Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht: Die Dreigroschenoper

On this CD:

1. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Ballade über die Frage "Wavon Icht der Mensch"
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Ernst Busch, Lotte Lenya, Vladimir Sokolov
Conducted by Theo Mackeben

2. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Moritat von Mackie Messer
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Ernst Busch, Lotte Lenya, Vladimir Sokolov
Conducted by Theo Mackeben

3. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Tanzmusik
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Ernst Busch, Lotte Lenya, Vladimir Sokolov
Conducted by Theo Mackeben

4. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Liebeslied
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Ernst Busch, Lotte Lenya, Vladimir Sokolov
Conducted by Theo Mackeben

5. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Barbara-Song
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Ernst Busch, Lotte Lenya, Vladimir Sokolov
Conducted by Theo Mackeben

6. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Lied von der Unzulänglichkeit des menslichen Strebens
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Ernst Busch, Lotte Lenya, Vladimir Sokolov
Conducted by Theo Mackeben

7. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Abschied
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Ernst Busch, Lotte Lenya, Vladimir Sokolov
Conducted by Theo Mackeben

8. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Seeräuber-Jenny
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Ernst Busch, Lotte Lenya, Vladimir Sokolov
Conducted by Theo Mackeben

9. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Kanonensong
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Ernst Busch, Lotte Lenya, Vladimir Sokolov
Conducted by Theo Mackeben

10. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Finale-Moritat
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Ernst Busch, Lotte Lenya, Vladimir Sokolov
Conducted by Theo Mackeben

11. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Moritat von Mackie Messer
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Harald Paulsen

12. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Ballade von angenchmen Leben
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Harald Paulsen

13. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Kanonensong
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Harald Paulsen

14. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Zwieter Dreigroschenfinale: Ballade über die Frage: "Wovon lebt der Mensch?"
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Harald Paulsen

15. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Seeräuber-Jenny
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Gerron, Carola Neher, Arthur Schroder

16. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Kanonensong
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Gerron, Arthur Schroder

17. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Liebeslied
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Gerron, Carola Neher, Arthur Schroder

18. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Barbara-Song
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Gerron, Carola Neher, Arthur Schroder

19. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Tango-Ballad
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Gerron, Arthur Schroder

20. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Ballade von angenchmen Leben
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Gerron, Arthur Schroder

21. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Lied von der Unzulänglichkeit des menslichen Strebens
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Gerron, Carola Neher, Arthur Schroder

22. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Moritat von Mackie Messer
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Gerron, Arthur Schroder

23. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Moritat von Mackie Messer
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Bertolt Brecht
Conducted by Theo Mackeben

24. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Lied von der Unzulänglichkeit des menslichen Strebens
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Bertolt Brecht
Conducted by Theo Mackeben

25. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Moritat von Mackie Messer
Composed by Kurt Weill

Conducted by Otto Klemperer

26. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Die Ballade von angenchmen Leben
Composed by Kurt Weill

Conducted by Otto Klemperer

27. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Tango-Ballad
Composed by Kurt Weill

Conducted by Otto Klemperer

28. Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), opera Kanonensong
Composed by Kurt Weill

Conducted by Otto Klemperer

29. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), opera Auf nach Mahagonny
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Berlin Kurfustendamm Theater Orchestra with Lotte Lenya
Conducted by Hans Sommer

30. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), opera Alabama Song
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Berlin Kurfustendamm Theater Orchestra with Lotte Lenya
Conducted by Hans Sommer

31. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), opera Ach, bedenken Sie, Herr Jakob Schmidt...Havana song
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Berlin Kurfustendamm Theater Orchestra with Lotte Lenya
Conducted by Hans Sommer

32. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), opera Wunderbar ist das Heraufkommen des Abends
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Berlin Kurfustendamm Theater Orchestra with Lotte Lenya
Conducted by Hans Sommer

33. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), opera Ihr habt gelernt das Cocktail-Abc
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Berlin Kurfustendamm Theater Orchestra with Lotte Lenya
Conducted by Hans Sommer

34. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), opera Erstens, vergeßt nicht, kommt das Fressen
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Berlin Kurfustendamm Theater Orchestra with Lotte Lenya
Conducted by Hans Sommer

35. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), opera Meine Herren, mein Freund, der sagte...Denn wie man sich bettet
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Berlin Kurfustendamm Theater Orchestra with Lotte Lenya
Conducted by Hans Sommer

36. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), opera Dieser einfache Holzfäller von Alaska
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Berlin Kurfustendamm Theater Orchestra with Lotte Lenya
Conducted by Hans Sommer

37. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), opera Aber weil di meine drei Flaschen Whisky
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Berlin Kurfustendamm Theater Orchestra with Lotte Lenya
Conducted by Hans Sommer

38. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), opera Finale
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Berlin Kurfustendamm Theater Orchestra with Lotte Lenya
Conducted by Hans Sommer

39. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), opera Alabama Song
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Lotte Lenya, Three Admirals

40. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), opera Denn wie man sich bettet
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Alessandro Scarlatti Orchestra (Naples) with Lotte Lenya

