The subtitle, “The Unpublished EMI Recordings 1955-1958”, stirs both apprehension and anticipation. Apprehension, because the immediate question that comes to mind is “why were they unpublished?” But putting these recordings under a flaw-seeking microscope yields no answer other than the super-perfectionist belief of either the singer or, more probably, her Svengali-like husband/producer Walter Legge, that they could do better. The anticipation comes from the dates, for in the mid-1950s Schwarzkopf was at her peak, the voice fresh, the style not yet hardened to the often precious overinterpretation that later marked (and marred) her singing.
Her remakes of the major works here will be preferred by many; others will find Testament’s superior. Testament’s last two tracks offer a direct comparison between the 1957 “Sheep may safely graze” recitative and aria and the 1958 version, which vividly show the direction in which Legge was steering his pupil. The later version is more sharply pointed and more overtly emotional, but with the voice less comfortable, more stressed. Balances are altered too, bringing the instrumentalists closer. I prefer the earlier version, but, like most such comparisons, it’s six of one, half-dozen of the other for all but obsessives. Faux scholarly pursuits aside, this disc offers fully satisfying performances of wonderful music. The Mozart concert aria is done to perfection, with graceful contributions by pianist Géza Anda and conductor Otto Ackermann. The Bach cantatas benefit from lovely instrumental accompaniments (check out the breezy oboe and organ in the aria “Sich üben im Lieben”) and from Schwarzkopf’s characterizations, joyful in the wedding cantata, darker in tone for the heartfelt Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut. Texts and translations complete this release’s virtues.
