Willy Schüller
born 1878 (?)
Schüller made his debut in 1902 at the Stadttheater in Essen. 1904–06, he sang at the Vienna
Volksoper. After that, he was at the Lortzing-Theater Berlin for one year. In 1907/08, he toured the USA.
Upon return, he lived in Berlin. From Berlin, he made guest appearances all over Germany.
In 1910, he toured Holland. (It could not be verified that he sang in Holland.)
In 1911/12, he was director of the Wilhelm-Theater in Magdeburg, where he also sang.
After that, Schüller seems to have disappeared.
He was married to the soprano Hanna Mara, with whom he recorded duets.
His repertory included: Tamino, Lyonel, Fenton (Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor), Faust, José, Turiddu, ...
Schüller was a prolific recording artist. He recorded for Pathé, Beka, Zonophone, Scala, Arcona, Dacapo and other
small labels – partly also under pseudonyms (see below).
Reference: Kutsch & Riemens
In RA format
In RA format
Schüller is the nemesis of every record collector in German speaking countries: his individual records may be rare, but he
made so incredibly many of them that they are nonetheless ubiquitous – and most are just abominable. The above Freischütz and
Lohengrin selections prove, however, that his voice was originally not that bad; he never had a top (cf. the Trovatore recording)
and should probably have restudied as a baritone, but the voice, I repeat, was quite agreeable. Of course, his brutal pushing
took its toll, and he didn't last: after just a few years, the voice was a wreck, as evidenced by the Pagliacci record
(don't be fooled by the pseudonym on the label: it's definitely Schüller, if you compare this with his earlier, and
self-announced, Lyrophon version of the same aria, just that the voice is meanwhile gone). I'm sure this (remarkable) vocal
shipwreck was also the reason for his "disappearance" from the stages.
Picture source
I wish to thank Christian Torrent for the recording (Trovatore).
Discography (very partial)
Edison 2-min cylinders, Berlin 1908?
15937 Ein Röslein auf der Heide 15937
15974 Faust (Gounod): Duett (w. Nebe) 15974
15992 Mein Walzer (Gross) 15992
Pathé, Berlin 1909?
14612 Winterlied (Koss) 14612
14613 Der Liebe Schatz (Reinhardt): Frauen Aug', du gleichst dem Meere 14613
14616 Lohengrin (Wagner): Schwanenlied (w. Berlin Hofoper chorus) 14616
14620 Freischütz (Weber): Durch die Wälder 14620
14621 Zigeunerbaron (Strauß): Auftrittslied des Barinkay 14621
14625 Faust (Gounod): Lass mich in dein Antlitz (w. Mara) 14625
14626 Faust (Gounod): Ewig dein (w. Mara) 14626
14627 Dollarprinzessin (Fall): Wir tanzen Ringelreih'n (w. Mara) 14627
14628 Bettelstudent (Millöcker): Nur das Eine bitt' ich dich (w. Mara) 14628
Pathé, Berlin 1911?
15844 An der Weser (Pressel) 15844
15845 Ein rheinisches Mädchen bei rheinischem Wein (Martens) 15845
15846 Ich weiß ein Herz, für das ich bete (Rodominsky) 15846
15847 Unsere Marine (Linderer): Deutsches Flaggenlied 15847
Pathé, Berlin 1912?
54679 Sei gegrüsst, du mein schönes Sorrent (Ludolf-Waldmann) 54679
54977 Schönau, mein Paradies (Kutschera) 54977
54978 Vogelhändler (Zeller): Wie mein Ahnl 54978
54979 Fra Diavolo (Auber): Romanze 54979
? Verlorenes Glück (Sprowacker) ?
Mill Opera, Berlin
459 Lohengrin (Wagner): Schwanenlied 513
460 Lohengrin (Wagner): Graalserzählung 513
Lyrophon
462 La Juive (Halévy): Rachel, quand du Seigneur 462
465 Faust (Gounod): Salut, ô mon dernier matin 465
469 Il trovatore (Verdi): Lodern zum Himmel 469
ABC Grand Record
11989 Carmen (Bizet): Ma mère je la vois with Hanna Mara 640
11987 Il trovatore (Verdi): Miserere with Hanna Mara 640
Derby Record
? Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): Siciliana 1628 a
? Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): Brindisi 1628 b
? Lohengrin (Wagner): Das süße Lied verhallt with Hanna Mara 1640 b
DaCapo-Record
Lohengrin: Gralserzählung D-1026
Lohengrin: Abschied D-1028
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