Fritz Wunderlich - The Great German Tenor

Fritz Wunderlich News

1. Recent Publications
  • Fred Scharf has published a new, revised edition of his groundbreaking and indispensable Fritz-Wunderlich-Diskographie (in German). A must for every Wunderlich fan, worth every penny of the Euro 39,00 (plus postage).
    You may order by mail to Fred Scharf, Schlesische Straße 4F, 23617 Stockelsdorf, Germany, or send an e-mail message to Fred Scharf.

  • A new biography on the legendary Berlin Domkapellmeister, Dr. Karl Forster has been issued in summer 2000: "Ein Oberpfälzer als Botschafter Berliner Geistes und Musiklebens - Karl Forster (1904-1963) und der Chor der St. Hedwigs-Kathedrale Berlin" by Heiko Bockstiegel. Verlag Theodor Thoben, Quakenbrück (Germany). ISBN 3-921176-90-5, 229 p., many pictures. The book also contains a detailed discography (radio and gramophone recordings). Fritz Wunderlich is mentioned several times in the text and the discography. (Thanks to Heiko Bockstiegel for the information.)

2. Recent CD issues
  • Another CD premiere: Mozart's Comic Quartet "Caro mio Druck und Schluck" and Comic Trio "Das Bandel" on DG's double CD "Original Masters - Die Singles" (474 576-2).


  • "Opera Arias and Duets" on DG 794 731-1 (June 2003).

  • Issued for the first time: the complete Edinburgh recital on DG (June 2003).

  • Viennese songs and other popular songs on DG's "Wiener Lieder", including the first issue of a recording of "Grüß mir mein Wien" conducted by Robert Stolz, and some CD premieres (June 2003).

  • A new collection of early Stuttgart radio recordings on Faszination Musik/Hänssler (May 2003, details to follow).

  • A re-issue of opera arias and songs as "The very best of Fritz Wunderlich" on EMI (February 2003).

  • The Acanta sampler CD with early recordings from Stuttgart now as "Opera Arias" on ARTS (2003).

  • "Die Rose von Stambul", "Der fidele Bauer", "Der Bettelstudent", and "Der Zarewitsch" highlights re-issued on EMI (January 2003).

  • Issued for the first time: A live recording of Mozart's Zauberflöte, conducted by Josef Keilberth (Salzburg 1960) on Golden Melodram. (Thanks to Walter Kögler for the information.)

  • The 1965 Salzburg Recital on ARTS. (Thanks to Piet Boers for the information.)

  • The complete "Eine Weihnachtsmusik" recital on a new DG compilation.

  • A new 4 CD box "Fritz Wunderlich Edition", including several CD premieres and an interesting bonus CD with an rehearsal excerpt from Dichterliebe, on DG (November 2001).

  • Issued for the first time: Egk's oratorio Furchtlosigkeit und Wohlwollen on Orfeo (September 2001). (Thanks to Loek Laudy for the information.)

  • Highlights from Pfitzner's Palestrina, conducted by R. Heger (Vienna 1964) on RCA (August 2001). (Thanks to Loek Laudy for the information.)

  • Issued for the first time: Egk's opera Columbus , conducted by the composer (Munich 1963) on Orfeo. (Thanks to Loek Laudy for the information.)

  • Early Stuttgart opera recordings (previously available on Acanta) and operetta recordings (mainly with Franz Marszalek) on a 2 CD sampler "Ein Musikalisches Portrait" on Laserlight.

  • A CD premiere: Bach's Cantata BWV 249 ("Easter Oratorio") with Fritz Wunderlich as "Werner S. Braun" on a Concerto Royale 3 CD set. It's available at an extremely low price at Zweitausendeins as No. 52295. (Thanks to Andreas Fischer for the information.)

  • Issued for the first time: Mozart's "Entführung" (Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires, September 1961) and Six Songs by Ludwig Senfl on MYTO (Thanks to MYTO Records for the information.)

  • Cherubini's "Les deux journées (Der Wasserträger)" on MYTO MCD 011.237. (Thanks to MYTO Records for the information.)

  • Issued for the first time: A live recording of Mozart's Zauberflöte, conducted by Fritz Rieger (Munich 1964) on Golden Melodram. (Thanks to Loek Laudy and others for the information.)

  • Issued for the first time: A live recording of R. Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier, conducted by Rudolf Kempe (Munich 1966-07-20) on Golden Melodram. (Thanks to Loek Laudy for the information.)

  • Issued for the first time: Cantatas and sacred concertos by Buxtehude, Graupner, Krieger, Schütz, Telemann, plus a re-issue of the Rosenmüller Lamentationes: "Fritz Wunderlich - Geistliche Lieder" on "faszination musik" (SWR/hänssler)

  • Issued for the first time: Moazrt's Die Gärtnerin aus Liebe (SDR rec. 1956), plus the 3rd act from the "Entführung aus dem Serail" (cond. Matacic, Edinburgh 1958) on MYTO (Thanks to MYTO Records for the information.)

