Wagner's Lohengrin: Kempe or Solti?

[Karafan]

I was also going to vote for Kubelik - James King is in superb voice and it is worth its modest entrance fee for the thrilling silver sheen of Janowitz's remarkable Elsa alone! Needless to say Kubelik is his peerless self - a fantastic set.

K.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Kubelik plus the ENO book together cost £24.96 from the fluvean taxdodgers - still less than Solti!

[Petrushka]

The Kubelik plus the ENO book together cost £24.96 from the fluvean taxdodgers - still less than Solti!

I had a look at Amazon before seeing your post and ordered the Kempe recording - at £9.85 it was cheaper than a couple of days ago - plus this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1...ls_o01_s00_i00. Rather wish I'd got the ENO guide instead.

[BBMmk2]

I would say both, if I may!!

[Mandryka]

Solti's is the finest recording of this work we have or are ever likely to have. As someone mentioned above, Sir Georg treats this works as a drama, not as a symphony with voices - just listen to the Vienna Opera Chorus at the arrival of Lohengrin in Act 1 to understand exactly what Wagner wanted. Solti also has the advantage of stunning sound engineering (which still sounds great today, even though it was recorded in 1985-86), as well as a principal cast which couldn't be bettered at the time and would be inconceivable now. Domingo, reviving one of his earliest tenor roles, uses his natural Italianate qualities to enhance the sense of Lohengrin as a being from another world (the fact that he's surrounded by a largely German/Austrian cast also helps here). Jessye Norman is, likewise, perfectly cast. And then there is Fischer-Dieskau as the Herald.....

That said, I would recommend having Kempe as a back-up: this was the finest recorded version until the advent of Solti - and in some areas - notably Fischer-Dieskau and Ludwig as the antagonists - Kempe does score over Solti. And although I infinitely prefer Domingo and Norman, Thomas and Grummer are eminently acceptable as the leads.

At current prices, you could comfortably acquire both for (probably) under £30.00.

Lohengrin has been a fortunate opera on disc: of all the other recordings I've heard - Karajan, Jochum, Sawallisch, Abbado, Kubelik - there is not one I'd be without.

[Beef Oven]

I had a look at Amazon before seeing your post and ordered the Kempe recording - at £9.85 it was cheaper than a couple of days ago - plus this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1...ls_o01_s00_i00. Rather wish I'd got the ENO guide instead.

Kempe

Can't you cancel the libretto order?

[Petrushka]

Kempe

Can't you cancel the libretto order?

Yes, have just done so and ordered the ENO guide instead!

[Beef Oven]

Yes, have just done so and ordered the ENO guide instead!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Did anyone notice on last night's Lewis that the Kubelik Lohengrin was also the choice of Inspector Morse? He'd presented the set (on LP) to lewis with the note "At least give it a try ... M".

[verismissimo]

Both?

Not sure I'd ever need two Lohengrins. Wagner at his most four-square. Meyerbeer so much more interesting to explore...

(Truth to tell, I have Kempe and Sawallisch.)

[Black Swan]

Actually, shame on me. I don't have Lohengrin on CD. I do have it on Blue Ray with Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, conducted by Kent Nagano. I love Waltraud Meier as Ortrud. But am now thinking of Kempe as I would love to hear Christa Ludwig in this role.

[Karafan]

A friend of mine made me smile by referring to the photo of Solti gracing the libretti in his set (clad, nonchalantly, in a canary-yellow sweater and beaming from ear to ear) as "the man who put the grin back into Lohengrin"!

[Barbirollians]

All downhill after the Preludes ?

I rather like Lohengrin actually . I warm to its relative simplicity . VPO/Kempe is indeed wondrous - a secondhand GROC picked up for £4 .

[Beppe]

Have you considered Abbado? Great cast.

[Conchis]

Have you considered Abbado? Great cast.

Yes: definitely one of the strongest versions and Abbado's only complete Wagner recording. I wish he'd done more.