Wagner - The Flying Dutchman , recordings

[Mandryka]

Hollander has not fared as well as some other Wagner operas on record.

If you're not too bothered about sound quality, there is an excellent Met off-air broadcast on Naxos, conducted by Reiner, and featuring Hans Hotter in (what I would say was) his finest Wagnerian role.

If sound quality IS important, you might like to try the Karajan, which I rate higher than most people seem to.

The linked Bayreuth DVD with Simon Estes and Lisabeth Balslev is, I reckon, superb.

I was not disappointed in Solti's Chicago version but, again on this, I'm in the minority.

I find the playing on the London/Rysanek Decca set a bit too restrained, though the performances are good.

Klempere's set is disappointing, I'd say, and his principals are unattractive

There are a lot of sets mentioned that I don't know: the Zuckerberg, the Konwitschny, the von Dohnanyi.

There is a very good mono set conducted by Fricsay which can be had for one euro on CMM.

[amateur51]

Welcome back, Mandryka!

[Barbirollians]

Andre Rieu ? - An albatross around the neck of classical music ?

[Beef Oven]

Hollander has not fared as well as some other Wagner operas on record.

If you're not too bothered about sound quality, there is an excellent Met off-air broadcast on Naxos, conducted by Reiner, and featuring Hans Hotter in (what I would say was) his finest Wagnerian role.

If sound quality IS important, you might like to try the Karajan, which I rate higher than most people seem to.

The linked Bayreuth DVD with Simon Estes and Lisabeth Balslev is, I reckon, superb.

I was not disappointed in Solti's Chicago version but, again on this, I'm in the minority.

I find the playing on the London/Rysanek Decca set a bit too restrained, though the performances are good.

Klempere's set is disappointing, I'd say, and his principals are unattractive

There are a lot of sets mentioned that I don't know: the Zuckerberg, the Konwitschny, the von Dohnanyi.

There is a very good mono set conducted by Fricsay which can be had for one euro on CMM.

I agree on the Karajan. not sure why this recording isn't appreciated more. And yes, Der Fliegende has not fared well. Disagree with you on the old stick waver (Solti)!

[Mandryka]

I agree on the Karajan. not sure why this recording isn't appreciated more. And yes, Der Fliegende has not fared well. Disagree with you on the old stick waver (Solti)!

Karajan was himself dissatisfied with Peter Hofmann's performance as Erik. Others have disliked the glassy, early digital sound; personally, I think this is an instance of the flaws of early digital actually enhancing a performance, as Karajan's conception of this opera is decidedly chilly.

[Beef Oven]

Karajan was himself dissatisfied with Peter Hofmann's performance as Erik. Others have disliked the glassy, early digital sound; personally, I think this is an instance of the flaws of early digital actually enhancing a performance, as Karajan's conception of this opera is decidedly chilly.

I didn't know that Karajan was disappointed with Hofmann. Interesting. Yes, the 'steely' (?) digital sound helps.

[Mandryka]

I didn't know that Karajan was disappointed with Hofmann. Interesting. Yes, the 'steely' (?) digital sound helps.

The reference comes from Richard Osborne's (excellent) Karajan biog: 'Will Hofmann never sing the cavatina properly?' Karajan was heard to exclaim at one point (though few have ever managed to sing it as Wagner wrote it). This was, I think, one of PF's last recordings.

[Richard Tarleton]

Hi there Mandryka, good to see you back.

Poor AmpH was probably looking for a simple answer from this thread, and a bit of consensus. He's probably wrapping damp towels round his head and lying in a darkened room

[Beef Oven]

The reference comes from Richard Osborne's (excellent) Karajan biog: 'Will Hofmann never sing the cavatina properly?' Karajan was heard to exclaim at one point (though few have ever managed to sing it as Wagner wrote it). This was, I think, one of PF's last recordings.

I have that book! I need to pay more attention when I read!!

[Mandryka]

Hi there Mandryka, good to see you back.

Poor AmpH was probably looking for a simple answer from this thread, and a bit of consensus. He's probably wrapping damp towels round his head and lying in a darkened room

I think it's impossible to ask any kind of question about Wagner and get a simple reply! :)

In fact, I'd question as to whether D.F.H. is the ideal 'introductory' opera for R.W. A lot of people assume it must be because it's so short, and because it contains more of the standard features of opera (choruses, arias) than most of W's other works. Personlly, I'd jump in with Rheingold (also short, but far more what we think of as 'Wagnerian') - that's what I did, though the penny didn't really drop until I got to Siegfried (which a lot of people reckon is the hardest-to-like part of the Ring).

[BBMmk2]

These kind of threads I always think of one's personal preferences really. Another person's treasure is another's angst and so on.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Poor AmpH was probably looking for a simple answer from this thread, and a bit of consensus. He's probably wrapping damp towels round his head and lying in a darkened room

Well, at the last count, there were three votes for the Naxos (one against) and two for Karajan. (Which, for what it's worth, I also value highly ... but for the Senta who's a little dangerous on the tooth enamel!)

EDIT: Apologies - one "vote" each also for Dorati and Konwitschny.

[umslopogaas]

#12 Richard Tarleton, my 'The Rough Guide to Opera' is the third edition published in 2002 and it didnt mention Giulini's 'Don Carlo', but it does cover a lot of ground, it recommends a very large number of good performances, and hey, no-one's perfect. As a music lover but non-musician, I find it useful. I also have 'The Rough Guide to Classical Music', and though it contains a lot of information, I do find that one a bit superficial, its just impossible to cover a field that large in a book that size.

For 'Don Carlo', on vinyl I have Solti, Giulini and a very old mono recording by Santini, principally because it features Boris Christoff, one of my favourite singers. On CD, Giulini (live 1958, with Brouwenstijn, Vickers, Christoff, Barbieri, Langdon and Gobbi, that's quite a cast), Abbado and Votto (live 1956).

Apologies, I didnt mean to divert this thread to Verdi, but I've run out of things to say about 'The Flying Dutchman'.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Well, at the last count, there were three votes for the Naxos (one against) and two for Karajan.

Karajan was a conductor. Naxos never has been, as far as I know. I'm not really being pedantic (for once). It's just that Naxos has a following, even though many of the recordings are quite faceless. It's far more than just a cheap label, but I have the impression that it is over-estimated at times.

[Richard Tarleton]

I name-checked the conductor in #2....convenient shorthand, but certainly some of my own enthusiasms (and one or two favourite artists) are well-represented on Naxos.