Even though Ferenc Fricsay’s career as a recording artist barely lasted 12 years, almost every connoisseur of Classical music considers him a legend, the epitome of the enlightened master conductor, who was good at everything he touched, a role model for figures like Abbado or Harnoncourt.

The sleek and slender aspects of Ferenc Fricsay’s conductorial style paved the way for many facets of what we consider informed conducting today, especially in Mozart, and he still (almost) equalled Furtwängler in transcendental romanticism – when it suited the music.

During the short timespan that he had as a recording artist, between 1949 and 1961, Fricsay, besides his many other obligations, managed to make an abundance of records for Deutsche Grammophon, now amounting to an incredible number of 82 fully packed CDs.

And, as critics then and now have pointed out, he made every single record count, especially when he knew that he had little time. The Fricsay recording that wasn’t great still has to be pointed out. One can only wonder what this genius would have achieved had he lived longer.

Contents:
CD 1
BARTÓK: Herzog Blaubarts Burg
Töpper • Fischer-Dieskau
BARTÓK: Cantata Profana
Krebs

CD 2–3    
BEETHOVEN: Fidelio
Engen • Fischer-Dieskau • Haefliger • Rysanek • Frick • Seefried • Lenz

CD 4
BIZET: Carmen (Highlights)
Domínguez • Simándy • Metternich • Stader
Plus: Arias by BIZET / ROSSINI / VERDI / PUCCINI
Metternich • Töpper • Kozub

CD 5–6    
GLUCK: Orpheus und Eurydike
Fischer-Dieskau • Stader • Streich

CD 7–8    
HAYDN: Die Jahreszeiten (1952)
Trötschel • Ludwig • Greindl
HAYDN:Te Deum

CD 9–10  
HAYDN: Die Jahreszeiten (1961)
Stader • Haefliger • Greindl

CD 11    
KODÁLY: Psalmus hungaricus (1954)
KODÁLY: Psalmus hungaricus (1959)
Haefliger

CD 12    
MENDELSSOHN: Ein Sommernachtstraum
Streich • Eustrati
BRAHMS: Alt-Rhapsodie
MAHLER: Rückert-Lieder
Forrester

CD 13    
MOZART: Great Mass in C minor
Stader • Töpper • Haefliger • Sardi
MOZART: Laudate Dominum
MOZART: Exsultate, jubilate
Stader

CD 14    
MOZART: Requiem
Grümmer • Pitzinger • Krebs • Hotter

CD 15–16
MOZART: Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Franck • Haefliger • Stader • Streich • Vantin • Greindl
MOZART: Exsultate, jubilate
Plus: Arias from Le nozze di Figaro & Don Giovanni
Stader

CD 17–18
MOZART: Die Zauberflöte
Streich • Stader • Haefliger • Greindl • Fischer-Dieskau • Otto

CD 19–21
MOZART: Don Giovanni
Fischer-Dieskau • Kreppel • Jurinac • Haefliger • Stader • Kohn • Sardi • Seefried

CD 22–23
MOZART: Idomeneo
Kmentt • Haefliger • Grümmer • Lorengar • Capecchi • Waechter

CD 24–26
MOZART: Le nozze di Figaro
Fischer-Dieskau • Stader • Seefried • Capecchi • Töpper • Benningsen • Sardi

CD 27    
ROSSINI: Stabat Mater
Stader • Radev • Haefliger • Borg

CD 28–29
J STRAUSS: II Die Fledermaus
Anders • Streich • Schlemm • Krebs • Brauer • Wocke
J STRAUSS: Frühlingsstimmen (Waltz)
Lipp

CD 30    
STRAVINSKY: Oedipus rex
Haefliger • Töpper • Engen • Kuën • Sardi • Deutsch
STRAVINSKY: Symphony of Psalms

CD 31    
VERDI: Requiem (1953)
Stader • Radev • Krebs • Borg

CD 32–33
VERDI: Requiem (1960)
VERDI: 4 Pezzi Sacri
Stader • Domínguez • Carelli • Sardi

CD 34–35
WAGNER: Der fliegende Holländer
Greindl • Kupper • Windgassen • Wagner • Haefliger • Metternich

CD 36    
Arias by BIZET / GOUNOD / ROSSINI / VERDI / GIORDANO / LEONCAVALLI
ORFF: Movements from Carmina Burana
Fischer-Dieskau • Schlemm

CD 37    
FRICSAY: Erzähltes Leben (A Life Retold)

BONUS DVD
Der Zauberlehrling / Háry János Suite (rehearsals and performances)