Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Duetto (tenor, bass) and Chorus: "Kommt, eilet und laufet"
2. Aria (tenor): "Sanfte soll mein Todeskummer"
3. Recitative [and Chorale] (tenor, chorus 2): "O Schmerz! Hier zittert das gequälte Herz"
4. Aria with Chorus (tenor, chorus 2): "Ich will bei meinem Jesu wachen" (excerpt)
5. Recitiative (tenor): "Mein Jesus schweigt zu falschen Lügen stille"
6. Aria (tenor): "Geduld!" (excerpt)
7. Duet (contralto, tenor): "et misericordia"
8. Aria (tenor): "Deposuit potentes"
9. Recitative (tenor): "So stehe denn, du gottergeb'ne Seele"
10. Aria (tenor): "Adam muss in uns verwesen"
11. Chorus: "Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage"
12. Recitative [Evangelist] (tenor): "Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit"
13. Aria (tenor): "Frohe Hirten, eilt, act eilet"
14. Aria (tenor): "Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben"
15. Recitative [Evangelist] (tenor): "Und ließ versammeln alle Hohenpriester"
16. Terzetto (soprano, alto, tenor): "Ach! wann wird die Zeit erscheinen"
17. Recitative (tenor): "Und Gott befahl ihnen im Traum" - "Genug, mein Schatz geht nicht von hier"
18. Aria (tenor): "Nun mögt ihr stolzen Feinde schrecken"

Disc 2:

1. Overture
2. Aria: "Hier soll ich dich denn sehen"
3. Recitative and Aria: "Konstanze, dich wiederzusehen, dich!" - "O wie ängstlich, o wie feurig"
4. Aria: "Wenn der Freude Tränen fließen"
5. Quartet: "Ach! Belmonte! Ach, mein Leben!"
6. Aria: "Ich baue ganz auf deine Stärke"
7. Recitative and Aria: "Welch ein Geschick!" - "wie, Du solltest für mich sterben!"
8. Aria: "Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön"
9. Act 1. Finale: "Zum Ziele führt dich diese Bahn"
10. "Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton"
11. Act 2. Finale: "Der, Welcher wandert diese Straße voll Beschwerden"
12. "Tamino mein! O welch ein Glück!"

Disc 3:

1. Duet: "Strahlt auf mich der Blitz des Goldes" (All'idea di quel metallo)
2. Duet: "Hier nimm den Ring der Treue" (Prendi: I'anel ti dono)
3. Scene and Duet: "Ich denk ihn lieber mir von meinem Stande - Liebe ist Seligkeit, ist Licht und Leb
4. Toast: "O Freunde, so leeret in vollen Zügen" (Libiamo ne' lieti calici)
5. Duet: "Ich sah Euch lieblich und engelsschön" (Un di felice, eterea)
6. Duet: "O, lass uns fliehen aus diesen Mauern" (Parigi, o cara, noi lasceremo)
7. Scene nd Duet: "Er ist's! Carlos! Mein Prinz! - Gott, der entflammte der Liebe heiße Glut" (Le voil
8. Duet: "Infame Feder! Welch scheußlicher Pinsel - Ach, Geliebte! Nie kehrst du mir wieder!" (Che pen
9. Aria: "Und es blitzten die Sterne" (E lucevan le stelle)
10. Scene: "Nicht an mich, Geliebter, denke"
11. Duet: "Du süßester Engel, wie herrlich hast du geteufelt!"
12. "Leukippos, du?"
13. Arioso: "Ja, ich lieb Sie, Olga" (Ya lyublyu vas)
14. Aria: "Wohin seid ihr entschwunden" (Kuda, kuda, kuda vi udalilis)

Disc 4:

