Description

ALFRED PICCAVER (LONG SUTTON, ENGLAND, FEBRUARY 5, 1883 – VIENNA, AUSTRIA, SEPTEMBER 23, 1958)

 

 

 

 

His voice was discovered in Tirol by Angelo Neumann, who engaged him to perform at the Deutsche Theater in Prague. In 1907, he made his debut there as Roméo in Roméo et Juliette by Gounod. After his debut, he continued his training with Prochazková-Neumannová in Prague and with Rosario in Milan. In Prague, the famous baritone Mattia Battistini recognized his talent and insisted that Piccaver become his partner in Rigoletto and Un ballo in maschera. In 1910, alongside Battistini, he traveled to Vienna, where he was so successful that he was engaged by the Vienna Staatsoper in 1912.

As Maria Jeritza’s partner, he appeared in 1913 in the Viennese premiere of Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West and later in the premiere of Il Tabarro. Piccaver remained the celebrated first tenor of the Vienna Staatsoper until 1937. He was known for his effortless upper register and beautiful middle voice, traits he meticulously maintained. He was so particular about his voice that he would often cancel performances if he felt his middle register was not in perfect condition, leading one critic to comment that “Piccaver has already arranged all his indispositions a year ahead.”

He frequently guested at the Berlin Staatsoper, debuting as Fenton in Nicolai’s Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor. In 1924, he performed at Covent Garden in London, singing the Duke in Rigoletto and Cavaradossi in Tosca. At the Salzburg Festival in 1927, he sang Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni and Florestan in Fidelio. Between 1923 and 1925, he also appeared at the Chicago Civic Opera.

Shortly before World War II, he left Vienna and worked as a concert singer and vocal pedagogue in London until 1955. He then returned to Vienna and participated as a guest in the reopening of the Vienna Staatsoper in 1955. He continued teaching and remained active until his death in Vienna.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1907 Prague Deutsche Theater Romeo et Juliette (Romeo)

1913 Vienna Staatsoper La Fanciulla del West (Johnson)

1914 Vienna Hofoperntheater Parsifal (Parsifal)

1923 Chicago Civil Opera Rigoletto (Duke)

1924 London Covent Garden Rigoletto (Duke)

1924 London Covent Garden Tosca (Cavaradossi)

1926 Vienna Staatsoper Andrea Chenier (Andrea Chenier)

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Odeon, Berlin 1912-06?

Favorita (Donizetti) Spirito gentil Odeon 99935 xB5656

Carmen (Bizet) Blumenarie 99929 xB5664

Faust (Gounod) Gegrüßt sei mir 80334 xxB5662

Martha (Flotow) Ach so fromm 99931 xB5660-2

 

Odeon, Berlin 1914

Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Auf zu dir, verklärter Engel (Tu che a Dio) 76953 xxB6155

Africaine (Meyerbeer) Land so wunderbar (Pays merveilleux) 76963 xxB6167

Aida (Verdi) Holde Aida (Celeste Aida) 76956 xxB6161

Ballo in maschera (Verdi) O sag, wenn ich fahr’ 76955 xxB6160

Bohème (Puccini) Wie eiskalt ist dies Händchen (Che gelida manina)  80333 xxB6177

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) O Lola rosengleich 99937 xB6158

Don Sebastiano (Donizetti) Einsam auf Erden (Deserto in terra) 76962 xxB6166

Elisir d’amore (Donizetti) Heimlich aus ihrem Auge (Una furtiva lagrima) 6964 xxB6168

Fanciulla del West (Puccini) Lasset sie glauben 99939 xB6175

Favorita (Donizetti) Es war eine holde Unbek. (Una vergine) 76958 xxB6162

Gioconda (Ponchielli) Himmel und Meer (Cielo e mar) 76954 xxB6159

Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Leb’ wohl 76965 xxB6170

Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Leb’ wohl  80337 xxB6170

Manon (Massenet) Flieh, o flieh, holdes Bild (Ah, fuyez, douce image) 76968 xxB6173

