This stunning 1945 recording, conducted by Artur Rodziński,was the first time that the complete Act 3 of Wagner's Die Walküre had been recorded without the usual cuts.
Rodziński gathered an exceptionally experienced cast drawn from the roster of the Metropolitan Opera: Helen Traubel dominated the heaviest Wagnerian soprano roles at the Met for more than a decade between 1941 and 1953 - this complete recording of Act 3 of Die Walküre is by far the most substantial item in her discography. German baritone Herbert Janssen sings Wotan - vocally forceful, yet with a touching pathos and dignity as one might expect from someone with such vast experience. Austrian soprano Irene Jessner sings Sieglinde. This is one of the fastest versions of act 3 on record, some ten minutes quicker than many others. The New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra provide excellent support.
Some recordings appear to be crying out for an XR Ambient Stereo remaster - we strongly suspect quite a few heads will be turned when they hear this version of Rodziński's Die Walküre! The recording was made in Carnegie Hall in 1945, yet listen now to this release and you might be be easily convinced it was a recording perhaps 20 or 30 years younger. The sound quality is astonishing, and the pacing truly exhilarating!