1. Recitative and Arioso: "Holdes Laubgezweig, du schönes - Schattige Ruh, nie gab Natur sie mir" (Fon
2. Aria: "Der Gedanke an die Flammen der Liebe" (Più che penso alle fiamme del core)
3. Aria: "Bleibt ihhr treu dem, der euch so verachtet?" (Se bramate d'amar, chi vi sdegna)
4. Aria: "Finstre Furien, ihr Geister der Hölle" (Crude furie degl'orridi abissi)
5. Aria: "Nur einen Wunsch, nur ein Verlangen" (Unis dès la plus tendre enfance)
6. Recitative and Duet: "O unverhofftes Glück - Das höre ich von dir, von meinem Freunde?" (Ô moment t
7. "Ma se il nostro gioir - Alcun non sia"
8. "Perché a lo sdegno - Padre cortese - Si non vedrò"
9. Aria: "Erwacht in meinem Herzen" (Svegliatevi nel core)
10. Duet: "Nur weinen lernte ich / Nur klagen lernte ich" (Sonata a lagrimar / Son nato a sospirar)
11. Aria: "Keine Schlange lässt sich töten" (L'angue offeso mai riposa)
12. Romance: "O schweige still, o lasse dich erbitten" (Ne parle pas, Rose, je t'en supplie)
13. Trio: "Doch nun zu dir - Trenne nicht das Band der Liebe"
14. Aria: "Man wird ja einmal nur geboren"
15. Song: "Lebe wohl, mein flandrisch Mädchen"
16. Recitative and Duet: "Du stehst wirklich vor mir - Der Tempel Brahmas strahlt" (C'est toi, toi qu'e

Disc 5:

1. 1. Im wunderschönen Monat Mai
2. 2. Aus meinen Tränen sprießen
3. 3. Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne
4. 4. Wenn ich in deine Augen seh
5. 5. Ich will meine Seele tauchen
6. 6. Im Rhein, im heiligen Strome
7. 7. Ich grolle nicht
8. 8. Und wüssten's die Blumen, die kleinen
9. 9. Das ist ein Flöten und Geigen
10. 10. Hör ich das Liedchen klingen
11. 11. Ein Jüngling liebt ein Mädchen
12. 12. Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen
13. 13. Ich hab im Traum geweinet
14. 14. Allnächtlich im Traume seh ich dich
15. 15. Aus alten Märchen winkt es
16. 16. Die alten bösen Lieder

Disc 6:

1. Du bist die Welt für mich

Disc 7:

1. Wien wird bei Nacht erst schön
2. Wenn es Abend wird - Grüß mir mein Wien
3. Weine nicht, bricht eine schöne Frau dir das Herz
4. Mein Herz ruft immer nur nach dir, o Marita

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29760 in Music
• Released on: 2005-09-13
• Number of discs: 7
• Formats: Box set, Original recording remastered

Customer Reviews

I wish I could give this release more than 5 stars: it's terrific!!!
I knew little about the German tenor Fritz Wunderlich (1930-1966), except reading the accolades given to his recordings and performances by reviewers in "American Record Guide" over the past 13 years. I knew Wunderlich recorded the role of Tamino in the famous DG recording of Mozart's "Die Zauberflote", with Karl Bohm/Berlin Philharmonic (Now on DG Originals CDs), but was not aware of what a wide range of repertoire he had until hearing this release.

This release has a wide variety of Wunderlich's discography, including Bach arias from his Christmas and Easter Oratorios, and movements from 2 cantatas; his Mozart roles in "Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail" (Eugen Jochum/Bavarian Radio Orchestra) and "Die Zauberflote" (Karl Bohm/Berlin Philharmonic); a variety of arias and duets by Rossini, Bellini, Verdi, Richard Strauss, mostly sung in German, and with Hermann Prey, baritone and Erika Koth, soprano in many of the duets; Baroque arias by Handel, from "Xerxes" (including the famous "Ombre mai fu" sung in German) and "Julius Caesar", selections from Monteverdi's "Orfeo" (an early track from 1955 sung in Italian); Schumann's "Dichterliebe", 4 Beethoven Lieder, including "Adelaide" and "Der Kuss"; and 9 Schubert lieder, including "An der Musik," and "Der Musensohn", all with Hubert Giesen, piano; Popular songs such as "Granada" and Viennese songs, with chamber orchestra accompaniment. There are no texts for the songs, but you may have text booklets with other CD releases, so don't really need them when you hear Wunderlich's beautiful voice.

There is a booklet with articles about Wunderlich's career, including a preface by his widow, Eva Wunderlich, photos of Wunderlich as a boy and young man, with his wife Eva in 1965, and children Constanze, Wolfgang, and Barbara. I enjoy reading and looking at the booklet, even apart from listening to the beautiful recordings.

