Elisabeth Grümmer (née Schilz; 31 March 1911 – 6 November 1986) was a German

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

. She has been described as "a singer blessed with elegant musicality, warm-hearted sincerity, and a voice of exceptional beauty".

Life

Elisabeth Schilz was born in ''Niederjeutz'' ow_Yutz,_near_''Diedenhofen''_(Thionville.html" ;"title="Yutz.html" ;"title="ow Yutz">ow Yutz, near ''Diedenhofen'' (Thionville">Yutz.html" ;"title="ow Yutz">ow Yutz, near ''Diedenhofen'' (Thionville), Alsace-Lorraine] to German parents. In 1918, her family was expelled from Lorraine, and they settled in Meiningen, where she studied theater and made her stage debut as Klärchen in Goethe's ''Egmont (play), Egmont''. She married the concertmaster of the theater orchestra, Detlev Grümmer, and became a mother. The family moved to

Aachen Aachen ( ; ; Aachen dialect: ''Oche'' ; French and traditional English: Aix-la-Chapelle; or ''Aquisgranum''; nl, Aken ; Polish: Akwizgran) is, with around 249,000 inhabitants, the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 28th- ...

, where they met

Herbert von Karajan Herbert von Karajan (; born Heribert Ritter von Karajan; 5 April 1908 – 16 July 1989) was an Austrian conductor. He was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for 34 years. During the Nazi era, he debuted at the Salzburg Festival, wit ...

under whose encouragement she made her operatic debut in 1940, in the role of First Flowermaiden in a 1940 performance of

Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...

's ''

Parsifal ''Parsifal'' ( WWV 111) is an opera or a music drama in three acts by the German composer Richard Wagner and his last composition. Wagner's own libretto for the work is loosely based on the 13th-century Middle High German epic poem ''Parzival'' ...

''. She went on from

to perform in

Duisburg Duisburg () is a city in the Ruhr metropolitan area of the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Lying on the confluence of the Rhine and the Ruhr rivers in the center of the Rhine-Ruhr Region, Duisburg is the 5th largest city in Nor ...

and

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

. Her husband was killed in their house during the bombing of Aachen in 1944. After the war, she settled in Berlin, singing at the Städtische Oper Berlin. She performed in the major opera houses in Europe and the United States, restricting herself to a small number of roles, primarily sung in German. She was also active in song recitals and concert performances, particularly of Brahms' '' German Requiem''. The ''

Kammersänger Kammersänger (male) or Kammersängerin (female), abbreviated Ks. or KS, is a German honorific title for distinguished singers of opera and classical music. It literally means "chamber singer". Historically, the title was bestowed by princes or ...

in'' became a professor at the Berlin Musikhochschule. Among her students are Astrid Schirmer, Gillian Rae-Walker, and Janis Kelly.gillianraewalker.com Grümmer died in

Warendorf Warendorf (, Westphalian: ''Warnduorp'') is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and capital of Warendorf District. The town is best known today for its well-preserved medieval town centre, for horse-riding, and the opportunities it prov ...

, Westphalia on 6 November 1986.

Work and critical reception

Grümmer was acclaimed both as an opera singer and as a lieder interpreter. The book, ''The Grove Book of Opera Singers'', referred to her "beautiful voice, clarity of diction and innate musicianship" evidenced by her legacy on record. She appeared in two videotaped performances as Donna Anna in ''

Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; Vienna (1788) title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spanis ...

'', one conducted by

Wilhelm Furtwängler Gustav Heinrich Ernst Martin Wilhelm Furtwängler ( , , ; 25 January 188630 November 1954) was a German conductor and composer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest symphonic and operatic conductors of the 20th century. He was a major ...

and the other in German translation conducted by

Ferenc Fricsay Ferenc Fricsay (; 9 August 1914 – 20 February 1963) was a Hungarian conductor. From 1960 until his death, he was an Austrian citizen. Biography Fricsay was born in Budapest in 1914 and studied music under Béla Bartók, Zoltán Kodály, E ...

