Kurt Weill
Lotte Lenya: Lenya (Released in 1998, Rating 5)
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CD 1 Early 78-rpm recordings, 1929-1932 Six Songs by Kurt Weill (Bost, 1943) "And so the last thing, too" from I've Got the Tune by Marc Blitzstein CD 2 Lotte Lenya singt Kurt Weill (Columbia-Philips, 1955) Die sieben Todsünden (Columbia-Philips, 1956) CD 3 Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Columbia-Philips, 1957), Act 1 - Act 2, scene 13 CD 4 Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Columbia-Philips, 1957), Act 2, scene 14 - end CD 5 September Song and Other American Theatre Songs of Kurt Weill (Columbia, 1957) [includes 2 previously unreleased versions of "Song of Ruth"] Three excerpts from The Threepenny Opera (Blitzstein version, MGM, 1954) Soundtrack of an unidentified television interview with Lenya and Marc Blitzstein. Blitzstein accompanies Lenya singing "Surabaya Johnny" (1954?) "Mon Ami, My Friend" from Johnny Johnson (MGM, 1956) Two songs by John Cacavas and Charles O. Wood (Metromedia, 1969) CD 6 Die Dreigroschenoper (Columbia-Philips, 1958) CD 7 Happy End (Columbia-Philips, 1960) Five songs from Cabaret (Columbia, 1966) CD 8 Invitation to German Poetry (Dover, 1958) "Kinderkreuzzug" (ca. 1962) CD 9 The Stories of Kafka (Caedmon, 1958) Eleven selections from Brecht on Brecht (Columbia, 1962) Three songs recorded for the Office of War Information: "Und was bekam des Soldaten Weib" (1943) "Wie lange noch" (1943) "Lied einer deutschen Mutter" (1943) CD 10 Seven songs: Radio broadcast of live concert, 6 May 1960, Herkulessaal der Residenz, Munich Selections from Carnegie Hall concert, 8 January 1965 (Previously issued on Rococo) CD 11 Two versions of "Mack the Knife" with Turk Murphy (1956) Recording session for "Mack the Knife" with Louis Armstrong (1956) "Mack the Knife" with Louis Armstrong (1956) Seven excerpts from Mutter Courage, as broadcast on German television. Ruhrfestspielhaus Recklinghausen (1965) "The Dick Cavett Show," ABC Television, 1 January 1975 Three excerpts from "The Broadway World of Kurt Weill," Stage 2, CBS Television, broadcast 28 October 1964 Sorry, I can't indicate the track list, because there are too many. |
"She can't read music, but when she sings, people listen as if it were Caruso." Kurt Weill,1929
Complete recording of Lotte Lenya! Oh, how I was dreaming
this was released. I sent emails to the CBS asking to publish
this, but I haven't got an answer. In 
1998,
suddenly, my dream came true in almost perfect style. 11 CD set!
There are so many unreleased & live recording tracks ! This
set also includes a hard cover book which contains a lot of photos.
It was too great to believe.
I was so excited. But you might not know who Lotte Lenya is. O.K.. she was a wife of Kurt Weill. She was born in 1898, and died in 1981. She played the role as a spy in "007 from Russia with love". See the biography here.
I first heard Lotte Lenya in 1980 at the Penguin Cafe in Tokyo. (The Cafe was named after Penguin Cafe Orchestra, or some said that PCO was named after this cafe. There is a rumor that Simon Jeffes visited here before PCO.) I also first heard Slapp Happy/Art Bears/ Dagmar Krause in 1980. So, I instantly recognized that Dagmar was strongly influenced by Lotte Lenya. I dreamed that Dagmar would release the Weill tribute album, which came true in 1986, as "Supply and Demand". (My another dream is the Bryan Ferry's Elvis Presley tribute album.) If you are a fan of Dagmar, you will love Lotte Lenya too.
