Julius Patzak possessed one of the most individual tenor voices of the century. It had a peculiarly plangent timbre, immediately recognizable from any of his many records. He was self-taught; his voice, a natural gift, seemed to have a seamless, easy production and its owner used it with a kind of innate musicianship that virtually never failed him so that on almost every track of this extensive reissue there is something to enjoy, some new insight into the music in hand. No wonder such a discerning critic as the late Hans Keller considered his art quite hors concours. Outside German-speaking countries Patzak has been mainly known through his records of Mozart arias, the role of Florestan, and Lieder partly because most of his records of French, Siav and Italian opera were made in German, as was the custom during the 1920s and 1930s in Germany. Yet this recital starts with an account, in faultless Italian, of ''Una furtiva lagrima'' that deserves to rank with the best for line and feeling, never exaggerated always stylish (it was one of the first Patzak 78s I bought, available on the Decca-Polydor label well after the war). His Verdi here is scarcely less welcome. Few singers attach to the characters of Alfredo or Riccardo such thoughtfulness and such lightness of touch, so it is sad that Pearl haven't included Riccardo's last act aria, whose recitative has never been interpreted with such a sense of ineffable regret at the thought of parting from Amelia. It could have replaced one of the Puccini arias: this is one area in which one wants a more full-blooded tone than Patzak was equipped to provide.
In French opera he gives an object-lesson in refined style. His pure legato and musicality make his Manon Dream a delight, with the breath control remarkable. In Des Grieux's big Third Act solo of remorse the first phrase is accomplished in a single span. In Werther's Ossian Lied he captures all the character's poetic ardour, and sings the music according to the score. Wilhelm Meister's ''Adieu'' provokes another lovely performance. Yet I think that I would give up all these for Patzak's heady Hoffmann the singing displaying all the delicacy and shades of tone missing in modern accounts of these solos—what a pity though that the Kleinsack song has been transferred (as once on Preiser) at well above score pitch—the original plays well below 78rpm. Even these, however, are trumped by his version of Lensky's aria. He identifies exactly with the character's morbid, plaintive sentiments, piercing the heart with his cry to Olga that her bridegroom awaits her and the repeat of ''doch du'' is haunting indeed. Jenik's aria is hardly less moving.
Patzak was almost as popular as Tauber in operetta, an essential accomplishment for an Austro-German tenor of the period. Avoiding his compatriot's mannerisms and occasional vulgarity, Patzak sang this repertory with a nice combination of seductive charm and irresistible accenting of the texts—try ''Nur fur Natur'' (though I have my doubts here again about the pitch). But how could Pearl have included the item from Der Bettelstudent in which the voice has been identified as Franz Volker's (the sound is quite different) not Patzak's in spite of what the 78rpm label states? Mind you, it's quite good to have a reminder of that tenor's art, but not on a disc devoted to his colleague. This carelessness is further evinced by the identification of Runger as a soprano: in 1936, at least, she was unquestionably a mezzo (as her role of Azucena indicates). Don't let any of this prevent you acquiring this wonderful disc, which ends with one of Patzak's unforgettably dreamy accounts of a traditional Viennese song. The transfers have mostly been made from good copies.'