1924 Lotte Lehmann/Richard Tauber/Georg Szell. “Marietta’s Lied” from Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt

Photo, from left to right: Erich Korngold, Richard Tauber, Paul Mayr, Lotte Lehmann and Georg Szell.

[I bought this record from Franklin Street Collective on Ebay. ]
https://www.ebay.com/str/franklinstre...

This is so lovely! (The libretto is below so you can follow along with the words! The libretto was written by Korngold and his father under the pseudonym Paul Schott).
Lotte Lehmann and Richard Tauber perform “Glück, das mir verblieb” (aka Marietta’s Lied) from Korngold’s “Die Tote Stadt.” George Szell conducting.
This performance was originally recorded acoustically on the Odeon label in 1924. At the time the balance between the orchestra and vocalists in the original was thought to be less than ideal (if you look at photos of recording studios from this era you know why immediately!)! In 1932 it was re-recorded using an electric microphone (new!) for the soloists to be heard in an appropriate balance with the original recording of the orchestra accompaniment from the 1924 recording. (I think I’ve got that right) Because of this re-recording, the 1932 record is termed “dubbed. “ I believe all involved were thrilled with the improvement. To many of us the 101 year old Odeon record sounds just as delicious though, for different reasons.

Decca No. 29012.

Libretto:

MARIETTA
Gluck, das mir verblieb,
Joy, stay with me,
Rück zu mir, mein treues Lieb.
Come to me, my true love.
Abend sinkt im Hag
Night sinks into the grove
Bist mir Licht und Tag.
you are my light and day.
Bange pochet Herz an Herz.
Anxiously beats heart on heart.
Hoffnung schwingt sich himmelwärts.
Hope itself soars heavenward.

PAUL
Wie wahr, ein traurig Lied.
How true, a mournful song.

MARIETTA
Das Lied von treuen Lieb,
The song of true love,

Das sterben muß.
Bound to die.


Was haben Sie?
What are you thinking?


PAUL
Ich kenne dich Lied.
I know this song.
Ich hört es oft in jungen,
I heard it sung often in younger,
In Schöneren Tagen...
better days….
Es hat noch eine Strophe,
There is yet another verse,
Weiß ich sie noch?
Do I still know it?

Naht auch Sorge trüb,
Though sorrow becomes dark
Rück zu mir, mein treues Lieb.
Come to me, my true love.

(PAUL &MARIETTA)
Neig dein blaß Gesicht,
Turn your pale face to me,
Sterben trennt uns nicht.
Death will not part us.
Mußt du einmal von mir gehn,
If you must leave me one day
Glaub, es gibt ein Auferstehn.
Believe there is an afterlife.

(Translation by Lisa Lockhart 1999.)

This record is played with a heavy gage Burmese Colour Needle (thorn)
On a 1921 Victrola IX with a Victor
No. 4 soundbox.
http://www.burmesecolourneedles.com/