This is 11 CD set. And I promise this is worth investing. If you feel this is too much, I think there are some 1 CD albums. (LP version of "Lenya album" was my favorite, but CD version of this does not contain some important German theatre songs.) Anyway, I guess you will buy this set after buying some CDs.
(May/2002)
Lotte Lenya: The Lotte Lenya Album (Recorded in 1955-1957, Rating 5+)
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1.Moritat vom Mackie Messer 2.Barbara-Song 3.Seerauberjenny 4.Havanna-Lied 5.Alabama-Song 6.Denn Wie Man Sich Bettet B 1.Bilbao-Song 2.Surabaya-Johnny 3.Was die Herren Matrosen sagen 4.Ballade vom ertrunkenen Madchen 5.Lied der Fennimore 6.Casar Tod C 1.September Song 2.It Never Was You 3.Saga Of Jenny 4.Foolish Heart 5.Speak Low 6.Sing Me Not A Ballad D 1.Lonely House 2.A Boy Like You 3.Green Up Time 4.Trouble Man 5.Stay Well 6.Lost In The Stars A-B Produced by H. Gerhard lichthorn C-D Produced by George Avakian |
"My melodies always come to my inner ear in Lenya's voice." (Kurt Weill)
It was around 1980
, I was interested in Kurt Weill's music. I was looking for Weill's
records in many record shops, but I could only find the instrumental
version of The Three Penny Opera maybe released by Nonesuch.
I was hoping to have vocal works of Kurt Weill. One day, I found
this 2 LP record, The Lotte Lenya Album, and I instantly
fell in love with Lotte Lenya and her voice. Since then, it seems
that there was a Weill revival, and many records were released.
But this record has been always my most favorite Weill record.
This record is the combination of two records, "The Berlin theater Songs" (1955) and "The American Theater Songs" (1957). And I don't know when these two records were released in 2 LP set. Unfortunately, when it was re-issued in CD, the unbelievable thing happened. They started the CD with American songs and put some of the Berlin songs at the end of CD, cutting many Berlin songs! I was much disappointed.
Now, there are two CDs are available. One gathers the Berlin
Theater Songs and The Seven Deadly Sins. The other gathers American
Theater Songs with many bonus
tracks. So, at this moment, these two CDs are substitute for
the LP set. But I recommend you to make this 2 LP version of
CDR from these 2 CDs. This is the most core essence of Lenya.
When re-hearing this record, I was once again overwhelmed by the Berlin songs. I have to say this is THE first and final versions of the songs. After hearing it, it is hard to hear someone's Weill without the comparison to Lenya. It is so hard to add something on it. Her sense of humor, straightforwardness and deepness cannot be replaced by anyone.
As for the American Theater Songs, I love them, but I feel these songs can be interpreted in many other ways. The interpretation of Lenya is one of the best, but it is not one and only. Actually, many popular singers sang famous songs like September Song, Speak Low, and Lost in the Stars etc. And there are many jazz musicians playing these songs. And whoever it was, these American songs bring me some listening pleasure.I don't know why this happens.
Anyway, I think this 2 LP set is the best introduction for beginners. And it brings you a joy to compare this and that. And you will always come back to this record.
