Richard Lewis - Arias by handel & English Folk Songs (1997)

Liner Notes:

To many people Richard Lewis's career began when an informed source in Brussels wrote towards the end of 1945 to Rudolf Bing, then general manager of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera: 'I have a really excellent English tenor for you, who looks wonderful, has a very beautiful voice, is a superb musician and has absolute mastery of Mozart's style... I have not heard such beautiful Mozart singing for a long time.' Glyndebourne acted, but it was another three years before Lewis actually sang Mozart for the Company, and then only at the Edinburgh Festival (Don Giovanni); his real association with Glyndebourne began in 1950, but then he sang there virtually every season between 1950-67, and made his final appearance only in 1979.

Richard Lewis (1914-90) was a Welshman, born Thomas Thomas in Manchester. He studied at the Royal Manchester College with Norman Allin and joined the Carl Rosa Opera Company in 1941, singing Pinkerton and Almaviva, before war service claimed him for the next four years. In 1946 he came to the attention of Benjamin Britten, who immediately engaged him for the English Opera Group as the Male Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia which the Company was performing as guests of Glyndebourne in 1947. Malcolm Sargent also heard him at this time and set him on his twin career as an oratorio singer. During the next few years he sang Ferrando for Sadler's Wells and Dmitri and Peter Grimes at Covent Garden, and made his first recordings (for Decca, including a stylish 78rpm coupling in French of Nadir's Je crois entendre encore from The Pearl Fishers and En ferment les yeux from Manon: both on Dutton CDLX7020).

When Glyndebourne reopened in Sussex in 1950 Richard Lewis sang the first of many Ferrando's there, and the following year made an even bigger impression as Idomeneo when Fritz Busch and Carl Ebert staged the first professional performances of the opera in England. In subsequent years he appeared in Don Giovanni, Die Zauberflöte, Alceste, Fidelio, Ariadne auf Naxos, L'incoronazione di Poppea and Jephtha (Glyndebourne's staged version of Handel's oratorio), and he created the role of Tom Rakewell in the first UK performance of The Rake's Progress. Altogether he sang in over 350 stage performances at Glyndebourne, and was last seen in the 1979 revival of Il rittorno d'Ulisse in patria. At Covent Garden he extended his repertoire to take in Don Jose, Alfredo, Hoffman, and Hermann in The Queen of Spades. Then he sang in other Britten operas, notably as Captain Vere in Billy Budd, and created the roles of Troilus in Walton's Troilus and Cressida, Mark in Tippett's The Midsummer Marriage and Achilles in his King Priam.

Unsurprisingly, he became much in demand overseas, and was seen at opera houses in Vienna, Berlin, Paris, Chicago, Zagreb and Buenos Aires. He had the distinction of appearing in the French and American premières, as well as the British (at Covent Garden), of Schönberg's Moses and Aaron. Lewis was especially popular in the USA where the San Francisco Opera became a second home. Don José was his debut role there (1955) and in a 13-year association he took in Puccini's Des Grieux and Pinkerton, Jenik in The Bartered Bride, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Herod in Salome, the Captain in Wozzeck and Jason in Samuel Barber's Medea. Between 1968-71 he taught at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, alongside his success on the operatic stage he became equally well known on the concert platform. Here it had quickly became obvious that he was set to inherit the mantle of the tenors of previous generations such as John Coates, Gervase Elwes and Heddle Nash, and he established himself in works such as Messiah, Elijah and The Dream of Gerontius. He sang over eighty performances of Gerontius, recorded it with both Sir Malcolm Sargent and Sir John Barbirolli, and made his farewell in it (1983). He became particularly associated with Sargent, to whose celebrated recording of Coleridge-Taylor's Hiawatha's Wedding Feast he contributed a mellifluous 'Onaway! Awake beloved'. Together they embarked on a famous series of recordings of The Savoy Operas, in nearly all of which Lewis took the principal tenor role. With Beecham he sang in Beethoven's Choral Symphony and Mass in C (recording the latter) and Berlioz's Grande Messe des Morts. One work in which he was especially admired was Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde of which recordings exist with both George Szell and Fritz Reiner. Stravinsky chose him for the first performance of his Canticum Sacrum (1956), and he sang in the première recording of Tippett's A Child of Our Time.

