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Background: Issued to mark the centenary of Kathleen Ferrier's birth, this 3CD set brings together for the first time all the EMI recordings by this great contralto, including two previously unissued tracks. In addition the booklet features three EMI publicity photos rarely seen since she first signed a contract with HMV/Colombia in 1944.

CD1 begins with four test recordings of pieces by Gluck, Brahms and Elgar recorded by producer Walter Legge in June 1944 but not issued until 1978. Ferrier signed a one-year contract with EMI in September 1944 and her first commercial release was the two arias by the Baroque composer Maurice Greene that follow. Then come two Handel solos and five duets with soprano Isobel Baillie of compositions by Purcell and Mendelssohn. These completed Ferrier's EMI contract and she then moved to Decca.

In 1949 Ferrier came back to EMI to record Mahler's Kindertotenlieder in London with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Bruno Walter, the great Mahlerian who had introduced Ferrier to this work, which closes CD1 CD2 begins with four items recorded at a rehearsal in June 1950 for a concert of the Bach Mass in B Minor in Vienna with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra conducted by Karajan. EMI was setting up its recording equipment in the Musikvereinssaal for another project while the rehearsal was taking place and the engineer, as a test, turned on the tape machine to capture, almost complete, these four precious Ferrier tracks, which include two solos and two duets with the soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf.

Then comes a complete performance of Ferrier's signature operatic role, that of Orfeo in Orfeo ed Euridice by Gluck. This live recording dates from a radio broadcast in July 1951 in Amsterdam.

CD3 concludes with two bonus tracks; these are reserve takes of the first and the fifth movements of Kindertotenlieder being issued here for the first time. This work was originally recorded on 12-inch waxes, with a tape machine running as safety back-up, as was EMI's practice in 1949. Masters from the waxes were used for most of the original 78-rpm sides, but for the release of the work on CD, the back-up tapes were used, and these reserve 'takes' have also survived.

CATALOGUE NR: 9562842
RECORD LABEL: EMI
FORMAT: 3 CD Set
PRICE: including VAT £ 13.99
RELEASE DATE: 16-Apr-2012

COMPOSER: Christoph Willibald Gluck  (other composers in brackets after works)
TITLE: Kathleen Ferrier - The Complete EMI Recordings
TRACKS: CD1 Gerald Moore - Orpheus and Eurydice : What is life without thee? (Christoph Willibald Gluck). Liebestreu - Constancy Opus 3 Number 1. Feinsliebchen - Sweetheart Deutsche Volkslieder II Number 12 (Johannes Brahms). The Dream of Gerontius : My work is done… It is because (Edward Elgar). Gerald Moore - I will lay me down in peace - O God of righteousness (Maurice Greene arr. Roper). O praise the Lord - Praise the Lord o my soul (Maurice Greene arr. Roper). Gerald Moore - Ottone : Spring is coming / Come to me soothing sleep (Handel). Isobel Baillie / Gerald Moore - Birthday Ode for Queen Mary : Sound the trumpet (Henry Purcell). The Indian Queen : Let us wander not unseen (Henry Purcell arr. Moffat). Henry Purcell : Shepherd shepherd cease decoying (Henry Purcell). I would that my love Opus 63 Number 1 (Felix Mendelssohn). Greeting Opus 63 Number 3 (Felix Mendelssohn). Wiener Philharmoniker / Bruno Walter - Kindertotenlieder : Nun will die Sonn' so hell aufgeh'n / Nun seh' ich wohl warum so dunkle Flammen / Wenn dein Mutterlein tritt zur Tur herein / Oft denk' ich sie sind nur ausgegangen! / In diesem Wetter in diesem Braus (Gustav Mahler). CD2 Elisabeth Schwarzkopf / Wiener Symphoniker / Herbert von Karajan - Mass in B minor BWV232 : Christe eleison / Qui sedes / Et in unum dominum / Agnus Dei (JS Bach). Greet Koeman / Nel Duval / Orchestra of the Netherlands Opera / Charles Bruck - Orfeo ed Euridice : Sinfonia / Ah! se intorno a quest'urna funesta / Amici quel lamento / Ballet of Shepherds and Nymphy / Ah! se intorno a quest'urna funesta / Chiamo il mio ben cosi / Voi delle ombre oscura / Amore assistera l'infelice marito! / Gli sguardi trattieni / Che disse? Che ascoltai? / Dance of the Furies - Chi mai dell'Erebo / Deh! placatevi con me / Misero giovane! / Mille pene ombre sdegnose / Ah! quale incognito (Christoph Willibald Gluck). CD3 Orfeo ed Euridice : Dance of the Blessed Spirits - Dance of the Heroes / E quest'asile ameno e grato / Che puro ciel! Che chiaro sol! / Vien a'regni del riposo / Ballet of the Heroes / Oh voi ombre felici / Torna o bello / Ah vieni o diletta vien con me / Vieni! Vieni con me vieni o cara! / Ah dovess'io saper / Che fiero momento / Ah per me il duol ricomincia / Che feci mai? / Che faro senza Euridice? / Ah! finisca e per sempre / Non piu! che fai tu? / Gaudio gaudio son al cuore / Trionfi Amore! (Gluck). Bonus tracks - Wiener Philharmoniker / Bruno Walter - Kindertotenlieder - alternative takes previously unissued : Nun will die Sonn' so hell aufgeh'n / In diesem Wetter in diesem Braus (Mahler).
ARTISTS: Kathleen Ferrier      

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: recorded 1944-1951

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