Description

ALEXANDER KIPNIS (ZHITOMIR, RUSSIAN EMPIRE, FEBRUARY 13 [O.S. FEBRUARY 1], 1891 – WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT, US, MAY 14, 1978)

 

 

 

 

He came to Poland as a child. Initially intending to pursue a commercial career, he instead studied music and singing at the conservatories of Warsaw and Berlin from 1912 onward, where he became a student of Ernst Grenzebach. When the First World War broke out, he was in Berlin and was interned as a Russian national. Released later, though kept under police supervision, he made his debut in 1916 at the Stadttheater in Hamburg as the Hermit in Der Freischütz.

From 1916 to 1919, he sang at the Hoftheater in Wiesbaden, debuting there as Schlemihl in Les Contes d’Hoffmann. In Wiesbaden he soon performed major roles: King Marke in Tristan und Isolde, Hagen in Götterdämmerung, the Landgrave in Tannhäuser, Gurnemanz and Titurel in Parsifal, the Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Rocco in Fidelio, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, and the Cardinal in Halévy’s La Juive.

In 1919, he was engaged as first bass at the Deutsches Opernhaus in Berlin-Charlottenburg, where he remained until 1930, and from 1932 to 1935 he was a member of the Berlin State Opera. In 1923, he toured North America with the German Opera Company, appearing first as Pogner in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. From 1924 to 1932, and again in 1938, he sang at the Chicago Opera in an extensive repertoire. His debut there was as Daland in Der fliegende Holländer, followed by Kaspar in Der Freischütz, the Wanderer in Siegfried, the Dutchman, Arkel in Pelléas et Mélisande, Albert in Werther, the Prior in Le Jongleur de Notre Dame, and Ennius in Cléopâtre, the last three roles in operas by Massenet.

He also appeared at La Scala in Milan, the Paris Opéra (debuting as King Marke in 1930), the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires (1926–1936), and the State Operas of Vienna (regularly until 1938) and Munich. At the Teatro Colón in 1931, he sang in the premiere of Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex. At the Bayreuth Festival (1927–1933), he was heard as Gurnemanz in Parsifal, Pogner, King Marke, and the Landgrave. At the Salzburg Festival in 1937, he sang Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte and the bass solo in Verdi’s Requiem. In 1936, he also appeared as Sarastro at the Glyndebourne Festival. From 1927 and between 1929 and 1935, he enjoyed great success at Covent Garden in London. Concert tours brought him acclaim throughout Germany, England, North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand.

As a Jew, he was forced to leave Germany in 1935 and Austria in 1938. Having acquired American citizenship in 1931, he then relocated his career to North America. In 1937, he toured the continent with Hilde Konetzni, Marta Krasová, Henk Noort, and Joel Berglund. In 1940, he joined the Metropolitan Opera in New York, making his debut as Gurnemanz in Parsifal. Between 1940 and 1946, he gave 74 performances in 13 roles at the Met, primarily his Wagnerian parts, but also Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Arkel in Pelléas et Mélisande, Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier, and, in 1943, two performances of his signature role, Boris Godunov. He took leave of the Met in 1946, again as Gurnemanz.

At the same time, he gained fame as a concert and oratorio singer, noted for Verdi’s Requiem and Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and as a distinguished lieder interpreter, excelling in Schumann, Brahms, Hugo Wolf, and Russian composers. Later, he lived at his country estate in Westport, Connecticut, and taught at the New York College of Music. His son, Igor Kipnis (1930–2002), became a renowned harpsichordist.

He possessed a superbly trained, voluminous bass voice, admired particularly in the Russian repertoire but also in Wagner and French roles. Equally remarkable as an actor, he was regarded as one of the greatest basses of his generation.

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Am Meer (Schubert) 72056D W98452-1 Columbia, New York 1928-02-06

Ariodante (Handel) Al sen ti stringo e parto 1930 Columbia 30261D 98683-1

Auf dem Kirchhofe (Brahms) 1929 Columbia 1745D 147849-3

Auf dem Kirchhofe, Op 105, No 4 (Brahms); Der Überlaufer, Op 48, No 2 (Brahms) 17749 CS056421-2 Victor, 1940-09-30

Aufenthalt (Schubert) 72056D W98407-4 Columbia, New York 1927-1011

Barbier von Bagdad (Cornelius) So schwärmet Jugend 1923 Homocord B.8424 51222

Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) Die Verleumdung D2088 2D298-1 HMV, Berlin 1931-04-10

