Gerhard Pechner
Gerhard Pechner (born April 15, 1903 in Berlin , † October 21, 1969 in New York City ) was a German opera singer ( bass , baritone ).
Life
Gerhard Pechner studied singing in Berlin (at the Hochschule für Musik) and Milan and had his first engagement at the Berlin Volksoper . In 1925 he went to the Städtische Oper Berlin , where he enjoyed great success under Bruno Walter , Richard Strauss and Fritz Busch . In addition to his voice, the press praised his versatility and representational power. After the National Socialists came to power in 1933 , Pechner was dismissed as a Jew. He could only appear at events organized by the Jewish Cultural Association .
In 1939 the singer emigrated to the USA, where he moved to the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1941 after an engagement at the San Francisco Opera . Here he sang in 33 games and more than 500 performances in 25 seasons. Many of these productions were recorded on records at the time and later also released on CD. Among others, Pechner sang under Fritz Reiner and Dimitri Mitropoulos in the Salome by Richard Strauss , under Fritz Stiedry in the Ring des Nibelungen by Richard Wagner and under Kurt Adler in Tosca by Giacomo Puccini .
In addition to his involvement with the opera, Pechner was also a popular song interpreter. But he wasn't afraid of the easy muse either . In addition to appearances as Buffo in operettas, Pechner also starred in a film during his time in Berlin - Who will weep when you part ways (1929) and published records with popular songs (“Kissing is not a sin”, “Hobellied”). In 1930 he sang, accompanied by the band [Hermann] Rohrbeck, the chanson of “Nachtgespenst” from the Rudolph Nelson revue “The Red Thread” for Electrola. During the Second World War he recorded a (German) version of the song Lili Marleen (known in the USA as Lili Marlene ) by Hans Leip and Norbert Schultze in the USA .
On the occasion of a performance of the opera Von heute auf Morgen op. 32 by Arnold Schönberg at the Funk Hour Berlin in March 1930, Pechner took on the role of singer.
Discography (selection)
- Arnold Schönberg : From one day to the next, op. 32, under the direction of the composer. Special press of the radio hour Berlin 1930.
- Giuseppe Verdi : La forza del destino (Fra Melitone) under Fritz Stiedry, recording from 1954 (CD, 2010)
- Richard Wagner : Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Sixtus Beckmesser) under Fritz Reiner, recording from 1953 (CD, 2009)
- San Francisco Opera Gems, Vol.1 (CD, 2005)
- Giuseppe Verdi: La forza del destino (Fra Melitone) under Walter Herbert , recording from 1953 (CD, 2005)
- Richard Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen , with Pechner in: Götterdämmerung and Siegfried (both Alberich) under Fritz Stiedry, recording from 1951 (CD, 2004)
- Gioachino Rossini : Il barbiere di Siviglia (Bartolo) under Renato Cellini , recording from 1949 (CD, 2001)
- Giuseppe Verdi: Macbeth (Médico) under Erich Leinsdorf , recording from 1959 (CD, 1999)
- Kurt Weill / Paul Hindemith : Der Lindberghflug / The Ballad Of Magna Carta under Jan Latham-König and Hermann Scherchen , recordings from 1987 and 1930 (CD, 1995)
- Gerhard Pechner Bass-Baritone , 10 arias and songs (USA, LP 1954, Allegro 1558)
- Gerhard Pechner with Leo Kempinski and his Continental Orchestra: Lili Marlene , shellac record (USA, ca.1941, Columbia 5356F)
- Gerhard Pechner with orchestra: Kissing is not a sin / planed song (people argue about that) , shellac record (Germany, around 1930, Columbia MZ 662)
Individual evidence
- ^ Opera News, Nov. 22, 1969, p. 29
- ↑ Internet Movie Database (IMDb), keyword: Gerhard Pechner
- ↑ EG1840 (mx. BLR 6162-II), to be heard on youtube
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Pechner, Gerhard |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German opera singer (bass, baritone) |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 15, 1903 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Berlin |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 21, 1969 |
| Place of death | New York City |