One does not need to delve into Richard Lewis's career for very long before its outstanding feature becomes evident: his sheer versatility. Few singers of his day were as at home on the operatic stage as on the concert platform. In opera houses his handsome stage presence lent credibility to whatever role he undertook, and in the concert hall he established himself as the lyric tenor of the day. His range was from light opera to the most sophisticated modern score, and in everything he did he was as much admired for his sound musicianship and quick learning ability as for his flexible and evenly produced tone quality, which remained astonishingly constant throughout his career.

Richard Lewis's famous recording in English of nine extracts drawn from the oratorios of Handel, reissued on this disc in its entirety, was first published in 1957. It gathered together a number of favourite arias which in the days of 78s had been much sought after from English tenors such as Walter Widdop, Heddle Nash and Webster Booth, while for other admirers up and down the country who flocked to hear Lewis and Sargent in Messiah it was more of the admired same. Its public appeal was instantaneous, despite a few critical murmurings about Sargent's favoured use of a substantial orchestra and the resulting absence of authenticity; but, with the tenor at his best and the LSO's accompaniments most sympathetic and stylish, nothing could prevent it from becoming a huge popular success.

Tracks 11-22 have been selected from an LP entitled 'Folksongs of the British Isles' which appeared in 1960. Twelve of the original nineteen songs are included, which Richard Lewis sings to a variety of accompaniments ranging from harp alone (Tina Bonifacio) to a chamber orchestra led by Robert Masters. The sleeve of the original issue suggested that all were arranged by the Norwegian composer Arne Dörumsgaard (b. 1921). All are sung in English, except for An Eriskay Love Lilt (in Gaelic) and Ar hyd y nos, in which the singer reminds us of his Welsh origins.

Credits:

Handel arias -

• London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent
• No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London 28-30 September 1957 HMV ASD291 (2XEA1105/6) 1958

English Folk Songs -

• Chamber Orchestra conducted by Charles Mackerras with Tina Bonifacio (harp)
• No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London 16-17 April 1959 HMV ALP1777 (2XEA1105/6) 1960 First stereo release

Track List:

1. War, he sung, is toil and trouble (Alexander's Feast)
2. Total Eclipse! (Samson)
3. Where'er you walk (Semele)
4. Thanks to my brethren... How vain is man (Judas Maccabeus)
5. So long the memory shall last... While Kedron's brook (Joshua)
6. Recit: Deeper, and deeper still...
7. Waft her, angels (Jephtha)
8. Would you gain the tender creature (Acis and Galatea)
9. For ever blessed (Jephtha)
10. My arms! ... Sound an alarm (Judas Maccabeus)
11. The Maypole song
12. I will give my love an apple
13. Bingo
14. The foggy, foggy dew
15. The Helston Furry Dance
16. O Waly, Waly
17. The briery bush
18. O love it is a killing thing
19. The stuttering lovers
20. An Eriskay Love Lilt
21. All through the night
22. There's none to soothe

Download Links: Enjoy the Music.

Other recordings featuring Richard Lewis:

• Monteverdi - Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria / Benjamin Luxon, Janet Baker, Robert Lloyd, Richard Lewis, Anne Howells, Raymond Leppard, Glyndebourne Opera
• Mozart - Idomeneo / Barstow, Goeke, Betley, Lewis, Oliver, Pritchard, Glyndebourne Opera
• Berlioz: Grande Messe des Morts
• Great Choruses From Messiah
• Handel: Messiah
• Verdi: Messa da Requiem; I vespri siciliana Overture; Schubert: Mass in E flat, D950
• Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius
• Gilbert & Sullivan: The Pirates of Penzance; Overtures
• Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 "Choral"
• Beethoven: Missa Solemnis
• Mozart: Mitridate, re di Ponto, KV 87 (79)
• Gilbert & Sullivan: The Yeoman of the Guard
• Walton: Scenes From Troilus & Cressida
• Johann Strauss II: Die Fledermaus
• Mendelssohn: ElijahRichard Wagner: Der Fliegende Hollander [The Flying Dutchman] [COMPLETE RECORDING] (Leonie Rysanek, George London, Karl Liebl, Giorgio Tozzi, Richard Lewis, Rosalind Elias; Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Antal Dorati)
• Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage
• Mozart: Sacred Choral Masterpieces
• Mozart: Die Zauberflöte
• Arnold Schönberg: Gurre-Lieder

