Flotow
Flotow came from a cultured and aristocratic landowning family: his musical style was a mixture of Italian tunefulness and Gallic flair, developed during his time at the Paris Conservatoire from 1828 to 1830. While in Paris, he would have mixed with such composers as Cherubini, Rossini,Donizetti, Auber and Offenbach although his own musical style was based on a preference for easy going melody rather than music based on dramatic intensity which in turn led to criticisms of mediocrity and shallowness.

For example, in 'Pages from an unwritten diary' (1914), Edward Arnold quotes the Irish composer Charles Villiers Stanford thus:
"In 1862, I heard for the first time, Madame Patti, in the first opera I ever saw. Flotow's 'MARTHA' , that old warhorse of the early impresarios which was always trotted out when some other opera was insufficiently rehearsed. I was strung up to a high pitch of dramatic excitement about this piece of vapidity.....etc....etc.."

"This piece of vapidity" first appeared before the public in 1847 and has never gone out of favour so far as audiences or singers are concerned. While critics and those who are of the opinion that they know something denied to the rest of us may deride this easy comedy with a happy ending, 'Martha' continues to exert its charms, in spite of (or because of) its pleasant melodies and gentle orchestrations. Its two best known tunes, "the last rose of summer" (stolen by Flotow from the traditional Irish song "the grove of blarney") and the ardent tenor aria, "ach, so fromm" present show-stopping opportunities for gifted singers and the opera as a whole is littered with such charm to the extent that such 'mediocrity' shows little sign of losing its popularity.


Strangely enough, 'Martha' s' melodic style has allowed it to be easily translated without the loss of originality, and to be sung in a number of different languages so that it is in Italian that the music is best served. Within ten years of its premiere the opera was being sung in translation, as the major roles suited Italian or Italian trained singers whose musical education was firmly set in the Bel-Canto repertoire and tradition

While Flotow had his fleeting triumphs, he never achieved the dizzy heights of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and company, although he did ensure his place in the development of opera. Though his light touch made his music less suited to the more weighty operatic subjects, it was ideal for the type of aria resting on comedy, with just the right fluency, grace and charm.

The Tenors:

(01) Richard Leech.
This fine American lyric tenor was born in Hollywood in 1957 but moved to New York at an early age. When he was 15, he applied to study singing to be told that "we don't teach children". After hearing him, the rules were quickly changed! In 1983, he won the Enrico Caruso voice competition in Italy and in 1984, he made his debut with the New York City Opera as Rodolfo. He made his Metropolitan debut in 1989 and his beautiful voice has taken him to all the major opera houses in the world. He is firmly established as one of the world's finest lyric tenors.

(02) Jan Kiepura. (1902 - 1966)
Born in Sosnowiec, Poland, he first studied political economics then voice, in Warsaw. He made his debut in Lvov in 1924 as Faust and after singing in Warsaw and Poznan, he made a spectacular debut in Vienna which led to him singing Calaf at the second premiere of Turandot in 1926. His success was overwhelming` and in a very short time he was singing at the major operas of Europe, North and South America. In the 1930's he turned more and more to films which made him unbelievably popular, although he also sang at the New York Met. and other American Opera Houses. After 20 years, he returned to Vienna where he died suddenly of a heart attack, on the 15th August, 1966.

(03) Julius Patzak (1898 - 1974)
After leaving school and then doing his military service, Patzak became a civil servant in Vienna while attending lectures at the same time at Vienna University with the intention of becoming a conductor. Although he allegedly never took voice lessons his gidt for singing asserted itslf and he made his debut as Radames in April 1926. He was leading tenor at the Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich, from 1926 to 1945, and then at the Vienna Staatsoper from 1945 to 1960. He also taught music at Salzburg and Vienna and recorded extensively.

(04) Andre D'Arkor (1901 - 1971)
He studied music at Liege Conservatoire and in 1925 he made his debut at Liege in Lakme. After three years at Liege, he moved to Ghent where he built up a repertoire of 80 roles, then in 1929 he was at Lyons and in 1930 he moved to the Theatre de la Monnaie at Brussels which was to become his artistic home. In the 1930's he enhanced his reputation tremendously as a recording artist and although he made guest appearances throughout Europe, plus a thirteen city tour of America, he was very much a "home" singer. The WW 2 cut short a career which could have been much more glorious.

