Martha Modl: The Portrait Of A Legend
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Martha Modl: The Portrait Of A Legend

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Composer
WAGNER STRAUSS FORTNER REIM
Artist
Martha Mödl
Format
CD
Discs
2
Label
Profil
Released
Apr 24, 2012
Catalog #
PH12006
UPC
881488120066

About



MARTHA MÖDL: THE PORTAIT OF A LEGEND • Martha Mödl (sop, ms); various vocalists; various conductors; various orchestras • PROFIL 12006 (2 CDs: 158:17) Live: 1950–82


WAGNER Rienzi: Gerechter Gott! Tristan und Isolde: Doch nun von Tristan; Begehrt, Herrin was ihr wünscht; War Morold dir so wert; Nicht Hörnerschall tönt so hold; Dein Werk? O tör’ge Magd! So stürben wir, um ungetrennt; Mild und leise. Wesendonck Lieder. Die Walküre: Der Männer sippe; Du bist der Lenz. Götterdämmerung: Starke Scheite … Grane, mein Ross, sei mir gegrüsst. R. STRAUSS Elektra: Was willst du? Seht doch dort! FORTNER Bluthochzeit: Nachbarinnen! Mit einem Messer. REIMANN Melusine: Heut, hier und jetzt wird es entschieden. TCHAIKOVSKY Pique Dame: Schweigt doch endlich! BEETHOVEN Bitten. Die liebe des Nächsten. Vom Tode. Die ehre Gottes aus der Natur. Gottes Macht und Vorsehung. Bußlied


I can’t claim to be an expert on the recordings of Martha Mödl, but to the best of my knowledge Profil has issued all of these for the very first time. At least, the company claims so on the CD insert, and I for one have never seen commercial recordings by her of Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder or any of the Beethoven songs.


Mödl’s strengths as a singer were, ironically, her defects as well. Although she had a superb voice that was well trained, once she was onstage singing she let herself go in a way that was as exciting as it was harrowing. With no thought of technique, she threw herself into the music, often sacrificing tonal security or beauty for a complete identification with the character or words she was singing. The liner notes compare her to Callas, and that is a fair assessment, but I find it ironic to remember that she was not always considered a legend when she was still alive. I still recall, when Furtwängler’s RAI Ring cycle was issued on Seraphim LPs, how many critics who shall remain nameless actually apologized for Mödl’s contribution, although, to be fair, they usually added that when you saw her in person you overlooked the explosive, blown-out high notes because of the intensity of her interpretations. I also heard from an acquaintance of mine that once, in a performance of Elektra with Astrid Varnay in the title role and Mödl as Klytemnestra (which she sings in the excerpt on this set), Varnay got so caught up listening to Mödl that she almost forgot to re-enter.


From a strictly vocal standpoint, her voice is under better control on CD 2 than it is on CD 1. So many of the high notes on the first disc are attacked with such vehemence that you are almost afraid that she is going to blow the voice out, then and there, especially the two high Cs (feared by Flagstad, but apparently not by Mödl) in Isolde’s act I curse. Ludwig Suthaus was a fine singer, but not necessarily for Tristan, which lay very uncomfortably in his range, but he gives it the old college try and, sparked by Mödl, is far more intense here than in his 1952 commercial recording with Flagstad and Furtwängler. The Tristan excerpts go back and forth between two different venues and three different performances (the love duet excerpt with Wolfgang Windgassen was performed at London’s Royal Festival Hall, but not, apparently, with the Royal Philharmonic), and the singers sound rather off-mike in the 1958 Munich performance, but regardless of time or place Mödl is locked into the character with an almost psychic intensity. It’s interesting to hear such an intense vocal actress performing the Wesendonck Lieder , but this is where her high notes are more out of control than anywhere else in the set.


Turning to CD 2, we hear at the outset a much more in-control Mödl, her voice intense but warm and well placed for Sieglinde’s two act I excerpts and a phenomenal Immolation Scene from Götterdämmerung conducted by Georges Sebastian. Mödl often said that this was her favorite role of all, and she certainly makes you think the world is coming to an end! Following this, we jump a decade to a 1967 performance as Klytemnestra (unfortunately, not with Varnay) in which she is appropriately intense, but by now the voice has a wobble. The two excerpts from modern operas, Wolfgang Fortner’s Bluthochzeit and Aribert Reimann’s Melusine, are not really my kind of music (this is from the Ugly 12-Tone Era), but they do show that Mödl was not only a great stage actress but an excellent musician, capable of learning any style of music and infusing it with dramatic energy. The liner notes indicate that Reimann composed this scene especially for Mödl.