41. Happy End, musical play Der Song von Mandalay
Composed by Kurt Weill

42. Happy End, musical play Matronensong
Composed by Kurt Weill

43. Happy End, musical play Surabaya-Johnny
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Alessandro Scarlatti Orchestra (Naples)
Conducted by Pierre Chagnon

44. Happy End, musical play Bilbao Song
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Theo Mackeben and His Ultraphon Jazz Orchestra with Lotte Lenya
Conducted by Theo Mackeben

45. Der Silbersee (The Silver Lake), musical play Das Lied von Schlaraffenland
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Ernst Busch
Conducted by Maurice de Abravanel

46. Der Silbersee (The Silver Lake), musical play Der Bäcker bäckt ums Morgenrot
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Ernst Busch
Conducted by Maurice de Abravanel

47. Lost in the Stars, song for voice & piano (from "Lost in the Stars") Lost in the stars
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Weill, Lotte Lenya

48. Lover Man, song for voice & piano (from "Ulysses Africanus")
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Weill, Lotte Lenya

49. J'attends un navire (I'm Waiting for a Ship), song for voice & piano (from "Marie Galante")
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Weill, Lotte Lenya

50. Complainte de la Seine, song for voice & piano
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Weill, Lotte Lenya

51. Happy End, musical play Surabaya-Johnny
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Weill, Lotte Lenya

52. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), opera Denn wie man sich bettet
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Weill, Lotte Lenya

53. Und was bekam des Soldaten Weib? (The Ballad of the Soldier's Wife), song for voice & piano
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Weill, Lotte Lenya

54. Wie Lange Noch? song for voice & piano
Composed by Kurt Weill
Performed by Kurt Weill, Lotte Lenya

Tracks:

Mack The Knife - Nick Cave
Ballad Of The Soldier's Wife - P.J. Harvey
Alabama Song - David Johansen
Youkali Tango - Teresa Stratas
Lost In The Stars - Elvis Costello
Pirate Jenny - Lotte Lenya
Speak Low - Charlie Haden
Oh, Heavenly Salvation - The Persuations
Lonely House - Betty Carter
Surabaya- Johnny - Teresa Stratas
Furchte Dich Nicht - Mary Margaret O'Hara
September Song - Lou Reed
Mack The Knife - Bertolt Brecht
What Keeps Mankind Alive? - William S. Burroughs

Customer Reviews:

some brilliant renditions, but can't quite all mix together.......2006-10-19

I like the spirit of this album, which is to let the music of Kurt Weill attach itself to the many worlds it came from. This was classical music that also used elements of popular music at the time, all with a very dark and almost mechanical tone. So it would seem fitting to have exquisite voices like Teresa Stratas rub elbows with darker elements like Nick Cave in this collection. There are also the jazz influences developed by Charlie Haden and Betty Carter.

In all, there are some brilliant interpretations of Weill here. I am a fan of Cave's "Mack the Knife" and David Johansen's "Alabama Song," and how can someone NOT like Lotte Lenya herself on "Pirate Jenny" and the drolling of the immortal William S. Burroughs talking through "What Keeps Mankind Alive?"

But other tracks feel to be just too short of brilliance. I love that Lou Reed tries to turn "September Song" into a kind of rock ballad, almost a VU "It Was a Pretty Good Year," but the rendition seems a little short of energy and falls flat after a while. Elvis Costello, though magnificent as an overall artist, just doesn't bring new life to "Lost in the Stars."

Perhaps the problem in the end that the choices were a little too much of the Top 40 Weill (if there really can be such a term). These are songs that have for a long time been regarded as the best of Weill, and it might have furthered the purpose of his music to find new gems and bring them into the sunlight.

Cool and Camp.......2006-08-24

This is a very biased review- I originally had much of Weill's work on cassette tape- way back in the olden days- before CD's- so I am already very partial to many of the tracks on this CD- I would recommend it not only to Kurt Weill fans, and the fans of the various artists featured, but I would also strongly recommend this to anyone who likes artsy, camp, fun burlesque, Bohemian European stuff. The record, even though performed by contemporary artists still retains much of it's zeitgeist, it evokes the era in which Weill was writing and it rounds out any great eclectic record collection. It's a great musical discovery for fans of all sorts of genres, and EVERYONE should own at least one recorded arrangement of "Mack The Knife". (You know, for parties and stuff!)

September Song Music of Kurt Weill.......2006-08-22

Songs from the film-documentary done by various artists. Excellent choice if you like Mr Weill's music. I saw the film and always wanted the CD. Now I have and I recommend it highly.

It's a long time between January and December.......2004-06-11

Kurt Weill is one of those composers who juggles Jewish angst with Catholic guilt: and possibly vice versa. As a collection, it is nonpareil. Each interpretation becomes a definitive reading of the "song". Lord, it is one of the best assemblies of contemporary artists going. Lou couldn't be better; Ms O'Hara, in fine form, performs her deranged puppet-dance to the X. OK. An unknown. Roping-in, such a postmodern figure as, well, you-know-who, to orate Weill's lyrics is never less than exceptional. An amazing collection. Is there a DVD?