Manon (Massenet) Ich schloß die Augen 99938 xB6174

Mignon (Thomas) Leb’ wohl Mignon 76961 xxB6165

Mignon (Thomas) Wie ihre Unschuld 76960 xxB6164

Rigoletto (Verdi) O wie so trügerisch (La donna è mobile) 98101 xB5658

Rigoletto (Verdi) Parmi veder le lagrime 99930 xB5663

Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Ach, gehe auf 99928 xB5665

Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Gegrüßt, o Grab 80345 xxB6163

Tosca (Puccini) Und es blitzten die Sterne 99927 xB5666

Tosca (Puccini) Wie sich die Bilder gleichen 99936 xB6157

Traviata (Verdi) Ach ihres Auges Zauberblick (De miei bollenti spiriti) 76957 xxB6156

Werther (Massenet) O wie süß, hier zu weilen 80352 xxB6171

Werther (Massenet) Was, bin ich aufgewacht 80353 xxB6172

 

Odeon, Wien 1920-07-06/15

Bohème (Leoncavallo) Io non ho che una povera stanzetta 80332 xxB6518

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Addio alla madre 80325 xxB6532

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Brindisi 99942 xB6540-2

Contes d’Hoffmann (Offenbach) Ha, wie in meiner Seele 76989 xxB6521

Don Pasquale (Donizetti) Com’è gentil 76805 xxB6534

Eugen Onegin (Tchaikovsky) Wohin seid ihr entschwunden 80336 xxB6530

Fedora (Giordano) Amor ti vieta  99945 xB6543-2

Forza del destino (Verdi) O, tu che in seno 76818 xxB6538

Ideale (Tosti) 80351 xxB6517

Je t’aime (Massenet) 80357 xxB6524

Manon Lescaut (Puccini) Ah, Manon, mi tradisce 80343 xxB6535

Manon Lescaut (Puccini) Donna non vidi mai 80342 xxB6536

Mattinata (Leoncavallo) 98104 xB6541

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Recitar!… Vesti la giubba  80324 xxB6527-2

Pêcheurs de perles (Bizet) Mi par d’udir 80350 xxB6523

Pour un baiser (Tosti) 76987 xxB6519

Silvana (Weber) So soll denn dieses Herz nie Ruhe finden 76802 xxB6531

The Lord is my Light (Allitson) 76992 xxB6525

Torna a Surriento (de Curtis)  98105 xB6545

 

Vox, Berlin 1921-12-09? (date on test pressings)

Africaine (Meyerbeer) O paradiso 03019 92A

Carmen (Bizet) La fleur 03026 99A

Carmen (Bizet) La fleur 03019 99A

Elisir d’amore (Donizetti) Una furtiva lagrima 03361 102½A

Gioconda (Ponchielli) Cielo e mar 03018 91A

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Vesti la giubba 03023 100A

Rigoletto (Verdi) Ella mi fu rapita 03021 94A

Rigoletto (Verdi) La donna è mobile 03023 96A

Rigoletto (Verdi) Parmi veder le lagrime 03022 95A

Rigoletto (Verdi) Questa o quella  03020 93A

Tosca (Puccini) E lucevan le stelle  03025 98A

Tosca (Puccini) Recondita armonia 03024  97A

Trovatore (Verdi) Ah si ben mio 03023 101A

 

Polydor, Berlin 1923-07?

Addio (Tosti) Polydor 72884 1389as

Africaine (Meyerbeer) O paradiso 72879 1371as

Aida (Verdi) Celeste Aida 72881 1376as

Bohème (Puccini) Che gelida manina 72880 1377as

Bohème (Puccini) O soave fanciulla with Angerer  (J25037) 1475BM I

Bohème (Puccini) Sono andati with Angerer (J25036)  1474BM I

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Addio alla madre 72880 1374as

Don Sebastiano (Donizetti) Deserto in terra 72877 1373as

Gioconda (Ponchielli) Cielo e mar 72877 1369as

Ideale (Tosti) 70711 2592ar

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Am stillen Herd 72883 1379as

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Preislied 76547 1378as

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) No Pagliaccio non son 72882 1390as

Rigoletto (Verdi) Ella mi fu rapita!… Parmi veder le lagrime 72881 1384as

 

Polydor, Berlin 1923-09?

Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Forse la soglia attinse 76535 1410as

Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Addio fiorito asil 72882 1416as

 

Polydor, Berlin 1928

Fanciulla del West (Puccini) Ch’ella mi creda 35073 1031bm

Faust (Gounod) Es ist schon spät with Angerer (B25192) 1480BM I

Faust (Gounod) O Mondenschein with Angerer (B25193) 1481BM I

Lohengrin (Wagner) Das süsse Lied verhallt with Angerer 1477BM I (B25175)

Lohengrin (Wagner) Wenn ich im Kampfe with Angerer 66833 1476BM I

Kashmiri love song (Woodforde-Finden) 66772 1044bm

Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Non ve l’avevo detto… Addio fiorito asil with Scheidl 35073 1032bm

Tosca (Puccini) E lucevan le stelle 66770 1041bm

Tosca (Puccini) Recondita armonia 66770 1040bm

 

Polydor, Berlin 1929

Di te (Tirindelli) 90150 1920BK I

Lohengrin (Wagner) In fernem Land   B22462 1613BM I

Lohengrin (Wagner) Mein lieber Schwan (B22463) 1614BM I

Requiem (Verdi) Ingemisco J22214 1616BM I

 

Polydor, Berlin 1930

Fidelio (Beethoven) In des Lebens Frühlingstagen 95482 231BV I

Fidelio (Beethoven) Und spür ich nicht linde, sanft säuselnde Luft 95482 232BV I

The rosary (Nevin) 35070 227BV I

Turandot (Puccini) Nessun dorma 35067 230BV I

Turandot (Puccini) Non piangere Liù 35067 1033b

Decca, London 1931-01-19 (1932?)

At dawning (Cadman) M419 3836-2DJ

 

Decca, London 1932-05-18/19

Haunting perfume (Tucker) M424 4288-3DJ

Homing (del Riego) M427 4286-2DJ

I hear you calling me (Marshall) M427 4294-1DJ

The minstrel (Easthope) M435 4304-1DJ

Until (Sanderson) M426 4292-3DJ

Zinetta (Geehl) M431 4306-1DJ

 

Decca, Londeon 1933-05-18/19

Beauty’s eyes (Tosti-Weatherley) M454 5888-1D

Dreams (Gideon-Eyton) Decca 5893-1D

Love sends a little gift of roses (Openshaw) M454 5886-11D

Your eyes have told me so (Blaufuss-Kahn) M445 5889-1D

 

Brunswick, London 1939-03-08

I’m in love with Vienna (Strauss-Hammerstein) 02750 DR3477

Magyar Melody (Posford-Maschwitz) Mine alone 02742 DR3365-1

Penny Serenade (Wersmer-Halifax) 02724 DR3363-1

Brunswick, London 1939-10-27

God send you back to me (Adams) 02869 DR3978-1

There’ll always be an England (Parker-Charles) DR3977-1 02869

Yours for a song (Rose-Suesse-Fetter) 02878 DR3976-1

 

Decca, London 1940-05-10

A kiss in the dark (Herbert-de Sylva) F7544 DR4655

Thanks for your love (Chappelle-North) F7492 DR4653

Tristesse (Chopin-Miller) F7492 DR4652

 

Decca, London 1941-06-10

A little love, a little kiss (Silesu) F7973 DR5855

Liebestraum (Lipton-Liszt-Schipa) F8153 DR5856

Somewhere a voice is calling (Tate) F7973 DR5854-1