BaL 20.06.15 - Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

[Nick Armstrong]

THREAD CLOSED.

In your selige Morgentraüme, mate

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

In addition to versions listed above conducted by Solti, Kempe and Knappertsbusch (on LP), I have an LP set on the HMV Angel label with the Dresden State Orchestra conducted by Karajan. I also have a CD version conducted by Hermann Abendroth, recorded at Bayreuth in 1943. Presumably these are not currently available?

The CD set is on the Preiser label. The Rough Guide to Opera is very keen on it, though it acknowledges that his collaboration with the Nazis sunk Abendroth's career after the war.

The Abendroth is available in a huge box set. I've added it to the list.

[gurnemanz]

In addition to versions listed above conducted by Solti, Kempe and Knappertsbusch (on LP), I have an LP set on the HMV Angel label with the Dresden State Orchestra conducted by Karajan. I also have a CD version conducted by Hermann Abendroth, recorded at Bayreuth in 1943. Presumably these are not currently available?

The CD set is on the Preiser label. The Rough Guide to Opera is very keen on it, though it acknowledges that his collaboration with the Nazis sunk Abendroth's career after the war.

Abendroth is on the great value Wagner's Vision Bayreuth box and on YouTube

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I have the VPO/Solti, 1943 Furtwangler, Goodall and the Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos DVD.

The trouble with the DVD is that Sachs looks younger than Walter, and ideally suited to Eva.

[Beef Oven!]

In your selige Morgentraüme, mate

And yours, if you realised

[Nick Armstrong]

Wahn, Wahn, überall Wahn !!!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It is said that Wagner's sketches suggest that when he composed the Mastersingers, Prize Song and Banner themes, he never intended to combine them in counterpoint. I suggest that he was "having us on", for the chance that the first two of these (both rather long) would fit like a glove in simple harmony, is less that one in a million, unless he'd planned it that way. I suspect he destroyed any incriminating sketches, just to fool Beckmesser.

[Beef Oven!]

[DublinJimbo]

This is quite possibly the opera I'd save if all the rest had to be obliterated from history.

I'm thirding that. A favourite 'if only …' saying of mine for many many years was 'I'll die happy if I get to see Meistersinger in Bayreuth'. As it happened, I got to Bayreuth (back in 2006) but it was for the Dutchman, and I'm thinking that I'm happy with being half happy: imagine if I'd got to Bayreuth and got to see Meistersinger there, but it was Katharina Wagner's production!

I've still to see a live performance anywhere, never mind at Bayreuth. Until that time comes, I'll make do with Karajan's 1970 set, even if the CD transfer is disappointing. The best thing about Solti's 1995 recording is the packaging. I had great expectations for Marek Janowski's recent recording as part of his big-ten Wagner-opera survey for the Centenary year in 2013, but was disappointed.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I once attended a concert performance (where I did not meet smittims, but apparently he was there also) in the Free Trade Hall, Manchester c.1970. But I would like to see it in the opera house before i die.

[visualnickmos]

As it happens, I have Jochum's set which seems to be well-thought of on here. It's the only exposure I have had to this opera, and I've only listened to it in its entirety twice in the last 20 years - but on those two occasions, I thought "wow - this is pure magic"

Due to logistics (namely, 'how much listening time can you realistically cram into an average lifespan?') I almost certainly won't be adding another version!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Many were the times that DFD was asked to sing the part of Hans Sachs. The lack of suitable singers for this role was one of the reasons there were no studio stereo recordings of the opera before the Dresden Karajan.

[slarty]

Many were the times that DFD was asked to sing the part of Hans Sachs. The lack of suitable singers for this role was one of the reasons there were no studio stereo recordings of the opera before the Dresden Karajan.

He sang it three times during the 1979 Munich summer festival. I attended the first night and there is a broadcast of that performance. F-D wisely gave the part up after those performances, he did not have enough power in the voice to sustain the vocal line all the way to the end. It was an admirable attempt to do the part justice, from a voice that was more suited to Beckmesser rather than Sachs. A treasured memory!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Since posting at the weekend, I have driven to Southampton and back. In view of the imminent BaL, I took the Furtwangler, VPO/Solti and Goodall tecordings with me and have heard all three versions back to back. I've never tried this before with Wagner, but the experience was a positive one, leaving me with even greater appreciation of this work, and the Solti version in particular.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Since posting at the weekend, I have driven to Southampton and back. In view of the imminent BaL, I took the Furtwangler, VPO/Solti and Goodall tecordings with me and have heard all three versions back to back. I've never tried this before with Wagner, but the experience was a positive one, leaving me with even greater appreciation of this work, and the Solti version in particular.

I did this recently with Lohengrin on a car trip to London and back (but just the wonderful Kempe recording) - I only got to know the Wagner operas when I learnt to drive in London and made visits to Lancashire. Birtwistle listened to Wagner when he was preparing Gawain - but, as he didn't have any kind of record/CD player in the house, he had to get his wife to drive him around whilst he studied the scores listening to the car player.