{"title":"Wagner","description":"Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is primarily known for his operas (or, as some of his later works were later known, \"music dramas\"). Unlike most opera composers, Wagner wrote both the libretto and the music for each of his stage works. Initially establishing his reputation as a composer of works in the romantic vein of Weber and Meyerbeer, Wagner revolutionised opera through his concept of the Gesamtkunstwerk (\"total work of art\"), by which he sought to synthesise the poetic, visual, musical and dramatic arts, with music subsidiary to drama. He described this vision in a series of essays published between 1849 and 1852. Wagner realised these ideas most fully in the first half of the four-opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis compositions, particularly those of his later period, are notable for their complex textures, rich harmonies and orchestration, and the elaborate use of leitmotifs—musical phrases associated with individual characters, places, ideas, or plot elements. His advances in musical language, such as extreme chromaticism and quickly shifting tonal centres, greatly influenced the development of classical music. His Tristan und Isolde is sometimes described as marking the start of modern music.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWagner had his own opera house built, the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, which embodied many novel design features. The Ring and Parsifal were premiered here and his most important stage works continue to be performed at the annual Bayreuth Festival, run by his descendants. His thoughts on the relative contributions of music and drama in opera were to change again, and he reintroduced some traditional forms into his last few stage works, including Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (The Mastersingers of Nuremberg).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUntil his final years, Wagner's life was characterised by political exile, turbulent love affairs, poverty and repeated flight from his creditors. His controversial writings on music, drama and politics have attracted extensive comment, notably, since the late 20th century, where they express antisemitic sentiments. The effect of his ideas can be traced in many of the arts throughout the 20th century; his influence spread beyond composition into conducting, philosophy, literature, the visual arts and theatre.","products":[{"product_id":"pasc322","title":"WALTER Polydor Acoustics Volume 2: Overtures (1923-25) - PASC322","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Coriolan Overture \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eCHERUBINI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Der Wasserträger - Overture\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSCHUMANN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Manfred Overture \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eMENDELSSOHN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Die Hebriden Overture (Fingal's Cave)\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Faust Overture\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBERLIOZ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Benvenuto Cellini – Overture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eStudio recordings, 1923-25\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 61:34\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor Bruno Walter\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fWalter admirers will find much to interest and intrigue in this selection578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cdiv\u003eBruno Walter claimed that he first recorded around the turn of the 20th century, an assertion cited in the biography of the conductor by Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky. It was supposedly of music from Carmen, which he did record but more than two decades later. Whatever the truth, orchestrally speaking he first becomes audible in the series of acoustic Polydor recordings made from 1923 to 1925. Pristine Audio has already released his first major undertaking, Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique” Symphony (1925, complete), coupled with Mozart overtures and two pieces from Carmen, on PASC142. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eWhat this latest release demonstrates is the canny nature of recording selections made by companies such as Polydor, which would have been well aware of rival releases. Of the six overtures, four were making their first-ever appearance on disc: those by Cherubini, Schumann, Wagner, and Berlioz. It’s easy to label musicians “discographic pioneers,” not least in a landscape where so much remained to be recorded, but in that respect Walter was treading new water. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThe Coriolan Overture had already proved popular on disc. Thanks to Claude Graveley Arnold’s The Orchestra on Record 1896–1926 we know that Willem Mengelberg, Otto Urack, Landon Ronald, Leo Blech, and the more obscure Johannes Heidenreich had all recorded it by the time Bruno Walter set down his version in August 1923. Bass reinforcements, of course, were very much the norm. They work here with the desired strategic heightening effect, making audible what the acoustic horn could not pick up, though occasionally the balance is swampy despite the engineers’ best intentions. The performance has a degree of elasticity that must, to a large degree, accurately reflect Walter’s expressive position at the time—he was in his late 40s in 1923—not least in the slightly sentimentalized second subject and freedom of metrical pulse. A check of the turn-over point reinforces the fact that these were not decisions imposed on him, but were part of a more loosely structural approach. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThere are more overt portamenti in the performance of the Cherubini overture. The bass reinforcements are also rather more crudely employed than in Coriolan. One could attribute the greater portamenti to the players’ unfamiliarity with the work and thus their inability to coordinate slides before the recording session. Despite the sepulchral bass line, and some infelicities (tuttis are a bit muddled), the slow introduction is richly characterized. Where a decision may have been foisted on Walter is the side change at 5:05 in Schumann’s Manfred Overture, where he edges slowly to the end of the side. It makes for a rather sticky moment. Again, though, this was a premiere performance on disc and if the winds are not on their best behavior, being rather shrill, it adds to the generation of heat and energy. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThe Hebrides Overture has a rather more steely surface, and a bit of scuffing, but Ward Marston has done a fine job here, as elsewhere, managing the Scylla and Charybdis business of surface noise and frequency response with his usual sensitive judgment; retention of the former enhances the latter. My only complaint is no one’s fault; those bass reinforcements sound a bit sleazy here. The longest overture is Wagner’s Faust, which was recorded on three shellac sides, and another first-ever recording. Like Coriolan it was recorded on August 1, 1923, and responds well to his direction. The final item is Berlioz’s Benvenuto Cellini Overture. I suspect that if you were in the habit of playing the “who recorded what first” game (a perilous one) you’d have come up with two dozen names before you’d come up with Walter’s. Yet Walter it was, and he directs in a rather charmingly ebullient way. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eDG (2740 259) reissued Coriolan, though I’ve not had access to it for comparative purposes. Walter remade the Schumann in Chicago in 1956 for a WGN-TV telecast, and the Mendelssohn with the New York Philharmonic Symphony live in 1948 (Music \u0026amp; Arts CD714), with which orchestra he also recorded the Berlioz, though I’m unaware if it’s been released commercially. In 1939, with the NBC, he recorded the Faust Overture. