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Arthur Preuss - Ach, so fromm

Arthur Preuss (1878-1944) was one of the finest character tenors of the early 20th century. Born the son of a merchant in Königsberg, Preuss wanted to be a singer from childhood. The boy’s father supported his son’s singing ambitions and sent him to Berlin to study at the tender age of fifteen. During this period of study, Preuss was heard by renowned composer and conductor Gustav Mahler, who was greatly impressed by the young tenor’s singing. Mahler secured an engagement for Preuss at the Vienna Hofoper, where the young tenor took on such buffo roles as David in Die Meistersinger, Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte, Pedrillo in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Leopold in La Juive, Beppe in Pagliacci, the Marquis in Zar und Zimmerman, Baba Mustafa in Der Barbier von Bagdad and others. While working under Mahler at the Hofoper, Preuss was an invaluable member of the company, singing over 100 performances each season. The tenor participated in ten premieres, including first Vienna performances of Madama Butterfly (Goro) and Der Rosenkavalier (Valzacchi). Preuss left the Hofoper in February of 1915 following a personal clash with director Hans Gregor. He sang for a few years at the Vienna Volksoper and made a handful of guest appearances at the Staatsoper. By the mid-1920s, Preuss began participating in early radio broadcasts, including transmissions of complete operas. The tenor’s lyric tone had darkened somewhat, allowing him to essay such roles as Max in Der Freischütz and the title role in Fra Diavolo. Preuss was also intrigued by the advent of sound films, and lent his acting and singing talents to a few early German talkies. Following his retirement from active performing in 1930, Preuss opened a successful singing school in Vienna. The retired tenor continued working with young students throughout the 1930s and into the war years. Although he was largely neutral in his political leanings, Preuss’ son was active in the anti-Nazi resistance movement in Czechoslovakia. On August 20, 1944, the elder Preuss was arrested by the Gestapo and interrogated as to his son’s activities. Although he does not seem to have been physically abused by his captors, the emotional strain proved too much for the sixty-six-year-old tenor. In the midst of the lengthy interrogation, Preuss collapsed to the floor, dead from an apparent heart attack. Arthur Preuss made a few discs for G&T and the Gramophone Company in the early years of the 20th century. These recordings reveal a voice that was well suited to both character parts and leading lyric tenor roles. Although Preuss easily transitioned from the comic roles of Pagliacci and Abduction From the Seraglio to the romantic leads of La Traviata and Merry Wives of Windsor, his was essentially a buffo tenor…albeit a very attractive and expressive buffo tenor. Here, Preuss sings Lionel's aria "Ach, so fromm" from von Flotow's Martha. This recording was made for G&T in 1906.