Lauritz Melchior
Lauritz Melchior (20 March 1890 – 18 March 1973) was a Danish-American opera singer. He was the preeminent Wagnerian tenor of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s and has come to be considered the quintessence of his voice type. Late in his career, Melchior appeared in movie musicals and on radio and television. He also made numerous recordings. |
Birth and Death Data: Born March 20, 1890 (Copenhagen), Died March 18, 1973 (Santa Monica)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1954
Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor vocal
Notes: Address in 1937, from Victor ledgers (BS-3987): Ansonia Hotel; Apt. 1077; 73rd and Broadway; New York City.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | BS-03987 | 10-in. | 1/18/1937 | Personal record for Mr. Melchior | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-07871 | 10-in. | 4/27/1937 | Heimliche Aufforderung | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-07872 | 10-in. | 4/27/1937 | Traum durch die Dämmerung | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-07873 | 10-in. | 4/27/1937 | Lenz (Spring) | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-07874 | 10-in. | 4/27/1937 | Tonerna (Tones) | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-07875 | 10-in. | 4/27/1937 | Into the light | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-07876 | 10-in. | 4/27/1937 | Do not go, my love | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-07877 | 10-in. | 4/27/1937 | Zueignung (Devotion) | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-07878 | 10-in. | 4/27/1937 | En svane (A swan) | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-022322 | 10-in. | 4/17/1938 | Nothung! Nothung! | Lauritz Melchior ; Eugene Ormandy ; Philadelphia Orchestra | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | CS-022323 | 12-in. | 4/17/1938 | Lohengrin's Abschied | Lauritz Melchior ; Eugene Ormandy ; Philadelphia Orchestra | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-022324 | 10-in. | 4/17/1938 | Winterstürme | Lauritz Melchior ; Eugene Ormandy ; Philadelphia Orchestra | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | CS-022325 | 12-in. | 4/17/1938 | Amfortas! Die Wunde! | Lauritz Melchior ; Eugene Ormandy ; Philadelphia Orchestra | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | CS-022326 | 12-in. | 4/17/1938 | Amfortas! Die Wunde! | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | CS-022327 | 12-in. | 4/17/1938 | Schlussgesang (Nur eine Waffe taugt) | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-022421 | 10-in. | 4/11/1938 | Schon streckt' ich aus im Bett | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-022422 | 10-in. | 4/11/1938 | Mailied | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-022423 | 10-in. | 4/11/1938 | A dream | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-022424 | 10-in. | 4/11/1938 | Mir träumte von einem Königskind | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-022425 | 10-in. | 4/11/1938 | Drick! | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-022426 | 10-in. | 4/11/1938 | Auf dem Kirchhofe | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-031860 | 10-in. | 1/30/1939 | Er und sie | Lotte Lehmann ; Lauritz Melchior | Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-031861 | 10-in. | 1/30/1939 | So wahr die Sonne scheinet (True as the sun shines) | Lotte Lehmann ; Lauritz Melchior | Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-031862 | 10-in. | 1/30/1939 | Familien Gemalde | Lotte Lehmann ; Lauritz Melchior | Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-031863 | 10-in. | 1/30/1939 | Ich denke dein | Lotte Lehmann ; Lauritz Melchior | Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-065619 | 10-in. | 5/16/1941 | Skoveensomhed | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-065620 | 10-in. | 5/16/1941 | Foraarssang (Spring song) | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-065621 | 10-in. | 5/16/1941 | Flyg mina tankar (Fly my thoughts) | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-065622 | 10-in. | 5/16/1941 | Stille mit hjaerte (Quiet my heart) | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-065623 | 10-in. | 5/16/1941 | Svarte rosor | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | BS-065624 | 10-in. | 5/16/1941 | Eros | Lauritz Melchior ; Ignace Strasfogel | Tenor vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | D4RB-0523 | 10-in. | 12/30/1944 | Vive l'amour | Lauritz Melchior ; Strasfogel Orchestra | Tenor vocal solo, with mixed vocal chorus and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Victor | D4RB-0524 | 10-in. | 12/30/1944 | Please don't say no | Lauritz Melchior ; Strasfogel Orchestra | Tenor vocal solo, with mixed vocal chorus and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | XE22327 | 12-in. | 4/8/1927 | Minnelied | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | XE18772-XE18773 | 12-in. | 4/15/1926 | Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | XE18774-XE18775 | 12-in. | 4/15/1926 | Morgenlich leuchtend im rosigen Schein | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | E18846-E18849 | 10-in. | 4/21/1926 | Do not go, my love | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | E18850-E18851 | 10-in. | 4/21/1926 | To my bride | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | E18925-E18926 | 10-in. | 4/27/1926 | Do not go, my love | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with violin and piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | E18927-E18928 | 10-in. | 4/27/1926 | Do not go, my love | Fredric Fradkin ; Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra and violin obbligato | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | E18929-E18930 | 10-in. | 4/27/1926 | To my bride | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | E21449½-E21450 | 10-in. | 2/8/1927 | Isobel | Lauritz Melchior | Male vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | E21451-E21452 | 10-in. | 2/8/1927 | Gold o' the world | Lauritz Melchior | Male vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | E21756-E21757 | 10-in. | 3/7/1927 | Come, friend | Lauritz Melchior | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | E21758-E21759 | 10-in. | 3/7/1927 | Isobel | Lauritz Melchior | Male vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | E21760-E21761 | 10-in. | 3/7/1927 | Dolorosa | Lauritz Melchior | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | XE21790-XE21792 | 12-in. | 3/8/1927 | Oh, cease thy singing, maiden fair | Lauritz Melchior | Male vocal solo, with violin obligato, string quartet, and piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | XE21793-XE21794 | 12-in. | 3/8/1927 | Liebeslied | Lauritz Melchior | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | XE22324-XE22326 | 12-in. | 4/8/1927 | Am Meer | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | XE22328-XE22329 | 12-in. | 4/8/1927 | Preislied | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | XE22421-XE22423 | 12-in. | 4/14/1927 | Am Meer | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | XE22424-XE22425 | 12-in. | 4/14/1927 | Minnelied | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Brunswick | XE22426-XE22427 | 12-in. | 4/14/1927 | Litanei | Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Gramophone | 0CS1526 | 10-in. | 09/15/1939 | Det er et yndigt land | Johan Hye-Knudsen ; Lauritz Melchior | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Gramophone | 2B533 | 12-in. | 5/21/1931 | Siegfried | Robert Heger ; London Symphony Orchestra ; Lauritz Melchior ; Heinrich Tessmer | Vocal duet (2 tenors), with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Gramophone | 2B534 | 12-in. | 5/21/1931 | Siegfried | Robert Heger ; London Symphony Orchestra ; Lauritz Melchior ; Heinrich Tessmer | Vocal duet (2 tenors), with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
| Decca | 76228 | 4/27/1950 | Part 1-Overture: Deep in my heart, dear ; Serenade ; Students' marching song | Gloria Lane ; Lauritz Melchior ; Lee Sweetland ; Jane Wilson | vocalist, tenor vocal | |||
| Decca | 76229 | 4/27/1950 | Part 2: Golden days | Gloria Lane ; Lauritz Melchior ; Lee Sweetland ; Jane Wilson | vocalist, tenor vocal | |||
| Decca | 76230 | 4/27/1950 | Part 3: Drinking song | Gloria Lane ; Lauritz Melchior ; Lee Sweetland ; Jane Wilson | vocalist, tenor vocal | |||
| Decca | 76231 | 4/28/1950 | Part 4: Students' marching song | Gloria Lane ; Lauritz Melchior ; Lee Sweetland ; Jane Wilson | vocalist, tenor vocal | |||
| Decca | 76232 | 4/28/1950 | Part 5: Deep in my heart, dear | Gloria Lane ; Lauritz Melchior ; Lee Sweetland ; Jane Wilson | vocalist, tenor vocal | |||
| Decca | 76233 | 4/29/1950 | Part 6: Serenade | Gloria Lane ; Lauritz Melchior ; Lee Sweetland ; Jane Wilson | vocalist, tenor vocal | |||
| Decca | 76234 | 4/29/1950 | Part 7: Just we two | Gloria Lane ; Lauritz Melchior ; Lee Sweetland ; Jane Wilson | vocalist, tenor vocal | |||
| Decca | 76235 | 4/29/1950 | Part 8- Finale: Golden days ; Gaudeamus ; Serenade ; Deep in my heart, dear | Gloria Lane ; Lauritz Melchior ; Lee Sweetland ; Jane Wilson | vocalist, tenor vocal | |||
| Decca | 86630 | 8/4/1954 | It's great to be alive-1 | Hope Holiday | vocalist, tenor vocal |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Melchior, Lauritz," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100028.
Melchior, Lauritz. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100028.
"Melchior, Lauritz." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Lauritz Melchior
Discogs: Lauritz Melchior
Allmusic: Lauritz Melchior
Grove: Lauritz Melchior
IMDb: Lauritz Melchior
Britannica: Lauritz Melchior
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Melchior, Lauritz - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n81084033
Wikidata: Lauritz Melchior - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q542823
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/12492148
MusicBrainz: Lauritz Melchior - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/73733a53-d987-4b2a-b5cf-60e2612f6735
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
Feedback
Send the Editors a message about this record.