An upcoming Profil/Hanssler double CD set (PH04017) presents what may
well be the most complete collection of Joseph Schmidt recordings in one
box.  Called - perhaps with excessive coyness - "Ein Lied geht um die
Welt," the CDs contain not only that "Ein Lied," but 48 tracks of music,
ranging from operetta to opera standards ("Una furtive lagrima," "E
lucevan le stelle," etc.), to songs both borderline "art songs" and
popular tunes of the 1920s and '30s.

Given the space constraints of CD documentation, it's not surprising
that both lyrics and translations are missing, but it's regrettable
anyway.  The little Romanian (from an Orthodox Jewish family in Davidende)
with the big voice always wore his heart on his sleeve, and that much
is clear from the performances, but the text figures into the interpretation
(even on the Schlager level), so the listener, especially of the non-German
kind, would have benefitted from the right kind of documentation.  With
all the Web connections in music publishing, why not make such material
available online, with a reference on the box?

Janos Gereben
www.sfcv.org
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