Which Parsifal will you play this weekend? There are no wrong answers!

[Beef Oven!]

If I remember correctly, I think it was DracoM who was very keen on the Solti (possibly upthread somewhere) and I wholeheartedly endorse the recommendation. Those who aren't listening to it because of being Soltiphobes are missing something.

I'm sure you're right that we are missing something, there are endless possibilities with this music. But somehow I don't hear what others hear in his performance.

Luckily, there are so many releases, it hardly matters! I'm going to dip in again today, either Boulez or Goodall. I've already listened to Karajan Act 3 this weekend, so I'm thinking of something different again.

[Beef Oven!]

Maybe the Karajan, Solti and or Boulez?

The world's your lobster, BBM

[BBMmk2]

The world's your lobster, BBM

At least, two versions surely?

[Beef Oven!]

Wagner - Currently listening to Parsifal Act II

1962

Venue: Festspielhaus, Bayreuth, Germany

Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Bayreuth Festival Chorus, George London, Hans Hotter, Jess Thomas et al - Knappertsbusch

[BBMmk2]

I will be deciding...............

[gurnemanz]

Since last year's Easter Parsifal chat (time does fly) we have had the new Bayreuth Parsifal which I recorded in HD from German TV via satellite. I really enjoyed it and might watch some of that again. Georg Zeppenfeld is brilliant as Gurnemanz (snippet) and I like his snazzy headgear which I would happily wear riding my bike - not so sure about Parsifal's woolly jumper.

[DracoM]

Imagining the Knappertsbusch stage designs, and the voice of Hotter, BUT then listening to Solti, particularly for Rene Kollo's wonderful Act 3. Bleached, out, exhausted by the spiritual journey, and the VPO / Solti carry through to the end.

IMO the best thing Kollo ever did.

[Richard Tarleton]

I listened to Act 1 of Karajan/BPO earlier this afternoon. The trouble is, what with Gesualdo Tenebrae, Haydn 7 Last Words, etc., you need quite a long Good Friday to fit it all in.....

[Bryn]

I listened to Act 1 of Karajan/BPO earlier this afternoon. The trouble is, what with Gesualdo Tenebrae, Haydn 7 Last Words, etc., you need quite a long Good Friday to fit it all in.....

Oh yes indeed. I might just get the Blu-ray down off the shelf. Monkman did a good job on that.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Going through my recordings over the past week: Knappertsbusch 1951, Karajan 1961 & 1984 so far. Starting tomorrow, Kubelik (1980) - and then, maybe another chance for the Levine (the one from Bayreuth - the one in the DECCA Bayreuth box that everyone wishes had been the Stereo Knappertsbusch that BeefO has been playing).

Oh! And the 1920s Bayreuth excerpts shall get a playing, too!

[Dave2002]

Good for you Dave - took me ages to stop wasting time on listening to Wagner that did nothing for me .

As in previous years it is incredibly unlikely that I will play any Wagner this weekend, and specifically not Parsifal. Such enjoyment as I have had from Wagner's music has mostly come from the Siegfried Idyll, which is mercifully short, and in which I once played, and the Flying Dutchman, which I do enjoy on rare occasions, plus some fragments from Lohengrin and Tannhäuser. I did go to see Tristan and Isolde during last year, but I'm not rushing back to hear/see that one again. I also did have a ticket for Tannhäuser at Longborough last year, but unfortunately I was unable to go in the end because of other commitments. So I do try, sometimes! Bits of Wagner are splendid, but the whole experience is too often needlessly tedious.

Fanatical Wagnerites might want to sample this later in the year - https://grangeparkopera.co.uk/whats-...?event_id=2592 - if the opera house gets finished in time. There may still be tickets. Forumites might be intrigued to note the connection with University Challenge.

[Beef Oven!]

Going through my recordings over the past week: Knappertsbusch 1951, Karajan 1961 & 1984 so far. Starting tomorrow, Kubelik (1980) - and then, maybe another chance for the Levine (the one from Bayreuth - the one in the DECCA Bayreuth box that everyone wishes had been the Stereo Knappertsbusch that BeefO has been playing).

Oh! And the 1920s Bayreuth excerpts shall get a playing, too!

ferney, how long have you had the Kubelik and can you remember what you paid for it?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

ferney, how long have you had the Kubelik and can you remember what you paid for it?

I've had it a couple of years now, BeefO - it was a pressie, so I don't know what it cost (other than the respect, affection, and endless piss-taking that I've been delighted to afford for years anyway! )

[BBMmk2]

Going through my recordings over the past week: Knappertsbusch 1951, Karajan 1961 & 1984 so far. Starting tomorrow, Kubelik (1980) - and then, maybe another chance for the Levine (the one from Bayreuth - the one in the DECCA Bayreuth box that everyone wishes had been the Stereo Knappertsbusch that BeefO has been playing).

Oh! And the 1920s Bayreuth excerpts shall get a playing, too!

That's certainly a Parsifal marathon, Ferney!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

That's certainly a Parsifal marathon, Ferney!

But taken at a leisurely pace, Bbm - an Act a day covers the Easter Holiday fortnight, and allows other "seasonal" listening, too!

And the thing is, there're another four (at least) versions I would like to add to the collection: Boulez, Barenboim, Knappertsbusch (stereo), and Solti!