Letters, We Get Letters

Jason Serinus, Oakland: I thought you'd want to see the enclosed letter about the new Sony Masterworks CD of Lehmann, Ulanowsky and Walter. [Letter to Sony Customer Relations complains that MPK 47682, "Songs and Waltzes from Vienna," has Lehmann's birthdate listed as July 2, 1885, when "sources as varied as Lehmann's official biography and the spring 1992 issue of the Lotte Lehmann League, which contains a reproduction of her original birth certificate, verify that Lehmann was born on February 27, 1888." Letter also points out that the original LP "Songs of Vienna" contained three more selections not included on the new CD.]

Speaking of CDs, some time back you mentioned one that contained the second act of Walküre from a 1936 SF Opera broadcast. If I remember correctly, you. . .did not recommend it because of its poor sound. I have an lp version of that performance and have always cherished the scene beginning, "Hinweg, hinweg!". ..the performance is radically different from Lehmann's studio recording of the previous year. Though from my perspective the voice is not as clear or beautiful, the emotion behind it is so much more immediate and palpable as to make Sieglinde's experience hair-raising. Unless the CD was made from an inferior transfer or badly deteriorated master, I would hate to see people miss the chance to hear it.

As for your publication, it is a rare gift. I first discovered Lehmann on a Seraphim reissue around the time I was entering my senior year at Amhurst. She and Schumann quickly became two of my most profound spiritual teachers, teaching me so much about the essence of love. . .

Question: Has it ever been clearly determined that Schumann was born in 1888 rather than 1885? Is there any publication similar to yours devoted to her, or any source such as the Santa Barbara Archives for rare Schumann recordings?

Answer: I don't know, [now established: 1885], but maybe some of our readers would. And, if you love Schumann, why nor find some Schumann enthusiasts and start a newsletter like this one? As you mention above, this publicarion is a "gift" to those who receive it from Gary Hickling and me. We take turns being editor. We've been doing two issues each. But I procrastinated too long this year and am putting out a single double issue for my part. Then back to Gary. If any of our recipients do not enjoy the newsletter, please send a postcard canceling out. Postage costs are high (many go to Europe), and we try to keep a small, manageable, actively interested mailing list of Lehmann enthusiasts. Many thanks to those who have sent helpful checks for postage. —JS

Neal Klenke, Arlington, Va: I was a senior in high school when I first became really interested in classical music, especially Wagner & Strauss. This was just after her (LL's) retirement, but she was still spoken of in the present tense as still performing. And I remember well so many persons speaking of her, her way with lieder and opera, and urging me to listen to her recordings, and playing them for me.

Because of these interests I chose German as my foreign language in college. . .My knowledge of German greatly enhanced my appreciation of both German opera and lieder, enabling me to truly hear and sense all the incredible nuances of Lehmann's interpretations. Few singers have ever "colored" their voices and colored the texts, the vowels, like she did. Even in high school—LPs just coming out and reprints of LL records available—I sensed the rapture in Walküre Act I, and all the many moods she conveyed in Rosenkavalier.

One of the most wonderful things about the LLL is the record reviews. Some I would never have heard of. And I am so glad you warned about the terrible reproduction of Rosenkavalier on the Pearl recording. . .I look forward to the recording from the remastered matrix with clean sound.

It's now available! See article in thls newsletter.—JS

Stephen M. Fry, Music Librarian at UCLA: I have just seen a copy of the Lotte Lehmann League newsletter dated Autumn 1991. The UCLA Music Library receives many inquiries about the life and work of Miss Lehmann. I am glad to know where we can send our patrons to find recordings by and information about her. Would you please send me copies of your previous newsletter issues and put us on your mailing list.

Henry L. Snyder, Riverside, CA: I very much enjoy receiving your newsletter. I am a great admirer of Lehmann. I saw her sing twice at Berkeley, in 1949 and 1950. . .I have given the programs, one of them autographed, to a foundation...

I have given away all my 78s. I would very much like to have the LP editions of her Columbia Lieder recordings, including the Winterreise and Brahms songs which were issued only in Japan. Is there any chance of persuading Sony to issue them on CD?

Try: Customer Relations, Sony Music Entertainment, Inc, 666 Fifth Ave. PO Box 4452, New York, NY 10101-4452

Response: Lehmann recorded the entire Winterreise, but part with Columbia and part with RCA. So far no rapport reported. This would make a terrific CD. [Website readers, note that several CD versions of Winterreise are now available. See Recommended CDs on the MegaIndex page.] A wonderful video is available from the Archive for about $35—LL's Winterreise paintings and her complete Schubert cycle. --JS

Jerry Minkoff, NYC: Here are a few articles I've collected. Read the "Studs" Terkel profile for a reference to Lehmann. ..

Jerry sent a May 6, 1992, New York Times article abour Chicago's 8O-year-old master interviewer and writer. Studs Terkel recounts some of his most memorable interviewees. "and, of course, Lotte Lehmann, the great singer. She was my North Star. She never retired; neither will I."

Jerry also sent a letter-to-the editor from November 1990 by Jill Scharff. If any of you want to try convincing Sony & RCA to cooperatively reissue Lehmann 's version of Winterreise, this may help:

Matthew Gurewitsch's article "Can a Woman Do a Man's Job in 'Winterreise'?" [Oct. 28] missed the point. ..The winter's journey in Schubert's 24 songs is a dark journey of the soul. Anyone, man or woman, who has ever felt the gloom of Schubert's protagonist can easily relate to the despair of Winterreise. "

As Mr. Gurewitsch stated, certain songs or song cycles should be sung by members of only one sex, i.e., Frauenliebe und -leben is a song cycle for a woman. As adamant as Mr. Gurewitsch is in his belief that Winterreise is no material for a woman, many of us are just as tenacious about the fact that German lieder should be sung only by native German-speaking people. An English-speaking male, regardless of his attention to pronunciation, cannot produce the German sound or approach the subtleties and nuances of the German language that are necessary for Winterreise. Brigitte Fassbaender's and Christa Ludwig's renditions are on a far higher interpretive level than that of any non-native German-speaking male I have ever heard.

There are so few good lieder singers around today that we should rejoice when superior exponents of the art of the lied have the good sense to help save it from extinction by venturing into repertory that convention decided was not for them.

Reinhard v. Ressewich: (Spelling not clear) The "letters" [LLL) are continuously of interest to me. I am purchasing the estate building (Guts-Haus, not the estate as such) of Gross-Pankow (former East Germany), where Lotte sang for my grandfather Baron Konrad zu Putlitz, who then sponsored the final lessons. More details later.

CJ Niles, Carroll, IA: Look who is in Vaniry Fair this month! Enclosed was a photocopy of page 198 of the August 1992 Vanity Fair: a portrait photograph of Lehmann as the Marschallin taken by Steichen. It apparenrly ran in the magazine once before, in January 1935.—JS