Wagner Die Walküre, etc
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Richard Wagner
Genre:
Opera
Label: Myto
Magazine Review Date: 3/1994
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 230
Mastering:
Mono
ADD
Catalogue Number: 3MCD93381
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (Der) Ring des Nibelungen: Part 2, '(Die) Walküre' |
Richard Wagner, Composer
Berlin City Opera Orchestra Charlotte Schäblen, Schwertleite, Contralto (Female alto) Claire Breske, Ortlinde, Soprano Elisabeth Hufnagel, Rossweiße, Mezzo soprano Emmi Hagemann, Grimgerde, Mezzo soprano Ferenc Fricsay, Conductor Fia Fleig, Helmwige, Soprano Flora Schmalz, Waltraute, Mezzo soprano Hilde Grohmann, Siegrune, Mezzo soprano Irina Grunow, Gerhilde, Soprano Josef Greindl, Hunding, Bass Josef Herrmann, Wotan Ludwig Suthaus, Siegmund, Tenor Margarete Klose, Fricka, Mezzo soprano Maria Müller, Sieglinde, Soprano Paula Buchner, Brünnhilde, Soprano Richard Wagner, Composer |
| Lohengrin, Movement: In fernem Land |
Richard Wagner, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Aldo Baldin, Filippo, Tenor Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Marquis Ernesto, Tenor Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Marquis Ernesto, Tenor Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Marquis Ernesto, Tenor Barbara Hendricks, Sandrina, Soprano Claes-Håkan Ahnsjö, Ali, Tenor Claes-Håkan Ahnsjö, Nencio, Tenor Claes-Håkan Ahnsjö, Count Errico, Tenor Claes-Håkan Ahnsjö, Count Errico, Tenor Claes-Håkan Ahnsjö, Ali, Tenor Claes-Håkan Ahnsjö, Nencio, Tenor Claes-Håkan Ahnsjö, Count Errico, Tenor Claes-Håkan Ahnsjö, Ali, Tenor Claes-Håkan Ahnsjö, Nencio, Tenor Domenico Trimarchi, Masino, Baritone Domenico Trimarchi, Masino, Baritone Domenico Trimarchi, Masino, Baritone Edith Mathis, Vespina, Soprano Edith Mathis, Vespina, Soprano Edith Mathis, Vespina, Soprano Helen Donath, Lisetta, Soprano Jessye Norman, Rosina, Soprano Jessye Norman, Rosina, Soprano Jessye Norman, Rosina, Soprano Kari Lövaas, Baroness Irene, Soprano Kari Lövaas, Baroness Irene, Soprano Kari Lövaas, Baroness Irene, Soprano Linda Zoghby, Silvia Ludwig Suthaus, Tenor Michael Devlin, Nanni, Baritone Norma Lerer, Costanza, Soprano Richard Wagner, Composer |
| Tannhäuser, Movement: Inbrunst im Herzen (Rome narration) |
Richard Wagner, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Lisa, Soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Annina, Soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Annina, Soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Lisa, Soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Annina, Soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Lisa, Soprano Emmy Loose, Ciboletta, Soprano Emmy Loose, Mi, Soprano Emmy Loose, Mi, Soprano Emmy Loose, Mi, Soprano Emmy Loose, Ciboletta, Soprano Emmy Loose, Ciboletta, Soprano Erich Kunz, Gustl, Tenor Erich Kunz, Gustl, Tenor Erich Kunz, Doctor Falke, Tenor Erich Kunz, Caramello, Tenor Erich Kunz, Gustl, Tenor Erich Kunz, Doctor Falke, Baritone Erich Kunz, Doctor Falke, Tenor Erich Kunz, Caramello, Tenor Erich Kunz, Caramello, Tenor Helmut Krebs, Alfred, Tenor Josef Schmidinger, Raoul de St Brioche, Baritone Josef Schmidinger, Raoul de St Brioche, Baritone Josef Schmidinger, Raoul de St Brioche, Baritone Karl Dönch, Delacqua, Tenor Karl Dönch, Delacqua, Baritone Karl Dönch, Delacqua, Tenor Ludwig Suthaus, Tenor Nicolai Gedda, Duke of Urbino, Tenor Nicolai Gedda, Sou-Chong, Tenor Nicolai Gedda, Sou-Chong, Tenor Nicolai Gedda, Sou-Chong, Tenor Nicolai Gedda, Duke of Urbino, Tenor Nicolai Gedda, Duke of Urbino, Tenor Otakar Kraus, Tschang, Baritone Otakar Kraus, Tschang, Baritone Otakar Kraus, Tschang, Baritone Peter Klein, Pappacoda, Baritone Richard Wagner, Composer |
Author: Alan Blyth
Here we have another piece of operatic history gleaned from a radio archive, in this case one of several performances of Die Walkure given in Berlin in 1951, a production by Tietjen, conducted by Fricsay, respectively the City Opera's Intendant and Music Director. The alarms and excursions attendant on its genesis are amusingly retailed in the booklet. Plus ca change...