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eAs James A. Altena pointed out in his review in Fanfare 35:6, the orchestral attribution in Pristine’s documentation is a little shaky and omits reference to the contribution of the Berlin Philharmonic. Walter admirers will find much to interest and intrigue in this selection. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJonathan Woolf \u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 36:2 (Nov\/Dec 2012) of \u003cem\u003eFanfare\u003c\/em\u003e Magazine.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC322.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eBruno Walter - witness the birth of a recording legend!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eSuperlative acoustic transfers of six rare early recordings by Ward Marston\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThis release at Pristine explores the earliest recordings of a\nlegendary twentieth century musician. Bruno Walter's career as a conductor may\nhave pre-dated these recordings by a number of years, but in these six rare\nacoustically-recorded overtures, with what was then perhaps the finest\norchestra in Germany, the Berlin State Opera Orchestra, we get to hear the\nfirst suggestions of the legend to come.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eMultiple award-winning producer Ward Marston has worked miracles\nin the sound quality achieved from these 1923-25 discs - despite the\nlimitations of the pre-microphone era they really are an outstanding record of\nWalter's early recorded brilliance.\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN\u003c\/b\u003e Coriolan Overture\u003cbr\u003eRecorded 1 August 1923\u003cbr\u003eMatrices 73az and 74 az; Polydor 65928\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eCHERUBINI\u003c\/b\u003e Der Wasserträger - Overture\u003cbr\u003eRecorded 1 January 1924\u003cbr\u003eMatrices 647 az and 648az; Polydor 66073\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eSCHUMANN\u003c\/b\u003e Manfred Overture \u003cbr\u003eRecorded 1 March 1925\u003cbr\u003eMatrices 1836 1\/2 as 1837as; Polydor 66074\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eMENDELSSOHN\u003c\/b\u003e Die Hebriden Overture (Fingal's Cave)\u003cbr\u003eRecorded 1 August 1923\u003cbr\u003eMatrices 82 ½az and 83az; Polydor 65930\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/b\u003e Faust Overture \u003cbr\u003eRecorded 1 August 1923\u003cbr\u003eMatrices 1519as, 71az and 72az; Polydor 65955\/56\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eBERLIOZ\u003c\/b\u003e Benvenuto Cellini – Overture\u003cbr\u003eRecorded 1 January 1924\u003cbr\u003eMatrices 621½az, 622az, and 623az; Polydor 66075\/76\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra\u003cbr\u003eBruno Walter \u003c\/b\u003econductor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eProducer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Ward Marston\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a 1912 photograph of Bruno Walter\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eWe are grateful for the use of the discs for these transfers from the collection of David Schmutz\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC322.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC322.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":34132993677,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":34132993741,"sku":null,"price":9.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PASC322.jpg?v=1489574722"},{"product_id":"pasc470","title":"BEECHAM The ABC Blue Network Concerts, Volume 2 (1945) - PASC470","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIALbi\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"BLACKb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eGötterdämmerung: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIALi\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSiegfried’s Funeral March\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"BLACKb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSIBELIUS\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003ePelléas et Mélisande Suite: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIALi\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eThe Death of Mélisande\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"BLACKb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eMOZART\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIALb\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDivertimento, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eK 131: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIALi\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eAdagio\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"BLACKb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSCHUBERT\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIALb\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. 8, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e“Unfinished.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"BLACKb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eTCHAIKOVSKY\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIALb\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSerenade in C: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIALi\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eElegie\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"BLACKb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBERLIOZ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eLes Troyens: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIALi\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eTrojan March \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIALbi\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive broadcast on ABC\/Blue Network, 4pm, 14 April 1945\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 57:50\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eSir Thomas Beecham, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBlue Network Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cdiv data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775340\" style=\"padding-left: 120px\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fReviews: MusicWeb International \u0026amp; Audiophile Audition578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThe heart-rending, diaphanous Elegie from Tchaikovsky’s C Major Serenade for Strings, a work Beecham never committed to commercial issue...578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe second in the series of Blue Network concerts in New York on 14 April 1945 (see \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.musicweb-international.com\/classrev\/2016\/Apr\/Beecham_ABC_PASC461.htm\"\u003eVolume 1\u003c\/a\u003e\n for further details) saw a tribute concert in memory of President \nRoosevelt who had died just two days before. The programme had to be \nchanged to reflect the sombre nature of the occasion which was \ninterrupted for a funeral report from the White House. A few salient \ndetails need to be borne in mind. After the introduction by Milton Cross\n there was a minute’s silence – one can hear cross-station interference –\n that producer Andrew Rose has wisely truncated. 50 seconds of music is \nmissing from the Sibelius, which he has patched from another recording –\n he doesn’t say which. A shorter patch was necessary in the Schubert \nwhich is ended early in any case by a live report.