FRITZ WUNDERLICH: Masses & Oratorios (10 CDS)

The German singer Fritz Wunderlich has gone down in history as one of the most popular of all lyric tenors. The music presented in this 10-CD set features Wunderlich in recordings that come from the late 1950s, several of which have been gathered together here for the first time. They feature him as soloist in performances in Haydn’s “The Seasons” and “Mass in Time of War”, Bach’s “B Minor Mass”, “Easter Oratorio”, and “Christmas Oratorio”, and Handel’s “Messiah”.

Although revered as an operatic tenor in the grand tradition, it was the sacred music of the pre-classical masters that shaped Fritz Wunderlich’s vocal and artistic development early in his career, and the repertoire of that period remained important to him throughout his career. Thanks to South German Radio, Stuttgart (today merged with Radio Baden-Baden to become the SWR) we have a considerable number of recordings of such works that were made between the years 1955-60. Some of the best of these are gathered together here for the first time in this 10-CD box set to form a major part of the legacy of this great singer.

Bach, J S:
Mass in B minor, BWV232
1960
Der Schwäbische Singkreis, Orchestra of 35 & Deutschen Bachfestes, Hans Grischkat


Easter Oratorio BWV249
1956
Stuttgart Bach-Choir and Orchestra, Marcel Couraud


Christmas Oratorio, BWV248
1955, Live, Stuttgart
Stuttgarter Hymnus-Children’s Choir & South German Radio Symphony Orchestra, August Langenbeck


Handel:
Messiah
1959, Live, Stuttgart
Stuttgart Philharmonic Choir & South German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Heinz Mende


Haydn:
The Seasons
1959, Live
South German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hans Müller-Kray


Mass, Hob. XXII: 9 in C major 'Paukenmesse'
1959, Live, Salzburg Festival
Salzburg Domchor & Salzburg Mozart Orchestra, Joseph Messner