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.

NEW
The Latvian Tenor Karl Jörn

Karl Jörn was born in Riga as a shoemaker‘s son, learning his fathers trade.

In 1895 he is adopted by a rich nobleman who enables the young man to study singing, a year later already he makes his debut as Lyonel (Martha) in Freiburg.

After public appearances in Zurich and Hamburg, he is engaged at the Berlin Hofoper in 1902, at first in minor parts, and not generally well-liked by the critics.

In 1905 Jörn sings at the Munich Festival. His successful guest appearances as Florestan and Stolzing in Cologne during 1905 improve his position in Berlin, but he is still employed mainly in the lighter German and French Repertoire.

After Kaiser Wilhelm II expresses his liking for the singer, he finally is casted in the great Wagnerian parts.

From 1906 to 1908 Jörn appears very successfully in London, on January 22, 1909 he finally makes his New York debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Stolzing.

For the following years he commutes between New York and Berlin, but finishes his contract with the Berlin Hofoper in 1911. From 1912 to 1914 he lives in New York and has a contract with the Metropolitan Opera. From 1914 on, he doesn‘t accept a fixed engagement any more and returns to Europe. In 1916 the singer finally moves to the USA and becomes an American citizen.

In 1919 Jörn buys a farm, but fails as a businessman and at last becomes a singing teacher in Denver (Colorado). Surprisingly he gets an invitation from Johanna Gadski in 1929 to appear on stage again with her touring "German Opera Company". Once more Karl Jörn is highly celebrated, especially for his debut in the role of Tristan (at age 56!).

In 1932 he tries to settle as a singing teacher in New York, but soon after returns to Denver, where he dies on December 19, 1947.

Jörns numerous records show the exceptional variability of his voice, his repertoire ranging from Mozart and the lighter German and French parts to the great Wagner roles. Even with German Lieder he was very successful.

The first disc of this 2-CD set contains highlights from Jörn‘s Wagner repertoire, the second is a recital of arias by Mozart, Weber, Boieldieu , Donizetti, Adam, Meyerbeer, Massenet, Verdi, Leoncavallo and Strauss, and Lieder by Schubert, Fielitz, Hermann and Brahms.


Also available:

OTTILIE METZGER
in Opera and Concert

GERTRUD BINDERNAGEL
the complete operatic recordings 1921 - 1932

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

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