The Very Best of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf

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Music reviews of The Very Best of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf

Music Review: Why do opera critics & fans trash her so much?
Rating: 5 Stars

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.

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