Paul

Ain't we Hip?!!?.......2003-07-23

This is the avant version of these songs, everything done with that Downtown fingers-across-the-blackboard screech. They even got Johanson doing it, which is no less than amazing. The sole exception is the Persuasions' "O Heavenly Salvation", but one song does not an album make.

Tracks:

Overture
Peachum's Morning Song (Morning Chorale)
Kids Today
Gang Song (Wedding Song)
Pirate Jenny
Squaddies Song (Cannon Song)
Love Duet
Barbara Song
Life's A Bitch (Dreigroschenfinale)
Melodrama/Polly's Song
The Ballad Of Sexual Imperative
Knocking Shop Tango
The Flick Knife Song (Moritat)
Easy Life (Ballade)
Jealousy Duet
What Keeps A Man Alive? (II Dreigroschenfinale)
What's The Point? (LIed.17)
The Socrates Song (Solomonsong)
A Call From The Grave
Ballad In Which Macheath Begs All Mens' Forgiveness (Grabschrift)
Act III Finale

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding!.......2003-07-04

I have to confess that The Threepenny Opera is my all-time favorite musical piece. I love the music & I love the message. I just can't hear it enough & I can't listen to enough versions.

This is definitely one of the very best performances I've heard. The acting, the singing, the instrumental performances, the language are all spectacularly perfect. I just wish I'd gone to London in 1994 to see this version. Must have been the experience of a lifetime.

only true version!.......2002-11-07

I worked on this show last year, we used this translation. Imagine my surprise when I tried to download parts of it and found them to be sugarcoated! This is the only version that actually uses rhymes that arent down right silly, and captures the terror and evilness of the German. Compared to this slick, painful adaptation the other versions have no spirit.

The truest Threepenny experience I've ever had.......2000-11-06

The Donmar production is to be congratulated-- their Threepenny is a scream from hell. In setting this production in the present/near future, they have driven home the issues even further than the Foreman version does. Mac is no longer an orientalized rogue from the past; he is a cutting edge serial killer and rapist who works in collusion with the police. Jeremy Sams's lyrics capture the spirit of the piece perfectly-- they are harrowing. If you are looking for Brecht in its rawest, most meaningful form, it's on this cd.

Real Londoners.......2000-10-21

I'm currently in rehearsals for a production of "The Threepenny Opera" based on the Donmar Warehouse production, so I bought this CD to get an idea of the original. I've heard bits and pieces of other productions, and something about this one struck me as distinctive and "right", but I could not pinpoint what. Finally I realized: The Donmar version has a distinct tone of "Englishness" -- or even specifically "London-ness" -- that all others lack. The play is about poverty and gangs in London, and frankly, in the theater world you can't get much closer to that than being an actor in London. The films tend to have a feeling of German-ness, and American productions have a feel of American Musical Theater, but this production seems to be by people who honestly know, and are the real products of, the world and environment depicted in the play. This adds an extra note of authenticity, in addition to the return to Brecht and Weill's original nastiness.

deliciously brecht.......2000-09-04

This is a marvelous recording of threepenny opera, moslty due to the wonderful new lyrics - which manage to capture all the grit and vulgarity of the characters that Brecht was trying to capture in the orignal German-language production.

I've read several customer reviews of this recording, and people seem to be missing the point of the show entirely. People are lamenting the loss of the romance and beauty of the show - unfortunatly this show is about murderers, whores and businessmen and is not meant to be a musicalization of a Bronte novel. Brecht was making strong political points with these characters, so strong a point that the show ran until the Nazi's closed it, and manged to destroy most of the prints of (horrible) film-version.

I'm not too familiar with the Blitzstein translation, but what I have heard of it is flat, colourless and boring - sans all the vulgarity of the characters singing the songs. This version (thank god!) uses the "f-word" (among others) to great affect. I actually happened to see an american company do this version. While the modernazation of the peice was pointless (and moslty unnoticable) the production stands up better when we hear "The Life's a Bitch Song" sound like life's a bitch. (In this particular performance there was an improved reference to Monica Lewensky - which, though completely inapproriate, was deliciously funny.)

Also, the Ballad of Mack the Knife (here, "The Flick-Knife Song") has been reassigned to Jenny Diver (at last we hear her last name pronounced correctly) - and it ended the first half. It was DELICIOUS to hear, and the perfect character in the show to sing it, too, who knows Mackie better than Jenny? (Also, this performers voice is amazing in the role, which is a nice change from the strage gutteral and oddly Scottish performance of Polly.)

The lyrics have bite, now, witch matches the score itself. Bad lyrics always aggravate me - and these work.

If you're looking for romance, stick to Phamtom of the Opera. But if you're looking for a great modern treatment of a strong (and very entertaining) pollitical work - then get this recording. Even if you suspect you'll dislike it, and are familiar with other recordings/traslations of the work, its truly interesting to hear the differences in interpretation from version to version.

All in all this is a great version of the show, and true to the vulgarity and humour of Brect's style. And it also includes the best recording of Mack the Knife/Flick-Knife Song, with some attitude - not the jazzed-up lounge version that was latter adapted into a McDonalds ad.