Discography

Operas

* ''Carmen'' by Georges Bizet, conductor

Eugen Jochum Eugen Jochum (; 1 November 1902 – 26 March 1987) was a German conductor, best known for his interpretations of the music of Anton Bruckner, Carl Orff, and Johannes Brahms, among others. Biography Jochum was born to a Roman Catholic family in ...

, Bavarian Radio Chorus and Orchestra (1954, in German, highlights: Micaëla). * ''Hänsel und Gretel'' by Engelbert Humperdinck, conductor

, EMI 5670612 2CD-Album (1953) * ''Hänsel und Gretel'' by Engelbert Humperdinck, conductor Otto Matzerath, live radio performance 1956, Ponto 2CD-Album (2004) * ''Don Giovanni'' by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

, conductor

, EMI 7638602 3CD-Album (live recording 1954, tapes of the 1953 performance have also been issued). * ''Don Giovanni'' by

, conductor

Dimitri Mitropoulos Dimitri Mitropoulos ( el, Δημήτρης Μητρόπουλος; The dates 18 February 1896 and 1 March 1896 both appear in the literature. Many of Mitropoulos's early interviews and program notes gave 18 February. In his later interviews, howe ...

, live recording 1956, Sony 3CD-Album (1994) * ''Don Giovanni'' by

, conductor

Wolfgang Sawallisch Wolfgang Sawallisch (26 August 1923 – 22 February 2013) was a German conductor and pianist. Biography Wolfgang Sawallisch was born in Munich, the son of Maria and Wilhelm Sawallisch. His father was director of the Hamburg-Bremer-Feuerversich ...

, live recording in German 1960, Deutsche Grammophon (Universal) 3CD-Album (2009) * ''Don Giovanni'' by

, conductor

Hans Zanotelli Hans Zanotelli (23 August 1927 – 12 July 1993) was a German conductor. Life Born in Cronenberg, now part of Wuppertal, Zanotelli learned to play the violin and piano as a child. He studied music at the Musikhochschule Köln from 1942 to 19 ...

, highlights in German 1960,EMI CDZ 25 2217 2. * ''Don Giovanni'' by

, conductor

, live recording 1961, Golden Mel (2007) * ''Die Hochzeit des Figaro'' by

, conductor

, RELIEF B0001M64VQ 2CD-Album (1951) * ''Idomeneo'' by

, conductor

, live recording from Salzburg 1961, DG (1995) * ''Le Nozze di Figaro'' by

, conductor

Karl Böhm Karl August Leopold Böhm (28 August 1894 – 14 August 1981) was an Austrian conductor. He was best known for his performances of the music of Mozart, Wagner, and Richard Strauss. Life and career Education Karl Böhm was born in Graz. T ...

, live recording from Tokyo 1963, Ponto (2010) * ''Die Zauberflöte'' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, conductor Georg Solti, live radio performance 1955, GALA 2CD-Album (2004) * ''Der Rosenkavalier'' by Richard Strauss (live recording Munich 1952: Octavian), conductor

Erich Kleiber Erich Kleiber (5 August 1890 – 27 January 1956) was an Austrian, later Argentine, conductor, known for his interpretations of the classics and as an advocate of new music. Kleiber was born in Vienna, and after studying at the Prague Conservato ...

, MYTO CD-Album (2007) * ''Der Rosenkavalier'' by Richard Strauss (live recording Berlin 1959: Marschallin), conductor

Silvio Varviso Silvio Varviso (26 February 1924 – 1 November 2006) was a Swiss conductor who spent most of his career devoted to conducting opera. He began his conducting career working in minor opera houses in Switzerland in the mid-1940s. He became the p ...

, Gala CD-Album (2005) * ''Der Rosenkavalier'' by Richard Strauss, conductor

Wilhelm Schüchter Wilhelm Schüchter (15 December 1911 – 27 May 1974) was a German conductor. He was Generalmusikdirektor in Dortmund and left a legacy of opera recordings. Career Born in Bonn, Schüchter studied piano at the Hochschule für Musik Köln, co ...

