Your favourite historical Wagner recordings?

[Beef Oven]

Tristan und Isolde - Furtwangler, Philharmonia Orchestra, Flagstad, Fischer-Dieskau.

When I first heard this performance, I had my 'Wagner moment'. It all made sense, in a most myterious way!!!

[Barbirollians]

Saints above - Act 1 of Die Walkure Walter in 1935 I have finally bought from the river people second hand for £1 plus postage in the EMI References version .

Has there ever been such stunning Wagner singing of anything ? Lehmann and Melchior are stupendous - both their first entries send shivers down the spine and the shivers keep coming and the pre war VPO/Walter combination are extraordinary too .

I am afraid just the sort of recording to reinforce my prejudices that Die Walkure and Tristan are head and shoulders above anything else Wagner wrote .

[Barbirollians]

You have to give it to Furtwangler - his 1953 RAI recording even makes Rheingold gripping .

[smittims]

I've always preferred the Rome Ring to the Scala. But then, I like Martha Modl, and others don't, so there we are.