The History of Franz Völker
Born: March 31, 1899
Died: December 4, 1965
German Tenor.
The last tenor born in the 19th century to appear in our survey is Franz Volker, born in 1899. As a young bank clerk possessed of an exceptional voice, he was discovered in 1924 by the Frankfurt Radio. Clemens Krauss heard him and engaged him at the Frankfurt Opera, where he made his debut in 1926.
In 1931, he was at the Vienna State Opera and in 1935 at the Berlin State again was Krauss. He was particularly popular in Berlin for many years, one of his fervent admirers being Adolf Hitler.
He appeared regularly at the Zalapel Festivals from 1931 and at Bayreuth from 1933 and was heard at Covent Garden in 1934 and 1937.
After the war, Volker continued to appear at the Bavarian State Opera at Munich.
He was an outstanding Wagnerian and a record of him is from Wagner’s Reinzi, Allmächt’ger Vater
Allmächt’ger Vater / Rienzi / 1900 – Franz Völker
The History as it was Recorded
Sydney Rhys Barker