,(Octavian, highlights) EMI 8264302 CD-Album (1956) * ''Der Rosenkavalier'' by Richard Strauss (live recording Cologne 1972: Marschallin), conductor Siegfried Köhler, Opera Depot * ''Pique Dame'' by

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...

(live radio performance Berlin 1947: Lisa), conductor

Artur Rother Artur Martin Rother (12 October 188522 September 1972) was a German conductor who worked mainly in the opera house. He was born in Stettin, Pomerania (now Szczecin, Poland). His father was an organist and music teacher. He studied under Hugo Ka ...

, Gala CD-Album * ''Lohengrin'' by

Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...

, conductor

Rudolf Kempe Rudolf Kempe (14 June 1910 – 12 May 1976) was a German conductor. Biography Kempe was born in Dresden, where from the age of fourteen he studied at the Dresden State Opera School. He played oboe in the opera orchestra of Dortmund and ...

, EMI 567415 3CD-Album (1963) * ''Lohengrin'' by

, conductor

Lovro von Matačić Lovro von Matačić (14 February 1899 – 4 January 1985) was a Croatian conductor and composer. Early life Lovro von Matačić was born in Sušak to a family that was granted a noble title in the early 17th century. Growing up, he was always s ...

, live recording 1959, Orfeo (2006) * ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'' by Richard Wagner, conductor

, EMI 3CD-Album (1956) * ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'' by Richard Wagner, conductor

André Cluytens André Cluytens (, ; born Augustin Zulma Alphonse Cluytens; 26 March 19053 June 1967)Baeck E. ''André Cluytens: Itinéraire d’un chef d’orchestre.'' Editions Mardaga, Wavre, 2009. was a Belgian-born French conductor who was active in the con ...

, live recording 1957, Walhall (2008) * ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'' by Richard Wagner, conductor

Erich Leinsdorf Erich Leinsdorf (born Erich Landauer; February 4, 1912 – September 11, 1993) was an Austrian-born American conductor. He performed and recorded with leading orchestras and opera companies throughout the United States and Europe, earning a ...

, live recording 1959, Myto (2010) * ''Das Rheingold'' by Richard Wagner (live radio recording 1953: Freia) conductor

, EMI (1990) * ''Das Rheingold'' by Richard Wagner (live recording Bayreuth 1957 and 1958 : Freia) conductor

Hans Knappertsbusch Hans Knappertsbusch (12 March 1888 – 25 October 1965) was a German conductor, best known for his performances of the music of Wagner, Bruckner and Richard Strauss. Knappertsbusch followed the traditional route for an aspiring conductor in Ger ...

, various labels * ''Götterdämmerung'' by Richard Wagner (live recording Bayreuth 1957 and 1958: Gutrune) conductor

, various labels * ''Tannhäuser'' by Richard Wagner, conductor

Franz Konwitschny Franz Konwitschny (14 August 1901, Fulnek, Moravia – 28 July 1962, Belgrade) was a German conductor and violist of Moravian descent. He started his career on the viola,Schwinger playing in the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under Wilhelm Furtw ...

, EMI 3CD-Album (1960) * ''Der Freischütz'' by

Carl Maria von Weber Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber (18 or 19 November 17865 June 1826) was a German composer, conductor, virtuoso pianist, guitarist, and critic who was one of the first significant composers of the Romantic era. Best known for his opera ...

, conductor

, live recording from Salzburg 1954, EMI 5674192 2CD-Album (2000) * ''Der Freischütz'' by Carl Maria von Weber, conductor

Joseph Keilberth Joseph Keilberth (19 April 1908 – 20 July 1968) was a German conductor who specialised in opera. Career He started his career in the State Theatre of his native city, Karlsruhe. In 1940 he became director of the German Philharmonic Orches ...

