Wagner - Greatest Recordings

[DracoM]

Kollo as Parsifal, partic in Act 3.

[gurnemanz]

On my list is the Naxos twofer of historical remasterings by Mark Obert-Thorn. Two well-filled discs of Parsifal highlights. The 1913 Berlin Phil extracts with Alfred Hertz conducting come wafting back miraculously 30 years after the composer's death - from the horse's mouth ... nearly. In the Transformation Scene we get to hear the original Bayreuth bells cast for the first production of the opera in 1882. Now gone for ever since the Nazis melted them down for war effort in the early 1940s. Alexander Kipnis is a favourite singer of the older vintage and we hear him to imposing effect as Gurnemanz in "So ward es uns verhiessen".

[gradus]

On my list is the Naxos twofer of historical remasterings by Mark Obert-Thorn. Two well-filled discs of Parsifal highlights. The 1913 Berlin Phil extracts with Alfred Hertz conducting come wafting back miraculously 30 years after the composer's death - from the horse's mouth ... nearly. In the Transformation Scene we get to hear the original Bayreuth bells cast for the first production of the opera in 1882. Now gone for ever since the Nazis melted them down for war effort in the early 1940s. Alexander Kipnis is a favourite singer of the older vintage and we hear him to imposing effect as Gurnemanz in "So ward es uns verhiessen".

Kipnis, an all-time favourite of mine with his Russian-inflected German in his Mozart recordings.

[gurnemanz]

Kollo as Parsifal, partic in Act 3.

We saw Kollo live in 1975 in a concert performance in Leipzig with the redoubtable Herbert Kegel conducting. A most memorable evening. I was with my future wife (long story). It was the first East German performance of Parsifal and it was quite an event, which the citizens of the composer's birthplace applauded for nearly half an hour at the end. The recording is widely available.

[Barbirollians]

Heavens above - bought a secondhand copy of Die Walkure VPO/Furtwangler .

Where has this fabulous set been all my life ? How have I missed it - listened to the first CD yesterday and the last two this morning utterly transfixed. Modl so moving Suthaus spine tingling ,Rysanek vulnerable and so heartfelt and what conducting . Joseph Wechsberg might have taken a different view of the piece had he heard this. I certainly, as a Ring sceptic , have .

[Bryn]

Heavens above - bought a secondhand copy of Die Walkure VPO/Furtwangler .

Where has this fabulous set been all my life ? How have I missed it - listened to the first CD yesterday and the last two this morning utterly transfixed. Modl so moving Suthaus spine tingling ,Rysanek vulnerable and so heartfelt and what conducting . Joseph Wechsberg might have taken a different view of the piece had he heard this. I certainly, as a Ring sceptic , have .

Would that be the 1953 La Scala, as recorded by EMI? I note that one customer review claims the cheap "The Intense Media" boxed set of that Ring has better sound quality than does the EMI/Warner transfer.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I'm not sure about the date (his last studio recording??) but apart from the Naxos iteration, I found it, streaming (not Qobuz) searching: "Modl Suthaus Rysanek Furtwangler Die Walkure EMI References"

[prb]

Would that be the 1953 La Scala, as recorded by EMI? I note that one customer review claims the cheap "The Intense Media" boxed set of that Ring has better sound quality than does the EMI/Warner transfer.

No, that would be the 1954 studio recording with the VPO. Gottlob Frick as Hunding is another highlight of this recording.

Edit: on Qobuz here

[Barbirollians]

No, that would be the 1954 studio recording with the VPO. Gottlob Frick as Hunding is another highlight of this recording.

Edit: on Qobuz here

That’s the one ! Secondhand available with libretto in the EMI References account for £4.94 from An Amazon seller there are still copies secondhand on there priced very cheaply.

[Bryn]

No, that would be the 1954 studio recording with the VPO. Gottlob Frick as Hunding is another highlight of this recording.

Edit: on Qobuz here

Unfortunately, your QOBUZ link just takes me to their "Discover: All genres" page.

[prb]

Unfortunately, your QOBUZ link just takes me to their "Discover: All genres" page.

Hmm - I don't know what's happened there. It works for me, and the link looks as though it's a link to something specific, with that number in it. Oh, I guess you must have to be logged in to Qobuz. Here is the qobuz link to the download page for the Naxos release, which I can follow when I'm not logged in.

[Barbirollians]

The studio Furtwangler Walkure led me to the absurdly cheap Rome Ring cycle . Heavens a truly listenable Rheingold a work I am afraid I have always found a terrible bore before now .

[smittims]

I've always preferred the Rome Ring to the Scala. Yes Flagstand is superb and since the Scala is her only complete recording it has historic significance, but as a fan of Franz, Suthaus and Martha Modl I find the Rome recording most rewarding to re-hear.

I understand that EMI bought the tapes after Furtwanglerr's death but publication was delayed by many years of negotiation over rights. I well remember buying my Lp set when it came out over firty years ago. It was the first bargain 'Ring ' on disc,the Solti being way above my student's budget, and the demand outstripped supply. 'Everyone's screaming for it' said the man who sold it to me.