasz who realized the significance of Varnay's debut. Laszlo
Halasz was often involved with Remington Records before he officially
became "recording director" of the company. When ten years
after that meorable MET debut Astrid Varnay was performing in Bayreuth
and was singing in Vienna as well, Halasz and Gabor asked Prawy to
send tapes to New York.
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The
Remington discs with operatic arias were released in the early
nineteen fifties. This is a booking ad of Astrid Varnay from
the National Concert and Artists Corporation in New York from
1953.
(From the SoundFountain Archive)
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Marcel Prawy,
who in 1941 was a New York resident, also must have heard Astrid
Varnay sing in the MET - not necessarily on that Saterday because
he was in Chicago where Wagner's Tristan und Isolde
and Puccini's Turandot were performed - but he must
have heard Varnay sing prior to his leaving for Europe in 1944 as
an instruction officer in the US Army. Later he witnessed her singing
in Vienna in the early nineteen fifties and he could have attended
the Bayreuth Festival in 1951 also when it had reopened on July 19,
and was trying to shed the bad reputation it had accumulated during
Hitler's Thousand Year Emporium which lasted only twelve years, from
1933 till 1945.
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The
cover of one of the two records with Act III of Die Walküre
with Sigurd Björling, Astrid Varnay, Lyonie Rysanek, Brünnhild
Friedland, Eleanor Lausch, Elfriede Wild, Ruith Siewert, Liselotte
Thomamüller, Hertha Töpper, conducted by Herbert von
Karajan at the Bayreuther Festspiele, 1951. (on German Columbia
33 WCX 507.)
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The entry in an old music encyclopedia says that "Astrid
Varnay was a Hungarian-Swedish-American soprano. She was born
Ibolyka Astrid Maria Varnay on April 25th, 1918, in Stockholm, and
made her debut in 1941 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York as Sieglinde
in Wagner's Die Walküre and from then on was immediately
considered as one of the most prominent young Wagner singers. She
performed in London, Vienna and Bayreuth."
In 1944 she married Hermann Weigert (1890-1955) who was her
senior by some twenty eight years. In 1934 he had left Nazi Germany
and went to live in South Africa first but finally found his niche
in New York as rehearsal director for the German language at the Met.
Before he had left Europe he lived in Germany and, as a director of
the Berlin State Opera, he conducted a variety of operas in the early
nineteen thirties and earned his laurels making recordings for Deutsche
Grammophon's Polydor label.
Recordings
of Hermann Weigert with the Berlin State Opera Orchestra:
Georges
Bizet: Entr'acte and Prélude Act 4 from 'Carmen'
- PD-27190/1.
Georges Bizet: 'Danse bohémienne' from La jolie
fille de Perth - PD-27191.
Charles Gounod: 'Faust' (abridged version, sung in German)
with Hedwiga von Debicka, Helge Roswaenge and Heinrich Schlusnus
- PD-27377/81.
Engelbert Humperdinck: 'Hansel und Gretel' (sung in German,
arranged by Hermann Weigert and Hans Maeder) - PD-27891/4.
Albert Lortzing: 'Zar und Zimmermann' with Willy Domgraf-Fasbaender
- PD-27407/10.
Carl Millöcker: 'Der Bettelstudent' with Ida Perry,
Margret Pfahl, Irene Eisinger, Eduard Kandl - PD-95342/5
Otto Nicolai: 'Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor' (The
Merry Wives of Windsor - arranged by Weigert) with Else Ruziczka
and Eduard Kandl - PD-27399/402.
Giacomo Puccini: 'La bohème' (abridged recording,
sung in German) with Felicie Hüni-Mihacsek and Hedwig Jungkurth
- PD-27357/61.
Giacomo Rossini: 'The Barber of Seville' (abridged recording
in German) with Armin Weltner, Sabine Meyen, and Julius Patzak
- PD-27353/6.
Guiseppe Verdi: 'Il trovatore' (abridged recording sung
in German) with Hella Toros, Lotte Dörwald, and Hertha
Klust - PD-27403/6.