(Feb/2003)
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Teresa Stratas: The Unknown Kurt Weill (Released in 1981, Rating 3+)
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1. Nanna's Lied 2. Complainte de la seine 3. Klops-Lied 4. Berlin im licht-Song 5. Und was bekam des soldaten weib? 6. Die muschel von margate: Petroleum Song 7. Wie lange noch? 8. Roger Fernay: Youkali: Tango Habanera 9. Der abschiedsbrief 10. Es regnet 11. Oscar Hammerstein II: Buddy On The Nightshift 12. Schickelgruber 13. Je ne t'aime pas 14. Das lied von den braunen inseln Produced by Produced by Eric Salzman |
"I remember that the theater was dark, and there was no one in the audience except for one person sitting in the middle of the Met. And John came to me and said, 'Look out in the audience, very, very carefully right down the middle, and you'll see a shock of red hair. That's Lotte Lenya'. I thought I would die. I thought I would go through the stage of the Met. THE Jenny of Mahagonny, and Kurt Weill's wife, and all of the legend that was Lenya, was actually sitting out there, and I was supposed to try to be Jenny in front of her!" ("The Colors of Lenya" by Teresa Stratas)
Teresa Stratas is the most beautiful soprano singer since
Maria Callas. Beautiful, at least, in a physical figure. As 
a superficial opera listener,
I can enjoy listening to soprano arias in the opera CD, but I
need a strong imagination in the opera house because the soprano
singer in the stage doesn't look like dying in the tragedy. But,
if the singer is Stratas, my poor imagination will not face the
dilemma, and I think I can concentrate on the opera... So, the
opera movie "La Traviata"(1982) by Franco Zeffirelli
was not thinkable without Stratas' physical beauty. (By the way,
I don't like opera movie. Because the story of the opera tend
to be stupid, it is strange to see it in an usual movie style.
When I see the opera on videos, I prefer the videos simply capturing
the stage.)
Stratas met Lotte Lenya in 1979. And they became friends. Lenya wrote, "None of the singers today can sing Kurt Weill. There's only one, that's Teresa Stratas. She was born with it, and she can do no wrong." And Lenya gave Stratas the unpublished Weill's works to sing in a concert for the 80th birthday of Kurt Weill (1900-1950) at the Whitney Museum in 1980. Stratas took this job, and also recorded them as heard in this CD. Since Kurt Weill was starting to be re-discovered around 1980, this CD called wider attention to the music of Weill. And Time Magazine selected this as the record of the decade!
For me, this album sounds a little too serious, though I can hear Stratas' beautiful expressions. It sometimes sounds like some classic German songs. This impression may come from the simple sound, only voice and piano. If there were more musical varieties, it would be more accessible.
Anyway, it is hard to imagine the reason why Lotte Lenya loved Teresa Stratas, and chose her as her musical successor. Lotte Lenya was not a professional singer, but she could sing exactly what she meant. On the other hand, Teresa Stratas is a classical well-trained soprano singer. Of course, Stratas can express what she means through her vocal techniques. But, for non-classical listeners like me, her expression doesn't come directly to the heart.
As I heard this record repeatedly, I began to understand the beauty of her singing. But this record is still somehow difficult for me.
(Feb/2003)
Teresa Stratas: Stratas Sings Weill (Released in 1986, Rating 4)
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1.I'm A Stranger Here Myself 2.Havanna - Lied 3. Surabaya-Johnny 4. Foolish Heart 5. Ich bin eine arme Verwandre (Fennimore's Song) 6. One Life To Live 7. J'attends un navire 8.Das Lied von der harten Nuss 9. Lonely House 10. Le Roi d'Aquitaine 11.Denn wie man sich bettet 12. Le Train du ciel 13.Das Lied von der Untulanglichkeit menschlichen Strebens 14. It Never Was You 15. Der kleine Leutnant des lieben Gotten Produced by Robert Hurwitz |
"During the rehearsal of Boheme with Zeffirelli, Lotte Lenya was on her deathbed and she wanted me to be with her in those last days. She made me promise her that I would carry on the torch for Kurt Weill's music. And I wasn't about to say to her that I didn't want to do that, because at the time of her dying it was very, very important to her. But when I made the promise it was a responsibility I didn't want. " (Teresa Stratas)
The second Weill collection of Teresa Stratas. She is accompanied with the orchestra this time. It is more accessible than the first one. This album starts with my favorite "I'm A Stranger Here Myself ". This is really a great performance. There are some more great songs, and some "too-classical-singing" songs. She sometimes goes too serious, but mostly she is cute with some sense of humor.
The reason why Teresa Stratas was chosen by Lenya was unknown for Stratas either. There is some kind of absurdity as well as tragic sense when Stratas told about her burden from Lenya. Stratas said, "I also felt a kind of resentment in me when Lenya gave me the music for what became The unknown Kurt Weill." In this album, Stratas rather seems to be released from the burden, and to be trying to express herself. This may be the best album in the "classical-singing" approaches to Kurt Weill.
