Description

FRANZ VÖLKER (NEU-ISENBURG, GERMANY, MARCH, 31, 1899 † DARMSTADT, GERMANY, DECEMBER 5, 1965)

First, he became a bank official. His voice was discovered by the conductor Clemens Krauss, and he briefly trained in Frankfurt am Main. In 1926, he made his debut as Florestan in Fidelio at the Opera House in Frankfurt am Main, where he remained a member of the ensemble until 1935. Through frequent guest appearances, he maintained strong ties to Frankfurt.

During the 1931-1935, 1939-1940, and 1949-1950 seasons, he was a member of the Vienna State Opera. In 1931, he performed for the first time at the Salzburg Festival, appearing as Ferrando in Così fan tutte. Between 1931 and 1934, he sang Florestan in Fidelio, and in the 1932-1933 season, he portrayed the Emperor in Die Frau ohne Schatten by Richard Strauss. In 1934, he performed as Menelas in Die ägyptische Helena, also by Richard Strauss, and in 1939, he sang Max in Der Freischütz.

However, his greatest successes came at the Bayreuth Festival, where he was a key performer from 1933 to 1942. At Bayreuth, he also sang roles such as Siegmund, Erik, and Parsifal.

In 1935, he was engaged by the Berlin State Opera, where he had been a frequent guest since 1933. He made guest appearances at major international venues, including Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in London (in 1934 and 1937, as Florestan in Fidelio and Siegmund in Die Walküre), the Grand Opéra in Paris (1936, as Florestan in Fidelio), as well as in Amsterdam (1935), Brussels, Budapest (1934), Rome (1938), the Maggio Musicale in Florence (1938), Hamburg, and Munich.

He remained in Berlin until 1945 and then worked at the Munich State Opera (1945-1952). He retired from the stage in 1952 and taught singing in Neu-Isenburg. From 1958, he was a professor at the Stuttgart University of Music. His son, Georg Völker, was one of his students and later became a successful baritone.

TRACKLIST

1. Bettelstudent (Millöcker) Ich hab kein Geld, bin vogelfrei 19792 (B62202) Polydor, Berlin 1928
2. Bettelstudent (Millöcker) Ich knüpfte manche zarte Bande 19792 (B62201) Polydor, Berlin 1928
3. Der Kellermeister (Zeller) Lass dir Zeit 19908 (B62226) Polydor, Berlin 1928
4. Die schöne Müllerin (Schubert) Der Neugierige 21653 (B42735) Polydor, Berlin 1928
5. Fledermaus (Strauss) Trinke, Liebchen, trinke schnell 19791 (B62200) Polydor, Berlin 1928
6. Gute Nacht, mein holdes süsses Mädchen (Rokoko-Ständchen) (Meyer-Helmund) 19730 (B62172) Polydor, Berlin 1927
7. Im Rolandsbogen (Mania) 19727 (B62167) Polydor, Berlin 1927
8. Lohengrin (Wagner) Höchstes Vertrau’n 19711 (B62155) Polydor, Berlin 1927
9. Lohengrin (Wagner) In fernem Land 19711 (B62154) Polydor, Berlin 1927
10. Lohengrin (Wagner) Mein lieber Schwan 19731 (B62174) Polydor, Berlin 1927
11. O Jugend, wie bist du so schön (Abt) 19909 (B62228) Polydor, Berlin 1928
12. Schon gehet ein duftiges Spriessen (Mattinata) (Leoncavallo) 19793 (B62204) Polydor, Berlin 1928
13. Schwanengesang (Schubert) Am Meer 19912 (B62235) Polydor, Berlin 1928
14. Schwanengesang (Schubert) Der Atlas 21653 (B42736) Polydor, Berlin 1928
15. Verbotener Gesang (Musica proibita) (Gastaldon) 19787 (B62192) Polydor, Berlin 1928
16. Vogelhändler (Zeller) Wie mein Ahn’l zwanzig Jahr 19908 (B62227) Polydor, Berlin 1928
17. Walküre (Wagner) Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond 19731 (B62175) Polydor, Berlin 1927
18. Wiener Fiakerlied (Ich führ’ zwa harbe Rappen) (Pick) 19728 (B62169) Polydor, Berlin 1927
19. Winterreise (Schubert) Der Leiermann 19912 (B62234) Polydor, Berlin 1928
20. Zigeunerbaron (Strauss) Ja, das alles auf Ehr’ 19791 (B62199) Polydor, Berlin 1928
21. Zigeunerbaron (Strauss) Werberlied und Czardas 27072 (B62279) Polydor, Berlin 1928