I heard her sing this song in the spring of 1951, when she did an engagement at the Cafe Grinzing in Yorktown, NYC. She still had a voice of some interest. That was 66 years ago.
I have heard the name of Fritzi SCHEFF spoken of highly. WOW what a performance of one of my favorite songs. Doug - you hit another home run with this post. Thanks - John
I'm fond of the song, of the soprano, and your graphics on this video are the best you've posted. Superlative UA-cam offering. FIVE STARS....but worth SIX.
Hi Nosh: As BIG a star as she was, aside from this radio broadcast and two early television appearances (also on UA-cam), she made no commercial recordings. Imagine! Tnx & Rgds. Doug --
Ellen: Thanks very much! and thanks to the Internet for making all this possible, including the NYT article referencing "the kiss." CHEERS, ETC. Doug --
Hi Doug! Thank you such much for sharing this rare jewel! As Viennese of course I know Fritzi Scheff, but I never listen here voice - what a WONDERFUL voice! For me it's very touching this unique document of a great daughter from my hometown :) THNX again Doug!***** And it goes to my favorites! Cheers Eva
@LadyRavenhaire Yes, agreed on ALL the above! Well, I suppose we can still listen to these moments.... and dream? In grateful appreciation... THANK YOU!
Wonderful singer I wasn't aware of before your posting. Thank you. What I find very saddening is not only the loss of talent found in singers of this age, but also the subject matters they sing of.This song is so innocent in an age today which is so very cynical&inhuman.The way people at 1 time glorified a kiss as in this song, no one would do today,even concerning something which should be much more intimate like sex.Sex has become an ordinary commodity like buying& throwing out today's paper.
She appeared with Melba in Boheme at Covent Garden. Perhaps Melba did not like the audience reaction to Scheff's singing. In any case as Scheff was ending Musetta's Waltz, on the last few measures an unmistakable voice came sailing out of the wings and finished the aria with her. It was Melba of course. Fritzi tried to scratch Melba's face and then became hysterical and was unable to go on. Melba, ever self-possessed concluded the evening with the mad scene from Lucia. I read this in a biography of Melba that came out sometime in the sixties. There will never be another one like Melba!!!
DOUG ~ Is that YOUR spoken introduction? If so, Bravo ~ replete with colorful & historical background on this (beautiful) singer ~ and her big Herbert hit of many years earlier! A very well organized & tantalizing music video indeed! ~ ANDY
Now, this is an item of major fascination! She created Musetta in La bohème at the Metropolitan (1900; Melba was the Mimì) and thereafter sang things like Cherubino, Eva, Zerline in Fra Diavolo and Marie in La Fille du régiment, not to mention Papagena, Woglinde and Asa in Paderewski's Manru! She was obviously not a celebrity singer then, although she was very, very pretty and later did become a great Broadway favourite.
Would love to know if there's more available of Ms. Scheff. This is also from an LP (though do no recall which label... could we be speaking of the same?). THANK YOU! Cheers, etc. Doug --
Well sung. At fifty seven she can hardly be classified as an old lady. Those older singers kept their voices. Interestingly, Kiss Me Again was a song Rosa Ponselle used to sing to great applause in her Vaudeville act. She was singing it as late as the 1930's on the radio. Scheff's singing and reading of the lyric is an example of a vanished art!
She sang this on the Ed Sullivan show in 1954 at age75 and brought
the house down!
I heard her sing this song in the spring of 1951, when she did an engagement at the Cafe Grinzing in Yorktown, NYC. She still had a voice of some interest. That was 66 years ago.
Spring of '51? (right when I born). The 1954 Ed Sullivan clip, just weeks before her death, shows that she still had it!
Hearing an electric recording of Fritzi's voice is a treat I did not believe existed!!!
I have heard the name of Fritzi SCHEFF spoken of highly. WOW what a performance of one of my favorite songs.
Doug - you hit another home run with this post.
Thanks - John
Yes, both Ponselle's acoustic and later broadcast recordings of "Kiss Me Again" are well worth hearing. Agree that 57 is NOT old! THANK YOU! Doug --
I'm fond of the song, of the soprano, and your graphics on this video are the best you've posted.
Superlative UA-cam offering. FIVE STARS....but
worth SIX.