Tracks:

Ouvertd Moritat Von Mackie Messer
Seererjenny
Kanonensong [Cannon Song]
Liebeslied
Barbara Song
Erstes Dreigroschen-Finale
Abschied
Zuherbassatle
Ballade Von Angenehmen Leben
Eifersuchtsduett - Lotte Lenya, Theo Mackeben & his Jazz Orchestra
Zweites Dreigroschen-Finale - Lotte Lenya, Theo Mackeben & his Jazz Orchestra
Lied Von Der Unzullichkeit des Menschlichen Strebens
Moritat und Schlusschoral - Marlene Dietrich
Wie Man Sich Bettet - Curt Bois
Alabama Song - Marlene Dietrich
Nachtgespenst
Peter - Lotte Lenya, Theo Mackeben & his Jazz Orchestra
Guck Doch Nicht Immer Nach Dem Tangogeiger Hin
Jonny
Vom Seemann Kuttel Daddeldu
Chant des Canons
Chant d'Amour
Tangoballade
Ballade de la Vie Agrle
Die Seererjenny
Barbara Song
Die Moritat Von Mackie-Messer
Lied Von Der Unzullichkeit des Menschlichen Strebens
Alabama Song [Alternate Take]

Amazon.com

Performed in 1930 by the cast and orchestra of the 1928 Berlin premiere (except for Willi Trenk-Trebitsch, the Mackie of the 1929 Prague premiere), this extraordinary recording must be the last word in genuine, unvarnished "authenticity." Even the remastered sound is amazingly good and life-like. The half-spoken, half-sung delivery captures the biting sarcasm of Brecht's text as well as the abrasive bitterness and sinuous lyricism of Weill's melodies, underlined by the punchy, swinging rhythms and indigenously jazzy sound of the orchestra. The result is an uncanny evocation of a historical period and its atmosphere. One can smell the smoky nightclub air, see the garish colors, and feel the unbridled sensuousness. This "abridged" version offers 13 familiar numbers, with most strophic repeats omitted, but includes alternate versions of several songs--four in French, two sung by Brecht himself. There are also two songs from Mahagonny, a long "scene" by Wilhelm Grosz, and two songs each by Rudolf Nelson and Friedrich Hollaender (who wrote the music for the film "The Blue Angel), two of them sung by Marlene Dietrich with her inimitable lascivious sensuality. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful original recording, plenty extras. .......2006-09-11

In quick summary:
- If you're at all familiar with the Dreigroschenoper and all its incarnations, be sure to buy this album. It's the closest you could get to an 'original'.
- If you're completely new to the Threepenny story, I would recommend starting with the 1999 Nina Hagen concert version instead. It's got all the songs left out here, better recording quality, and a more modern approach to the music.

This is not a complete collection of original cast Dreigroschen songs. Rather, it's a selection of the best tracks from the play, often censored and cut short (in all the usual ways), and filled up with seemingly random extras in the genre.

The performers are all quite brilliant, and it's refreshing to hear a 3P without all the screaming and biting from recent versions. Though the songs are by no means slow, they're much more relaxed, more saccharine I would say, than what they've later evolved into. I love both type interpretations, but I often prefer this one.

One very nice bonus is the inclusion of a handful Threepenny songs in French. Otherwise pretty hard to come by. Also, the famous final lines of the movie version (Moritat reprise) are present, which I've only seen in one other recording (the 1981, also led by Miss Lotte Lenya). All in all, an essential CD for Brecht/Weill fans.

This one is really fine. .......2006-03-03

I've been a three-penny freak ever since I was a hanger-on at a Stanford production 40 years ago directed by a Brecht associate from Berlin. It's wonderful to get the authentic original cast records. I really like the added Berlin Chansons, too. "Don't Goggle at that Tango Dancer, Keep Your Eyes on the Guy You Came with!" Or Marlene Dietrich, with "Jonny, When it's Your Birthday, I'll Be Your Guest for a Night."

Weill - Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera)

Average customer rating:

One of the Crowning Achievements of Recording Art
A lotta Lenya
The Ultimate Threepenny Opera
Hervorragend!
Be Noticed!

Weill - Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera)

Manufacturer: CBS
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0000026HI
Release Date: 1982-01-01

Tracks:

