Description

FRIEDRICH SCHORR (NAGYVÁRAD, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, NOW ORADEA, ROMANIA, SEPTEMBER 2, 1888 – FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, USA, AUGUST 14, 1953)

 

 

 

 

He was the son of the renowned Jewish cantor Mayer Schorr (born October 11, 1856 in Faltis, Romania; died December 24, 1913 in Vienna), who was appointed to the Great Synagogue of Vienna in 1891 and was highly esteemed by, among others, Gustav Mahler. Friedrich Schorr initially intended to become a lawyer, but then studied singing with Adolf Robinson in Brno and continued his training in Vienna.

He made his debut in 1912 at the Graz City Theatre as Wotan in Die Walküre. He remained engaged in Graz until 1916, then sang at the German Theatre in Prague from 1916 to 1918, and at the Cologne Opera from 1918 to 1923. In 1923, he toured North America with the German Opera Company.

In 1924, he was appointed to the Metropolitan Opera in New York, making his debut as Wolfram in Tannhäuser. Until 1943, he remained a celebrated member of this house, appearing in 356 performances over twenty seasons, in addition to 71 performances on tour, and in 18 different roles. He was esteemed in New York and internationally as one of the great Wagnerian baritones of his era. At the Metropolitan Opera, he also appeared in the house premieres of Richard Strauss’s Elektra (1932, as Orest), Ernst Křenek’s Jonny spielt auf (1929), and Jaromír Weinberger’s Schwanda der Dudelsackpfeifer (1931). His roles there included Jochanaan in Salome, Pizarro in Fidelio, and Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier.

From 1923 to 1933, he was a regular guest at the Berlin State Opera, where he appeared in the premieres of Busoni’s Doktor Faust (1927) and Richard Strauss’s Die ägyptische Helena (1928), and in the world premieres of Ernst Křenek’s Die Zwingburg (October 21, 1924) and Franz Schreker’s Der singende Teufel (December 10, 1928). He also performed frequently at the Vienna State Opera.

In 1924 (debut as Wotan in Das Rheingold) and again from 1930 to 1931, he appeared at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in London. In 1926, he was heard as a guest at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires; in 1929, he sang the title role in Marschner’s Hans Heiling at the Kroll Opera in Berlin. In 1930, he appeared as Wotan in Die Walküre at the Paris Opera, and in 1935 as Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde. He was a guest at the San Francisco Opera in 1931–32, 1935–36, and 1938.

He first appeared at the Bayreuth Festival in 1925, and until 1931 his portrayal of Wotan in the Ring cycle stood at the center of the festival’s artistic profile. From 1933 onward, as a Jew, he was barred from performing in Germany, and from 1938 also in Austria.

He took his final stage bow in 1943, singing the Wanderer in Siegfried at the Metropolitan Opera. He then continued to appear in concerts and directed Wagner operas at the New York City Center Opera. In 1943, he became director of the Manhattan School of Music in New York, while also running an opera studio at the Hartt School in Hartford, Connecticut. His students included such distinguished singers as Cornell MacNeil, Ezio Flagello, Arturo Sergi, Marilyn Tyler, Grace Hoffman, and Carlos Alexander.

He was married to the soprano Anna Scheffler-Schorr (d. 1951).

Friedrich Schorr was the most important Wagnerian baritone of his time—perhaps of the entire century. With his voluminous yet perfectly controlled voice, capable of great lyrical warmth, he shaped roles such as Hans Sachs and Wotan in an unforgettable manner, and his clarity of diction was regarded as exemplary.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Die Zauberflöte (Mozart) Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen with Emmy Bettendorf Recorded in 1922 Grammophon 65646 (5 az)

Die Zauberflöte (Mozart) Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen Recorded in 1922 Grammophon 65646 (8 az)

Don Juan (Mozart) Feinsliebchen, komm ans Fenster Recorded in 1922 Grammophon 62393 (39 ax)

Du bist wie eine Blume (Schumann) Recorded in 1929 HMV unissued (BLR 5407-11)

Elias (Mendelssohn) Es ist genug! Recorded in 1929 HMV D 2017 (CR 2483-11)

Elias (Mendelssohn) Herr Gott Abrahams, Isaaks und Israels Recorded in 1931 HMV DB 1564 (2B 537-11)

Elias (Mendelssohn) Ist nicht des Herrn Wort wie ein Feuer Recorded in 1929 HMV D 2017 (CR 2484-1)

Euryanthe (Weber) Wo berg’ ich mich Recorded in 1922 Grammophon 65674 (6678 as)

Fidelio (Beethoven) Ha, welch’ ein Augenblick 12 Recorded in 1922 Grammophon 62393 (40 ax)

Fidelio (Beethoven) Ha, welch ein Augenblick Recorded in 1929 HMV D 2112 (CR 2493-1)

Ich grolle nicht (Schumann) Recorded in 1930 HMV E 587 (Bb 19308-11)

Im Abendrot (Schubert) Recorded in 1922 Grammophon 65675 (6 az)

Messe in h-Moll (Bach) Et in Spiritum Sanctum Dominum Recorded in 1929 HMV C 1722 (Cc 166323-T)

Prometheus (Wolf) Recorded in 1932 HMV DB 1829 (2B 2894-111 & 2895-11)

Tannhäuser (Wagner) Wie Todesahnung Damm’rung Recorded in 1921 Grammophon 65598 (465 as)

Traum durch die Dimmerung (Strauss) Recorded in 1930 HMV E 587 (Bb 19307-1)

Wanderlied (Schumann) Recorded in 1929 HMV EJ 474 (CLR 5410-11)