Peter Anders - Opera Excerpts (1993)

"PETER ANDERS. OPERA EXCERPTS. Peter Anders (ten) with various artists. Acanta mono (ID 43268 (75 minutes: ADD). From broadcast performances, 1942-52.

"Arias, duets and ensembles from Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, Der Evangelimann, Fidelio, Der Freischutz, Lohengrin, Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor, Martha, Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg, Undine and Die Zauberflöte.

"Had the war not intervened, the reputation of Peter Anders would surely be even higher than it already is. He had just reached his best years at the outbreak of hostilities and his activities were then restricted for six years to his home house, the Berlin State Opera. After that he had something of an international career, including his unforgettable Walther in Beecham's Die Meistersinger at Covent Garden in 1951 (of which we have two precious reminders here). Then, in 1954, at the age of 46 he was killed in a car crash just as he was about to undertake Lohengrin and Siegmund—a foretaste of what might have been is his 1951 performance of Lohengrin's "In fernem Land". That, as so much else here, derives from the archives of Berlin radio."

Source: Gramophone Archive.

Liner Notes:

"Peter Anders was one of those rare artists who knew the secret of the unusual--a thing that can never be learned..."

These words were spoken by Günther Rennert, the producer and administrative director at the grave of Peter Anders, who, on september 10th, 1954, at the height of his career had died as the result of a car accident. Peter Anders sudden death robbed Germany of one of its most brilliant tenor voices of the last few decades.

Peter Anders was born in Essen on July 1st, 1908. His father, a civil servant, soon afterwards moved with his family to Posen. The child's music talent became apparent quite early on and at the age of twelve, he was given his first violin lessons and allowed to join the church choir as a treble. After the First World War when Posen became part of Poland the Anders family fled to Berlin. Frequent visits to Berlin's three world-famous opera houses soon had their effect on the young Peter Anders; he decided to become an opera singer. To achieve his ambition, however he first had to take a somewhat devious route. The man for whom later the gates to the opera houses of Europe stood open settled down first to train as an accountant, to qualify in a "proper" profession. Music was for the time being just a hobby. Then, at the age of twenty, he began to take his hobby seriously: he decided to take singing lessons. Peter Anders was introduced to the well-known voice teacher Professor Ernst Grenzebach (the teacher of both Alexander and Max Lorenz), who took him on as a pupil. After only two years' training Peter Anders joined the opera class at the Berlin School of Music, where such later celebrities as Elisabeth Höngen and Maria Cebotari were among his fellow pupils. This step, moreover was to prove of consequence not only for his career for it was here that he met his future wife, Susanne Gmeiner daughter of Lula Mysz-Gmeiner, the famous Liederrecitalist. It was Lula Mysz-Gmeiner not only a great contralto but also a fine teacher who gave the final polish to Peter Anders' technique.

He started off singing in the chorus. His particularly beautiful voice, however soon came to the notice of Max Reinhardt, who, as it were, "discovered" him. His career nevertheless, continued modestly at first. In 1932 he was engaged as tenor buffo at Heidelberg Municipal Theatre, his first roles being Pedrillo in "II Seraglio" and Jaquino in "Fidelio." After one season at Heidelberg he went on to Darmstadt. Here he stayed for two years and then took up an engagement at Cologne, this time as a lyrical tenor. The last step before his final leap to fame was an engagement at Hannover where he had the opportunity of extending his repertoire.

1938 was a decisive year for Peter Anders. Clemens Krauss sent for the young tenor to sing at Munich State Opera House. This was the starting point of his meteoric career which took him finally to the state opera house of Berlin and Vienna. Berlin State Opera House in 1940 had the most distinguished ensemble of artists that a singer could wish to be among. Peter Anders
was surrounded by famous names: Marcel Wittrisch, Franz Volker, Helga Rosvaenge and Max Lorenz.