Wunderlich was a genius, and his voice sounds great in every track, mono (some, but not a majority) and stereo (most of the tracks in the 7 discs are stereo) alike. If you love great music, and opera, but like me aren't often of a mind to sit still for 3 hours to listen to one, get this. It's a great release, and reasonably priced to boot. I'm thankful to God for great music, for the ability to hear and feel, and for Fritz Wunderlich and his service to music lovers everywhere.

Correction
Now folks, both of what the two other reviewers wrote about the tragical death of Fritz Wunderlich is wrong. Wunderlich died in hospital at September 17 1966. He had broken his skull, when he fell down the stairs in the hunting-house of a friend. Late in the evening of September 16, Wunderlich, as usual when not at home, had phoned his wife in Munich. He was very tired from strolling through the forest the whole day, making out the ideal locations for the hunt, which should start early in the next morning (Wunderlich was a passionate hunter). After he had wished his wife a good night, he went to the staircase in order to go down to his bedroom at the first floor. He still wore his heavy hunting boots - with open shoestrings! As walking downstairs, Wunderlich struggled over the open shoestrings and grabbed for the banisters, which was not more than a rope, fixed to the wall. The banisters teared out, and Wunderlich fell down the whole stairs. Fritz Wunderlich died in hospital the next day. It was only short before his 36'th birthday. An exceptional singing career had come to an untimely end. Some people believe that Wunderlich was drunken at the time of accident. If this is true can't be proven any more. But still this is not what his close friends said, regarding his accident and his death. In my opinion Wunderlich was the last of the really great tenors of the last century. All the tenors which came to fame after him (sorry folks, even such maestros as Pavarotti and Domingo) lack a certain quality in singing. It's the ease of breath flow, or singing on the breath without pushing the voice, it's the overtones, the legato, the mezza voce, the messa di voce and many more things - in short: the overall beauty of the voice through both registers. Wunderlich was the last tenor who had all this. Other examples are Caruso, McCormack, Gigli (despite the sobbing in his later recordings) and of course the wonderful Jussi Björling. But these are only some few names. If you listen for example to the cd's in the box "Famous tenors of the past" you will find that there were many very good and outstanding tenors in the first half of the 20'th century and - as we can only assume - in the time before the invention of the grammophone. Take a close look at todays famous tenors (I know, there are some quite good and promising ones) but what are they in comparison to those tenors (or better to say, to their voices and singing) I just mentioned before?

Please make your own decision.

The Wonder of Wunderlich
Deutsche Grammophone does it again! This is an extensive 3-cd compilation album featuring the artistry of the great German tenor Fritz Wunderlich in a variety of vocal repertoire - Baroque cantata/oratorio, opera and Lieder. Like the other critic pointed out, I first heard Fritz sinigng a superb Tamino in the Karl Bohm Magic Flute, although I have also heard him sing Lieder opposite the mezzo soprano Christa Ludwig and baritone Dietrich Fischer Dieskau, who were his contemporaries and colleagues. Wunderlich died tragically in 1966 of cancer. He inspired a generation of purely lyric tenors or "tenors di grazie" whose charming voice would never roughen and lack grace. His Germanic style earned him popularity in World War II Europe and he was the leading exponent of Lieder in the 50's. His tenor voice is glorious, as close to a male angel as possible. On this recording, we are treated to sumptuous arias from Bach's Christmas/Easter Oratorios, and movements from 2 cantatas. Also noteworthy are the unsurpassed performances of Mozart tenor heroes- such as Belmonte from "Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail" (Abduction from the Seraglio) and his unbeatable Tamino from Die Zauberflote The Magic Flute. He sings bel canto opera arias fo tenor, from master composers Rossinni, Bellini and Verdi. While I don't much like that he is singing Italian arias in German, one must remember that at this time, in the LP Era of World War II Germany and Austria, German-born opera singers sang Italian opera in German translation/revisions. While many German singers could indeed sing in Italian, they were mostly trained to sing it in German because of excessive national pride and because Germans viewed Italian opera as course and un-melodic. Still, there have been superb German singers who sang in Italian like Wagner diva Birgit Nilsson,baritone Dietrich Fischer Dieskau, tenor Peter Schreier, soprano Edda Moser, baritone Walter Berry, tenor Herman Pretty, all post-Wunderlich sensations. Wunderlich sings Lieder in one CD with great and unrivaled musicianship. Especially impressive are the Viennese pieces. Further to the cd's this album is equipped with photos of Wunderlich and his family and a detailed profile biography.