Max Meili (Tenor)

Born: December 11, 1899 - Winterthur, Switzerland
Died: March 17, 1970 - Zürich, Switzerland

The Swiss tenor, Max Meili, studied singing with the famous Felix von Kraus in Munich.

Max Meili could be characterised then as concert and oratorio singer, whereby he dedicated himself particularly to the interpretation of early music and compositions from the Baroque era. The taste of his delivery, the refinement of the text treatment and the nuance-rich beauty of his voice were emphasised with his appearances in his homeland as well as in Germany, Austria, France and other countries. He rendered great services as a joint founder in 1933 of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, with which he undertook together expanded concert tours.

Max Meili was estimated as J.S. Bach and George Frideric Handel interpreter, and at the same time for his important educational activity. In 1955 he created the Collegium Cantorum Turicense, which performed under his direction the music of Monteverdi and Heinrich Schütz on international level. He was considered as a specialist for medieval vocal music, of works of the acres new facts, the Troubadours, Trouvères and the Minnesänger. As an opera singer he appeared only rarely. In 1936 and 1937 he appeared at the Salzburg Festival as a concert singer, from 1932 to 1937 he made guest appearances in Berlin, in 1947 at the Openhaus of Zürich. In May 1931 he took part at the Gärtnerplatztheater Munich in the premiere of the opera Die Mutter by A. Hába.

Recordings: several anthologies. On the Vox label he sang the title role in Monteverdi's Orfeo. Additional recordings on Discophile Français, Nixa, Le Chant du Monde, HMV, Französ, Grammophone.

Source: Operissimo Website, English translation by Aryeh Oron (May 2005)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (May 2005)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Ruggero Gerlin

Tenor

Aria from BWV 189

Paul Sacher

Tenor

Aria from BWV 65

Karl Straube

Tenor

Radio: BWV 26, BWV 97

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