Richard Wagner: 'Lohengrin' with Otto Helgers, Fritz
Wolff, and Beate Malkin - PD-27395/8.
Carl Maria von Weber: 'Der Freischütz' (arranged
by Hermann Weigert and Hans Maeder) with Armin Weltner and Deszö
Ernster - PD-27387/90 - Individual excerpts on PD-27153
Source:
The Gramophone Shop Encyclopedia of Recorded Music.
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Before going
to Europe and finally choosing Munich as her residence, Astrid Varnay
made guest appearances in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and
in Buenos Aires.
Varnay's European debut was when she sang Brünhilde and
Isolde at Coventgarden, London, in 1948. In 1951 she
performed at the May Festival in Florence, Italy, as Lady Macbeth
under Vittorio Gui. In that same year she was engaged by Wieland Wagner
in Bayreuth in productions conducted by the Three K's,
Hans Knappertsbusch, Joseph Keilberth and Herbert von Karajan. She
remained on the playbill for many years to come (not so Herbert von
Karajan of whom she did not like the way he conducted during the performance
like "a high priest with eyes closed", she remarked).
Later that year she also appeared at the Städtische Oper in
Berlin.
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The
box with the live performance at the Bayreuth Festival 1951
of Siegfried with Astrid Varnay, Bernd Aldenhoff, Sigurd Björling,
Paul Kuen, Heinrich Pflanzl, Wilma Lipp, and Herbert von Karajan
conducting. Foyer PO 1004 from Italy.
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It was in Bayreuth
in 1951 that John Culshaw put his first step on the road to
a complete Ring des Nibelungen and that he heard Astrid Varnay
there during the rehearsals for the performance of Götterdämmerung
conducted by Hans Knappertsbusch. In 'Ring Resounding'
Culshaw writes that this performance was not suitable for releasing
on record because there were too many flaws and irregularities, yet
he mentions his admiration for Astrid Varnay's voice. When John Culshaw
made a detour to try his luck with Capitol Europe, the Decca people
(Peter Andry, Kenneth Wilkinson, Roy Wallace, and assistant Gordon
Parry) recorded THE RING during the season of 1955 in stereo. Astrid
Varnay had established herself as a truly grandiose Wagner singer.
She also performed then and there.

In the edition
of music magazine Etude of May 1952 the above images
were published together with an article with the title Hear Yourself
As Others Hear You in which Astrid Varnay gives advice (as told to
Annabel Comfort of Etude). The caption of the pictures says: Astrid
Varnay, the first American to sing Bruenhilde in Götterdämmerung
at the Wagner Festival in Bayreuth last summer. Her performance was
a brilliant highlight of the festival.
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John Culshaw thought the recordings of the 1951 Bayreuth
performances conducted by Hans Knappertsbusch not fit for release
at the time.
Testament
issued for the first time the Decca recording from 1951
of Götterdämmerung (Wagner).
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Hermann
Uhde (Baritone)
Astrid Varnay (Soprano)
Elisabeth Höngen (Mezzo Soprano)
Hertha Topper (Voice)
Bernd Aldenhoff (Tenor)
Ludwig Weber (Bass)
Heinrich Pflanzl (Voice)
Martha Mödl (Mezzo Soprano)
Ruth Siewert (Alto)
Ira Malaniuk (Mezzo Soprano)
Hanna Ludwig (Soprano)
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (Soprano), HansKnappertsbusch conducting.
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In 1953 Wagner's Lohengrin performed at Bayreuth was recorded
by Decca with Wolfgang Windgassen in the leading role. Elsa was performed
by Eleanor Steber; Hermann Uhde was Telramund; Astrid Varnay was cast
as Ortrud; King Henry was sung by Josef Greindl; Herald by Hans Braun.
A complete Lohengrin with conductor Wilhelm Schüchter had been
released in 1953 on His Master's Voice ALP1095-98 (4 LP). The Decca
edition on 5 discs was conducted by Prof. Joseph Keilberth and was
released in February 1954 on LXT 2880-84. At the same time a complete
recording with conductor Rudolf Kempe was issued on Nixa ULP 9225.