(05) Gaston Micheletti (1894 - 1959)
This Corsican tenor first appeared on stage at Rheims as Gounod's 'Faust' and made his debut at the Opera-Comique, Paris, on the 13th December, 1925 as Des Grieux in Massenet's 'Manon.' A few days later, on Christmas Eve, he substituted for the celebrated Charles Friant and he was such a success that he was acclaimed a star overnight. He had a glorious twenty year career at the Opera-Comique, singing all the important lyric tenor roles and he also sang in the major opera houses of Europe, England and South America with great sucess. He retired from the stage in 1945 and returned to Corisca, teaching singing at the Ecole Municipale in Ajaccio.

(06) Sergei Lemeshev (1902 - 1977)
His father had plans for the young Sergei to become a shoemaker, but the boy had other ideas and at the age of 17, he left his village to become a singer. He studied at Moscow Conservatory and on completion of his studies he was offered a contract at the Bolshoi Theatre. Lemeshev did not take up the offer, preferring to learn his trade in the provinces, later returning to the Bolshoi with a substantial reputation as a star in his own right. He sang all the major roles at the Bolshoi between 1931 and 1965 but never sang outside Russia. He was immensely popular with women although he was rumoured to be homosexual but this could not be admitted under Stalin's regime. His records show us what a superb and accomplished tenor he was.

· Audio ·
Friedrich Flotow: Martha: Ach, so fromm

(01) Richard Leech (1980) » listen to audio | 1.20 mb
(02) Jan Kiepura (1937) » listen to audio | 855 kb
(03) Julius Patzak (1923) » listen to audio | 610 kb
(04) Andre D'Arkor (1931) » listen to audio | 742 kb
(05) Gaston Micheletti (1930) » listen to audio | 650 kb
(06) Sergei Lemeshev (1940) » listen to audio | 772 kb


Mystery Voice:
(07) The Mystery Voice » listen to audio | 901 kb

Do you know who the mystery voice is?
Send your answer to :
quizz@grandi-tenori.com. (Ed.)

- Extra -
(08) Tito Schipa (1929) » view video | 3.3 mb
» read biography

Note:
All audio is compressed to Windows Media Audio 9.1, 32 kbps
The video file is compressed to Windows Media video V9, 100kbps

· Lyrics ·

Ach so fromm, ach so traut
Hat mein auge sie erschaut.
Ach so mild und so rein
Doch mit ihr bluhte mir
Drang ihr Bild ins Herz mir ein.
Weh, es schwand,
Raubte mir den sussen Traum.
Martha! Martha! Du entschwandest
Gib mir wieder, was du fandest
Und mein Gluck nahmst du mit mir;
Oder teiles es mit mir, ja, teile es mit mir.
Ach mein Gluck erschaut 'ich kaum
Bin erwacht, und die Nacht
Banger Gram, eh'sie kam,
Neues Dasein lusterfullt.
Hat die Zuknft mir umhullt.
Was ich fand,


None so rare, none so fair,
yet enraptur'd mortal heart;
Maiden dear, past compare,
Ah, 'twas death from thee to part!
Ere I saw thy sweet face
on my heart there was no trace
of that love from above
that in sorrow now I prove;
But alas, thou art gone,
and in grief I mourn alone;
Life a shadow doth seem,
And my joy a fleeting dream.
None so rare, none so fair,
yet enraptur'd mortal heart;
Maiden dear,past compare,
Ah, 'twas death from thee to part!
Martha! Martha! I conjure thee,
leave me not to lone despair;
leave me scatheless, I implore thee,
Or return, my life to share,
Oh come my life to share.
...

* The English version sung by Richard Leech, is different to the above.

Acknowledgements:

• Keith Shilcock
• 'Opera' Andreas Battas.
• The Metropolitan Opera Encylopedia.
• Opera, a penguin anthology
• Stanley Sadie - The illustrated encyclopedia of opera.
• The Rough Guide to opera - Matthew Boyden
• Grandi-tenori editor Jørn H. Anthonisen
• Grandi-tenori assistant-editor Pawel A. Pachniewski