Aksel Schiøtz Collection, vol. 3

Aksel Schiøtz
Aksel Schiøtz was born in Roskilde, Denmark, 1906. M.A. in modem languages after studies at the University of Copenhagen 1924-30. Married to Gerd Haugsted 1931. Aksel Schiøtz had a fine tenor voice which he loved to display, at parties or in church. Mogens Wøldike, the choral conductor, made him a tenor member of the Copenhagen Boys’ and Male Choir, and he was entrusted with oratorio solos. Schiøtz’s first song recital was in 1936.
In 1938 Aksel Schiøtz was discovered by His Master’s Voice, London. The much admired recorded legacy is revived in this CD series.
On April 9th, 1940, Denmark was seized by Hitler. An intemational career in Lied and oratorio must be postponed. However, the records had made a reputation for Schiøtz in Denmark. He became the best loved classical singer ever, equally popular with high and low. He appeared in opera and operetta, and had recitals all over the country at full houses. With his artistry he made a fine contribution to that democratic and moral stand called for by the times. After the war the old ties with British musical life were succesfully taken up. With Gerald Moore Schiøtz recorded “Die schöne Müllerin” and “Dichterliebe”, and he appeared in the first performances of Britten’s “The Rape of Lucretia” at Glyndebourne.
Aksel Schiøtz survived a tumor acusticus operation in 1946, but half his face was left lame. Could he ever sing again? Common sense said no. But, contrary to all reason, Aksel Schiøtz succeeded by sheer will-power to fight his way to a come-back recital in 1948, a moving event.
The sheen of the voice had gone. As a singer, now a baritone, he was perhaps now best appreciated by musicians and connaisseurs – Casals, Pears, Sascha Schneider among them – who rated artistic truth before original beauty.
In 1955 Aksel Schiøtz enters a new career, that of professor in art song, at universities in Minnesota, in Toronto ( 1958-60), and in Colorado ( 1960-68). Master classes are held all over North America, contributing to his reputation as a teacher A job as professor in Copenhagen is offered to Aksel Schiøtz in 1968. Though Aksel Schiøtz is pleased by the calling, it turns out that Denmark does not know how to make good use of his artistic and educational potential.
Aksel Schiøtz dies in 1975.