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Almost \neverything here is familiar from Beecham’s extant discography, though \nnot everything will be familiar from on-the-wing live performances such \nas these. Siegfried’s Funeral March starts slightly awkwardly and \nensemble is less blended than in his 1953 RPO studio performance. \nNevertheless, the cumulative charge of the music-making is very strong \nindeed. Something should be said about Pristine’s tracking details which\n list track 3 as \u003cem\u003eThe Death of Mélisande\u003c\/em\u003e from Sibelius’s Op.46 suite. In fact, there are, to be precise, three movements from the suite; \u003cem\u003eMélisande\u003c\/em\u003e (No.2), \u003cem\u003ePastorale\u003c\/em\u003e (No.5) and finally, and most appropriately, \u003cem\u003eThe Death of Mélisande\u003c\/em\u003e\n itself. This offers a more wide-ranging mini-suite in which playful \narabesques lighten the commemorative and grieving elements enshrined in \nthe bulk of Beecham’s programme. His 1955 RPO performance may be more \ntightly played but this New York one has great gravity – his vocal \nexhortations during this last tableau will be familiar to those who know\n his similarly live BBC Second Symphony recording. The inclusion of the \nAdagio from Mozart’s Divertimento in D, K131, is apt.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The surface hiss level is at its most intrusive in the second movement of Schubert’s \u003cem\u003eUnfinished.\u003c\/em\u003e\n But the brass is trenchant and the strings taut and memories will stir \nof his pre-war reading with the LPO just as much as the 1951 RPO. By a \nquirk of reportage therefore, given that the concert relay is halted \nbefore the end of the work, we have a doubly-unfinished symphony. The \nreal bonus for Beecham aficionados is the inclusion of Tchaikovsky’s \u003cem\u003eElegie\u003c\/em\u003e from the Serenade for Strings, which he never recorded commercially. Milton Cross announces this as Berlioz’s \u003cem\u003eIntermezzo and Serenade\u003c\/em\u003e,\n a clue perhaps to the original concert line-up. This is a tremendous \nreading - fluctuating, brimming, teeming with ardent lyricism, and a \nfulsome example of Beecham’s art. The concert ends with the \u003cem\u003eMarche Troyenne -\u003c\/em\u003e a noble way in which to end this near-hour long salute to the departed leader.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n This sequence of continuing discs leads me to hope that aural evidence \nhas survived of Beecham’s coast-to-coast tour of the US with the RPO in \n1950.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cem\u003eJonathan Woolf\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eMusicWeb International\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA national moment of silence precedes the broadcast concert of the \nBlue Network Orchestra led by Sir Thomas Beecham – the 14 April 1945 \nconcert coincides with the funeral service for President Franklin Delano\n Roosevelt – and the program Beecham leads reflects the spirit of \nvalediction. The famous \u003ci\u003eSiegfried Funeral March\u003c\/i\u003e from \u003ci\u003eThe Twilight of the Gods\u003c\/i\u003e\n receives a potent, albeit direct, realization from Beecham’s responsive\n players, a linear approach we might ascribe to Toscanini.  Even more \npathos-ridden, the English horn solo and strings that constitute the \nfirst section of \u003ci\u003eThe Death of Melisande\u003c\/i\u003e (1905) makes a lachrymose\n impression that remains special, even in the extensive Beecham canon of\n Sibelius. After a relatively genial, nostalgic middle section, the \nreturn of the somber strings leaves us emotionally drained.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ci\u003eAdagio\u003c\/i\u003e from Mozart’s second divertimento for strings, that in \u003ci\u003eD Major, K.131\u003c\/i\u003e,\n adds a distinct element of old-world grace to the occasion.  The \ndiaphanous strings trills assume a hue, an intimation of mortality.  The\n second period in the music, with its sudden \u003ci\u003eff\u003c\/i\u003e, expresses a \nlevel of otherwise understated anguish in musical moment that approaches\n Handel for exquisite, melodic fervor. The major work, Schubert’s \u003ci\u003eUnfinished Symphony\u003c\/i\u003e, assumes an air of guarded mystery and often aggressive fire in the opening \u003ci\u003eAllegro moderato\u003c\/i\u003e.\n Beecham subdues the brass parts to allow the famous string melody \nresonant primacy. But this music of solace breaks off and enters an \nabysmal realm of profound grief which Beecham invests with demonic \npower. We sense that, had Beecham the benefit of sound enhanced beyond \nthe monaural resources of AM radio, the effect would have been truly \noverpowering. The \u003ci\u003eE Major Andante con moto\u003c\/i\u003e communicates a \npoignant dignity, solemnly martial, enhanced by the colors from the \nclarinet, oboe, French horn, and distant tympani.  An announcement \ninterrupts the broadcast of this movement; then the music resumes – \nhaving missed the Delius component – with the heart-rending, diaphanous \u003ci\u003eElegie\u003c\/i\u003e from Tchaikovsky’s \u003ci\u003eC Major Serenade for Strings\u003c\/i\u003e, a work Beecham never committed to commercial issue.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe program concludes on a more stoical note – the \u003ci\u003eTrojan March\u003c\/i\u003e of Berlioz – and even the spoken introduction by Milton Cross conveys an air of uplifted resolve.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e—Gary Lemco\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audaud.com\/beecham-the-abc-blue-network-concerts-volume-2-a-tribute-concert-in-memory-of-president-roosevelt-works-f-wagner-sibelius-schubert-berlioz-tcaikovsky-mozart-blue-network-sym-beecham-pr\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAudiophile Audition\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC470.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eSecond of four newly-discovered broadcast concerts - Beecham's Roosevelt Tribute Concert\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"The\n concert ends with the Marche Troyenne - a noble way in which to end \nthis near-hour long salute to the departed leader\" - MusicWeb \nInternational\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eSir Thomas Beecham's second of four scheduled live concert broadcasts\n with ABC's \"Blue Network Symphony Orchestra\" must have given the new \nstation's controllers any number of headaches, primarily because of the \nsudden death in office of President Roosevelt two days before the \nconcert, scheduled to coincide with the funeral service at the White \nHouse. We do not know what music Beecham had planned for that concert, \nbut one assumes it would have been considerably different to the more \nsolemn affair delivered on the day.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn preparing this previously-unreleased broadcast for issue I've had \nto make several unusual interventions. The broadcast began with a \nminute's silence, which I've faded. A section of about 50 seconds of \nmusic was missing from the Sibelius - this I've patched in from another \nrecording which I've \"aged\" to match the Beecham. A much shorter section\n in the Schubert had to be similarly patched.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe latter, interrupted by the broadcaster for a live report from the\n White House (audio of which doesn't apparently survive) is quite \nliterally unfinished - but we have most of it. Thereafter the concert is\n complete, though the announcement of a Berlioz Intermezzo and Serenade \nlead into a faded-in Tchaikovsky \u003cem\u003eElegie\u003c\/em\u003e, indicating that the concert, before a largely silent audience, continued without a break.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt's a remarkably historic document with some fabulous playing. Sound\n quality again is good AM radio; I've been able to deal largely with \nsome interference from other radio stations, whilst some disc surface \nnoise is occasionally audible.