[Masolino]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/internatio...836740,00.html

Not really a fan of late Mrs. Walter Legge's (often excessively wobbling) voice, I somehow have managed to hear, or even own, some of her albums: Mahler's Knaben Wunderhorn w/Szell, Strauss's Vier letzte Lieder etc., again w/Szell, assorted Lehar, Mozart operas. An English teacher of mine declared that he would have her recording of "Exsultate, Jubilate" as his ideal deathbed music... So yes, I agree that she was too famous to not have been a legend.

 

[mbhaub]

This is sad news, indeed. Great lady. She knew when to hang it up and not ruin her reputation. Thank God for that miraculous Tristan und Isolde! How did she ever put up with a pig like Legge?

Thanks for the information.

 

[zotjen]

Quote:

She knew when to hang it up and not ruin her reputation.

Although some will say she ruined her reputation when she joined the Nazi party. Still, she had one of the great voices of the last century, especially in the Mozart rep.

 

[Bunnyears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zotjen Although some will say she ruined her reputation when she joined the Nazi party. Still, she had one of the great voices of the last century, especially in the Mozart rep.

I think it was the "Vissi d'Arte" apology that was the real stinker. She managed to sanitize her reputation and keep it smelling as sweet as a rose until long into her retirement. It was only when later biographers and historians started examining her life and works that it again came to light, and this time in all of it's nastiness.

Despite that, her voice was a wonder in its prime and I have to admit that even knowing she was a committed member of the NSDAP can't make me dislike her work. It's ironic that she was able to collaborate so well with Bruno Walter and Otto Klemperer who were forced to flee the Nazis because they were Jewish.

 

[Jubei]

I read somewhere (probably Gramophone magazine) that during a radio interview, she was asked what her 10 desert island discs were - and she picked ten of her own recordings!!! Apparently quite an egotisical woman.

Anyway love her EMI recording of Strauss Vier Letzte Lieder.

 

[Masolino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jubei I read somewhere (probably Gramophone magazine) that during a radio interview, she was asked what her 10 desert island discs were - and she picked ten of her own recordings!!! Apparently quite an egotisical woman.

Wiki says she picked seven of her own out of eight:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabe...arzkopf#Trivia
That shows her in a somewhat more modest light.