Wagner Das Rheingold
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Richard Wagner
Genre:
Opera
Label: DG
Magazine Review Date: 7/1990
Media Format: Vinyl
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 427 607-1GH3
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (Der) Ring des Nibelungen: Part 1, '(Das) Rheingold' |
Richard Wagner, Composer
Birgitta Svendén, Erda, Contralto (Female alto) Christa Ludwig, Fricka, Mezzo soprano Diane Kesling, Wellgunde, Soprano Ekkehard Wlaschiha, Alberich, Baritone Hei-Kyung Hong, Woglinde, Soprano Heinz Zednik, Mime, Tenor James Levine, Conductor James Morris, Wotan, Baritone Jan-Hendrik Rootering, Fafner, Bass Kurt Moll, Fasolt, Bass Mari Anne Häggander, Freia, Soprano Mark Baker, Froh, Tenor Meredith Parsons, Flosshilde, Mezzo soprano New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Richard Wagner, Composer Siegfried Jerusalem, Loge, Tenor Siegfried Lorenz, Donner, Tenor |
Composer or Director: Richard Wagner
Genre:
Opera
Label: DG
Magazine Review Date: 7/1990
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 157
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 427 607-2GH3
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (Der) Ring des Nibelungen: Part 1, '(Das) Rheingold' |
Richard Wagner, Composer
Birgitta Svendén, Erda, Contralto (Female alto) Christa Ludwig, Fricka, Mezzo soprano Diane Kesling, Wellgunde, Soprano Ekkehard Wlaschiha, Alberich, Baritone Hei-Kyung Hong, Woglinde, Soprano Heinz Zednik, Mime, Tenor James Levine, Conductor James Morris, Wotan, Baritone Jan-Hendrik Rootering, Fafner, Bass Kurt Moll, Fasolt, Bass Mari Anne Häggander, Freia, Soprano Mark Baker, Froh, Tenor Meredith Parsons, Flosshilde, Mezzo soprano New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Richard Wagner, Composer Siegfried Jerusalem, Loge, Tenor Siegfried Lorenz, Donner, Tenor |
Composer or Director: Richard Wagner
Genre:
Opera
Label: DG
Magazine Review Date: 7/1990
Media Format: Cassette
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 427 607-4GH2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (Der) Ring des Nibelungen: Part 1, '(Das) Rheingold' |
Richard Wagner, Composer
Birgitta Svendén, Erda, Contralto (Female alto) Christa Ludwig, Fricka, Mezzo soprano Diane Kesling, Wellgunde, Soprano Ekkehard Wlaschiha, Alberich, Baritone Hei-Kyung Hong, Woglinde, Soprano Heinz Zednik, Mime, Tenor James Levine, Conductor James Morris, Wotan, Baritone Jan-Hendrik Rootering, Fafner, Bass Kurt Moll, Fasolt, Bass Mari Anne Häggander, Freia, Soprano Mark Baker, Froh, Tenor Meredith Parsons, Flosshilde, Mezzo soprano New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Richard Wagner, Composer Siegfried Jerusalem, Loge, Tenor Siegfried Lorenz, Donner, Tenor |
Author: Alan Blyth
This is a lame, undramatic Rheingold. Levine actually manages to make most of this prologue to the great cycle seem tedious; quite an achievement. By attempting a deep, philosophical interpretation, he has simply drained the work of tension and impetus. The performance is very well played and faithfully recorded, with great care over the clarity of detail on both counts. The strength and accuracy of the orchestra throughout are remarkable, its contribution certainly superior to that on Haitink's recent set, though not to Janowski's Dresden orchestra. There are some satisfying performances in subsidiary roles: Brigitta Svenden, a mezzo new to me, is a refined, authoritative Erda; few better are to be heard. There are three lively Rhinemaidens, a characterful Mime in Heinz Zednik (Haitink's Loge—how incestuous these new Rings are), and a wonderfully sung and eloquent Fasolt from Kurt Moll. But in essentials I found the performance a yawn. Levine seems to be approaching this fizzing start to the tetralogy as though it were a younger cousin of Parsifal. Wherever I peered into the score I found limp rhythm, a want of forward movement and an undue emphasis on beauty of sound for its own sake.
Just one example must suffice to illustrate these failings: the scene in which Loge and Wotan confront Alberich in Nibelheim, one of the cycle's most enthralling passages, here falls quite flat. The pace is lax, and any sense of suspense and spontaneity is wanting, both in the conductor's and the singers' reading. It all sounds too stodgy and too portentous, not a risk taken—in brief, a studio rather than a real performance, appearing to be recorded in sections—a fatal drawback. If Levine had in mind a contemplative interpretration of a work that is basically a fast-moving drama, then his idea was surely mistaken.
As he has been conducting the work with appreciable success at the Metropolitan Opera, this less-than-theatrical performance is something of a puzzle. Even Karajan (also DG), who also boasts rich, saturated sound and slowish speeds, was more aware of the drama. Every other recording in the CD catalogue, most notably those of Solti (Decca), Bohm (Philips), Janowski (Eurodisc/BMG), Krauss (Laudis/Music Discount Centre) and Haitink (EMI), offers a more inspiriting account of this characterful score. Janowski's brisk, no-nonsense reading which is more leanly and sensuously played than the new set, and even better recorded, is far more interesting. Apart from anything else, the Levine, because of slow tempos, stretches to three CDs, while many rivals are on two. By the way, the break between the second and third CD of the new version is very abruptly made.
