This is a list of some of the US and UK radio broadcasts that included Lehmann and for which we have no recordings (or only alleged transfers). There were a lot of radio enthusiasts in the 1930’s and 1940’s who recorded their favorite singers on acetates. It is possible that some of these programs exist. It is up to the Lehmann community to search them out. Try your local library, university, music school or any broadcast affiliate which might archive old radio programs. And let us know what you discover!
Before you get too excited, check the Discography to see if your discovery has already been found and produced as an LP or CD or at least placed in an archive. Good hunting!
The following radio broadcasts (either of studio performances or from the stage as opera or recital) are in chronological order. They do not as yet include any European broadcasts except for Covent Garden, London. If anyone has access to such records, especially for Salzburg, please let us know or send them to us.
• 29 Jan ’33 New York Philharmonic conducted by Bruno Walter; broadcast on CBS: Gluck: Alceste: Divinités du Styx; Weber: Oberon: Ozean, du Ungeheuer
• 24 Feb ’34 Metropolitan Opera broadcast on NBC Blue and/or Red Network and shortwave and sponsored by the American Tobacco Company: Tannhäuser conducted by Bodanzky: Lehmann, Olszewska; Melchior, Schorr, Hofmann
• 30 Apr ’34 Covent Garden; conductor: Sir Thomas Beecham; Act 1 broadcast, BBC National; Beethoven: Fidelio
• 2 May ’34 Covent Garden; conductor: Sir Thomas Beecham; Act 3 broadcast (therefore very little Lehmann), BBC Regional: Wagner: Die Walküre
• 8 May ’34 Covent Garden; conductor: Sir Thomas Beecham; Act 2 broadcast, BBC Regonal: Beethoven: Fidelio
• 10 May ’34 Covent Garden; conductor: Sir Thomas Beecham; reportedly not broadcast: Beethoven: Fidelio
• 14 May ’34 Covent Garden; conductor: Sir Thomas Beecham; reportedly not broadcast: Wagner: Die Walküre
• 1 Jun ’34 Covent Garden; conductor: Sir Thomas Beecham; reportedly not broadcast: Wagner: Die Meistersinger
• 30 Dec ’34 New York Philharmonic conducted by Bruno Walter; broadcast on CBS; with Paul Althouse and Emanuel List: Wagner: Die Walküre: Act 1
• 10 Feb ’35 Ford Hour; Detroit Symphony conducted by Victor Kolar: Bach-Luther: Ein feste Burg (?); Wagner: Tannhäuser: Dich teure Halle; Rachmaninov: In the Silence of the Night; Schubert: Der Erlkönig; Richard Strauss: Zueignung; David: The rain (?); Dvorak: Going home (?). The (?) in this listing refers to pieces which may have been sung by a chorus, or perhaps Lehmann.
• 29 Apr ’35 Covent Garden; conductor: Sir Thomas Beecham; Act 2 broadcast, BBC National: Wagner: Lohengrin (uncut?)
• 6 May ’35 Covent Garden; conductor: Sir Thomas Beecham; reportedly not broadcast: Wagner: Die Walküre
• 8 May ’35 Covent Garden; conductor: Sir Thomas Beecham; reportedly not broadcast: Wagner: Lohengrin
• 17 May ’35 Covent Garden; conductor: Sir Thomas Beecham; reportedly not broadcast: Wagner: Die Walküre
• 8 Dec ’35 New York Philharmonic conducted by Otto Klemperer; broadcast on CBS: Goetz: Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung: Scena and aria; Wolf: Anakreons Grab; Der Freund; Er ist’s
• 22 Dec ’35 General Motors Hour; broadcast Sundays 10:00-11:00 est, NBC; “70 piece orchestra conducted by Erno Rapee and a mixed chorus of 400 voices at the Masonic Auditorium Temple in Detroit.” The First Noël (?); Adeste Fidelis (?); Massenet: Hérodeade: Il est doux, il est bon; Tchaikovsky: None but the lonely heart; Schubert: Erlkönig; Gruber: Silent Night (?); Good King Wenceslas (?)Reger: Virgin’s Slumber Song; the (?) in this listing refers to pieces which may have been sung by a chorus, or perhaps Lehmann.
