The Very Best of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf

Josef Metternich (Performer), Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer), Carl Maria von Weber (Composer), Richard [Classical] Wagner (Composer), Bedrich Smetana (Composer), Engelbert [Classical] Humperdinck (Composer), Richard [1] Strauss (Composer), Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer), Franz [Vienna] Schubert (Composer), Hugo [Composer] Wolf (Composer), Swiss Traditional (Composer), Johann II [Junior] Strauss (Composer), Franz Lehar (Composer), Richard Heuberger (Composer), Rudolf Sieczynski (Composer), Alceo Galliera (Conductor), John Pritchard (Conductor), Carlo Maria Giulini (Conductor), Karl Böhm (Conductor) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Josef Metternich
• Conductor: Alceo Galliera, John Pritchard, Carlo Maria Giulini, Karl Böhm
• Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Carl Maria von Weber, Richard [Classical] Wagner, Bedrich Smetana, et al.
• Audio CD (September 2, 2003)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B0000AF1SC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #201,545 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #89 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Featured Performers, A-Z > Q to T

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf was certainly one of the greatest singers of her own, or indeed any other time. An obsessive perfectionist, her flawless technique and intonation over a huge range, vocal flexibility, breath control, phrasing, stylistic versatility, and above all her focused, radiantly beautiful sound were matchless and incomparable. All these are on full display on this generous 2-CD set, which features over a dozen arias, songs by Schubert, Wolf and Richard Strauss, and some lighter fare. The recordings were made between 1950 and 1967, and the singing becomes better and better, the voice richer and more varied, the expression deeper and more immediate. Not surprisingly, the peaks come in the arias from her signature roles in Mozart's Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Cosi fan tutte; Richard Strauss' Ariadne, Rosenkavalier, and Arabella, which rise to real ecstasy; and arias from Weber's Freischütz and Smetana's Bartered Bride, which are wonderfully intimate and touching. She is less convincing in roles she never sang on stage, and the "childish" voice she cultivated especially for Hänsel and Gretel is unnatural and contrived. The same is true of the last two "popular" numbers, which sound condescending and artificial. The songs, however, have all her customary finesse and inwardness; the Wolf group, perhaps chosen for its gentle humor, is charming, while Strauss' "Four Last Songs" (represented by two) shimmer and soar. Schwarzkopf's singing had instantly recognizable characteristics: a tendency to hold back both vocally and emotionally, giving a sense of noble restraint, but also of cool detachment; excessive use of color and nuance, creating a fussy, calculated and somewhat artificial air. Only rarely does she "let go" with full voice and spontaneous feeling. However, as these recordings show, she invariably inspires admiration and captures ear and heart through the inimitable, glorious beauty of her voice. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why do opera critics & fans trash her so much?, April 20, 2004

By 

Larry D. Rodriguez (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Very Best of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (Audio CD)

Every great diva of the past century has her detractors- Callas, Sutherland, Caballe, even Leontyne Price. The "experts" harp upon the slightest flaw, ignoring their artistry; or, if they sing flawlessly, they are labled as "cool tempered" or "detached."

However, I think the critics and fickle opera fans especially relish sinking their fangs & claws into Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. They use the most interesting words to describe her singing, like "wimpy", "soppy", "masochistic", "meowing", etc. Even a currently popular baritone trashed her in a recent interview, saying how the music didn't flow "naturally" out of her, and how she ruined some aspiring opera singers with her master classes. I guess the latter is possibly true; just listen to Renee Fleming!

What is largely ignored is what she actually DID for opera. Ask any opera historian about the golden age of Mozart in the 20th century, and the name Schwarzkopf is bound to come up. Thankfully, Mozart is generously featured on this Best Of recital. The first disc opers with Marzelline's lied from Fidelio, which sounds like it could have been composed by Mozart himself. Recorded in the early 50's, it captures her voice at its absolute peak, which can only be described (sic) as "indescribably beautiful", to paraphrase one critic. Next comes Non So Piu, Cherubino's first aria from Le Nozze di Figaro. This aria, normally for mezzos, is interpreted wonderfully by Elisabeth. She sings it almost at a break-neck pace, with clean diction. In fact, one thing that strikes me about Schwarzkopf is how good her Italian diction is, better than it had to be, given that she isn't Italian. Bless her, she actually pronounces the double consonants! And Mozart's recitatives never fazed her.

The rest of the Mozart arias are all equally as enthralling. Porgi Amor, an aria that normally bores me to death, caught my attention. She sings it with a "heroic" quality, infusing each word with feeling and meaning. She essays Mi Tradi with equal grace, not afraid of the murderously difficult coloratura and singing line. If Come Scoglio sounds a little too artificial and fearsome, it is not to the detriment of its power and formidability, in her hands.

I have to admit that, in general, I do not give German opera the same attention that I give to Italian opera. Fortunately, the rest of the first disc is devoted to her German reperatoire. Most striking, in my mind, are the arias from Der Freischutz (what a climatic ride), Lohengrin (okay, she's not Birgit Nilsson, so what!), and Tannhauser. Of course, we cannot exclude her Strauss. Her superb tonality shines thoughout.

I have to admit that, listening to the first disc so much, I haven't listened to the whole of the second disc, which is sad. It is more focused on German lieder. The first track, by Bach, is a marvelous display of Elisabeth's coloratura. Other lieder prove that she was as comfortable in the middle of her voice as she was the top.

I very highly recommend this "Best Of" recital. Certainly, for the casual admirer of opera, this is an excellent opportunity to discover a vast section of the operatic reperatory, with one of the greatest sopranos of the past century.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ¡PERFECT!, February 9, 2005

By 

Regine Stein "Fleur" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Very Best of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (Audio CD)

I only want to say that you can hear, in this double cd, one of the great singers of all time. Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Why? Because she sings all the arias and lieder with pure of tone, brilliance, perfect inflexion, modulation, excellent control breath, measured vibrato, and, all above, great emision of colours. She is master in this art.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine anthology but still prefer her "Four Last Songs" recording, November 5, 2006

By 

Edward F. Schlenk "efs" (iowa) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Very Best of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (Audio CD)

The engineering and audio quality of these 1960's performances are surprisingly good. The songs are wonderfully peformed and cover a range of periods and styles, but I find myself returning to her recording (also re-released on CD) of Strauss' "Four Last Songs", which I would give 6 stars -- my favorite recording of all time.