Lovers of historic vocal recordings may know about the Hamburger Archiv für Gesangskunst (Hamburg Archive for the Art of Singing), or HAFG, which is responsible for a staggering number of CD reissues. Many of these excellently transferred discs have found their way into Arkivmusic.com’s on-demand reprint program, and collectors will know what to buy without any prodding from reviewers.
However, I want to draw attention to one disc that’s given me particular listening pleasure. It features the great Dutch Heldentenor Jacques Urlus (1867-1935) in some of the best Wagner singing I’ve ever heard.
The acoustic horn meshed well with Urlus’ powerful yet gorgeously modulated instrument, with its absolutely even registers and contralto-like smoothness. What legato, word shading, and breath control this man had! Listen to his 1907 Prize Song from Meistersinger, his urgent yet effortless “Walse” climax in Ein Schwert from Die Walküre Act 1 (a 1917 Edison 78), and notice the ease with which Urlus handles the high tessitura in Siegfried’s Act 3 narrative from Götterdämmerung. What’s more, his vocalism seems virtually unimpaired by time: Urlus sounds as consistently wonderful in his 1924 Siegfried’s death scene as in the 1907 Nun sei bedankt, mein lieber Schwan from Lohengrin Act 1.
As I mentioned before, series producer Joachim Lufgen’s transfers are vivid and properly pitched, although the Edison sides sound marginally cleaner via Ward Marston’s out-of-print complete Urlus Edison recordings edition. Full discographical information is provided, but no texts or annotations save for a short biography of Urlus in German only. [2/28/2011]