• 18 Oct ’36 General Motors Hours (see above): Wagner: Die Walküre: Du bist der Lenz; Puccini: Tosca: Vissi d’arte; Blech: Heimkehr vom Feste; Brahms: Wiegenlied
• 26 Nov ’36 Kraft Music Hall; broadcast Thursdays on NBC Red 10:00-10:30; regulars: Bing Crosby, Grete Stückgold, conductor: Jimmy Dorsey
• 2 Jan ’37 Nash Speedshow; broadcast Saturdays 9:00-9:30 EST; orchestra conducted by Vincent Lopez; with Julius Huehn.
• 16 Jan ’37 Metropolitan Opera; broadcast on the NBC Blue and/or Red Network and shortwave; sponsored by RCA; Die Walküre conducted by Bodanzky: Lawrence, Lehmann, Thorborg; Melchior, etc. We now have this rarity, many thanks!
• 14 Feb ’37 Ford Hour; Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Victor Kolar: Wagner: Tannhäuser: Elisabeth’s prayer; Alfano: Risurezzione: Aria (Dio di grazia (?); Blech: Heimkehr vom Fest; Sjoberg: Tonerna; Schubert: Ständchen; This listing refers to a piece which may have been sung by a chorus, or perhaps Lehmann.
• 24 Oct ’37 Ford Hour; Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by José Iturbi; Mozart: Marriage of Figaro: Porgi Amor; Cimera: Canto di primavera; J. Strauss: Die Fledermaus: Du und du; Schubert: Gretchen am Spinnrade; Brahms: O liebliche Wangen; Bayly: Long, long ago; this listing refers to a piece which may have been sung by a chorus, or perhaps Lehmann.
• 4 May ’38 Covent Garden; conductor: Erich Kleiber; broadcast on BBC National only through the levée scene in the first act, when Lehmann broke down…see bio.; R. Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier
• 10 May ’38 Covent Garden; conductor: Erich Klieber; reportedly not broadcast; R. Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier
• 12 May ’38 Covent Garden; conductor: Erich Klieber; reportedly not broadcast; R. Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier
• 2 Feb ’41 New Friends of Music (all at Town Hall with Paul Ulanowsky, piano) (noted as not broadcast (?), though all other concerts this season were on NBC Red from 6:00-7:00, even though the concerts began at 5:30); Schubert: Winterreise
• 13 Sep ’41 America Preferred (War Bond promo show sponsored by US Treasury); broadcast on Mutual Broadcasting; orchestra conducted by Alfred Wallenstein
• 8 Feb ’42 New Friends of Music (all at Town Hall with Paul Ulanowsky, piano); broadcast on NBC Blue from 6:00-7:00, though the concerts began at 5:30; this recital was broadcast only from 6:10-6:30; Schubert: Die schöne Müllerin
• 21 Mar ’42 America Preferred (same as above); Wagner: Die Walküre: Du bist der Lenz; Wesendonck Lieder: Träume; Schubert: Wohin?; Ständchen; Brahms: Mein Mädel hat einen Rosenmund; O liebliche Wangen
• 24 Jan ’43 New Friends of Music (all at Town Hall with Paul Ulanowsky, piano); broadcast on WQXR from 6:00-7:00; though the concerts began at 5:30; this recital was broadcast only from 6:30-7:00; Schumann: Frauenliebe und -leben; Dichterliebe
• 15 Feb ’43 CBS weekly music show (title?); broadcast Mondays 3:30-4:00; orchestra conducted by Howard Barlow (contents not listed in NY Times but New England Conservatory of Music is said to have discs (G 221, G 222) that include: Schubert: An die Musik; Schumann: Aufträge (perhaps this unidentified performance of Aufträge fits?
