Die Walkure: Windgassen-Varnay

First point to make is that in spite of Walhall's claim, this is not an "audiophile remastering".Instead, there should be a disclaimer informing any prospective buyer that the sound is the best possible given the less-than-perfect source.Unquestionably, the star of the performance is Konwitschny. He was a Wagnerian of the first order in a tradition going back to Richter and Knappertsbusch. The generations that followed Konwitschny's were increasingly less impressive, even though recording techniques improved to "audiophile" standards. Given the choice, I'll take the restricted and sometimes muddy mono sound heard here over, say, Daniel Barenboim's WALKURE. (You can hear Konwitschny in good sound in several commercial recordings, most notably, I think, in a HOLLANDER with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau at his Wagnerian best.)The cast is good, but both Vinay and Hotter are in the early stages of vocal decline, especially the former. If you listen to the glorious Bayreuth WALKURE of Keilberth circa 1955, four years earlier, you can hear this clearly, though Hotter is still dramatically riveting in 1959.Amy Shuard sings an impressive Sieglinde, Varnay is still the assoluta she was in 1955, and Kurt Boehme is a menacing Hunding.Neville Cardus, not everybody's idea of a great music critic but definitely a discerning judge of Wagner, thought Konwitschny's London RINGs were outstanding. I not only agree (the other three Walhall sets are very good), I regret the fact that Konwitschny didn't get the chance to record a studio RING for EMI.

What a find! I have about 25 recordings of the Ring. I am obsessed. I've largely avoided mono recordings (save Krauss '53 and Keilberth '52). I am so glad I took the plunge on this set due to the cheap price. What an astounding performance. I have never heard a better sung Brunnhilde than Varnay on this set (and the rest of the '57 Kna), Hotter is of course amazing, and we get the added treat of Nilsson's thrilling Brunnhilde. Sound is fantastic for its age - probably the best of the mono recordings out there. All in all, just fantastic. This led me to get the rest of Kna '57 Ring, and the Kna '58 Ring (with a young Vickers as Siegmund). Both are marvels, although I like the '57 better. In fact, I think it the best of all the live Rings I've heard (including Krauss).

I love this era of Wagnerian singing. All of the singers here are top notch and with the great Knappertsbudch at the podium this is a superb performance. Varnay is a fearless Brunhilde and the scenes with Hotter's Wotan are matchless. Too bad the prompter is a bit obtrusive during the Act II monologue--the crux of the entire ring cycle. Hotter is always amazing, peerless in that glorious monologue, particularly devastating at "So nimm meinem Segen, Niblungen-sohn." The remaining singers are wonderful, Nilsson and Vinay are well matched and exciting and I love Georgine Von Milinkovic's ferocious Fricka. Very fine valkyries, better than expected sound and a truly great conductor. No texts or libretto, only track listings.

When I began listening to & collecting music CDs, especially Classical & Opera ones, I could not fathom why one would feel the need to have several of the same work recorded by different conductors, orchestras & singers...now I know because I am one of those who owns multiple copies of a single work. Part of this is obsession, perhaps even addiction & thinking that I have to hear everything (which can drive one around the bend), but part is real curiosity & appreciation of the various ways to express a work.I just received this newest (for me) version days ago & have listened to part of the whole & enjoyed what I heard as this set has some of favorite singers on it, including Eva Marton & Cheryl Studer. And what a bargain buy this was ! No complaints. *JQ

Solti brought out some of the best performances from his singers. Very strong emotional singing. However, Levine's conducting of the orchestra in his version is my preference for the orchestral music. Solti's vision was very different, slower and -- and I do not have the vocabulary to describe what I hear in this recording. It is beautiful and wonderful. If only I could put Solti's singing together with Levine's orchestra. That would be incredible.

My husband remembered that the British Detective Morse hailed this as the best Wagner ever. He was right.

This was to complete the CD's for the Ring Cycle. Wanted to give this as a complete cycle to a friend as a thank you present

Ok.

The quality of the performance is beyond question even taking account of Knappertsbusch's occasional idiosyncrasies . The sound is quite remarkable with very little stage or audience noise. The legendary cast is on top form throughout. I did not buy Gotterdammerung as I have the Testament 1951 set which with the exception of Alberich has an identical cast. The remastering is quite outstanding and in my view surpasses both Krauss and Keilberth ( not including the 55 Stereo set on Testament).

All Ok. Item in perfect condition.