More interesting is her fascinating performance as the old Countess in Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades. Though sung in German (I hadn’t realized that Germany was still performing foreign operas in the vernacular as late as 1982), she delineates the character of the old woman with perfect feeling and a meaning for the text.


Oddly, this survey of Mödl’s career ends with the earliest performances on the set, a series of Beethoven Lieder from 1950. Her voice is at its freshest here (perhaps Profil wanted to leave us with that sound in our ears), her interpretations are all excellent and not all over the top, and it’s interesting that her accompanist is Michael Raucheisen, who had recorded a large group of Lieder performances with the legendary tenor Leo Slezak back around 1928. They make an excellent pair, and these readings are exceptionally fine in every respect.


Despite the flaws, this set is absolutely indispensable for Mödl fans (and I’m certainly one), for Wagner lovers, and for anyone who wants to hear one of the most intense artists of the 20th century. We’ve had so many cookie-cutter Wagner sopranos in recent years that it’s nice to remember a time when, for some of them at least, performing this music was more than a job. It was almost a matter of life and death.


FANFARE: Lynn René Bayley

Tracklist 28 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 Rienzi, Act III: Gerechter Gott 07:29
    Track
    1
    Title
    Rienzi, Act III: Gerechter Gott
    Duration
    07:29
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Martha Mödl
    Ensemble
    Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
    Conductor
    Heinrich Hollreiser
  3. 2 Act II: Doch nun von Tristan … Genau will ich's vernehemen 10:23
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act II: Doch nun von Tristan … Genau will ich's vernehemen
    Duration
    10:23
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Martha Mödl, Hertha Töpper
    Ensemble
    Bayerisches Staatsorchester
    Conductor
    Joseph Keilberth
  4. 3 Act I: Begehrt, Herrin 07:20
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act I: Begehrt, Herrin
    Duration
    07:20
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Martha Mödl, Ludwig Suthaus
    Ensemble
    Bayerisches Staatsorchester
    Conductor
    Joseph Keilberth
  5. 4 Act I: War Morold dir so wert 09:25
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act I: War Morold dir so wert
    Duration
    09:25
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Martha Mödl, Ludwig Suthaus
    Ensemble
    Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper, Bayerisches Staatsorchester
    Conductor
    Joseph Keilberth
  6. 5 Act II: Nicht Hornerschall tont so hold 06:15
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act II: Nicht Hornerschall tont so hold
    Duration
    06:15
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Martha Mödl, Grace Hoffman
    Ensemble
    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Ferdinand Leitner
  7. 6 Act II: Dein Werk? O tor'ge Magd! 03:27
    Track
    6
    Title
    Act II: Dein Werk? O tor'ge Magd!
    Duration
    03:27
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Martha Mödl, Grace Hoffman
    Ensemble
    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Ferdinand Leitner
  8. 7 Act II: So sturben wir, um ungetrennt 08:26
    Track
    7
    Title
    Act II: So sturben wir, um ungetrennt
    Duration
    08:26
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Martha Mödl, Grace Hoffman, Gustav Neidlinger
    Ensemble
    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Ferdinand Leitner
  9. 8 Tristan und Isolde, Act III: Mild und leise wie er lachelt 07:52
    Track
    8
    Title
    Tristan und Isolde, Act III: Mild und leise wie er lachelt
    Duration
    07:52
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Martha Mödl
    Ensemble
    Bayerisches Staatsorchester
    Conductor
    Joseph Keilberth
  10. 9 No. 1. Der Engel (The Angel) 02:55
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 1. Der Engel (The Angel)
    Duration
    02:55
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Ensemble
    Bamberger Symphoniker, Bayreuther Festspielorchester
    Conductor
    Joseph Keilberth
  11. 10 No. 2. Stehe still (Stand Still) 03:37
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 2. Stehe still (Stand Still)
    Duration
    03:37
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Ensemble
    Bamberger Symphoniker, Bayreuther Festspielorchester
    Conductor
    Joseph Keilberth
  12. 11 No. 3. Im Treibhaus (In the Hothouse) 06:10
    Track
    11
    Title
    No. 3. Im Treibhaus (In the Hothouse)
    Duration
    06:10
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Ensemble
    Bamberger Symphoniker, Bayreuther Festspielorchester
    Conductor
    Joseph Keilberth
  13. 12 No. 4. Schmerzen (Pain) 02:25
    Track