Die Dreigroschenoper: Overture - 'You Are About To Hear An Opera For Beggars'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Act I : The Ballad Of Mack The Knife - 'First You Will Hear A Penny-Dreadful Ballad About The Bandit Macheath'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Mr. Peachum's Morning Hymn - 'Jonathan Jeremiah Peachum Has Opened A Store'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Instead-Of Song - 'Polly Peachum Hasn't Come Home'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Wedding Song For Poor People - 'Deep In The Heart Of Soho'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Cannon Song - 'In Reminiscence Of The Time They Spent Together In Their Youth'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Love Song - 'Do you See The Moon Over Soho'
Die Dreigroschenoper: the Song OF No And Yes (Barbara Song) - 'By Means Of A Little Ditty'
Die Dreigroschenoper: The Uncertainty Of Human Conditions - 'Mr. And Mrs. Peachum Advise Their Daughter'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Act II : The Stable - 'Mackie has To Flee'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Polly's Farewell Song - 'He Will Never Return'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Intermezzo - ;All Right, Now, If You Should See Mack The Knife'
Die Dreigroschenoper: The Ballad Of Sexual Dependency - 'There's A Man Who Is Very Satan'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Pirate-Jenny Or Dreams Of A Kitchen Maid - ' Song OF A Little Barmaid
Die Dreigroschenoper: The Procurer's Ballad - 'Macheath And Jenny The Whore'
Die Dreigroschenoper: the Ballad Of Pleasant Living - 'Gentlemen, You Be The Judges'
Die Dreigroschenoper: The Jealousy Duet - 'The First Clouds In The Skies'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Fight About The Property - 'Jealousy, Rage, Love And Fear'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Ballad About The Question : 'What Keeps A Man Alive?' - 'You Gentlemen, Who Teach Us'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Act III : The Song About Inadequacy - 'What On Earth Is That?'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Song Of Solomon - 'You Saw Sagacious Solomon'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Call From The Grave - 'The Whores Have Betrayed Macheath'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Ballad In Which Macheath Asks Everyone For Forgiveness - 'Fellow Citizens, Herewith I Take Leave Of You'
Die Dreigroschenoper: The Riding Messenger - 'Esteemed Public, We're At That Point'
Die Dreigroschenoper: Threepenny Finale - 'Do Not Prosecute Too Much Transgression'
Die Dreigroschenoper: The Final Verse Of The Ballad - 'And Now At This Happy Ending'

Customer Reviews:

One of the Crowning Achievements of Recording Art.......2006-03-25

For those who have not found a copy of this now difficult to find CD of an early recording of Kurt Weill's DIE DREIGROSHENOPER with the finest cast ever assembled for the work, take advantage of Amazon's search machine and add this gold standard recording to your permanent collection post haste! This is one of those rare recordings that withstands time and scientific advances in recording techniques and remains absolutely perfect.

Weill's exquisite score for pit band and small ensemble is here recreated under Lotte Lenya's supervision, the original Jenny and who recreates her role in this performance. The ensemble is under the careful conducting of Wilhelm Bruckner-Ruggeberg with the Sender Freies Berlin Orchestra. The lead roles are all impeccably performed by Wolfgang Neuss (Moritatensanger), Erich Schellow (Macheath), Trude Hesterburg (Frau Peachum), Willy Trenk-Trebitsch (Herr Peachum), Joanna von Koczian (Polly Peachum) and of course Lotte Lenya (Jenny).

The recording is bright and witty and wily and wonderful, surely the finest ever made, and thankfully it is sung in the idiomatic German in which it was composed. The only lacking feature is a libretto with the CD but there are so many copies of this important work available that surely most listeners will have a copy on their shelves. This is a must for lovers of opera, of 20th century music, and of theater. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp,

A lotta Lenya.......2001-11-10

A classic that you must own and a true testament to the genius of the 20th century's most important work for the musical theater.

The Ultimate Threepenny Opera.......2001-10-26

Kurt Weill was once quoted as saying "there are only two kinds of music - good music and bad music". This is great music whipped into a frenzy - the Threepenny Opera as true opera and not as a musical play. The casting is superb, a direct reflection of Lotte Lenya's musical supervision of the project. It is one of the few complete recordings of the work, including both the "Jealousy Duet", often omitted because of the vocal demands placed on the performers, and the Ballad of Sexual Dependency, usually omitted because of its frank content.

Lotte Lenya steals the show. Pirate Jenny has an almost maniacal lilt in the final verse. The Tango Ballade hits its full stride only after Lenya's voice takes over the lead. Her delivery of, perhaps, Brecht's most famous line; "erst kommt das fressen, dann kommt die moral" in the Ballad "What Keeps Mankind Alive" is as authoritative as Brecht could ever hope it to be. Lenya's exploitation of the musical interval of a tritone at "Rocke heben" adds a lifetime of experience and conviction to the work.

Not to be overlooked is the excellent musical direction of Wilhelm Bruckner-Ruggeberg of the musicians and singers. Trude Hesterburg as Frau Peachum delivers a delightful performance of the Ballad of Sexual Dependency, and the Peachum family triumphs in the finale to Act I, the Uncertainty of Human Conditions. A true virtuoso performance all around.

Kurt Weill suceeded beyond his wildest dreams - he truly was the poor man's Verdi.

Hervorragend!.......2000-09-06

I first listened to this recording on an LP of my parents' from the 1960s. The work was created by not one but two greats: Brecht and Weill, while Lotte Lenya worked closely with Brecht during his career.

It really does sound as if it was recorded a long time ago, but somehow you don't want this opera to be 'smooth'. It also really sounds much better in German than in English. It has won over certain friends of mine who usually don't listen to [good] music of any sort. It manages to sound simultaneously (1) as if it was recorded in a church hall by a cast of chain-smokers (2) spot-on, tight, and flawlessly performed, which is not easy with Weill when he messes around with strange harmonies.

If there's one language in which it sounds even rougher and better than German, it's [mandarin] Chinese. Nearly two years ago I had the privilege of seeing this work performed, for the first time in my life. It was done by Beijing Youth Theatre as part of a festival in Hong Kong, directed by Chen Yong, a real veteran director. Not only did it relate perfectly to a lot of things in mainland China, but it was also performed by people who really knew what they were doing.