  • "Great moments of... Fritz Wunderlich", a 3 CD collection from EMI. Thankfully (and unlike DG on "Legendary Voices"), EMI did not double widely available material for their 70th birthday tribute to Wunderlich, but included material never before available on CD (Neumeyer's Student Songs, Lieder from the Mainz recital etc.) (Thanks to Loek Laudy and others for the information.)

  • Issued for the first time: Schubert's Die Schöne Müllerin (K. H. Stolze/rec. 1959) on MYTO

  • Mozart's Zaide on MYTO (Thanks to Loek Laudy and Heinz-E. Eickenberg for the information.)

  • Radio SWF Kaiserslautern recordings, many issued for the first time: FW - Historical Recordings 1954-1965 on "faszination musik" (SWR/hänssler) (Thanks to Piet Boers and Loek Laudy for the information.)

  • For the first time on CD: Strauss's Salome on MYTO. (Thanks to Grace Feeney and others for the information.)

  • "Legendary Voices - Fritz Wunderlich" on DG 469 017-2 (2 CDs)

  • widely known Schubert and Schumann Lieder recordings on "Elkönig - The Art of the Lied", DG 445 188-2 (see DG Dichterliebe and DG Schöne Müllerin pages).

  • Handel's Judas Maccabaeus , cond. Kubelik, legally issued for the first time on Orfeo d'Or (Thanks to Andreas Kopp for the information.)

  • Mozart's Don Giovanni , live 1963,on Gala (Thanks to Gary Stephens for the information.)

  • Haydn's Die Schöpfung on Bel Canto BEL6013 (Thanks to Gary Stephens for the information.)

  • Lehár's Das Land des Lächelns - the WDR TV recording, on Gala GL 329.

  • Strauß's Die Fledermaus - the WDR TV recording, on Gala GL 340.

  • Handel's Giulio Cesare on American label Opera d'Oro OPD-1192. Warning: the final chorus is faded out 1 min too early (and maybe there are even more faults). The preferable official release on Orfeo d'Or is still available.

  • Highlights from Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail (cond. Kertesz) on Gala.

  • Bach's Hunt Cantata as part of a 2 CD set on EMI 5 72634 2

  • "DG Centenary Collection: 1965 - FW" with widely availble material on DG - supoerfluous for any collector, but a good choice for a first (and affordable) glance at Wunderlich's art in opera, oratorio and song

  • for the very first time on record, Bruckner's Te Deum under Karajan on EMI

  • Handel's Serse on Orfeo

  • highlights from the 1958 Dutch radio recording of Die Zauberflöte under Haitink on Gala GLH 812 (Thanks to Jos Witjes and Piet Boers for the information!)

2000-05-21

3. Other News

On 17 December 2001, Martha Mödl died in a Stuttgart hospital at the age of 89. For a list of her recordings with Fritz Wunderlich, please see the Mödl page in the "FW's Colleagues" section at this web site.

2001-12-19

On April 9th, 2001, Graziella Sciutti died in Geneva at the age of 68. For some biographical information and a list of her recordings with Fritz Wunderlich, please see the Sciutti page in the "FW's Colleagues" section at this web site.

2001-05-24

Wilma Lipp celebrates her 75th birthday on April 26, 2000. The German classical music magazine, Fono Forum , features an article on Mrs. Lipp, also mentioning the Fritz Wunderlich discography on this website (April 2000 issue, p. 38-40).

2000-04-18

The German Fritz Wunderlich Society, "Fritz-Wunderlich-Gesellschaft, Kusel", has established a new web site dedicated to the great German tenor, maintained by Loek Laudy. Plans for the future include en English version and a complete calendar of Wunderlich's opera performances, concerts and recitals, which will be a marvelous resource for every Wunderlich fan. The address of the new site is www.fritz-wunderlich-ges.com .

2000-02-01

Another new feature: the discography can now be searched with an easy-to-use search engine .

1999-07-03

Some additions were made to make the site more interactive. Every discography page now features a Comment! button which invites you to send in your own comments or reviews!

1999-06-20

Lyric soprano Maria Stader died on April 27th, 1999 at the age of 88. For a list of her recordings with Fritz Wunderlich, see "Colleagues" section entry .

1999-04-30

Dec 1, 1998: Baritone Raymond Wolansky died at the age of 72. In Wunderlich's Stuttgart years, Wolansky performed in numerous performances together with Fritz Wunderlich, amongst them "La Traviata" and "Don Pasquale", and there's a recording of the Don Carlo duet which has been recently issued on CD . For more information on Raymond Wolansky's life and work, please follow the link to the colleagues section .

1998-12-03

July 22, 1998: Kammersänger Hermann Prey died after a heart attack. He was a close friend of Fritz Wunderlich,with whom he worked together many times. (see Prey's Reminiscences and the page dedicated to Hermann Prey in the "Colleagues" section, including a list of the recordings he made together with Fritz Wunderlich).

Additions are always welcome and keep this site alive! Please contact Andreas Praefcke.

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