Sir George Solti was one of the great conductors of the last century and an exceptional Wagnerian conductor. The long playing made feasible the production of recordings of Wagner’s operas. From a technical and musical perspective, it was still a great challenge to make a studio recording of the ring cycle as perfect as possible. Solti and the DECCA technical team selected the Vienna Philharmonic and brought together some of the greatest Wagnerian singers of the time in particular Birgit Nielsen, as Brunnhilde, and Regine Crespin. as Sieglinde to record the Walküre, as part of the cycle.The quality of the sound of these “old” (digitized) analog recording is amazing. The sound engineers had performed miracles. I doubt that many present-day recordings are of such quality!Walküre is the centerpiece of the cycle. Between the first to the last note of this almost four hours long opera, the music covers the entire spectrum of emotions from tenderness and passion, to rage and fury, and compassion and forgiveness. Solti has directed a faultlesss interpretation of the centerpiece of the Ring cycle.Solti’s Walküre stands the comparison with that of Wilhelm Furtwangler, the greatest Wagnerian conductor of all times. Ten years before Solti, Furtwangler had recorded for EMI the Walküre with the London Philharmonic and such legendary singers as Leonie Rysanek (Sieglinde) and Martha Modl (Brunnhilde). Sadly, Furtwangler died before he could complete the recording of the entire Ring cycle! Solti’s interpretation can stand in comparison of Furtwangler’s. It remains a key part of Solti's exceptional musical legacy. This is music that I would listen to forever!

Eccellente qualità offerta dalla Walhall per una serata a Bayreuth che si trova recensita assai negativamente da quella critica ostile al Wagner...di Wagner e che vorrebbe strindberghianamente in sé contorto perfino un Thor nell'atto di chiamare a raccolta le nubi.Sorte che accomuna i due interpreti epici Knappertsbusch e Furtwängler, la visione 'tragica' dei quali induce di per sé a naturale, profonda introspezione, come l'Olandese di Klemperer, come rappresentare Eschilo o Sofocle alla fonte e alla lettera, senza orpelli modernistici. Del resto ebbe a dire Sinopoli (in battuta ma non troppo) che una volta conosciuto Wagner si può anche tralasciare Freud...Questa opera del 1957 si colloca fra i due cicli di riferimento del Ring di Knappertsbusch e musicalmente non si notano sostanziali differenze. Particolare - e forse unica - è invece la scelta degli interpreti di Siegmund e Sieglinde.La Nilsson - pressoché agli esordi - si colloca fra la purezza cristallina di una Grümmer e la vibrante passionalità della Crespin. Padronanza totale dell'emissione e del fraseggio e chiaro presagio della cantante che sarà di lì a breve.L'interessante viene con Vinay: - molto si è scritto del suo logoramento vocale. Eppure, proprio certe (rare) oscillazioni nel registro alto, certi 'parlati' in libera uscita rendono il suo Siegmund straniero (e la non perfetta dizione concorre), straniero e selvaggio - fuorilegge e diverso. Né Windgassen (1956) né Vickers (1958) possono rendere tali peculiarità fondanti l'umanità e la vicenda di Siegmund. Vinay, inoltre, è tenore di rara personalità che sa come e quando prendersi licenze per di più in un ruolo che ben conosce. Dal momento della visita notturna di Sieglinde, i due gemelli amanti veleggiano sulle maestose onde orchestrali giungendo a terrificante intensità espressiva e la Nilsson scrive una pagina quasi incomparabile.Capitolo a parte, poi, meriterebbe l'Annuncio di morte.Forse il più intenso che la discografia ci consegna. La Varnay è splendida nelle inflessioni ora austere ora smarrite nel caos dei sentimenti mentre Vinay è il belluino eroe che nell'attimo in cui viene a conoscere il proprio destino di morte mette brutalmente a tacere la figlia di Wotan affinché il sonno dell'amata non venga turbato.Hotter e Greindl sono...Hotter e Greindl.Personalmente ritengo Hunding forse troppo ancorato alla tradizione che lo vuole bieco e torvo. Abbiamo un'unica eccezione nella discografia pervenutaci: Weber nell'Anello di Furtwängler a Milano nel 1950. La Milinkovic canta molto bene - una Fricka mai sopra o sotto le righe.Detto dell'ottimo riversamento della Walhall, resta da aggiungere la prodigiosa scarsità di interiezioni nevrotico-bronchiali.Dei tre cicli del Kna a Bayreuth (1956/7/8), la Walhall ha estratto singole opere solo dagli ultimi due. E' quindi possibile comporsi il proprio Anello assemblando da qui e da là, potendo anche contare sull'omogeneità delle confezioni.Per concludere: volendo considerare direzione ed orchestra il mio riferimento è la sublime Walküre di Furtwängler registrata in studio nel 1954, stando agli interpreti la mia preferita è proprio questa.

Ich bin total happy, die erste Digitalisierung noch bekommen zu haben, und das zu diesem fantastischen Preis und in dem superben Erhaltungsgrad. Sieht aus, wie neu aus einem Laden. Warum die CD Erstauflage: sie klingt original wie von Vinyl. Die neueren Abmischungen sind perfekter, aber auch steriler. Klar auch rauschfreier und noch besser vom Klang.Hier bei dieser Erstüberspielung hat man es so belassen wie es war, hier und da verbessert, aber im ganzen im Original erhalten. Danke.