Son Lieu asked about 'Der Rosenkavalier' on record: there is a very
interesting compilation of extended excerpts from 1933, with 'the'
Feldmarschallin before Schwarzkopf, Lotte Lehmann. Her singing is less
polished than Schwarzkopf's, but more spontaneously alive and humane. The
rest of the cast was also regarded as definitive in this work, especially
the rollicking Baron Ochs by Richard Mayr, and a wonderful Sophie by
Elisabeth Schumann. We knew a lady from Vienna who heard these people in
the Rosenkavalier in the Hofoper in the 20's and 30's and still remembered
those performances as a surpassing musical and theatrical experience.

Regarding the Karajan recording - I reacted much as you did on my first
listening, but when I listened the second time some years later, I found
it much more involving, Schwarzkopf especially - still a bit artificial,
but no longer as cool, and very subtle and alluring (I had in the meantime
also seen a few moments of her on film ...) Another big plus of that set is
the wonderful Christa Ludwig.

Felix Delbruck
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