In Berlin Peter Anders was at first given lyrical roles, such as Tamino and Belmonte, but gradually he took over parts like Alfred in "La Traviata," the Duke in "Rigoletto," Linkerton in "Madame Butterfly" and Rudolf in "La Bohème."

It was already becoming apparent that Peter Anders would also, in time, be able to tackle heroic tenor roles. His voice was gaining in brilliance and strength. Nevertheless, Peter Anders was wise enough not to burden his voice with too difficult roles. There have been and still are, in fact, few singers who have used their resources so judiciously as Peter Anders. Cavaradossi in "Tosca"--one of his most brilliant roles--was for the time being his limit. In Berlin and in Dresden, where he subsequently made frequent guest appearances, the lyrical roles became the reserve of PeterAnders (this included numerous roles in rarely performed works such as "Casanova in Murano" by Lortzing and "The Heart" by Pfitzner).

In 1939 Clemens Krauss put on a new production of Richard Strauss' "Daphne" at Munich. Anders sang the part of the young shepherd Leukippos--which earned him the following dedication from the composer himself "To my captivating Leukippos." The cast also included Maria Cebotari, Torsten Ralf and Josef von Manowarda.

In 1943 Peter Anders sang for the first time at the Salzburg Festival--Tamino in "The Magic Flute" under Karl Böhm, together with Maria Reining and Ludwig Weber. Peter Anders' career would now undoubtedly have taken him beyond the limits of his own country, had not Europe's opera houses been overshadowed by the effects of the Second World War.

However, after the war Peter Anders was again in the forefront of musical life. Berlin gave its first two post-war premieres at the "Admirals-palast": "Rigoletto" and "Il Seraglio"--both with Peter Anders. The Berlin blockade and the ensuing confusion made Peter Anders finally decide to take up an engagement at Hamburg Opera House. It was here that he began to sing the more dramatic roles: Alvaro in "The Force of Destiny" and Florestan in "Fidelio," subsequently singing Don José in "Carmen" and--what proved to be another turning point in his career--the title role in Verdi's "Othello." His début as Othello was a sensation. Nobody had believed him capable of this heavy, dramatic role, but finally even the more sceptical critics were speaking in terms of a "world-shaking event."

Particularly worthy of note was his rapid development into a first-rate actor, under the expert guidance of the then director of the Hamburg opera, Günther Rennert. Further heroic parts followed--in particular Stolzing in "The Mastersingers," a part he also sang in London under Sir Thomas Beecham. He became increasingly in demand as a guest artist, appearing at Edinburgh, Vienna, Berlin and Hamburg. His repertoire was now beginning to include the heavy Wagnerian roles, such as Siegmund and the mure dramatic roles in Italian opera, such as André Chénier and Canio. All this he accomplished so successfully that he was already being hailed as the future Lohengrin and Tannhäuser of Bayreuth.

Peter Anders' career had by no means reached its zenith when his car crashed and a few days later he died of his injuries. What remains is the memory of one of the unforgettable voices of the century, a Liedersinger capable of a unique intimacy of style, and a lovable, humorous Man.

Download Link: Enjoy the Music.

Other recordings of Peter Anders:

• Wilhelm Furtwängler (1886-1954) - Beethoven Symphony No. 9
• Peter Anders: Operatic Portrait
• Peter Anders in Berlin, Vol. 2
• Opera and Operetta Arias / Peter Anders (EMI)
• Peter Anders - Opernarien und Orchesterlieder
• Anders
• Opera Arias (Tenor): Anders, Peter - Mozart, W.A. / Puccini, G. / Gounod, C.-F. / Leoncavallo, R. (Legenden Des Gesanges, Vol. 5) (1933-1953)
• Franz Lehar: Das Land Des Lächelns
• Sings Joh. Strauss Jr.Dokumente einer Sängerkarriere: Peter Anders 
• Peter Anders Vol. 6, Historical Recordings from 1951-53
• Flotow: Martha
• Humperdinck: Königskinder