Recording Lohengrin was en vogue.
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The
advertisement for the release of the
Lohengrin performance on the US London label
LLA-16.
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In 1955 Decca's
recording team (Peter Andry, engineers Kenneth Wilkinson and Roy Wallace,
and assistant Gordon Parry) went to Bayreuth to record Wagner's
Ring der Niebelungen with Astrid Varnay, Elisabeth Schartel, Georgine
von Milinkovic, Gré Brouwenstijn, Gustav Neidlinger, Hermann
Uhde , Josef Greindl, Jutta Vulpius, Maria Graf, Maria von Ilosvay,
Mina Bolotine, and Wolfgang Windgassen, conducted by Joseph Keilberth.
John Culshaw,
who after his detour to Capitol Europe, had returned to Decca in 1955
as senior producer and subsequently Classical A&R Manager, did
not approve of the release on disc of these live recordings. This,
because of the many imperfections, he said, which were also caused
by the less than favorable acoustics in the hall and the orchestra
in the pit. However, Peter Andry and his engineers were quite happy
with the results they had achieved. Obviously Culshaw had plans for
his own Ring and knew of course that the release of the 1955 "Stereo
Ring" would be quite expensive and would jeopardize his plans.
When a
few years later he started his project of recording Der Ring des
Nibelungen with Sir Georg Solti, what would in fact become
the most famous Ring ever, Culshaw wanted Astrid Varnay to sing the
role of Brünnhilde, of Ortrud and/or Kundry. But the people of
Decca thought that only Kirsten Flagstad's name was commercially
right and Culshaw's proposition was declined. Astrid Varnay was told
that she would not be hired for the production. After Flagstad's death
in 1962, Culshaw cautiously approached Astrid Varnay again
and asked her to take part in the recordings. But now it was Astrid
Varnay who declined.
This not only
shows Varnay's independence and her strong character, but it also
explains why there are not too many commercial recordings of complete
opera's, studio recordings and recitals with the soprano made by the
leading record companies of the world. Taking part in Decca's Stereo
Ring could have been a prelude to more Decca recordings. Apparently
Astrid Varnay was a performing artist more than she was a recording
artist and by the mid nineteen sixties she may have considered that
she was no longer at the height of her powers. Living in the shadow
of Kirsten Flagstad - who actually had been instrumental in the start
of her career and had recommended her to be coached by Hermann Weigert,
the educator she later married - and also somewhat in the loom of
Birgit Nilsson, had not been easy. Another reason to decline. She
than recorded for Deutsche Grammophon and later she appeared on private
labels, recordings of live performances and of an occasional recital.
The Remington records were genuine recordings made in Vienna and were
apparently obtained by Marcel Prawy from the Austrian Broadcasting
Corporation (ORF). There were several releases and compilations on
the Remington and Diamant labels, issued at various dates.
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Soprano
Astrid Varnay's Operatic Recital on Remington RLP-199-45: Fidelio,
Die Walküre, La juive, Thais, Aida, Simon Boccanegra, Il
trovatore. The Austrian Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Hermann
Weigert.
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The Remington
recordings of Astrid Varnay:
Remington
R-199-45 - Astrid Varnay Operatic Recital
(released December 1951).
"Abscheulicher Wo Eilst Du Hin" from "Fidelio"
(Beethoven)
"Der Männer Sippe" from "Die Walküre"
(Wagner)
"Il Va Venir" from "La Juive" "(Halévy)
"Ah! Je suis belle" from "Thais"(Massenet)
"Ritorno Vincitor" from "Aida" (Verdi)
Amelia Grinaldi's Aria from "Simon Boccanegra" (Verdi)
"D'Amor sull all rose e vanne" from "Il Trovatore"
(Verdi)
Austrian Symphony Orchestra / Hermann Weigert
Remington
R-199-53 - Astrid Varnay Recital (released in the Fall
of 1952)
"Senta's Balad" from "The Flying Dutchman" (Der
fliegende Holländer) (Wagner)
"Ocean Aria" from "Oberon" (Weber)
"Agatha's Cavatina" from "Der Freischütz"
(Weber)
"Voi Lo Sapete" from "Cavaleria Rusticana (Mascagni)
"Ecco Lorido" from "Un Ballo in Maschera" (Verdi)
"In Quelle Trine Morbide" from "Manon Lescaut"
(Puccini)
"Il est doux" from "Herodiade" (Massenet)
Austrian Symphony Orchestra / Hermann Weigert
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The
second Remington album was
RLP-199-53.