Be Noticed!.......2000-03-17

It is supposed to be a parody of opera of the bourgeoisie. SATIRE. not a Straussian Opera!

Kurt Weill from Berlin to Broadway - a selection

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Kurt Weill from Berlin to Broadway - a selection

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Kurt Weill: The Centennial
Lotte Lenya Sings Kurt Weill / Levine, Lenya, Armstrong, Gilford, et al
Kurt Weill / Songs Volume 2 - A Centennial Anthology
Kurt Weill / Songs Volume 1 - A Centennial Anthology
Knickerbocker Holiday

ASIN: B00004WZTK
Release Date: 2000-10-24

Tracks:

The Threepenny Opr: Mack The Knife - Harald Paulsen With Orch
The Threepenny Opr: Cannon Song - Harald Paulsen With Orch
The Threepenny Opr: Pirate Jenny - Lotte Lenya With The Lewis Ruth Band/Theo Mackeben
The Threepenny Opr: Babarasong - Lotte Lenya With The Lewis Ruth Band/Theo Mackeben
The Threepenny Opr: Lied Von Der Unzulanglichkeit Menslichen Strebens - Bertolt Brecht With Theo Mackeben And His Orch
Happy End: Mandalay Song - Lewis Ruth Band
Happy End: Surabaya Johnny - Lotte Lenya With Pno
Rise And Fall Of The City Of Mahagonny: Moon Of Alabama - Lotte Lenya With The Three Admirals And Orch
Rise And Fall Of The City Of Mahagonny: Denn Wie Man Sich Bettet - Lotte Lenya With Pno
Knickerbocker Holiday: September Song - Walter Huston With Orch/Maurice Abravanel
Knickerbocker Holiday: There's Nowhere To Go But Up - David Brooks With Orch/Maurice Abravanel
Knickerbocker Holiday: The Scars - Walter Huston With Orch/Maurice Abravanel
Lady In The Dark: One Life To Live - Gertrude Lawrence With Orch/Leonard Joy
Lady In The Dark: The Princess Of Pure Delight - Danny Kaye With Orchestra/Maurice Abravanel
Lady In The Dark: And Other Russians - Danny Kaye With Chor And Orch/Maurice Abravanel
Lady In The Dark: The Saga Of Jenny - Gertrude Lawrence With Chor And Orch/Leonard Joy
Lady In The Dark: My Ship - Gertrude Lawrence With Chor And Orch/Leonard Joy
One Touch Of Venus: I'm A Stranger Here Myself - Mary Martin With The 'One Touch Of Venus' Orch/Maurice Abravanel
One Touch Of Venus: Westwind - Kenny Baker With The 'One Touch Of Venus' Orch/Maurice Abravanel
One Touch Of Venus: Foolish Heart - Mary Martin With The 'One Touch Of Venus' Orch/Maurice Abravanel
One Touch Of Venus: Speak Low - Mary Martin/Kenny Baker With The 'One Touch Of Venus' Orch/Maurice Abravanel
One Touch Of Venus: That's Him - Mary Martin With The 'One Touch Of Venus' Orch/Maurice Abravanel
Ulysses Africanus: Lost In The Stars - Walter Huston With Orch/Victor Young
Ulysses Africanus: Lover Man - Lotte Lenya With Pno
One Touch Of Venus: Very, Very, Very - Kurt Weill
One Touch Of Venus: Wooden Wedding - Kurt Weill
One Touch Of Venus: Jersey Plonk - Kurt Weill
One Touch Of Venus: The Trouble With Women - Kurt Weill

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The Collector's The Threepenny Opera

Manufacturer: VAI Audio
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Threepenny Opera (1954 New York Cast) (Blitzstein Adaptation)
Die Dreigroschenoper: Berlin 1930
Lotte Lenya Sings Kurt Weill / Levine, Lenya, Armstrong, Gilford, et al
The Threepenny Opera (1994 London Donmar Warehouse Cast)
Lotte Lenya sings Kurt Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins & Berlin Theatre Songs

ASIN: B000053W80
Release Date: 2000-01-01

Tracks:

Die Dreigroschenoper: Ov - Lewis Ruth Band/Theo Mackeben
Die Dreigroschenoper: Moritat (Mack, The Knife) - Kurt Gerron
Die Dreigroschenoper: Ballad Of The Agreeable Life - Willy Trenk-Trebitsch
Die Dreigroschenoper: Love Duet - Erika Helmke/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch
Die Dreigroschenoper: Cannon Song - Kurt Gerron/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch
Die Dreigroschenoper: Pirate Jenny - Lotte Lenya
Die Dreigroschenoper: Act I Finale - Lotte Lenya/Erika Helmke/Erich Ponto
Die Dreigroschenoper: Barbara Song - Lotte Lenya
Die Dreigroschenoper: Jealousy Song - Lotte Lenya/Erika Helmke
Die Dreigroschenoper: Farewell - Erika Helmke/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch
Die Dreigroschenoper: Act II Finale - Willy Trenk-Trebitsch
Die Dreigroschenoper: Procurer's Ballad - Lotte Lenya/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch
Die Dreigroschenoper: Song Of The Inadequacy Of Life - Erich Ponto
Die Dreigroschenoper: Moritat (Reprise) - Lotte Lenya
Die Dreigroschenoper: Final Chor - 1930 German Cast
Die Dreigroschenoper: Moritat - Bertolt Brecht
Die Dreigroschenoper: Song Of The Inadequacy Of Life - Bertolt Brecht
Kleine Dreigroschenmusik (Little Threepenny Ste): Moritat - Berlin State Opr Orch/Otto Klemperer
Kleine Dreigroschenmusik (Little Threepenny Ste): Ballade - Berlin State Opr Orch/Otto Klemperer
Kleine Dreigroschenmusik (Little Threepenny Ste): Tango-Ballade - Berlin State Opr Orch/Otto Klemperer
Kleine Dreigroschenmusik (Little Threepenny Ste): Cannon Song - Berlin State Opr Orch/Otto Klemperer
Die Dreigroschenoper: Moritat - Mme. Damia
Mahagonny: Alabama Song - Lotte Lenya/The Three Admirals
Mahagonny: As You Make Your Bed - Lotte Lenya
Mahagonny: Medley - Lotte Lenya/Berlin Cast Of The Kurfurstendamm Theatre, Berlin
Happy End: Bilbao Song - Lotte Lenya

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Brecht sings!
Some good, some bad, all Weill.

Weill: From Berlin to Broadway

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

From Berlin to Broadway, Vol. 2
The Threepenny Opera (1954 New York Cast) (Blitzstein Adaptation)
Lotte Lenya sings Kurt Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins & Berlin Theatre Songs
The Collector's The Threepenny Opera
Anne Sofie von Otter - Speak Low ~ Songs by Kurt Weill / Gardiner

ASIN: B000000WQ7
Release Date: 1996-01-23

Tracks:

Die Dreigroschenoper: Ballade von angenehmen Legen - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Zweiter Dreigroschenfinale: Ballade uber die Frage, 'wovon lebt der Mensch?' - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Die Songs der Dreigroschenoper: Seerauber - Jenny - Kanonensong - Liebeslied - Barbarasong - Tango-Ballade - Ballade von angenehmen Leben - Lied von der Unzulanglichikeit menslichen Strebens - Moritat von Mackie Messer - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Overture - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Moritat von Mackie Messer - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Ballade von angenehmen Leben - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Liebeslied - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Kanonensong - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Seerauber - Jenny - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Ernster Dreigroschenfinale - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Barbarasong - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Eifersuchtsduett - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Abschied ... Zweiter Dreigroshenfinale - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Zuhalterballade - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Lied von der Unzullichkeit menschlichen Strebens - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Moritat - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Schlusschoral - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Moritat von Mackie Messer - K. Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper: Lied von der Unzulanglichkeit menslichen Strebens - K. Weill
Kleine Dreigroschenmusik: Moritat von Mackie Messer - K. Weill
Kleine Dreigroschenmusik: Die Ballade von angenehmen Leben - K. Weill
Kleine Dreigroschenmusik: Tango - Ballade - K. Weill
Kleine Dreigroschenmusik: Kanonensong - K. Weill
Happy End: Bilbao Song - K. Weill
Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny: Alabama Song - K. Weill
Mahagonny - Excerpts: Auf nach Mahagonny - Alabama Song - Ach, bedenken Sie, Herr Jakob Schmidt...Havana Song - Wunderbar ist das Heraufkommen des Abends - Ihr habt gelernt das Cocktail-Abc - Erstens, vergesst nicht, kommt das Fressen - Meine Herren, m... - K. Weill
Der Silbersee: Das Lied von Schlaraffenland - K. Weill
Der Silbersee: Der Backer backt ums Morgenrot - K. Weill
Knickerbocker Holiday: September Song - K. Weill

Tracks:

Knickerbocker Holiday: The Scars - Kurt Weill
Lady In The Dark: Glamour Music Medley Including: Oh Fabulous One - Huxley - Girl Of The Moment - Kurt Weill
Lady In The Dark: One Life To Live - Kurt Weill
Lady In The Dark: This Is New - Kurt Weill
Lady In The Dark: The Princess Of Pure Delight - Kurt Weill
Lady In The Dark: It's Never Too Late To Mendelssohn - Kurt Weill
Lady In The Dark: Tchaikovsky (And Other Russians) - Kurt Weill
Lady In The Dark: The Saga Of Jenny - Kurt Weill
Lady In The Dark: My Ship - Kurt Weill
One Touch of Venus: I'm A Stranger Here Myself - Kurt Weill
One Touch of Venus: Ballet: Forty Minutes For Lunch - Kurt Weill
One Touch of Venus: Westwind - Kurt Weill
One Touch of Venus: Foolish Heart - Kurt Weill
One Touch of Venus: The Trouble With Women - Kurt Weill
One Touch of Venus: Speak Low - Kurt Weill
One Touch of Venus: That's Him - Kurt Weill
One Touch of Venus: Wooden Wedding - Kurt Weill
One Touch of Venus: Ballet: Venus In Ozone Heights - Kurt Weill
One Touch of Venus: Finaletto: Speak Low - Kurt Weill
Six Songs By Kurt Weill Interpreted By Lotte Lenya: Ulysses Africanus: Lost In The Stars - Kurt Weill
Six Songs By Kurt Weill Interpreted By Lotte Lenya: Ulysses Africanus: Lover Man - Kurt Weill
Six Songs By Kurt Weill Interpreted By Lotte Lenya: Marie Galante: J'attends un navire - Kurt Weill
Six Songs By Kurt Weill Interpreted By Lotte Lenya: Complainte del a Seine - Kurt Weill
Six Songs By Kurt Weill Interpreted By Lotte Lenya: Happy End: Surabaya Johnny - Kurt Weill
Six Songs By Kurt Weill Interpreted By Lotte Lenya: Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny: Den wie man sich bettet - Kurt Weill

