• PostedJuly 22, 2015
  • Authorstarterstall

Students and fans of Weill’s music will certainly remember the extensive series of recordings issued by the German label Capriccio during the late 1980s and 1990s. Most of the works had been difficult or impossible to find previously; the new performances, most conducted by Jan Latham-König, made them easily accessible for the first time. In some cases, the Capriccio releases still represent the only commercially available recordings.

In 2015, Capriccio has come out with two new 5-CD sets containing nearly all of Latham-König’s Weill recordings. Priced at a discount, the sets make it easy for collectors to acquire these recordings to replace the old ones or to add them to their stocks for the first time. They are issued under the title “Kurt Weill Edition,” vols. 1 and 2. Many of the original Capriccio issues have historical and artistic significance and have become hard to find, so an opportunity to acquire them again is welcome.

Capriccio CD cover vol. 1

Here is a table of contents for both sets:

Vol. 1 (Capriccio C7178):

CD 1: Die Dreigroschenoper with Walter Raffeiner, Peter Nikolaus Kante, Jane Henschel, Ulrike Steinsky, et al. Originally issued as Capriccio 60 058-1, 1997.
CD 2: Die sieben Todsünden (version for low voice) and Mahagonny Songspiel with Doris Bierett, et al. Originally issued as Capriccio 60 028-1, 1993.
CD 3: Der Lindberghflug/Der Ozeanflug and Der Jasager with Tobias Schmeisser, Hilke Helling, Wolfgang Schmidt, Herbert Feckler, et al. Originally issued as Capriccio 60 012-1, 1990, and 60 020-1, 1991, respectively.
CD 4-5: Der Silbersee with Hildegard Heichele, Wolfgang Schmidt, Hans Korte, Eva Tamassy, et al. Originally issued as Capriccio 60 011-2, 1990.

Capriccio CD cover, vol. 2

Vol. 2 (Capriccio C7184)

CD 1-2: Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny with Anja Silja, Wolfgang Neumann, Anny Schlemm, et al. Originally issued as Capriccio 10 160/61, 1988.
CD 3: Der Zar lässt sich photographieren with Barry McDaniel, Marita Napier, Carla Pohl, Heinz Kruse, et al. Originally issued as Capriccio 60 007-1 (10 147), 1989.
CD 4: Der Kuhhandel with Lucy Peacock, Eberhard Büchner, Christian Schotenröhr, et al. Originally issued as Capriccio 60 013-1, 1992.
CD 5: Happy End with Gabriele Ramm, Walter Raffeiner, Karin Ploog, Steven Kimbrough, et al. Originally issued as Capriccio 60 015-1, 1990.