Berenice (Handel) Si, tra i ceppi 1930 Columbia 50261D 98673-3

Boris Godounov (Moussorgsky) Come now comrades, fill up your glasses (w. Leskaya & tamarin) 11-9285 D6-RC-5039-2 Victor, 1946

Dein blaues Auge, Op 59, No 8 (Brahms); Meine Liebe ist grün, Op 63, No 5 (Brahms) 17746 CS056422-1 Victor, 1940-09-30

Der Doppelgaenger (Schubert) 1927 Columbia 67434D 98406-1

Der Gang zum Liebsten, Op 48, No 1 (Brahms); O kühler Wald, Op 72, No 3 (Brahms) 17746 CS056177-1 Victor, 1940-09-25

Der Lindenbaum (Schubert) 72058D W98453-2 Columbia, New York 1928-02-06

Der Wanderer (Schubert) 1927 Columbia 67434D 98404-2

Der Wegweiser (Schubert) 1927 Columbia 67435D 98405-2

Die beiden Grenadiere (Schumann) 15825 CS043915-2 Victor, 1939-11-24

Don Carlo (Verdi) Ella giammai m’amò 1923 Homocord B.8424 51219

Don Carlo (Verdi) Sie hat mich nie geliebt (Ella giammai m’amò)… Könnte doch die Krone (Se il serto regal) E610, E610, BLR6207-1, BLR6208-1 HMV, Berlin 1930-04

Don Carlo (Verdi) Sie hat mich nie geliebt (Ella giammai m’amo)… Könnte mir doch die Krone (Se il serto regal) 65723, 65723, 1089as, 1090as Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Don Juan (Mozart) Schöne Donna 1930 HMV E 599 BLR 62634-II

Ein Wanderer, Op 105, No 5 (Brahms) 17749 CS056187-2 Victor, 1940-09-26

Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart) Wer ein Liebchen hat gefunden DA1218 0D297-2 HMV, Berlin 1931-04-10

Erlkönig (Schubert) 15825 CS043914-2 Victor, 1939-11-24

Eugen Onegin (Tchaikovsky) Ein jeder kennt die Lieb’ auf Erden 1921 Grammophon unpublished 621 12 as

Faust (Gounod) Ja das Gold regiert die Welt E592 BLR6209- HMV, Berlin 1930-04

Faust (Gounod) Le veau d’or 2064M W145612-1 Columbia, New York 1928-02-06

Faust (Gounod) O Nacht, verbreite hier dein schatt’ges Reich XX76572 xxB6297 Odeon, Berlin 1916-1x

Faust (Gounod) Ständchen E592 BLR6303-2 HMV, Berlin 1930-04-28

Faust (Gounod) Vous qui faites l’endormie 2064M W145611-1 Columbia, New York 1928-02-06

Feldeinsamkeit (Brahms) 1929 Columbia 50182D 98630-3

Freischütz (Weber) Hier im ird’schen jammertal E591 BLR6304-2 HMV, Berlin 1930-04-28

Fühlt meine Seele (Wolf) DB2046 2B6544-1 HMV, London 1933

Geheimnis, Op 71, No 3 (Brahms); Am Sonntag Morgen, Op 49, No 1 (Brahms) 17747 CS056189-1 Victor, 1940-09-26

Grenzen der Menschheit, pt 1 (Wolf) DB2050 2B6540-2 HMV, London 1933

Grenzen der Menschheit, pt 2 (Wolf) DB2050 2B6541-1 HMV, London 1933

Gruppe aus dem Tartarus, D 583 (Op. 24,1) (Schubert) 1920 Odeon AA 57603 XXBo 6959

Hugenotten (Meyerbeer) O höre mich, du starker Gott 1923 Homocord B.8276 51220

Immer leiser wird mein (Brahms) Schlummer 1929 Columbia 50182D 98629-2

In stiller Nacht, DV No 42 (Brahms); Mein Mädel hat einen Rosenmund, DV No 25 (Brahms) 17744 CS056417-2 Victor, 1940-09-30

In Waldeseinsamkeit, Op 85, No 6 (Brahms) 17747 CS056418-1 Victor, 1940-09-30

Jüdin (Halevy) Wenn ew’ger Hass, glühende Rache 1923 Homocord B.8276 51221

Kalinka (trad) E585 0D300-2 HMV, Berlin 1931-04-10

Lohengrin (Wagner) Gott grüß’ euch, liebe Männer von Brabant! AA53033 xxB6299 Odeon, Berlin 1916-1x

