Episode 223. Chouxbert vs. Shubertsky (Schubert in French and Russian)
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SUBSCRIPTION PLATFORM
A few weeks ago I finally found a copy of a rare 1952 recording by one of my favorite singers, the baryton martin Camille Maurane (1911 – 2010) in which he sings Schubert songs in French. Inspired and fascinated by this record, I began exploring recordings of other native French-language singers (including Ninon Vallin, Charles Panzéra, Georges Thill, Vanni-Marcoux, and Germaine Martinelli) singing the melodies of my favorite composers. Further on, I stumbled across a similarly wide variety of Russian-speaking singers (including Ivan Kozlovsky, Mark Reizen, Pavel Lisitsian, Sergei Lemeshev, Nina Dorliak, and Feodor Chaliapin) also putting their individual stamp on the songs of Schubert in their native tongue. Along the way, we also discuss certain quintessential vocal types in both the French (the baryton martin, the falcon) and Russian (the lyric tenor, the “slavic” soprano and bass) national styles. This episode, far from being a mere “gimmick” allows us also to examine the joys of old-fashioned art song performance, and how all these characteristics combine to provide a new perspective on the music of one of the greatest German-language composers.
RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE
Ludwig Rellstab [unknown Russian translator]: Ständchen, D.957/4 [sung in Russian]. Sergei Lemeshev, Abram Makarov [1948]
Ludwig Rellstab [French translation by Antoine Bélanger]: Ständchen [Sérénade], D.957-4. Ninon Vallin, Raoul Barthalay, Madeleine d’Aleman [ca. 1928]
Wilhelm Müller [French translation by Gustave Samazeuilh]: Der Lindenbaum [Le Tilleul] (Winterreise [Le Voyage d’Hiver], D.911/5). Camille Maurane, Lily Bienvenu [1952]
Wilhelm Müller [unknown Russian translator]: Der Leiermann (Winterreise, D.911/24) [sung in Russian]. Lev Sibiriakov, unknown pianist [1910]
Wilhelm Müller [unknown Russian translator]: Das Wandern (Die schöne Müllerin, D.795/1). Boris Gmyrya, Lev Ostrin [live 1967]
Wilhelm Müller [French translation by Maurice Chassang]: Eifersucht und Stolz [Jalousie et fierté] (Die schöne Müllerin [La Belle Meunière], D.795/15). Germaine Martinelli, Jean Doyen [1928]
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe [unknown Russian translator]: Erlkönig, D.328 [sung in Russian]. Natalia Rozhdestvenskaya, Samuil Samosud, The Great Symphony Orchestra of All-Union Radio and Television [live Moscow, ca. 1953]
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe [French translation by Antoine Bélanger]: Erlkönig [Le roi des aulnes], D.328. Georges Thill, Henri-Bertrand Etcheverry, Claude Pascal, unknown conductor and orchestra [1930]
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe [French translation by Antoine Bélanger]: Erlkönig [Le Roi des Aulnes], D.328. Charles Panzéra, Orchestra conducted by Piero Coppola [1934]
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe [French translation by Gustave Samazeuilh]: Heidenröslein [Rose des Bruyères], D.257. Flore Wend, unknown pianist [1950s?]
Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart [French translation by Antoine Bélanger]: Die Forelle [La Truite], D.550. Vanni-Marcoux, Piero Coppola [1928]
Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart [unknown Russian translator]: Die Forelle, D.550 [sung in Russian]. Ivan Kozlovsky, Naum Walter [1945]
Matthias Claudius [unknown Russian translator]: Der Tod und das Mädchen, Op. 7 No. 3, D. 531 [sung in Russian]. Ivan Kozlovsky, Piotr Nikitin [1958]
Matthias Claudius [unknown Russian translator]: Der Tod und das Mädchen, D.531 [sung in Russian]. Boris Gmyrya, Lev Ostrin [1964]
Ludwig Rellstab [unknown Russian translator]: Abschied, D.957/7 [sung in Russian]. Nina Dorliak, Sviatoslav Richter [live Moscow 18.XI.1953]
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe [unknown Russian translator]: Der Goldschmiedsgesell, D.560 [sung in Russian]. Sergei Lemeshev, David Lerner [1972]
Heinrich Heine [French translation by Gustave Samazeuilh]: Der Doppelgänger [Le Sosie], D.957/13. Charles Panzéra, Orchestra conducted by Piero Coppola [1934]
Heinrich Heine [unknown Russian translator]: Der Doppelgänger, D.957/13. Feodor Chaliapin, Orchestra conducted by Eugene Goossens [1928]
Heinrich Heine [unknown Russian translator]: Der Doppelgänger, D.957/13 [sung in Russian]. Pavel Lisitsian, Matvei Sakharov [live Moscow 15.III.48]
Franz Schober [unknown Russian translator]: An die Musik, D.547. Mark Reizen, Abram Makarov [live Moscow 15.III.1958]