# Julius Patzak

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{{short description|Austrian opera singer}}

thumb|right|'''Julius Patzak'''
'''Julius Patzak''' (9 April 1898{{spaced ndash}}26 January 1974) was an Austrian [tenor](/source/tenor) distinguished in operatic and concert work.  He was particularly noted in [Mozart](/source/Wolfgang_Amadeus_Mozart), [Beethoven](/source/Ludwig_van_Beethoven) and in early 20th-century German repertoire.

==Biography==
Julius Patzak was born in Vienna and originally studied [conducting](/source/conductor_(music)).  He was also taught [composition](/source/Musical_composition), by [Franz Schmidt](/source/Franz_Schmidt_(composer)), [Guido Adler](/source/Guido_Adler) and [Eusebius Mandyczewski](/source/Eusebius_Mandyczewski). It was in 1926 that he decided instead upon a career as a singer, and he made his debut as Radames in ''[Aida](/source/Aida)'' at [Reichenberg](/source/Liberec) in that year. He sang regularly at the [Munich State Opera](/source/Munich_State_Opera) from 1928 to 1945, and at Vienna from 1946 to 1960. He appeared in London at [Covent Garden](/source/Royal_Opera_House) in 1938 as Tamino in ''[The Magic Flute](/source/The_Magic_Flute)'', alternating with [Richard Tauber](/source/Richard_Tauber), and again several times after the war, notably as Florestan in ''[Fidelio](/source/Fidelio)''.  This role and the title role in [Hans Pfitzner](/source/Hans_Pfitzner)'s opera ''[Palestrina](/source/Palestrina_(opera))'' were considered to be among his finest roles. In the latter he was pre-eminent among the followers of his Munich predecessor [Karl Erb](/source/Karl_Erb).

Patzak appeared in a number of operatic premieres, notably [Richard Strauss](/source/Richard_Strauss)'s ''[Friedenstag](/source/Friedenstag)'', [Carl Orff](/source/Carl_Orff)'s ''[Der Mond](/source/Der_Mond)'' and [Gottfried von Einem](/source/Gottfried_von_Einem)'s ''[Dantons Tod](/source/Dantons_Tod_(opera))''.

Patzak sang the role of Gabriel von Eisenstein, a rich banker, in the recording of ''[Die Fledermaus](/source/Die_Fledermaus)'', with [Clemens Krauss](/source/Clemens_Krauss) conducting the [Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra](/source/Vienna_Philharmonic_Orchestra), issued by London Records LLP 305.

Although he did not possess the most powerful of voices, it had a distinctive and attractive timbre and was used with such style, intelligence, charm and musicianship, and with such dramatic conviction, as to warrant a very high place among the operatic singers of his time. He was the very effective partner of [Kathleen Ferrier](/source/Kathleen_Ferrier) in the recording of [Mahler](/source/Gustav_Mahler)'s ''[Das Lied von der Erde](/source/Das_Lied_von_der_Erde)'' under [Bruno Walter](/source/Bruno_Walter), issued by [Decca Records](/source/Decca_Records) in 1952.  Patzak also performed and recorded in the Viennese popular style called [Schrammelmusik](/source/Schrammelmusik).

He was awarded the [Lilli Lehmann Medal](/source/Lilli_Lehmann_Medal) in 1950.

Patzak died on 26 January 1974, at [Rottach-Egern](/source/Rottach-Egern) in [Bavaria](/source/Bavaria), aged 75.

== Sources ==
*{{cite book| last = Warrack| first = John, and Ewan West| year = 1992| title = The Oxford Dictionary of Opera| publisher = Oxford University Press| location = Oxford| isbn = 0-19-869164-5| url-access = registration| url = https://archive.org/details/oxforddictionary00warr}}

==External links==
* [http://www.wiu.edu/users/mfrls2/patzak/index.htm Julius Patzak homepage]
* [https://historyofthetenor.com/julius-patzak/ History of the Tenor / Julius Patzak / Sound Clips and Narration]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Patzak, Julius}}
Category:1898 births
Category:1974 deaths
Category:Austrian operatic tenors
Category:Singers from Vienna
Category:20th-century Austrian male opera singers

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Julius Patzak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Patzak) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Patzak?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.