100 Singers - PETER SCHREIER

Peter Schreier, Tenor (born 1935)

Claudio Monteverdi -- Ecco pur ch'a voi ritorno (L'ORFEO)
Johann Sebastian Bach -- Willst Du Dein Herz mir schenken? 2:19
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart -- Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön (DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE) 3:44
Franz Schubert -- Des Baches Wiegenlied (DIE SCHÖNE MÜLLERIN) 7:54

My personal opinion: The career of this magnificent artist began, when he was a child. At the age of eight, young Peter Schreier entered in the preparatory class of the famous "Dresdner Kreuzchor". After he sang one of the three boys in Mozart's ZAUBERFLÖTE, he decided to make a musical career ("Vom Knabenalt zum lyrischen Tenor" - the title of an album released many years later). He remained with the choir as a tenor after his voice changed. In 1954 he took private voice lessons while working as a member of the "Leipzig Radio Chorus". Two years later, Schreier entered the Dresden High School of Music - and studied both, singing and conducting. In 1957 he appeared in the opera studio's production of IL MATRIMONIO SEGRETO by Cimarosa. He graduated two years later, and gave his official operatic debut there as the first prisoner in Beethoven's FIDELIO. In 1963 he gained a contract with the Berlin State Opera and became the leading lyric tenor. Three years later, Fritz Wunderlich died - and for many, Peter Schreier was his legitimate successor. When he came to the Salzburg Festival in 1967, he took over the roles planned for Wunderlich. On Christmas Day the same year, he introduced himself to the New York audience as Tamino; but already in 1969, Peter Schreier left the Met with a last performance as Don Ottavio. Although he was the pride of the former German Democratic Republic, his success on american ground was low. His reputation as a Mozart tenor was established, but not everyone's cup of tea. Some critics wrote, his voice was dry, flat and crisp. In contrast to Wunderlich, Schreier's voice had less energy, storm and vitality. It was an intimate voice: Rich in overtones, unobtrusive and almost chaste - The perfect singer for Bach and sacred baroque music. In my opinion, Schreier is the best oratorio tenor after Julius Patzak and Ernst Haefliger. Arnold Schönberg once said: "Passion! Everyone can do it! But most people are not familiar with intimacy and chastity!" In the early 1970s, Schreier sang Tamino in two complete recordings of DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE under Suitner and Sawallisch. It might be, for some listeners Fritz Wunderlich was more fiery and spontaneous, nevertheless Peter Schreier gave the gentle portrait of a young nobleman. His fine and decent singing was particulary suitable for Lieder. He recorded DIE SCHÖNE MÜLLERIN many times with different accompanying instruments (the guitar version with Konrad Ragossing underlines the folk-like touch of the work very well). Schreier was also able to give a fine representation of a character outside his usual domain: He sang Loge as an ambiguous and enigmatic bandit in the interesting production of the complete RING under Marek Janowski (The only recording, in which all singers represent their roles throughout the whole project). The scene, in which Loge coaxed Alberich to turn into a frog, is a masterpiece of vocal acting. Peter Schreier here proves his versatility as well as in his unique portrayal of the evil witch (!) in the Suitner performance of Humperdinck's HÄNSEL UND GRETEL - a male voices makes the witch even more sinister! For Peter Schreier, it was self-evident to present his listeners flawless and pure singing; the legacy of what he'd learned as a youngster in the "Dresden Kreuzchor". He understood his art as an obligation to serve music and composer. It was Mahler, who once said: "There is only one star, it's the work of the composer!" In a positive sense, Peter Schreier always was normal: An introverted artist who was so often superior to the extroverted (Karajan was impressed by Schreier's talent for conducting). After a 2005 Prague performance of Bach's WEIHNACHTSORATORIUM, the 70 year-old Peter Schreier said good-bye to his long career as a singer. The tenor confessed, it was a farewell without melancholy. The wise decision of a great artist. I have chosen four exemplary compositions to expose the beauty and classicism of Peter Schreier's singing.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Peter
• Schreier
• Bach
• Oratorio
• GDR

[tenorvoicefan]

Seine Oratorien, seine Lieder werden immer in meiner Erinnerung sein. Sein Mozart aber ruft in mir wehmütige Erinnerungen an den unverglelchlichen Wunderlich hervor. Mir fehlt die Energie, die pure Lebensfreude in seiner Stimme. Er singt den Mozart, als wäre er auf einer Beerdigung. Trotzdem, ein Riese. Sein Bach gehört zum allerbesten was man hören kann. Seine Lieder sind Kunst pur.

[100Singers]

@tenorvoicefan Vielen Dank für diesen Kommentar. Er gefällt mir deshalb so gut, weil er irgendwie den Kern von Schreier's sakral anmutender Stimme zutreffend beschreibt: "Er singt den Mozart, als wäre er auf einer Beerdigung!" Ja, dass ist eine ebenso köstliche wie treffsichere Beschreibung... Ich werde mir diese Formulierung gut merken! LG von Mike

[Herur22]

I can't say anything against him but somehow he doesn't move me very much.

[CharlotteinWeimar]

Bravo for this posting and for the most interesting essay. Thank you.