    12
    Title
    No. 4. Schmerzen (Pain)
    Duration
    02:25
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Ensemble
    Bamberger Symphoniker, Bayreuther Festspielorchester
    Conductor
    Joseph Keilberth
  14. 13 No. 5. Traume (Dreams) 04:44
    Track
    13
    Title
    No. 5. Traume (Dreams)
    Duration
    04:44
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Ensemble
    Bamberger Symphoniker, Bayreuther Festspielorchester
    Conductor
    Joseph Keilberth
  15. Disc 2
  16. 1 Act I: Der Manner Sippe sass hier im Saal 04:29
    Track
    1
    Title
    Act I: Der Manner Sippe sass hier im Saal
    Duration
    04:29
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Martha Mödl
    Ensemble
    Bayreuther Festspielorchester
    Conductor
    Joseph Keilberth
  17. 2 Act I: Du bist der Lenz 02:08
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act I: Du bist der Lenz
    Duration
    02:08
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Martha Mödl
    Ensemble
    Bayreuther Festspielorchester
    Conductor
    Joseph Keilberth
  18. 3 Act III: Starke Scheite schichtet mir dort 07:40
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act III: Starke Scheite schichtet mir dort
    Duration
    07:40
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Martha Mödl
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Symphonique de Vichy
    Conductor
    Georges Sébastian
  19. 4 Act III: Mein Erbe nun nehm' ich zu eigen 03:25
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act III: Mein Erbe nun nehm' ich zu eigen
    Duration
    03:25
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Martha Mödl
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Symphonique de Vichy
    Conductor
    Georges Sébastian
  20. 5 Act III: Grane, mein Ross 05:58
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act III: Grane, mein Ross
    Duration
    05:58
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Martha Mödl
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Symphonique de Vichy
    Conductor
    Georges Sébastian
  21. 6 Elektra, Op. 58, TrV 223: Was willst du? Seht doch, dort! 16:25
    Track
    6
    Title
    Elektra, Op. 58, TrV 223: Was willst du? Seht doch, dort!
    Duration
    16:25
    Composer
    Richard Strauss
    Performer
    Martha Mödl
    Ensemble
    Staatskapelle Berlin
    Conductor
    Otmar Suitner
  22. 7 Bluthochzeit (Blood Wedding), Act II: Nachbarinnen! Mit einem Messer ... - Schlusszene der Mutter 03:39
    Track
    7
    Title
    Bluthochzeit (Blood Wedding), Act II: Nachbarinnen! Mit einem Messer ... - Schlusszene der Mutter
    Duration
    03:39
    Composer
    Wolfgang Fortner
    Performer
    Martha Mödl
    Ensemble
    Wurttemberg State Theatre Orchestra Stuttgart
    Conductor
    Ferdinand Leitner
  23. 8 Melusine, Act III: Heut, hier und jetzt wird es entschieden 08:13
    Track
    8
    Title
    Melusine, Act III: Heut, hier und jetzt wird es entschieden
    Duration
    08:13
    Composer
    Aribert Reimann
    Performer
    Martha Mödl, Josef Greindl
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Reinhard Peters
  24. 9 Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades), Op. 68, Act II: Schweigt doch endlich! Alles Luge Ich bin mude 07:52
    Track
    9
    Title
    Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades), Op. 68, Act II: Schweigt doch endlich! Alles Luge Ich bin mude
    Duration
    07:52
    Composer
    Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
    Performer
    Martha Mödl
    Ensemble
    Chor der Oper Graz, Graz Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Niksa Bareza
  25. 10 No. 1. Bitten 02:22
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 1. Bitten
    Duration
    02:22
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Martha Mödl, Michael Raucheisen
  26. 11 No. 2. Die Liebe des Nächsten 02:53
    Track
    11
    Title
    No. 2. Die Liebe des Nächsten
    Duration
    02:53
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Martha Mödl, Michael Raucheisen
  27. 12 No. 3. Vom Tode 04:28
    Track
    12
    Title
    No. 3. Vom Tode
    Duration
    04:28
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Martha Mödl, Michael Raucheisen
  28. 13 No. 4. Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur 02:41
    Track
    13
    Title
    No. 4. Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur
    Duration
    02:41
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Martha Mödl, Michael Raucheisen
  29. 14 No. 5. Gottes Macht und Vorsehung 00:50
    Track
    14
    Title
    No. 5. Gottes Macht und Vorsehung
    Duration
    00:50
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Martha Mödl, Michael Raucheisen
  30. 15 No. 6. Busslied 06:00
    Track
    15
    Title
    No. 6. Busslied
    Duration
    06:00
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Martha Mödl, Michael Raucheisen