, EMI 2CD-Album (1959) * ''Der Freischütz'' by Carl Maria von Weber, conductor

, live radio performance 1955, Opera D'oro 2CD-Album (1998)

Sacred music

* ''Matthäus-Passion'' BWV 244 by

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

, conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler, EMI''CLASSICS'' 5655092 2CD-Album (1995) * ''Johannes-Passion'' BWV 245 by Johann Sebastian Bach, conductor Karl Forster, EMI''CLASSICS'' 7642342 2CDs-Album (1992) * ''Kantaten - Cantatas'' by Johann Sebastian Bach, conductor Kurt Thomas, BERLIN''CLASSICS'' B000024WMM CD (1996) * ''Bach MADE IN GERMANY'' Vol. II Kantaten, Motetten, Weihnachtsoratorium, conductor Kurt Thomas, BERLIN''CLASSICS'' B000031W6B 8CD-Album (1999) * ''Die Schöpfung'' by

Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

, conductor Karl Forster, EMI 2 CD-Album (1989) * ''Stabat mater'' by

Gioacchino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards ...

, conductor

, Melodram (1994) * ''Messa Da Requiem '' by

Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...

, conductor

, live recording 1951, Andromeda (2007) * ''Ein Deutsches Requiem'' Op. 45, by

Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid- Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped wit ...

, conductor

, EMI''CLASSICS'' 7647052 (1955) * ''Ein Deutsches Requiem'' Op. 45, by

, conductor

Otto Klemperer Otto Nossan Klemperer (14 May 18856 July 1973) was a 20th-century conductor and composer, originally based in Germany, and then the US, Hungary and finally Britain. His early career was in opera houses, but he was later better known as a concer ...

, 1956 radio performance, ICA ''CLASSICS'' 5002 (2011)

Lieder

* ''Elisabeth Grümmer, Lieder by Schubert, Brahms, Grieg und Verdi'', conductor Hugo Diez and Richard Kraus, TESTAMENT B000003XJQ (1996) * ''Elisabeth Grümmer, Liederabend, Lieder by Mendelssohn, Schumann, Schoeck, Wolf'', ORFEO 506001B CD (2000) * ''Recital 1970, Lieder by Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Reger, Schubert, Schumann, Strauss, Wolf'', Dirigent Richard Kraus, GALA B000028CLY 2CD-Album (2001) * ''Elisabeth Grümmer sings Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, Wolf '', Historic recordings 1956/1958. Hänssler Classics (2009)

Video

* ''Don Giovanni'' by

, conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler, film directed by

Paul Czinner Paul Czinner (30 May 1890 – 22 June 1972) was a Hungarian-born British writer, film director, and producer. Biography Czinner was born to a Jewish family in Budapest, Austria-Hungary. After studying literature and philosophy at the Universi ...

, Deutsche Grammophon 073 019-9 DVD-Video (2001) * ''Don Giovanni'' by Mozart, sung in German translation, conductor

, ''

Deutsche Oper Berlin The Deutsche Oper Berlin is a German opera company located in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin. The resident building is the country's second largest opera house (after Munich's) and also home to the Berlin State Ballet. Since 2004, the D ...

'' 24 September 1961, with

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (28 May 1925 – 18 May 2012) was a German lyric baritone and conductor of classical music, one of the most famous Lieder (art song) performers of the post-war period, best known as a singer of Franz Schubert's Lieder, ...

Josef Greindl Josef Greindl (23 December 1912 - 16 April 1993) was a German operatic bass, remembered mainly for his performances of Wagnerian roles at Bayreuth beginning in 1943. Josef Greindl was born in Munich and studied at the Munich Music Academy with Pa ...

, Legato Classics LCV 022

References

Bibliography

* ''The Last Prima Donnas'', by

Lanfranco Rasponi Lanfranco Rasponi (11 December 1914 – 9 April 1983) was an Italian author, critic, and publicist. He is primarily known for his writing on opera and opera singers, especially his 1982 book, ''The Last Prima Donnas''. Born in Florence, he was t ...

, Alfred A Knopf, 1982.

External links

Biography 1

Elisabeth Grümmer in a concert performance of Lohengrin
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grummer, Elisabeth 1911 births 1986 deaths People from Moselle (department) People from Alsace-Lorraine German operatic sopranos Berlin University of the Arts faculty 20th-century German women opera singers