Keilberth's 1953 Bayreuth Ring (re-released by Pan Classics)

[Tapiola]

Many Wagner aficionados claim that Keilberth's 1953 Bayreuth Ring is superior to his more famous 1955 stereo cycle. The 1953 is now again available, on Pan Classics.

However, it seems that previous CD incarnations of this 1953 cycle (e.g. Andromeda) contain a Siegfried Act 1 which is identical to Siegfried Act 1 of Krauss' Bayreuth Ring from the same year. Listeners who have undertaken careful comparisons of the two have noted the same flubs from Windgassen, the same stage noises and coughs.

(The Allegro LPs of the Keilberth cycle (released in 1954 but under the pseudonymous guise of "Fritz Schreiber" conducting the Dresden State Opera) apparently contain an Act 1 Siegfried which is different to that of the later incarnations which actually do credit Keilberth.)

If the CD versions of Krauss and Keilberth 1953 Siegfried Act 1 are in fact the same, does anyone know for certain who is actually conducting it?

I would very much like to acquire this Pan Keilberth from 1953, but am reluctant to part with cash if it turns out that Krauss is conducting Siegfried Act 1, as I already own the Krauss Ring (on Opera d'Oro).

[umslopogaas]

I bought the 1953 live performance a couple of years ago, on the Orfeo label (or Orfeo d'Or, both names appear on the box). It is in mono and all four operas are conducted by Krauss, according to the booklet. I noted a nasty "crescendo" fault on the last track of the last act of Gotterdammerung, when I first played it two years ago, but I have just checked it out on my new, better, CD player and it sounds fine, apart from a patch of tape hiss.

The cast is pretty impressive, and includes a lot of the stars who turned up on the Decca/Solti version a few years later: Greindl, Kuen, Malaniuk, Hotter, Neidlinger, Resnik, Uhde, Varnay, Vinay, Stolze, Streich and Windgassen, to name just the ones I've heard of. The sound is fine, no distortion that I could detect. The fall of Valhalla is a bit disappointing, one very loud thump, as though someone just dropped a large brick. Astrid Varnay is a very acceptable alternative to Birgit Nilsson.

[Beef Oven!]

I bought the 1953 live performance a couple of years ago, on the Orfeo label (or Orfeo d'Or, both names appear on the box).............I noted a nasty "crescendo" fault on the last track of the last act of Gotterdammerung, when I first played it two years ago, but I have just checked it out on my new, better, CD player and it sounds fine, apart from a patch of tape hiss.

I haven't noticed that. do you know the track timing of where the fault is? I bought my set in 2007, maybe it's a different issue (?).

[umslopogaas]

Afraid not. When I first played it two years ago I stuck a post-it on the cover noting that there was a "crescendo" problem in the last track, but no other details. Anyway, it looks like it was a defect in my old CD player, since the disc sounds OK on the new one.

[Beef Oven!]

Afraid not. When I first played it two years ago I stuck a post-it on the cover noting that there was a "crescendo" problem in the last track, but no other details. Anyway, it looks like it was a defect in my old CD player, since the disc sounds OK on the new one.

[Tapiola]

I believe the Orfeo "official" release of the Krauss is in slightly better/clearer sound than the Opera d'Oro I have, but am loath to fork out for this slight improvement. The Opera d'Oro sounds fine, if lower brass-recessed (a fault of the original Bavarian tapes I assume).

The Krauss is my favourite of the 7 or 8 Rings I have heard, in terms of the conducting. (Quick) Speeds and pacing sound totally natural, with longueur when needed. Krauss' sense of phrasing and long lines is quite beautiful, compared to the very enjoyable Keilberth 55, which latter though suffers (imo) from some rather perfunctory, run-through, phrasing. I have read that the Keilberth 53 is more subtle in this regard.

[Nick Armstrong]

The fall of Valhalla is a bit disappointing, one very loud thump, as though someone just dropped a large brick.

[Tapiola]

The fall of Valhalla is a bit disappointing, one very loud thump, as though someone just dropped a large brick. Astrid Varnay is a very acceptable alternative to Birgit Nilsson.

Well, on a few occasions, Fricka accuses Wotan of being a bit of a brick, or maybe I have just slightly misheard...?

I would go further than that about Varnay; her deliberate sliding-up into notes is spinechilling (and very sexy).

[Tapiola]

Hello Caliban. (Have sent you belated pm btw)

[Madame Suggia]

I've been looking around for clips of this before ordering it and Siegfried conducted by Keilberth in 1953 is on spotify.

Not the Pan Classics transfer but it does give you a flavour of the performance.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Astrid Varnay is a very acceptable alternative to Birgit Nilsson.

She was John Culshaw's first choice for the part of Fricka in Solti's Vienna Walkure, but she turned it down.

[Nick Armstrong]

Hello Caliban. (Have sent you belated pm btw)

Hello Bathtaps ! (Have received it - many thanks. Shall reply btw )

[Tapiola]

I've been looking around for clips of this before ordering it and Siegfried conducted by Keilberth in 1953 is on spotify.

Not the Pan Classics transfer but it does give you a flavour of the performance.

Many thanks, Madame S! I will certainly have a listen when I get the time (and quietude in this house). I have done a very quick (2-minute) "side for side" comparison of this Spotify Keilberth 53 (on Myto I believe) with the first Act of the Krauss 53 (Opera d'Oro transfer) and am not (yet?) convinced that they are the same. Comparing extraneous noises is not very scientific, given the capacity for some transfers to remove them. Unsure that the Preludes are the same animal, though both lack the timp rumble at the outset before the bassoons come in, but Mime's yelp as The Wanderer enters sounds the same on both (though this could be a Paul Kuen mannerism across cycles, rather like Hotter's mannerism of delaying his final note of the Farewell to Brunnhilde in Walkure (which occurs in Keilberth 55, Krauss 53 and Kna 56 (if memory serves)). Apologies for the thinking aloud nature of this post...

[Tapiola]

Hello Bathtaps ! (Have received it - many thanks. Shall reply btw )

Good man

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Hello Bathtaps !

Bathtaps!