The great soprano has died at the age of 90. An iconic figure without whom opera in the 20th century would not have been the same.
I never met her, but when I was a kid, she and her husband Walter Legge lived in the next street from us in Hampstead. The complex of back gardens adjoined. And sometimes, when the weather was fine and all the windows were open, one could hear the sound of singing across the leaves...
UPDATE: Saturday 5 August, 10.25am: read obituary from The Independent here.
6 comments:
In the early 80s, my wife Caroline audtioned for the Schwarzkopf Master Classes at the Wigmore Hall and I accompanied her. After barely two phrases of the Aria, Dame Elisabeth interrupted and proceded to tear my wife's technique to shreds. By this time Caroline was in tears at which point Schwarzkopf said "Now please finish the Aria."
She was notorious for never letting anyone sing at those classes before she interrupted.
I'm guessing that a great singer becoming a great teacher is more the exception than the rule ...?
I'm a bit saddened that most of the Schwarzkopf obituaries I've read dwell on her professional sharpness and alleged links with the Nazis. Shouldn't we focus on her immense talents as a singer, and the joy she has brought to millions of listeners? Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's recordings introduced me to some of the world's greatest music, and I'm sure I'm not alone in this. Let's remember her as the great artist she was.
It's interesting that greatness of musicianship and greatness as a human being bear no relation whatsoever to one another. I've met a lot of fantastic musicians. Some are great people too. Some aren't. Perhaps the most incredible thing about music-making is that it is a human achievement that sometimes acquires a superhuman aspect. This means we often forget that the protagonists are poor old humans who are as fallible as we are, sometimes more so.
"Alleged links" is the wrong way to put it. It is known that she was a member of the Nazi party.
She was a public figure, and as such all aspects of her life are open for review in an obit or a biography. Bear in mind that she was able to get work and achieve what she achieved in part because she could work in Germany and the occupied countries during the war - she was a party member - and was not in danger of being deported or killed, as were Jewish musicians.
I stumbled upon your blog while checking out info. about Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. I like your comments. I'm 45 yrs. old and "discovered" lieder and opera by chance after hearing ES sing Strauss' "Four Last Songs." I'd never heard anything so beautiful. She's amazing. Researching ES and listening to her music has led me to "discovering" artists such as Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and learning about Walter Legge and the incomparable recordings he produced at EMI. ES has opened up a new world of music to me. Kirsten Liese's (2009) book, "From Flower Maiden to Marschallin" is a well-written and very interesting tribute to Elisabeth.
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