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003eGötterdämmerung, WWV 86D - Siegfried's Funeral March\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSIBELIUS\u003c\/b\u003e Pelléas et Mélisande, Suite, Op. 46 - 9. The Death of Mélisande\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMOZART\u003c\/b\u003e Divertimento in D, K.131 - 2nd mvt. - Adagio\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSCHUBERT \u003c\/b\u003e Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D.759 \"Unfinished\"\u003cbr\u003eABC Radio - Interruption for White House funeral report\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTCHAIKOVSKY\u003c\/b\u003e Serenade for Strings, Op. 48 - 3rd mvt. - Elegie\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBERLIOZ\u003c\/b\u003e The Trojans, H.133 - Marche Troyenne\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLive broadcast on ABC\/Blue Network, 4pm, 14 April 1945\u003cbr\u003eRitz Theater, W. 48th Street,  New York City\u003cbr\u003eAnnouncer: Milton Cross\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBlue Network Symphony Orchestra \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSir Thomas Beecham\u003c\/b\u003e, conductor\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC470.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC470.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":31975230029,"sku":null,"price":16.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31975230093,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":31975230157,"sku":null,"price":9.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PASC470_a6a41065-f1f1-45c1-b4d4-0855600e8ba5.jpg?v=1487681893"},{"product_id":"paco135","title":"BÖHM Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (1960, Met) - PACO135","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cul\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eTristan und Isolde\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive broadcast recording, 1960\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eProducer and XR Remastering: Andrew Rose\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of Birgit Nilsson as Isolde, Met Opera 1959\/60\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 3hr 22:30\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eTristan - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRamón Vinay\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eIsolde - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBirgit Nilsson\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eOrchestra \u0026amp; Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eKarl Böhm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e, conductor\n\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775340\" style=\"padding-left: 30px\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fIf I had to retain in my collection a single example of Birgit Nilsson’s Isolde, it would be this one ... Shattering578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eDo not look here for advice to save money on the grounds that you don’t need another \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTristan \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003erecording. You \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003edo \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eneed this one if this opera and\/or Wagnerian singing is something you care about. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThere are, of course, many other \noptions that have preserved great performances of the role of Isolde by \nBirgit Nilsson, including DG’s classic Böhm-led 1966 Bayreuth recording \nwith Windgassen. There are some important performances of the opera with\n Nilsson and Jon Vickers, the finest Tristan she ever sang with, but \nthey are all seriously flawed in many ways, sound quality and\/or \nconducting among them. As great as the DG set is, I have always found \nWindgassen less than an ideal Tristan, though William Youngren liked him\n very much in his \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ereview\n of that release (11:6). It seems to me that Ramon Vinay brings a vocal \nweight and richness of timbre that is a better match for both the music \nand Nilsson’s sound. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIt is Nilsson, first and foremost, that\n makes this essential listening. The Swedish soprano’s Met debut \noccurred three weeks earlier, in this same role. The critics and public \nanointed her a superstar by the final curtain of that debut, and this \nrecording demonstrates the justification for the anointment. Hearing her\n at her very freshest (she was 41 at the time), with a voice that \nbalanced perfectly the elements of tonal beauty and brilliance, is a \ntruly thrilling experience. I happened to attend this performance, as a \nstandee, and it remains among the handful of greatest operatic \nexperiences in my memory (the Nilsson\/Corelli \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTurandot \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eperformances are in that category, along with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eOtello \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eevenings\n spent with del Monaco, Tebaldi and Warren). It was wonderful to listen \nto these discs and learn that my memory had not played tricks on me—it \ntruly was something extraordinary. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eEarlier in the run of this production \n(December 28) the Met experienced an evening that has gone down in its \nhistory: three indisposed tenors, each of whom agreed to sing one act \nopposite Nilsson (Vinay, Karl Liebl, and Albert da Costa is the answer \nto that trivia question, and in that order). Here Vinay shows no signs \nof the illness that forced him to limit himself to only act I two weeks \nearlier. One cannot pretend that Vinay sounds young and fresh; after all\n he had been singing at the Met since 1946 and was a year away from \nfinishing his career there. But there is a foundation of richness to the\n timbre, and it is married to a true understanding of how Wagner’s music\n goes and a genuine dramatic instinct that make this a very satisfying \nperformance. He is spectacular in his big third act delirium scene, with\n an intensity that will leave you breathless. He and Böhm partner \nperfectly in this scene. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIrene Dalis was the Met’s reigning \nBrangäne in her two decades with the company, and we can tell why from \nthis performance. Particularly in the first act she creates a \nsympathetic, human Brangäne, not merely a foil for Nilsson’s \noverwhelming Isolde, and she produces a lovely, opulent sound. Hines \nalso produces a big, even sound, but he doesn’t break your heart the way\n the best King Markes do (e.g., Kipnis, Salminen, and Pape). Cassel’s \nKurwenal lacks any subtlety, though it is decently sung. The remaining \nroles are taken more than adequately, perhaps less than superlatively \nexcept for Charles Anthony’s beautifully sung Sailor. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eWhat helps to make this performance \nunforgettable is the conducting of Karl Böhm. To my ears Böhm was an \nuneven conductor, sometimes inspired, sometimes no more than competent. \nEven hearing different performances of this opera under his baton, one \nexperiences that range of quality. No doubt some will find him a bit \nrushed here—and indeed his tempos are frequently quicker than even his \nown other documented performances. But there is also a flexibility in \nevidence, a willingness to caress the line and really shape the music, \nthat he does not always display. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ePristine has done its usual amazing \nwork on the restoration. In the ambient stereo version that I listened \nto, the sound is natural, surprisingly open and with a realistic \nperspective between voice and orchestra. At climaxes one experiences a \nbit of cramping, but overall there is no sonic impediment to full \nenjoyment of the music. Pristine has removed some extraneous audience \nnoises, but couldn’t get all the coughing out. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIf I had to retain in my collection a \nsingle example of Birgit Nilsson’s Isolde, it would be this one, because\n of the astounding vocal freshness she demonstrates, the individual \ncontributions of Vinay, Dalis, and Böhm, and the total impact of the \nentire performance. Shattering. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHenry Fogel\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 40:3 (Jan\/Feb 2017) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO135.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eBirgit Nilsson's Isolde brings the house down in her New York debut\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eKarl Böhm conducts his only broadcast Met Opera Tristan und Isolde in 1960 to rapturous response\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“with a voice of extraordinary size, suppleness and brilliance,\u003cbr\u003eshe dominated the stage and the performance”\u003cbr\u003eNEW YORK TIMES\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"b\"\u003eThis stunning performance of Wagner's\u003cem\u003e Tristan und Isolde\u003c\/em\u003e\n was broadcast live from the Metropolitan Opera just three weeks after \nBirgit Nilsson's astonishing debut in the role of Isolde in New York \nmade front page news and produced reams of adoring copy. It marks her \nfirst matinee broadcast as well as the only time Böhm, whose 1966 \nBayreuth \u003cem\u003eTristan und Isolde\u003c\/em\u003e is widely regarded as among the very best, broadcast the opera from the Met.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"b\"\u003eWorking from two high quality sources, this XR remastering \nbrings us the full glory of this remarkable debut in superb Ambient \nStereo sound. Announcements from Milton Cross at the start and finish of\n each act (one act per CD) add to the sense of grand occasion as does \nthe rapturous applause of the Metropolitan Opera audience.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n.\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER   \u003c\/b\u003eTristan und Isolde, WWV90\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLive matinee performance\u003cbr\u003eMetropolitan Opera New York, 9 January1960\u003cbr\u003eBroadcast on NBC Radio\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCAST\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTristan - \u003cb\u003eRamón Vinay\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIsolde - \u003cb\u003eBirgit Nilsson\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKurwenal - \u003cb\u003eWalter Cassel\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBrangäne - \u003cb\u003eIrene Dalis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKing Marke - \u003cb\u003eJerome Hines\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMelot - \u003cb\u003eCalvin Marsh\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSailor's Voice - \u003cb\u003eCharles Anthony\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShepherd - \u003cb\u003ePaul Franke\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSteersman - \u003cb\u003eLouis Sgarro\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrchestra \u0026amp; Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKarl Böhm\u003c\/b\u003e, conductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO135.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO135.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fNY Times Articles578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBirgit Nilsson as Isolde Flashes\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLike New Star in ‘Met’ Heavens\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small; font-family: 'times new roman', times;\"\u003eSwedish Soprano’s Voice in Debut Is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small; font-family: 'times new roman', times;\"\u003eCompared With Kirsten Flagstad’s Best\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eby \u003cb\u003eHOWARD TAUBMAN\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eNew York Times, 19 December 1959\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ccode\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/code\u003eBirgit\n Nilsson filled the Metropolitan Opera House last night with the glory \nof the finest Isolde since the unforgettable days of Kirsten Flagstad \ntwo decades ago.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn\n her New York debut the Swedish soprano assumed one of the most \ndemanding roles in the repertory and charged it with power and \nexaltation. With a voice of extraordinary size, suppleness and \nbrilliance, she dominated the stage and the performance. Isolde's fury \nand Isolde's passion were as consuming as cataclysms of nature.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBefore\n the first act was over a knowing audience at the Met's new production \nof \"Tristan und Isolde\" was aware that a great star was flashing in the \noperatic heavens. At the end of the act the crowd remained in their \nseats, waiting for Miss Nilsson to take a solo bow. And when she came \nout alone, they roared like the Stadium fans when Conerly throws a \nwinning touchdown pass.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt\n was an audience that knew its Wagnerian manners. It did not break into \napplause during the performance, but again at the end of the second act \nit manifested its enthusiasm with sustained applause and cheers for the \nnewcomer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt\n the final curtain the audience began a thunderous demonstration. As the\n principals came out for repeated bows all eyes were on the soprano. An \novation was building up for her, and it broke out into a thunderous \nshout as she came out alone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePeople\n seemed disinclined to go home. The lights in the theatre were dimmed, \nbut men and women throughout the house remained near their seats, \napplauding for Miss Nilsson's return. After more than fifteen minutes of\n plaudits, the enthusiasts let Miss Nilsson return to her dressing room.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLike\n Miss Flagstad, who created a similar sensation in her 1935 debut, Miss \nNilsson relied first and foremost on the voice. Her soprano has \napparently limitless reserves of tone. In a range well over two octaves,\n no note loses its quality, and high C's emerge with stunning impact.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlthough\n she is small and trim compared with the run of Wagnerian sopranos, \nMiss. Nilsson can make her voice soar over the fortissimos of a large \norchestra in full cry as if it were jet-powered. Her singing is \nbeautifully focused, always in the center of the tone. Not so darkly \ncolored as Miss Flagstad's huge voice, Miss Nilsson's has a gleaming \nrefulgence. It can be whitish, to use the jargon of the vocal trade, but\n it can glow with warmth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMiss\n Nilsson can do just what she wishes with this instrument. She can \nsubdue it to a wisp of tone and she can modulate phrases with subtlety. \nShe has a sure grip on the emotional curve of one of opera's most \nchallenging roles.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe\n new soprano, who has sung extensively in Europe, including Bayreuth, \nthe Wagnerian shrine, as was as in San Francisco and Chicago, also knows\n how to act. She moves with poise and dignity. She does not stress the \ntenderness in Isolde, but even that element in the character comes \nthrough in the voice.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMiss\n Nilsson was born in Karup, grew up on a farm and studied music in \nStockholm. She made her debut as Lady Macbeth in Verdi's \"Macbeth\" at \nthe Royal Opera in Stockholm twelve years ago. From the Italian \nrepertory she moved into German, turning eventually to the imposing \nWagnerian roles, which her gifts as a dramatic soprano made almost \nimperative. In a time of limited candidates for the most difficult roles\n of the repertory, she stands as a dominant figure in the world of \nopera.