Lohengrin (Wagner) Mein Herr und Gott 7280M W98457-2 Columbia, New York 1928-02-09

Lustigen Weiber von Windsor (Nicolai) Als Büblein klein D2018 2D311-1 HMV, Berlin 1931-04

Martha (Flotow) Lass mich Euch fragen (Porterlied) E591 BLR6301-2 HMV, Berlin 1930-04-28

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Das schöne Fest DB1543 2D308-2 HMV, Berlin 1931-04-13

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Verachtet mir die Meister nicht 1926 HMV ES 217 CWR 410-1

Mondnacht (Schumann) 1930 Columbia 2202D 149181-1

Nozze di Figaro (Mozart) Ach öffnet eure Augen XX76573 xxB6298 Odeon, Berlin 1916-1x

Nozze di Figaro (Mozart) Rache-Arie (w. Ruziczka) DB1551 2D299-2 HMV, Berlin 1931-04-10

O could I but express in song (Malashkin); Tilim-bom (Stravinsky) 15894 CS043916-2 Victor, 1939-11-24

Over the steppe (Gretchaninov) 11-8595 CS043399-1 Victor, 1939-11-20

Prince Igor (Borodin) I hate a dreary life (Galitzky’s aria) 45-12-28 11-9285 Victor, 1945

Rosenkavalier (Strauss) Herr Kavalier (w. Ruziczka) DB1543 2D312-1 HMV, Berlin 1931-04

Sandmännchen, Volkskinderlieder No 4 (Brahms) 17744 CS056174-2 Victor, 1940-09-25

Sapphische Ode (Brahms) 1929 Columbia 1745D 147848-3

Simon Boccanegra (Verdi) A te l’estremo… Il lacerato spirito (w. chorus) D2088 2D309-2 HMV, Berlin 1931-04-13

Simon Boccanegra (Verdi) A te l’estremo… Il lacerato spirito 65724 620as Grammophon, Berlin 1921

Soldier’s song (trad) E585 0D329-2 HMV, Berlin 1931-04

Sterb’ ich, so hüllt in Blumen meine Glieder (Wolf) DB2374 2RA189-2 HMV, Berlin 1934-11

Tannhäuser (Wagner) O du mein holder Abendstern 7280M W98456-5 Columbia, New York 1928-02-09

The Captive (Gretchaninov) 15894 CS043900-2 Victor, 1939-11-20

Traum durch die Dämmerung (R Strauss) 2088M W149173-2 Columbia, New York 1929-10-23

Tristan und Isolde (Wagner) Tatest du’s wirklich AA53036 xxB6300 Odeon, Berlin 1916-1x

Um Mitternacht (Wolf) DB2046 2B6539-1 HMV, London 1933

Vêpres Siciliennes (Verdi) O tu Palermo 65724 1091½as Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Vor dem Fenster, Op 14, No 1 (Brahms) 17745 CS056188-2 Victor, 1940-09-26

Walküre (Wagner) Leb’ wohl, du kühnes, herrliches Kind 1926 HMV EJ 456 CWR 407-1, 408-II & 409-II

Wanderlied (Schumann) 1930 Columbia 2202D 149182-3

Wie bist du, meine Königin (Brahms) AA57604 xxBo6960 Odeon, Berlin 1917-08

Wie glänzt der helle Mond (Wolf) DB2707 2B7403-2 HMV, London 1934

Wie Melodien zieht es mir, Op 105, No 1 (Brahms); Wiegenlied, Op 49, No 4 (Brahms) 17748 CS056190-1 Victor, 1940-09-26

Wie viele Zeit verlor’ ich (Wolf); Was für ein Lied soll dir gesungen werden (Wolf) DB2374 2B7401-1 HMV, London 1934

Wildschütz (Lortzing) Fünftausend Taler D2018 2D330-2 HMV, Berlin 1931-04

Wir wandelten, Op 96, No 2 (Brahms) 17748 CS056176-3 Victor, 1940-09-25

Zauberflöte (Mozart) In diesen heil’gen Hallen 04336 W98631-2 Columbia, New York 1929-02-15

Zauberflöte (Mozart) In diesen heil’gen Hallen 1930 HMV DB 1551 CLR 6262-II

Zauberflöte (Mozart) O Isis und Osiris DA1218 BLR6302-1 HMV, Berlin 1930-04-28

Zueignung (R Strauss) 2088M W149174-3 Columbia, New York 1929-10-23