Anja Thauer (1945-1973)

[Barbirollians]

I see that what appears to be a small German label are issuing live performances of hers and have persuaded DG to licence her recording of the Dvorak Cello Concerto with the Czech PO and Macal to them .

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Not cheap but a wonderfully moving performance superbly played and accompanied and with the very spark that was missing from Isserlis's recent account.

Hopefully , it will appear on Eloquence much more cheaply but I could not resist.

[Barbirollians]

In fact it is so wonderful I am playing it again although I should have gone to bed !

[Acavus]

I see that what appears to be a small German label are issuing live performances of hers and have persuaded DG to licence her recording of the Dvorak Cello Concerto with the Czech PO and Macal to them .

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Not cheap but a wonderfully moving performance superbly played and accompanied and with the very spark that was missing from Isserlis's recent account.

Hopefully , it will appear on Eloquence much more cheaply but I could not resist.

The Thauer is indeed a very special perfomance of the Dvorak - I have it on a difficult-to-get CD released by Tower Records in Japan as part of their Vintage Collection, coupled with some interesting Reger and Francaix - and it is great news that someone is releasing some of her live performances. The Dvorak dates from the 1960s when the Czech Philharmonic still had that marvellously distinctive sound. I don't know the recent Isserlis release, but can I recommend the Wallfisch/Mackerras on Chandos for a really exciting experience?

[Roehre]

I see that what appears to be a small German label are issuing live performances of hers and have persuaded DG to licence her recording of the Dvorak Cello Concerto with the Czech PO and Macal to them .

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Not cheap but a wonderfully moving performance superbly played and accompanied and with the very spark that was missing from Isserlis's recent account.

Hopefully , it will appear on Eloquence much more cheaply but I could not resist.

Many thanks for that Barbirollians, Thauer is my preferred recording, got it as the original DGG LP and as Heliodor(DGG) Musicassette from the early 1970s

[Barbirollians]

The Thauer is indeed a very special perfomance of the Dvorak - I have it on a difficult-to-get CD released by Tower Records in Japan as part of their Vintage Collection, coupled with some interesting Reger and Francaix - and it is great news that someone is releasing some of her live performances. The Dvorak dates from the 1960s when the Czech Philharmonic still had that marvellously distinctive sound. I don't know the recent Isserlis release, but can I recommend the Wallfisch/Mackerras on Chandos for a really exciting experience?

That sounds a tempting account especially as it is coupled with the Dohnanyi Konzertstuck which is a hidden masterpiece IMO . I felt that Isserlis really should have asked Hyperion to record it with Mackerras a few years back. The MCO/Harding accompaniment is very brusque to my ears.

[Barbirollians]

The sleeve notes are interesting. It seems that despite DG giving her an exclusive contract after her Reger/Francaix disc and the Dvorak she did not record anything else for them and of course she died in 1973 in tragic circumstances.

I wonder whether her recording which was made in 1968 did not sell well as DG promptly released the Rostropovich/Karajan in 1969.

[umslopogaas]

This recording of the Dvorak concerto by Anja Thauer was mentioned on these boards some months ago; I have the DG LP and was surprised to be told it was probably worth a lot of money if I wanted to put it on ebay - not that I do. So Roehre, if you still have yours and its in good nick, you could put it on ebay and give yourself a nice Christmas present. The date of issue was 1968.

[ostuni]

The German cd reissue mentioned by Barbirollians above is still available from German Amazon. Based on the comments both here and in the BaL thread on the concerto, I've just ordered it. For those with access to the Gramophone archive, there's a wonderfully detailed review of the original LP in the Jan 1969 issue.

[Barbirollians]

As I recall from when it was free the Gramophone review was positive .

I am listening to it again this morning . It is very idiomatic to my ears and her quiet playing is particularly ravishing. It is a real find .

I do hope Eloquence releases it at a cheaper price to a wider market.

[Roehre]

The sleeve notes are interesting. It seems that despite DG giving her an exclusive contract after her Reger/Francaix disc and the Dvorak she did not record anything else for them and of course she died in 1973 in tragic circumstances.

I wonder whether her recording which was made in 1968 did not sell well as DG promptly released the Rostropovich/Karajan in 1969.

But they put it in the first release of the Heliodor (DGG-)budget label in 1970/'71 (together with i.a. Schubert 9/BPO/Jochum, deFalla 3 cornered hat + Amor brujo/Bumbry/BPO/Maazel)

[amateur51]

The German cd reissue mentioned by Barbirollians above is still available from German Amazon.

Well-spotted ostuni

There are two additional Anja Thauer discs available at the bottom of the page too

http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00D7LDN26/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Barbirollians]

But they put it in the first release of the Heliodor (DGG-)budget label in 1970/'71 (together with i.a. Schubert 9/BPO/Jochum, deFalla 3 cornered hat + Amor brujo/Bumbry/BPO/Maazel)

That was quite quick was in not to be put on a budget label after only being first released in 1968 and it has never been re-released since despite there being CD budget labels like Classikon and Privilege.

One other thing , it is a strikingly urgent recording of the piece and clocks in at 36 minutes - most are around the 39 minutes mark and in my collection only Casals by a few seconds is faster .

[Barbirollians]

I am very smitten with this recording of the Dvorak . I don't think I have played a new record so often for years .

Did anyone else buy it ? If so I should be fascinated to know what you think .

[ostuni]

Mine arrived yesterday, from Amazon.de - but I haven't yet had a chance to listen properly.

[HighlandDougie]

I bought it from jpc.de and it arrived a couple of days ago. The performance of the Dvorak has a spontaneity and urgency about it (as well as the poetry to which Barbirollians has already referred) which is greatly appealing. Although it's a daft comparison, it's as if Martha Argerich was playing the cello. Fine recording for its age (I suspect Rudolfinum in Prague??) with the cello fairly forwardly balanced, and, unsurprisingly, alert and idiomatic support from Macal and the Czech Philharmonic. I much prefer it to the - for my taste rather murkily recorded and perfunctorily accompanied - Fournier. There's a good performance of the Debussy sonata on the disc as well which has the same qualities of youthful impetuousness about it. Very grateful to Barbirollians and others for bring its re-emergence to our notice - and for their justifiably enthusiastic responses.