One more question. If Lotte Lenya saw a lot of Kurt Weill records today, would she be happy with it?
(Feb/2003)
Ute Lemper: Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill (Released in 1988, Rating 4)
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1.Fennimores Lied 2.Casars Tod 3.Die Moritat Von Mackie Messer 4.Salomon - Song 5.Die Ballade Von Der Sexuallen Horigkeit 6.Zu Potsdam Unter Den Eichen 7.Nannas Lied 8.Lied Des Lotterieagenten 9.Alabama-Song 10.Denn Wie Man Sich Bettet 11.Je Ne T'Aime Pas 12.I'm A Stranger Here Myself 13.Westwind 14. Speak Low Produced by Michael Haas |
Asked by Decca Records, Michael Haas was searching for the singer of Weill album. He thought it should not be a professional classical singer, it should be an actress singer like Lotte Lenya. After a long research, Haas encountered a German born actress, Ute Lemper. He discovered "the ideal combination of astonishing musicality and a text awareness which is both idiomatic and sensitive, whether the texts are German, French or English."
This album is a cleverly well produced one. Very entertaining. Lemper's singing succeeded in adding some new nuances on Lenya's interpretations. Her singing sometimes gets very close to the excessive points, but she never goes beyond. She stays in a good sense with humor. The before-War-German-like cover art is also good.
(Feb/2003)
Ute Lemper: Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill Vol. 2 (Released in 1993, Rating 3)
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1. Bilbao Song 2. Surabaya Johnny 3. Was Die Herren Matrosen Sagen 4. Der Song Von Mandelay 5. Das Lied Vom BranntweinhNdler 6. Youkali Tango 7. Les Filles De Bordeaux 8. Le Train Du Ciel 9. Le Grand Lustucru 10. Le Roi D'acquitaine 11. J'attends Un Navire 12. One Life To Live 13. A Saga Of Jenny 14. My Ship Produced by Michael Haas |
The second Weill collection of Ute Lemper was released 5 years after the first one. Between these albums, Lemper got famous in her old-time-Berlin-cabaret-like-singing. When I started hearing this at the first time, I thought this was very good. Her way of singing got closer to the singing of Lotte Lenya, and Lemper brought a new sexy feeling. But as I continued to hear this, I started to feel that her singing went too far. It is too theatrical. I feel somewhat artificial gesture and too dramatic presentation.
This may be the good sample to show the difficulty of Berlin theater songs of Weill. It easily becomes too serious and lacks the sense of humor. Otherwise, it becomes too artificial even though it may contains some sense of humor. In this record, Lemper falls in the latter problem.
These things are subtle. You may be able to enjoy this albums because there are many good singing.
(Feb/2003)
Anne Sofie Von Otter : Speak Low (Released in 1994, Rating 3+)
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1-9 .The Seven Deadly Sins 10. My Ship 11. One Life To Live 12. Buddy On The Nightshift 13. Nannas Leid 14. Bilbao - Song 15. Surabaya - Johnny 16. Das Leid Von Der Harten Nuss 17. Je Ne T'amie Pas 18. Schickelgruber 19. Der Abscheidsbreief 20. Foolish Heart 21. Speak Low 22. I'm A Stranger Here Myself Produced by Peter Czornyj et al |
For rock listeners, Anne Sofie Von Otter
is better known by her collaboration with Elvis Costello, "For
Stars" (2001). Her singing is attractive and very charming
in it. Her way of singing is classical, but it is also natural
and 
gentle.
It is very accessible for many non-classical listeners.
This pleasant characteristics in "For Stars" can be easily found in this album. The problem for me is the song selection. "The Seven Deadly Sins" is sometimes regarded as the best composition of Kurt Weill. I agree that it is a great composition. But there is fewer female solo vocal parts in it. So, I prefer to hear it separately, and I don't want to hear it as a part of Weill song book album.