Fricsay conducts a forthright, dramatic reading in the Krauss vein with speeds on the fastish side, but space given for the singers to phrase with meaning. There is also an overall view of each scene that gives to Acts 1 and 2, difficult to interpret cogently, a sense of urgency. Had Fricsay pursued his career as a Wagnerian, his interpretation would surely have matured. But this issue is most notable for the singing. In mid-century when Wagner was still, by and large, sung by German-speakers, his works were very much interpreted as plays with music. A libretto is provided, but so clear is the diction that it is almost superfluous. Each singer, well inside his or her part, and obviously au fait with the staging, gives a taut, inward reading of their respective role; and so attention is consistently held.
In the case of the Brunnhilde that virtue has to console us for a voice that is sadly worn in its upper reaches. Paula Buchner was near the end of her career and that's the way she sounds. So was Maria Muller, but in her case very few moments show the passing years. For the rest she is an even more fervent, articulate Sieglinde than on the recordings made in 1936 at Bayreuth (Teldec, 8/93), and her tone still has a fresh, eager quality that is eternally appealing. Ludwig Suthaus, her Siegmund, is better still. His is a performance well known from Furtwangler's EMI studio set (7/89), but here in the theatre he is, if possible, more urgent, more ardent with that wonderful combination of sensitivity and heroism in his voice and style which make his interpretations so alive. Suthaus is a tenor like Vickers and Ronald Dowd (whom Suthaus so much resembles) who sings with a heart as large as his voice—simply thrilling—as it is in the 'bonus': the Lohengrin and Tannhauser narrations, taken (I imagine) from a live concert.
The note tells us that in 1951 only Act 1 of Die Walkure was broadcast because of Herrmann's veto on the rest: he thought himself indisposed, rightly so on this evidence. All his intelligence and security of technique cannot hide the fact that he is in vocal difficulty. Perhaps that is the reason why his Act 2 monologue is here reduced to an absurdly short length: I cannot imagine Fricsay would have otherwise sanctioned such rude cuts. Even so, Herrmann is an interpreter who will suddenly illuminate a phrase from within, such as at ''Du folgtest selig der Liebe Macht'' admonishing Brunnhilde in Act 3. His Fricka is the experienced Klose, immensely authoritative but sometimes short of breath. Greindl is—as ever—a louring, saturnine Hunding.
Apart from some murk in the first scene of Act 3, the sound is excellent for its era; full of theatrical presence and with a fair balance between voices and orchestra, though the strings sometimes sound rather harsh. Nobody would prefer this version to some of those emanating from Bayreuth or, indeed, to Furtwangler's 'unofficial' recording from La Scala, Milan but it is still worth hearing. At medium rather than full price it might well have found a larger market.'
Fricsay conducts a forthright, dramatic reading in the Krauss vein with speeds on the fastish side, but space given for the singers to phrase with meaning. There is also an overall view of each scene that gives to Acts 1 and 2, difficult to interpret cogently, a sense of urgency. Had Fricsay pursued his career as a Wagnerian, his interpretation would surely have matured. But this issue is most notable for the singing. In mid-century when Wagner was still, by and large, sung by German-speakers, his works were very much interpreted as plays with music. A libretto is provided, but so clear is the diction that it is almost superfluous. Each singer, well inside his or her part, and obviously au fait with the staging, gives a taut, inward reading of their respective role; and so attention is consistently held.
In the case of the Brunnhilde that virtue has to console us for a voice that is sadly worn in its upper reaches. Paula Buchner was near the end of her career and that's the way she sounds. So was Maria Muller, but in her case very few moments show the passing years. For the rest she is an even more fervent, articulate Sieglinde than on the recordings made in 1936 at Bayreuth (Teldec, 8/93), and her tone still has a fresh, eager quality that is eternally appealing. Ludwig Suthaus, her Siegmund, is better still. His is a performance well known from Furtwangler's EMI studio set (7/89), but here in the theatre he is, if possible, more urgent, more ardent with that wonderful combination of sensitivity and heroism in his voice and style which make his interpretations so alive. Suthaus is a tenor like Vickers and Ronald Dowd (whom Suthaus so much resembles) who sings with a heart as large as his voice—simply thrilling—as it is in the 'bonus': the Lohengrin and Tannhauser narrations, taken (I imagine) from a live concert.
The note tells us that in 1951 only Act 1 of Die Walkure was broadcast because of Herrmann's veto on the rest: he thought himself indisposed, rightly so on this evidence. All his intelligence and security of technique cannot hide the fact that he is in vocal difficulty. Perhaps that is the reason why his Act 2 monologue is here reduced to an absurdly short length: I cannot imagine Fricsay would have otherwise sanctioned such rude cuts. Even so, Herrmann is an interpreter who will suddenly illuminate a phrase from within, such as at ''Du folgtest selig der Liebe Macht'' admonishing Brunnhilde in Act 3. His Fricka is the experienced Klose, immensely authoritative but sometimes short of breath. Greindl is—as ever—a louring, saturnine Hunding.
Apart from some murk in the first scene of Act 3, the sound is excellent for its era; full of theatrical presence and with a fair balance between voices and orchestra, though the strings sometimes sound rather harsh. Nobody would prefer this version to some of those emanating from Bayreuth or, indeed, to Furtwangler's 'unofficial' recording from La Scala, Milan but it is still worth hearing. At medium rather than full price it might well have found a larger market.'
Wagner Die Walküre, etc
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