Hi Nosh: As BIG a star as she was, aside from this radio broadcast and two early television appearances (also on UA-cam), she made no commercial recordings. Imagine! Tnx & Rgds. Doug --
Ellen: Thanks very much! and thanks to the Internet for making all this possible, including the NYT article referencing "the kiss." CHEERS, ETC. Doug --
Hello Kievest: Once again thank for your very nice & kind comments. In grateful appreciation. Doug --
Beau document ... Thank you Doug ...
Hi Doug!
Thank you such much for sharing this rare jewel!
As Viennese of course I know Fritzi Scheff, but I never listen here voice - what a WONDERFUL voice! For me it's very touching this unique document of a great daughter from my hometown :)
THNX again Doug!*****
And it goes to my favorites!
Cheers
Eva
Wonderful contribution!
Ellen
Hello Eva: And thank YOU very, very much. So happy you have enjoyed! Doug --
@LadyRavenhaire
Yes, agreed on ALL the above!
Well, I suppose we can still listen to these moments.... and dream?
In grateful appreciation... THANK YOU!
Inspiring, breathtaking!
For a 57 year old soprano, she still kicked some ASS!! wow!
A fantastic dream from the past...
And again 18 years later (see her in 1954 with Ed Sullivan youtube). THANKS!
How wonderful !
Love that trill!
Wonderful singer I wasn't aware of before your posting. Thank you. What I find very saddening is not only the loss of talent found in singers of this age, but also the subject matters they sing of.This song is so innocent in an age today which is so very cynical&inhuman.The way people at 1 time glorified a kiss as in this song, no one would do today,even concerning something which should be much more intimate like sex.Sex has become an ordinary commodity like buying& throwing out today's paper.
She appeared with Melba in Boheme at Covent Garden. Perhaps Melba did not like the audience reaction to Scheff's singing. In any case as Scheff was ending Musetta's Waltz, on the last few measures an unmistakable voice came sailing out of the wings and finished the aria with her. It was Melba of course. Fritzi tried to scratch Melba's face and then became hysterical and was unable to go on. Melba, ever self-possessed concluded the evening with the mad scene from Lucia. I read this in a biography of Melba that came out sometime in the sixties. There will never be another one like Melba!!!
Here, at 57, she still had her voice, as well a pretty thick accent! I can't tell you how delighted I am to have heard this.
DOUG ~
Is that YOUR spoken introduction? If so, Bravo ~ replete with colorful & historical background on this (beautiful) singer ~ and her big Herbert hit of many years earlier!
A very well organized & tantalizing music video indeed!
~ ANDY
Hi Any: The intro is actually Fred Calland, believe from an old NPR program. THANK YOU! Cheers, etc. Doug --
As far as I ever knew the number in question is called "If I Were On the Stage."
I was wrong, it is a different performance. I have the video up. Has a water mark though.
The support weakens, but she still sings on the breath.
I believe the song is from her appearance on This is your Life Max Sennet. I have the video, I'll try to post. Steve Scheff
can anyone help me with the chords? trying to play a simple version to sing along on guitar help I have a few but cant make out the other ones
Now, this is an item of major fascination! She created Musetta in La bohème at the Metropolitan (1900; Melba was the Mimì) and thereafter sang things like Cherubino, Eva, Zerline in Fra Diavolo and Marie in La Fille du régiment, not to mention Papagena, Woglinde and Asa in Paderewski's Manru! She was obviously not a celebrity singer then, although she was very, very pretty and later did become a great Broadway favourite.
Would love to know if there's more available of Ms. Scheff. This is also from an LP (though do no recall which label... could we be speaking of the same?). THANK YOU! Cheers, etc. Doug --
@grenadian11
LoL! I know... that's really NOT very old.
Thanks!
Doug --
I'm also fritzi
I think this song is more beautiful sung by a tenor,I love Richard Taubers version
Well sung. At fifty seven she can hardly be classified as an old lady. Those older singers kept their voices. Interestingly, Kiss Me Again was a song Rosa Ponselle used to sing to great applause in her Vaudeville act. She was singing it as late as the 1930's on the radio.
Scheff's singing and reading of the lyric is an example of a vanished art!