The rest of songs are well balanced good selections, famous songs and some less famous but charming songs. Last three songs from "One Touch of Venus", particularly "Speak Low", are very beautiful and dreamy. I hope she will make another Weill album with American theater songs.
(Feb/2003)
Various Artists: Lost in the Stars (Released in 1985, Rating 5)
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1.Mahagonny Songspiel performed by Steve
Weisberg Produced by Hal Willner and Paul M. Young |
This album is the good introduction to the music of Kurt Weill. This is the tribute album produced by Hal Willner. Before this album Willner made two tribute albums to Nino Rota and Thelonious Monk. Though these albums are jazz oriented, there is a hint of much wider musical interests. In this album, very gorgeous members in jazz and rock music appeared to make contribution. This seems to be the list of my favorite musicians! Marianne Faithfull / Chris Spedding, VanDyke Parks, Lou Reed ,Carla Bley, Dagmar Krause, Todd Rundgren, Charlie Haden etc. If you like one of these musicians, you will love this record.
There are many styles here. I am just surprised to heat this varieties of interpretations. I cannot describe each song. You just need to hear this. The words of Kurt Weill became real in this album; "I have never acknowledged the difference between 'serious' music and 'light' music. There are only good music and bad music."
(Aug/2002)
Various Artists: September Songs (Released in 1997, Rating 4+)
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1.Mack the Knife performed by Nick Cave
2.Ballad of the Soldier's Wife performed by PJ Harvey 3.Alabama Song performed by David Johansen / Ellen Shipley / Bob Dorough 4.Youkali Tango performed by Teresa Stratas 5.Lost in the Stars performed by Elvis Costello / Brodsky String Quartet 6.Pirate Jenny performed by Lotte Lenya 7.Speak Low performed by Charlie Haden 8.Oh, Heavenly SalvationÝ performed by Persuasions 9.Lonely House performed by Betty Carter 10.Surabaya Johnny performed by Teresa Stratas / Chamber Sumphony Gerard Schwarz 11.F¸rchte Dich Nicht performed by OHara, Mary Margaret 12.September Song performed by Lou Reed 13.Mack the Knife performed by Bertolt Brecht 14.What Keeps Mankind Alive? performed by Burroughs, William S. Produced by Hal Willner et al |
Another Kurt Weill tribute album by Hal Willner. I didn't know this release when it was out. I noticed it several months ago, but I was reluctant to hear this because the idea seemed to be second-handed. The song selection is very similar to the first one, "Lost in the Stars" (1985). The casting of Nick Cave and PJ Harvey as the roles of Sting and Marianne Faithfull looks like an easy idea. The performances of Lotte Lenya and Teresa Stratas are included, but this seems to be against the rule of "tribute" album. (I don't know the other rules of the game, though.) However, this album was far beyond my prejudice. Hal Willner made it again. This is a wonderful tribute album with no bad track. (The tribute albums tend to contain some stupid tracks.)
Kurt Weill's music admits various interpretations, and popular artists were more successful in discovering new interpretations than the classical artists. And in this album, many interesting approaches were taken, and mostly very pleasant to hear. But what was most impressive was the performance of "original" artists.
First of all, needless to say, Lotte Lenya's Pirate Jenny is powerful, none can beat it. And I re-discovered the beauty of Teresa Stratas' singing here. Her Youkali Tango was originally in "The Unknown Kurt Weill"(1981), but the accordion was added on the recording of 1981. This makes it much accessible, and increased the charm of her singing. And Kurt Weill himself sings in Speak Low with the newly recorded Chalie Haden's bass! Bertold Brecht sings Mack the Knife!! And William Burroughs, too. These historical recording is precious not only by its historical value, but also by surprise of the existence, itself. The 20th century was also the century of records!