All the other sets boast better singers in most of the central roles. Morris's Wotan here produces as attractive tone as for Haitink, and some exquisitely refined singing in the final scene, but sounds less involved. Ludwig as Fricka frankly sounds well past that role, and is no match for Haitink's Lipovsek. I was looking forward to Jerusalem as Loge. He sings like the excellent Siegmund and Siegfried he is, with admirable lucidity, unfailing musicality and pleasing tone. These are something to be thankful for, but he evinces virtually none of the subtlety of character the role calls for and Zednik for Haitink provides, even more Schreier for Janowski. As Alberich, Wlaschiha sounds jerky, a shade rusty and hardly menacing enough, certainly no match for Neidlinger for Krauss, Solti and Bohm, nor half as commanding as Adam (Haitink). However, Wlaschiha does rise to the challenge of the Curse, where the power of Levine's conducting is certainly in evidence. The Froh is weak, the timbre of the Fafner (Rootering—a bass I have often admired in Munich) is too like Moll's Fasolt—the role requires a much darker bass.
As I have suggested the balance between voice and orchestra is good here, but as a whole the sound itself hasn't the forward, immediate quality found on either the Solti or the Janowski, nor the sense of opera-house presence on the Krauss and Bohm. On the new version the anvil 'chorus' is somewhat feeble—it seems as if a dozen bottles are being hit, that's all. It's no match here for the 1958 Solti. I can commend the penetrating and revelatory articles by John Deathridge in the booklet, but as a whole this issue is a disappointment. I trust that Levine's particular gifts will be better suited by the cycle's later operas. If you want Rheingold on its own, the Solti is still hard to beat. In marginally improved better sound, either the mid-price Janowski, whose dramatic thrust suits this score particularly well and is finely cast, or Haitink would be my choices.'
Just one example must suffice to illustrate these failings: the scene in which Loge and Wotan confront Alberich in Nibelheim, one of the cycle's most enthralling passages, here falls quite flat. The pace is lax, and any sense of suspense and spontaneity is wanting, both in the conductor's and the singers' reading. It all sounds too stodgy and too portentous, not a risk taken—in brief, a studio rather than a real performance, appearing to be recorded in sections—a fatal drawback. If Levine had in mind a contemplative interpretration of a work that is basically a fast-moving drama, then his idea was surely mistaken.
As he has been conducting the work with appreciable success at the Metropolitan Opera, this less-than-theatrical performance is something of a puzzle. Even Karajan (also DG), who also boasts rich, saturated sound and slowish speeds, was more aware of the drama. Every other recording in the CD catalogue, most notably those of Solti (Decca), Bohm (Philips), Janowski (Eurodisc/BMG), Krauss (Laudis/Music Discount Centre) and Haitink (EMI), offers a more inspiriting account of this characterful score. Janowski's brisk, no-nonsense reading which is more leanly and sensuously played than the new set, and even better recorded, is far more interesting. Apart from anything else, the Levine, because of slow tempos, stretches to three CDs, while many rivals are on two. By the way, the break between the second and third CD of the new version is very abruptly made.
All the other sets boast better singers in most of the central roles. Morris's Wotan here produces as attractive tone as for Haitink, and some exquisitely refined singing in the final scene, but sounds less involved. Ludwig as Fricka frankly sounds well past that role, and is no match for Haitink's Lipovsek. I was looking forward to Jerusalem as Loge. He sings like the excellent Siegmund and Siegfried he is, with admirable lucidity, unfailing musicality and pleasing tone. These are something to be thankful for, but he evinces virtually none of the subtlety of character the role calls for and Zednik for Haitink provides, even more Schreier for Janowski. As Alberich, Wlaschiha sounds jerky, a shade rusty and hardly menacing enough, certainly no match for Neidlinger for Krauss, Solti and Bohm, nor half as commanding as Adam (Haitink). However, Wlaschiha does rise to the challenge of the Curse, where the power of Levine's conducting is certainly in evidence. The Froh is weak, the timbre of the Fafner (Rootering—a bass I have often admired in Munich) is too like Moll's Fasolt—the role requires a much darker bass.
As I have suggested the balance between voice and orchestra is good here, but as a whole the sound itself hasn't the forward, immediate quality found on either the Solti or the Janowski, nor the sense of opera-house presence on the Krauss and Bohm. On the new version the anvil 'chorus' is somewhat feeble—it seems as if a dozen bottles are being hit, that's all. It's no match here for the 1958 Solti. I can commend the penetrating and revelatory articles by John Deathridge in the booklet, but as a whole this issue is a disappointment. I trust that Levine's particular gifts will be better suited by the cycle's later operas. If you want Rheingold on its own, the Solti is still hard to beat. In marginally improved better sound, either the mid-price Janowski, whose dramatic thrust suits this score particularly well and is finely cast, or Haitink would be my choices.'
Wagner Das Rheingold
Wagner Das Rheingold
Wagner Das Rheingold
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