In the 20 years from 1936 to 1956, Ludwig Weber was a commanding figure in the field of German opera. As is graphically confirmed in this reissue of his superb post-war 78rpm discs, he possessed a sonorous, highly individual bass, which he used to magnificently black effect in bringing to life a whole gallery of rogues and villains, yet one he could soften to create a warmly sympathetic Gurnemanz and King Mark. Above all, his readings had real character achieved through vocal confidence and a clear articulation of the text so typical of his generation, so rare today. For instance, Weber’s Osmin and Kaspar (both arias in each case) leap from the speaker, menacingly so in the case of the villain of Der Freischutz.
Many will already have Weber’s Gurnemanz in the Knappertsbusch Parsifal, Bayreuth 1951 (Teldec, 8/93) and his benchmark Ochs in the Eric Kleiber recording of 1953 (Decca, 5/90). But it’s still good to hear the finale of Der Rosenkavalier recorded four years earlier – a true classic of subtle word-painting – and the richly rewarding and substantial souvenirs of Weber’s Gurnemanz recorded in London and Vienna in 1951, the Good Friday Music also distinguished by Torsten Ralf’s sensitive Parsifal, while Weber’s King Mark is a figure of sorrowful dignity. Hagen’s Watch is an enticing harbinger of Weber’s complete assumption, promised in September from Testament in the 1951 Bayreuth Gotterdammerung, under Knappertsbusch, a treasure locked away in the Decca archives for nigh on half a century.
In non-German repertory, Weber isn’t so successful. A noted Boris (he once sang the role at Covent Garden), what we have here is his rollicking Varlaam, unconvincing in German. His reputation as an admired Verdian isn’t entirely confirmed by his firmly sung but unidiomatically inflected ‘O tu, Palermo’. The excellent transfers confirm Walter Legge’s genius in recording voices.'