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Astrid
Varnay and Paul Schoeffler sing Wagner Arias on Remington R-199-137.
Cover by Alex Steinweiss.
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Remington
R-199-137 - Highlights sung by Metropolitan's Astrid Varnay and Paul
Schoeffler (released by the end of
1954)
The Flying Dutchman
Overture
- Austrian Symphony Orchestra, Gustav Koslik conducting
"Die Frist ist um" - Paul Schoeffler, baritone and the Austrian
Symphony Orchestra with Wilhelm Loibner conducting
"Ballade der Senta" - Astrid Varnay, soprano and the Austrian
Symphony Orchestra, Wilhelm Loibner, conductor.
Die Meistersinger
"Was duftet doch der Flieder" - Paul Schoeffler, baritone
and the Austrian Symphony Orchestra, Hermann Weigert, conductor
Die Walküre
"Der Männer Sippe" - Astrid Varnay, soprano, and the
Austrian Symphony Orchestra, Hermann Weigert conducting
This record is apparently a compilation of selections from R-199-45,
R-199-53 and earlier Masterseal recordings of Paul Schoeffler plus
unpublished material from the 1951 radio broadcasts. Some of the same
material can be found on the 2 compilations discs released by BASF,
reference 22 22645-3 on which she is accompanied by "Das
Niederöstereichische Tonkünstler-Orchester" conducted
by Herman Weigert.
R-199-137 was later also presented
as a recording made according to the Musirama microphone placement
technique, but like a few other recordings (Gustav Koslik's Polovetsian
Dances and Night on Bold Mountain, and Zoltan Fekete´s Bruckner
3rd) it was not.
Diamant
BL 737 - Beliebte Wagner Arien
This is the German release with the same material from R-199-137 pressed
from Remington plates.
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Paul
Schoeffler and Astrid Varnay sing beloved Wagner Arias on Diamant
BL 737.
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An
uncommon performance: "An Evening of Song". Astrid
VArnay sings Dors mon enfant, and Attente (Richard Wagner),
Deita Silvane (Ottorini Respighi), Gypsy Melodies/ Zigeunermelodien
(Antonin Dvorak) all accompanied by Heinrich Bender at the piano,
recorded in Munich in 1961.
With Hermann Weigert conducting the Niederöstereichische
Tonkünster-Orchester: Ah perfido (Ludwig van Beethoven)
- recorded in Vienna 1951.
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At
left is the front of the Melodram 3 LP set with the performance
of Macbeth in 1951 with Vittorio Gui conducting the Orchestra
and Chorus of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino with Ivan Petroff
(Macbeth), Astrid Varnay (Lady Macbeth), Italo Tajo (Banco), Gino
Penno (Macduff), Gino Sarri (Malcolm), Luciana Veroni (Dama),
Camello Righini (Medico). Melodram 335.
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The
performance with Vittorio Gui at the May Festival in Florence
was issued on CD by Preiser Records.
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Astrid
Varnay (soprano), Hertha Töpper (alto), Wolfgang Windgassen
(tenor), and the Bamberger Symphoniker (Bamberg Symphony) wirh
Ferdinand Leitner conducting: Liebesduett and Liebestod on Deutsche
Grammophon SLPM 136030.
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Astrid
Varnay at the time she recorded for Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft.
Image taken from the 1958 DGG record catalogue.
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On September 4, 2006, Astrid Varnay died in Munich.
This page will be expanded.
Research and
Text by Rudolf A. Bruil. Page first published January 19th, 2010.
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