• 22 Feb ’43 CBS weekday music show (title?); conductor: Howard Barlow: Londondery Air; Purcell: There’s not a swain; Haydn: She never told her love; Hahn: D’une prison; Dell ‘Acqua: La Vierge a la Creche; Weckerlin: Maman, dites-moi
• 1 Mar ’43 CBS weekly music show (title?); piano: Ulanowsky; orchestra conducted by Howard Barlow: Mendelssohn: Auf Flügeln des Gesanges; Strauss: Allerseelen; Wolf: Verborgenheit; Tchaikowsky: None but the lonely heart; Quilter: Now sleeps the crimson petal; Hageman: Music I heard with you
• 7 Mar ’43 CBS weekly music show (title?); broadcast Mondays 3:30-4:00; pianist Ulanowsky; orchestra conducted by Bernard Hermann: Stolz: Im Prater blüh’n wieder die Bäume; J. Strauss: Heut’ macht die Welt Sonntag für mich; Sieczynski: Wien, du Stadt meiner Träume; Londonderry Air; Thompson: Velvet Shoes; Wolfe: British Children’s Prayer
• 2 (12?) Dec ’43 San Francisco Symphony conducted by Pierre Monteux; broadcast on the Chevron Standard Hour; (*) indicate those selections which already may have appeared on CD format: *Schubert: Ständchen
• 12 Dec ’43 San Francisco Symphony conducted by Pierre Monteux; broadcast on the Chevron Standard Hour; (*) indicate those selections which already may have appeared on CD format: *Brahms: Wiegenlied
• 26 Dec ’43 Standard Symphony of Los Angeles conducted by Svedrofsky: Hageman: Music I heard with you; Mellish-Johnson, arranged by Pochon: Drink to me only with thine eyes
• No Date WQXR War Bond Concert; Sunday 2:00-2:55; Schumann: Frauenliebe und -leben
• 4 Feb ’45 New Friends of Music (all at Town Hall with Paul Ulanowsky, piano); broadcast on WQXR: Beethoven: Mignon; Ich liebe dich; Wonne der Wehmut; Neue Liebe, neues Leben; Cycle: An die ferne Geliebte; In questa tomba oscura; Mailied; Der Kuss; An die Hoffnung; Adelaide; Mit einem gemalten Bande; Die Ehre Gottes aus der Nature; Mozart: Abendempfindung; Das Veilchen; Dans un bois solitaire; Die Verschweigung
• 10 Feb ’46 New Friends of Music (all at Town Hall with Paul Ulanowsky, piano); broadcast on WQXR (This recital WAS recorded and is available on CD)
• 16 Feb ’47 New Friends of Music (all at Town Hall with Paul Ulanowsky, piano); broadcast on WQXR: Schumann: Widmung; Aus den östlichen Rosen; Rose, Meer, und Sonne; Du bist wie eine Blume; Mein Wagen rollet langsam; Lieb’ Liebchen, legt’s Händchen; Mit Myrten und Rosen; Talismane; Lied der Suleika; Heiss mich nicht reden; Sitz’ ich allein; Im Westen; Hochländisches Wiegenlied; Zwei venetianische Lieder; Die Soldatenbraut; Der Nussbaum; Wer machte dich so krank; Alte Laute; Er ist’s
• 7 Mar ’48 New Friends of Music (all at Town Hall with Paul Ulanowsky, piano); broadcast on WQXR (the following with “*” may be found in the discography…that is they exist on acetates or in archives already. Beethoven: Andenken; Der treue Johnnie; Mit einem gemalten Bande; Neue Liebe, neues Leben; Mendelssohn: Schilfslied; Es weiss und rät es doch keiner; Bei der Wiege; Neue Liebe; Frage; Der Mond; Lieblingsplätzchen; Suleika; Gruss; Pagenlied; Auf Flüglen des Gesanges; *Venetianisches Gondellied; *Die Liebende schreibt; Beethoven: *An die ferne Geliebte
• 27 Feb ’49 New Friends of Music (all at Town Hall with Paul Ulanowsky, piano); broadcast on WABF; Most of this exists on CD, but there are a possible four songs that follow the Brahms Wie froh und frisch.
• 22 Jan ’50 New Friends of Music; WABF broadcast: Brahms: Spanisches Lied; Botschaft; Wie Melodien zieht es mir; Der Schmied; Auf dem Kirchhofe; 14 others
• 7 May ’50 Standard Symphony of Los Angeles conducted by Svedrofsky: Mendelssohn: On Wings of Song (in English or German?); Brahms: Wiegenlied
• 11 Feb ’51 New Friends of Music; WABF broadcast: Schubert: Winterreise (said to be on discs 16M 398, 16M 399, 16M 364, New England Conservatory of Music)