There are much more highlights in this record. Gospel chorus version of O Heavenly Salvation by The Persuasions is so powerful. Once again, Lou Reed sings September Song like he used to sing in "Lost in the Stars"(1985). But it is very different version. Reed brings another unexpected interpretation of the song. Very surprising.
Nick Cave and P.J, Harvey? Not bad.
(Feb/2003)
Dagmar Krause: Supply & Demand (Released in 1986, Rating 4)
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1.Song Von Der Ware (Supply & Demand)
(Brecht/Eisler) Produced by Joe Boyd |
Dagmar Krause sang Kurt-Weill-like songs in Slapp Happy/Henry Cow's Desperate Straights (1975). I really love them. Her singing is strangely cute and nostalgic, both serious and humorous. It reminds me of Lotte Lenya, and Dagmar seemed to sing much well. And she covered On Suicide of Brecht/Eisler in Art Bears' Hopes and Fears (1978). So, I began to imagine Dagmar's Brecht/Weill tribute album would be released someday. And my dream came true in 1986. This album, the collected songs of Brecht/Weill and Brecht/Eisler, is the result. (Of course, before this album there was an appearance on Lost in the Stars (1985), singing Surabaya Johnny.)
Dagmar Krause proved that she was the greatest Weill singer after Lotte Lenya. Still, I cannot help comparing Krause with Lenya, and feel something subtle is lacking. It might be a sense of humor. Krause tends to sing a little too seriously. And song arrangement might be too straight. After hearing Lotte Lenya, every straight approach to Kurt Weill sounds a little weak. The defect of this album may be the lack of surprise. This is very good album as I just expect to hear from Dagmar Krause. But I want something more than it...
Maybe, Krause thought the same way. She moved her emphasis to Eisler songs after this album. I think her interpretations of Eisler in Tank Battle (1989) and Radio Session (1993) are more successful than this album.
(Aug/2002)
Marianne Faithfull: 20th Century Blues (Released in 1997, Rating 4)
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1.Alabama Song (Brecht/Weill) Produced by Marianne Faithfull |
Marianne Faithfull's The Ballad of the Soldier's Wife was
one of the highlights of Lost in the Stars (1985). So,
there was some expectation for the Weill album of Faithfull.
There was really a possibility 
of
that project because her Strange Weather (1987) was producer
by Hal Willner, the producer of Lost in the Stars (1985).
I think they talked about the possibility of the project.It didn't
come true at that time. But The Boulevard of Broken Dreams
in Strange Weather (1987) is very Weill/Berlin-Cabaret-like
track!
In 1997, this Weill tribute album came out of the blue. Faithfull's singing here is incredibly powerful and persuasive. The little problem that I find is the same one as Dagmar Krause. Faithfull tends to sing too seriously. And I feel too much about her monologue on the stage. (This is the live album.)
Still, this is one of the greatest Weill albums.
(Aug/2002)
Marianne Faithfull: The Seven Deadly Sins (Released in 1998, Rating 3+)
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1.Prologue (Weill) 2.Sloth (Weill) 3.Pride (Weill) 4.Anger (Weill) 5.Gluttony (Weill) 6.Lust (Weill) 7.Covetousness (Weill) 8.Envy (Weill) 9.Epilogue (Weill) 10.Alabama Song (Weill) 11.The Ballad of Sexual Dependency (Weill) 12.Bilbao Song (Weill) 13.Pirate Jenny (Weill) |
Marianne Faithfull sings Kurt Weill's Seven Deadly Sins with Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dennis Russel Davies. This should be categorized in classical music.
Marianne Faithfull sings The Seven Deadly Sins! Isn't it a nice idea because she might be the person went through these sins and vice. (I heard Marianne Faithfull is the descendant of Masoch. Is it true?) Her singing here may be greater than 20th Century Blues (1997) . I also think that this might be one of the best performances of The Seven Deadly Sins. But, unfortunately, I am not in love with the songs. Maybe it is because there are too many male chorus parts in the songs.
If you like The Seven Deadly Sins, you will love this record.
(Aug/2002)