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One of the most successful enterprises of Vanguard Records in the 1950s was a recording of German university songs. There was a tremendous gusto in the singing of the baritone Erich Kunz, and the work of everyone else involved with the Vienna production. Subsequent volumes appeared fairly quickly. They were recorded in stereo, Anton Paulik took over the conducting, and the volumes included more and more German songs having little or nothing to do with university life. Volume 4, the one under review here, includes a Schubert song, a Brahms lullaby, and the one and only song to emerge from Hitler's concentration camps of the 1930s.

Erudite annotations by Otto Erich Deutch, and specially commissioned cover art work by Rockwell Kent were featured in each volume, and have been retained to accompany the wonderfully clear and rich digitally remastered CD transfers. An error has crept into the "About the Artists" notes provided with Volume 4. Anton Paul is credited with being the conductor in each volume. The conductor in Volume 1 is Franz Litschauer. All references to the chorus on the CD and its package stipulate that it is a male chorus. Anyone with half an ear will discern plenty of females amongst the chorus in several of the tracks.

If this "genre" might appeal to you, then don't hesitate to add this CD to your trolley. Erich Kunz, who will position himself firmly in your left speaker, knew as much about putting a song across as anyone who ever drew a breath. Fifty years old, when these recordings were made, his voice had the richness and fruitiness of the best mature wine.

Back in the Golden Age of the LP, one record that I "played into whiteness" was the Vanguard collection of "German University Songs" with Erich Kunz and the Vienna State Opera Male Chorus and Orchestra. Starting with the "Fox Hunt" song made so popular by Brahms' "Academic Festival Overture" and ending with two stanzas of "Gaudeamus igitur," this joyous disc afforded me endless delight. A sequel was highlighted by the gorgeous "Lorelei" and "Annechen von Tharau," while yet another included "O Tannenbaum" and "Du du liegst mir in herzen" among 18 cuts of greater and lesser distinction.

Therefore when a fourth volume issued forth, one wondered if it could stand up to the standards set by its predecessors. Beginning with a surprising duplication of "Du du," it did not prove quite the equal of the first two--how could it?--but was still one of the best compilations of German folk and semi-art songs available back then. And it still is!

You see, Vanguard has just issued (OVC 6039) and all is right with the musical world. If you have none of them, please opt for Vol. 1 (OVC 6009), unless you choose all four, which I heartily recommend. So although the most recent of the releases can stand very nicely on its own (listen to "Muss i denn" on the second cut for proof) and although it certainly deserves on its own a 5-star rating, the selections are generally a mere notch below those in the earlier sets.