Customer Reviews:

Brecht sings!.......2003-02-02

Come on! A chance to hear Bertolt Brecht sing his own Mack the Knife before Bobby Darrin messed it up! How many CDs are going to have that?!

Some good, some bad, all Weill........2003-01-02

Kurt Weill and Broadway fans will probably feel an intense need to have this album, and I'm not sure I'd be able to dissuade them. There's some good stuff on this recording, to be sure, but a great deal of it is in German, and much of it might not interest even someone with just a casual interest in the material chronicled. While there's a strong representation of The Threepenny Opera (all in German), the selections from Lady in the Dark featuring Gertrude Lawrence and Danny Kaye are vital, as are the tracks of Mary Martin and Kenny Baker performing selected numbers from One Touch of Venus. (You can also hear Walter Huston performing a song from Knickerbocker Holiday, though it is, for some strange reason, "The Scars." It's an interesting historical record, but not a great song.) Lotte Lenya also sings some as well, which is a treat, but overall, this is a highly variable recording. Make sure you know exactly what you're getting beforehand, or you may be likely to find yourself--as I do--listening to only half the album.

Average customer rating:

Exceptional Weill
not amused
Eisler and Weill with an edge
Absolutely Nothing to Fear !

Eastside Sinfoniette: Don't Be Afraid

Manufacturer: True Classical
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Songs for the Forgotten Future Vol. 1

ASIN: B00009ZYBA
Release Date: 2003-06-24

Tracks:

Don't Be Afraid
Bilbao Song
The Liquor Dealer's Dream
Youkali Tango
The Drowned Girl
Sailor's Tango
Supply & Demand
Remembering Maria A.
Surabaya Johnny
Ballad Of The Lily Of Hell
Mandelay Song
Hollywood
The Swamp
Solomon Song
Moritat (Mac The Knife)

Customer Reviews:

Exceptional Weill.......2005-05-14

I second the comments of the previous review--Weba Garretson's "Youkeli Tango" is remarkably beautiful. The whole cd is terrific, with the orchestrations contributing what amounts to half of a spectacular duet.

not amused.......2005-03-09

i feel that brechts style of lyrical flow could not have been more distantly branded as ok

Eisler and Weill with an edge.......2004-02-23

The Eastside Sinfonietta's "Don't Be Afraid," featuring the nuanced, cutting vocals of Weba Garretson, adds a (West Coast) American voice to the current of Weill and Eisler songs sung in English (and sung as they should be sung. ) In recent decades the Australian Robyn Archer and the German Dagmar Krause have released wonderful CDs in English, to add to Gisela May's benchmark German language recordings. This recording belongs in that exalted league, recreating these songs, forcing them to full and bitter flowering once again for this century and this generation of listeners. The musical interpretations here grow out of an avant garde/club scene sensibility. There are other ways to do this music, but this approach tends to strip off the cloying nostagia which sometimes comes with Weimar era music, nostalgia which is in truth completely opposed to the spirit of Brecht's words, and Eisler's and Weill's music. One has to hope that Ms. Garretson and the Eastside Sinfonietta of Los Angeles will attempt an album devoted exclusively to Hanns Eisler's powerful songs -- so little known by American singers and audiences.

Absolutely Nothing to Fear !.......2004-02-06

One has reason to fear the too well traveled Weil/Brecht musical terrain. It' s been trampled to death with second rate homages. So it was with a jolt of excitement and welcome surprise that I experienced the Don't' Be Afraid album. The Eastside Sinfonietta, and the remarkable Weba Garretson, have infused the repertoire (plus the happy inclusion of Hanss Eisler pieces) with a fresh and inspired take on the songs. The extremely gifted ensemble performs the difficult trick of channeling the Weimar standards so that they are born again with a rare clarity and contemporary impact. Weba Garretson dazzles with her version of Youkali Tango and personalizes all the favorites that had lost their impact until she came along. This CD is a fearsome experience. Don't hesitate for a minute. Enjoy!

Weill: Die Dreigroschenoper [Contemporary and Original Cast Recordings]

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Weill: Die Dreigroschenoper [Contemporary and Original Cast Recordings]

Manufacturer: Symposium
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00005B8OK
Release Date: 2001-08-28

Tracks: