Customer Reviews

At Home with the Trapp Family Singers: An Evening of Folksongs

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The original von Trapp Family's twenty years of touring and performing internationally had finished, and Maria Augusta von Trapp had written their story in three books and begun several decades of missionary work in New Guinea by the time "The Sound of Music" hit Broadway, and Julie Andrews later sang about her favorite things in a top-earning film. I don't know if the original von Trapp Family benefitted from show and film royalties; they certainly deserved to, for they worked very hard perfecting, under their conductor Dr Franz Wasner, their natural ensemble and music-making talents.

The results may be heard in this first-class CD reissue of recordings they made in New York in 1952 and 1956. The family amassed a large repertoire, collecting items while touring, for example "Waltzing Mathilda" from Australia. The selection here includes a cross-section (loosely titled "Folk Songs") and some of their instrumental items involving recorders, cello and harpsichord. Perhaps the items from their rich Austrian culture are the most satisfying.

This is the second DGG CD release of their recordings. Duration 52 minutes. I recall from my LP collecting days, that there are enough Trapp Family recordings to fill a third CD. I look forward to it.

If you read their books, you will find that Maria sold the rights to make the movie very cheap and the family profited very little from the success of the movie. They were also repulsed by the music. This CD captures the real Trapp family and their love for good pure music.

I'm one of those The Sound of Music addicted, having lost the track of how many times I've seen it whatever the format is. Therefore, it was basically for curiosity that I've bought this CD. It's a fine recording that takes you to a typical, cosy family reunion. The male voices are not impressive and I wouldn't include the flute solos in the CD. But the final result is very pleasant, excellent to listen in the car while you're driving in the countryside (before lunch, of course).

Many of us were unfamiliar with the Trapp Family Singers until Rodgers and Hammerstein produced "The Sound of Music," first on Broadway in 1959 and then in the beloved motion picture version in 1965. However, the family group had actually made a series of recordings for RCA Victor and Deutsche Grammophon, until they disbanded in 1957. This album is taken from digitally remastered recordings made in the early 1950s. The sound is exceptionally clear and gives a good representation of the fine singing by the group. A few numbers are in English and the listener can clearly hear their Austrian accents, but most of the songs are in German. All are sung with great enthusiasm and musicianship. This is a rare opportunity to hear a beloved choir, not in the Broadway or Hollywood version but the originals.

Maria von Trapp, who I had the pleasure of seeing at San Jose State University in 1967, had a wonderful story, which she shared in at least two books. Some of the story was adapated into the musical comedy, but there were some differences in what really happened to the family, especially how they left Austria in 1938. Nevertheless, Maria had a hand in creating a wonderful singing group that still delights us via these vintage recordings. Now, in addition, a new generation of Trapp family singers are singing and keeping the traditions alive. This, however, is the original group in some delightful performances, typical of their numerous concert appearances for more than 20 years.