In addition to the publication of registrations directly related to Frida Leider the Frida Leider Society is going to release compilations and registrations of a more general historical interest. Some of these will be issued on CD for the first time.

Currently available:

STERN'SCHES KONSERVATORIUM IN BERLIN
Gesangslehrer und Schüler 1878 - 1938

and

ALEXANDER HEINEMANN (1873 - 1918)
Herzoglich Anhalt. Kammersänger
Selected recordings 1908 - 1913

Born in Berlin on May 26, 1873, Heinemann studied violin, piano and trombone before taking up singing as a baritone. Self-taught at first, he later became a pupil of Adolf Schulze at the Stern'sche Konservatorium in Berlin. Much later he would himself become headmaster of a vocal class at this very distinguished institute, his most notable pupil being Joseph Schwarz.

Beginning in 1895, Heinemann appeared regularly as a concert singer, and soon he was invited as a guest star to every European musical centre.

The years 1911 to 1913, during which he went on two extensive tours through the United States, can be considered the pinnacle of his career. In New York alone he gave 18 solo recitals in a period of less than two years. The Metropolitan Opera honoured him exceptionally by inviting him twice to perform at their traditional Sunday Matinee Concerts (December 4, 1910 and February 26, 1911). He was the first singer not part of the regular MET company to do so.

Having suffered from gout and heart disease for years, Heinemann finally succumbed to the great influenza epidemic on October 16, 1918. He was buried at the Jewish cemetery Berlin-Weissensee, where his grave still exists today.

Heinemann recorded at least 61 shellac sides between 1905 and 1913: a lone Edison Gold Moulded cylinder, then a few discs for G&T, followed by sessions for Odeon, Pathé, and HMV, as well as Edison Amberol cylinders, finally more discs for Columbia (recorded in New York) and Anker.

This CD contains 23 of his recordings (24 78rpm sides), covering most of his recorded repertoire, as he frequently re-recorded items for the various companies. Except for single tracks in a few Lieder anthologies, this is the first Heinemann reissue on modern media, making his voice and art available to those who do not collect shellac records.