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMiss\n Nilsson's arrival was bound to take precedence over all other elements \nin this new \"Tristan,\" but there were other values. Most impressive of \nthese was Karl Boehm's conducting.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis\n is a vigorous, dramatic conception. He is painstaking in his regard for\n instrumental textures and balances. One can hear subtleties in the pit \noften obscured in routine readings. And how the Met orchestra played! \nRhythms are incisive. Some conductors favor more leisurely tempos, but \nMr. Boehm's choice of a vivid pulse has its merits.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne's\n only reservation is that he holds the orchestra back just a shade at \nthe climaxes. With an Isolde like Miss Nilsson he can let the thrilling \nWagnerian waves of sound flood the theatre. This soprano will ride them \ntriumphantly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMr.\n Boehm has restored some of the cuts usually made in \"Tristan\" at the \nMet, particularly one in the Love Duet. With an incandescent performer \nlike Miss Nilsson this did not seem to lengthen a long, long opera at \nall.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe\n Tristan was Karl Liebl, a German tenor, who made an unimpressive debut \nlast season and who stepped in on this occasion for the indisposed Ramon\n Vinay. Though he is no Heldentenor, Mr. Liebl did better than anyone \nhad a right to expect. He managed his light voice with reasonable \neffectiveness. He has no magnetism as a performer, and his voice is not \nbuilt for a long pull, but he bravely carried out his assignment.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn\n the first act duet the performance went well. In the Love Duet things \nwere not ideal. Here the performance was occasionally like a ship that \nhad lost its delicate equilibrium, riding proudly when Miss Nilsson sang\n and listing a little when Mr. Liebl took over or joined her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe\n rest of the well-balanced cast was American. Irene Dalis was an \nintelligent, sensitive Brangaene; her naturally rich voice was a little \nhollow at times. Walter Cassel was a sturdy, affecting Kurvenal. Jerome \nHines was both regal and movingly human as King Marke. Charles Anthony \nas the sailor, Paul Franke as Melot, and Louis Sgarro as the steersman \nmade much of small parts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHerbert\n Graf's staging had a notable and telling simplicity. Teo Otto's sets \nwith their dash of surrealism were fundamentally old hat; for \ngenerations the Met has had a fatal tendency to opt for styles in design\n long after they became passé. The new production was a gift of Mrs. \nElon Huntingon Hooker from her four daughters.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn\n recent years Wagner's music-dramas have had few performances at the \nMet. Cassandras declared that Wagner was finished. He is far from \nfinished. There is nothing wrong with him that a sovereign singer like \nMiss Nilsson will not help to cure. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eStar ready to tackle new role\u003cbr\u003eafter finishing the 'Liebestod' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times;\"\u003eby \u003cb\u003eJOHN SIBLEY\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times;\"\u003eNew York Times, 19 December 1959\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eWhen \nBirgit Nilsson walked offstage at the Metropolian last night after her \ntriumphant New York debut as Isolde, she announced coolly — but far from\n haughtily — “I could sing Turandot right now.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003e“She’s\n not even winded,” a stagehand exclaimed, as the smiling Swedish soprano\n curtsied graciously and threw kisses to an ecstatic audience that \ngreeted each curtain call appearance with thunderous “Bravos.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eBehind\n the curtain, as the cast clamored to congratulate ¡her, Miss Nilsson \nacknowledged their praise trilingually. “You’re so kind,” in English, \n“Danke, sehr erfreut,” in Wagner’s tongue. Then words of thanks to \nadmirers from her native Sweden.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eThe \nindefatigable soprano trilled snatches from the opera while Tristan \n(Karl Liebl) and the others answered their curtain calls. She had lived \nup to the reputation gained in rehearsals — that of a star ready to \nbegin all over again after singing the closing “Liebestod.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eIn a \ndressing room overflowing with flowers, Miss Nilsson dropped some of her\n reserve. “That wonderful public,” she sighed. “They carried me.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eIt \nwas then that she said she was ready to sing “Turandot,” the Puccini \nopera she had just signed a contract to sing during the Met’s next \nseason.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eIn a \nstandard questionnaire sent by the Met to all its performers, Miss \nNilsson had written that “Tristan und Isolde” and “Turandot” were her \nfavorite operas. She had already played Isolde this year in five cities:\n in Lisbon, at La Scala in Milan, in Rome, Vienna and Bayreuth.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eWas this her best performance of Isolde? She shrugged. “You’re never satisfied,” she said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eThen,\n as flashbulbs flickered, her husband, Bertil Niklasson, a Swedish \nbusinessman, was asked the same question. His reply: an excited, “Ja, \nJa, Ja, Ja!”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eDespite\n her aplomb, Miss Nilsson was coyly feminine when asked her age. “In \nEurope,” she smiled, “nobody asks a lady that.” Her answers to the Met \nquestionnaire indicated she was in her early thirties. But in the space \nafter “date of birth” she had written, “May 17.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":37144739597,"sku":null,"price":48.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":37144739661,"sku":null,"price":33.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":37144739725,"sku":null,"price":27.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO135_02508744-00b9-4252-8e3d-ccdc7cab750c.jpg?v=1494338513"},{"product_id":"paco107","title":"COATES, BLECH Wagner: The Potted Ring, Vol. 1 (1926-32) - PACO107","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eThe Potted Ring - Volume One\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDas Rheingold\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eStudio recordings, 1926-32\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 2hr 33:07 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eFrida Leider ∙ Friedrich Schorr ∙ Emmi Leisner\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eFlorence Austral ∙ Walter Widdop ∙ Göta Ljungberg\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eAlbert Coates ∙ Leo Blech,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e conductors\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775340\" style=\"padding-left: 30px\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFor anyone who knows and loves this music, what we have here is an invaluable experience578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eA standard \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eheadnote\n would be nonsensical for this release; it would have to come with a \nCaptain Marvel De-Coding Ring (yes, the “Ring” pun was intended, and no,\n I’m not sorry). Instead, I will list the contents here in a format that\n should be simpler. I will use last names only, and abbreviations that \nshould be obvious to Wagnerians, which is the presumed audience for this\n set. (B St Op = Berlin State Opera Orch). I am also condensing the \ncomplete listing of singers, which is not included in a booklet but \navailable easily online from Pristine. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ctable class=\"main\" frame=\"box\" rules=\"all\" border=\"0\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOpera \u0026amp; Excerpt\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eSinger(s)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eConductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eOrch\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\" colspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDas Rheingold:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003ePrelude \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eCoates \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eUnident. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSpottet nur zu!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eTrenton; Suddaby; Walker; Fear \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eCoates \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eLSO. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eWotan, Gemahl \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eWiddop; Walker; MacKenna; Fry \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eCoates \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eLSO \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eZur Burg führt die Brücke\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eSchorr; Henke; Guszalewicz \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eBlech \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eB St Op \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\" colspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDie Walküre: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003ePrelude….Wes Herd \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eWiddop; Ljungberg \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eCoates \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eLSO \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFinale of act I \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eWiddop; Ljungberg \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eCoates \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eLSO \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\" colspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003ePrelude, act II \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eBlech \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eB St Op \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eHojotoho! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eLeider \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eBlech \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eB St Op \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eAct II Excerpts \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eLeider, Schorr, Leisner \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eBarbirolli \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eLSO \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eO heilige Schmach!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eLeider, Schorr \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eBlech \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eB St Op. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSo nimm meinen Segen\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eLeider; Schorr \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eBlech \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eB St Op. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\" colspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRaste non \nhier….Hinweg!...Siegmund! Sie auf mich.!...Fänd ich in Walhall; So jung \nund schön; Zauberfest bezähmt ein Schlaf….Wehwalt!...Geh’ hin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eWiddop; Ljungberg; Austral; Trenton \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eCoates \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eLSO \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eAct III Excerpts \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eLeider; Schorr \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eBlech \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eB St Op. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAt the dawn of electrical recording, from 1926 through 1932, HMV recorded a series of albums featuring excerpts from Wagner’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ecycle, which came to be called \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eThe Potted Ring\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n HMV focused on Frida Leider and Friedrich Schorr as the greatest \nBrünnhilde and Wotan of that era, and of course Melchior as well. But \nbecause the recordings were made in different places with different \norchestras and conductors, the casts were not kept consistent either. So\n we hear a good deal of Walter Widdop’s fine Siegmund; given the wide \nexposure of Melchior in that music it is refreshing to rediscover just \nhow good Widdop was. Listening to this set one is reminded again of the \nimportance of Frida Leider—who sings the music with tonal beauty and an \nenormous sense of authority and power—and of Friedrich Schorr, a \nbaritone whose legato was as even and firmly bound as the greatest \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003ebel canto \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003esingers\n such as Battistini, but who also brought Wotan to life through his \nvivid articulation of texts and specificity of inflection. Every inner \nfeeling of Wotan is expressed vocally in the Farewell, which is as \nheartbreaking here as I have ever encountered it. (Blech’s conducting is\n a big part of that too). Having so much of their singing in one \nwell-transferred set is of enormous importance. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThese were landmark recordings, \npreserving for future generations the finest Wagner singing of the day \n(and some very fine Wagnerian conducting as well). It was beyond either \nthe ability or imagination of recording company executives at that time \nto conceive of a truly complete \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e;\n that had to wait for John Culshaw and Decca to produce the Solti cycle.\n It makes me feel very old to remember, from having been there, the \nhistoric nature of that first \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eand to know that Arkivmusic lists 53 cycles now! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eSo, what we have here is no substitute for a complete \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e,\n nor is it a substitute for some of the live complete Wagner recordings \nfrom this era restored by the Immortal Performances label. However, one \nshould not minimize the value of this set, which Pristine says is the \nfirst of three sets which will bring together all 122 78-rpm sides from \nHMV’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003ePotted Ring\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n series! What HMV’s recordings give us is a series of professionally \nmade studio recordings, rather than haphazardly made live broadcasts \nfrom this era. The control that the engineers had guaranteed a certain \nminimum standard of balances and overall sound quality that cannot be \nfound in the broadcasts, though it must be admitted that HMV’s engineers\n were not driven by a consistent philosophy or approach. Thus the \nquality here varies, and Mark Obert-Thorn, who oversaw the superb \ntransfers, has some helpful observations about that. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThere was a prior CD release of these \nrecordings on the Pearl label, also overseen by Obert-Thorn, and they \nwere wonderful for their time (1995). However, technology and the \nestimable Mr. Obert-Thorn have both made gains in the 20 years since \nthen, and these are significantly more vivid and colorful than the Pearl\n set. (Another prior release, on the Claremont label, provided \nfirst-rate booklet notes but even muddier recorded sound.) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe downside of these recordings is \nobvious: the lack of continuity, the incompleteness, the jumping around \nin casting and conductors. All of those are limitations. But for anyone \nwho knows and loves this music, what we have here is an invaluable \nexperience. This is how the music sounded in the golden era of great \nWagnerian singing, largely between the two world wars. Some of these \nsingers have been perhaps equaled but never surpassed (Leider, Schorr), \nand some have not even been equaled (Melchior). As good as the work that\n Obert-Thorn did for the Pearl set was, this is definitely at a \nsignificantly higher level. The degree of color and the vividness of the\n orchestra and the voices in, for example, the scene with all the \nValkyries in the third act, before the big Brünnhilde-Wotan scene, is \nstunning for a recording that dates from 1927. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eI do wish that Pristine would make the\n details available in a booklet. Yes one can easily find it on its web \nsite (which provides specific instructions), but unless you are a whiz \nwith printers, you wind up with something that doesn’t fit in the box \nand takes up too much room on your shelves. If Pristine offered a \nversion of the CDs with a real booklet for an extra $2.00, I know I \nwould happily pay it. Do not, however, let that stand in your way. This \nis a Wagnerian feast of the highest order. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHenry Fogel\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 38:3 (Jan\/Feb 2015) of Fanfare Magazine. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO107.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eHMV's Potted Ring, Volume 1: Das Rheingold and Die Walküre\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"This is a set no enquiring Wagnerian, whatever complete version of The Ring he or she owns, should be without\" - Gramophone\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eThe present release is the first of three which will \nbring together the 122 78 rpm sides of extended excerpts from Wagner’s \ntetralogy which His Master’s Voice recorded in London, Berlin and Vienna\n between 1926 and 1932. The scope of this project centers around the \nRing albums – not every disc of music from the Ring which HMV issued \nduring this period. It is, however, “more than complete” in that two HMV\n recordings which were not part of the Ring albums, but which feature \nsome of the same performers, have been added: Coates’ \u003cem\u003eRhinegold\u003c\/em\u003e Prelude, and Schorr’s Wotan\/Fricka duet with Leisner from Act 2 of \u003cem\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/em\u003e. The present volume gathers together excerpts from \u003cem\u003eDas Rheingold\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/em\u003e; the second will focus on Melchior’s \u003cem\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/em\u003e recordings; and the final one will feature scenes from \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e, as well as an appendix featuring alternate recordings from the series and an outline of motives from the Ring cycle.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eWhile \u003cem\u003eRheingold\u003c\/em\u003e got rather short shrift in HMVs plans (only two discs in an album otherwise devoted to \u003cem\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/em\u003e excerpts), more attention was paid to \u003cem\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/em\u003e.\n The sessions were split between a Berlin cast centering around the \nBrunnhilde of Frida Leider and the Wotan of Friedrich Schorr, conducted \nby Leo Blech, and a London cast with Walter Widdop as Siegmund and \nFlorence Austral singing Brunnhilde, primarily led by Albert Coates. \nGöta Ljungberg appeared as Sieglinde in both, save for a single London \nside. The Act 1 excerpts were all made in London, while Act 3 was done \nin Berlin and the second act split between the two.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eThe recordings capture Leider and Schorr, both \nconsidered the finest exponents of their roles at the time (and \ncertainly among the finest of all time), at the height of their powers. A\n decade later, when Kirsten Flagstad came on the international scene, \nshe was invariably compared to Leider, and not always to the latter’s \ndetriment. And while later singers could bring more psychological \ncomplexity to Wotan (Hans Hotter, for example), few could match the \ncombination of legato and authoritative declamation that Schorr brings \nto the role.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eThe original recording quality is variable, coming as\n it does within a couple years of the introduction of electrical \nrecording. The London sessions were distantly miked in large halls, and \nthe singers are often overwhelmed by Coates’ surging orchestra. Some of \nthe Berlin sides can also sound rather dim, depending on the engineering\n of a particular session. Multiple copies of the finest pressings on \nwhich these discs were available (prewar American Victor “Z” and “Gold” \nlabel editions) were drawn upon for the present transfers, except for \none \u003cem\u003eRheingold\u003c\/em\u003e disc which only came out on HMV.   \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eMark Obert-Thorn\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cbr\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD 1 (76:13)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDas Rheingold\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003eWWV 86A\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e1. Prelude (4:01)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSymphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 2 February 1926, Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrix: CR 142-1 ∙ HMV D 1088\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2. \u003cem\u003eSpottet nur zu!\u003c\/em\u003e (4:44)\u003cbr\u003eLouise Trenton, sop.; Elsie Suddaby, sop.; Nellie Walker, con.; Arthur Fear, bs. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e3. \u003cem\u003eWotan, Gemahl\u003c\/em\u003e (4:46)\u003cbr\u003eNellie Walker, con.; Walter Widdop, ten.; Kennedy MacKenna, ten.; Howard Fry, bar.; Arthur Fear, bs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLondon Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 5 January 1928, Kingsway Hall, London ∙ Matrices: CR 1540-3\/1541-2B ∙ HMV D 1546\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e4. \u003cem\u003eZur Burg führt die Brücke … Abendlich strahlt \u003c\/em\u003e(8:32)\u003cbr\u003eFriedrich Schorr, bar.; Waldemar Henke, ten.; Genia Guszalewicz, con.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra ∙ Leo Blech\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 17 June 1927, Singakademie, Berlin ∙ Matrices: CDR 4700-2\/4701-3 ∙ HMV D 1319\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003eDie Walküre \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003eWWV 86B\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAct 1\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e5. Prelude . . . \u003cem\u003eWes Herd dies auch sei\u003c\/em\u003e (4:03)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 26 August 1927, Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrix: CR 1485-1A ∙ HMV D 1320\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e6. \u003cem\u003eEin Schwert verhieß mir der Vater\u003c\/em\u003e (4:26)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 23 August 1927, Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrix: CR 1467-1A ∙ HMV D 1320\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e7. \u003cem\u003eSchläfst du, Gast?\u003c\/em\u003e (0:45)\u003cbr\u003e8. \u003cem\u003eDer Männer Sippe\u003c\/em\u003e (3:51)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 27 May 1927, Kingsway Hall, London ∙ Matrix: CR 1367-1A ∙ HMV D 1321\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e 9. \u003cem\u003eDich, selige Frau\u003c\/em\u003e (1:05)\u003cbr\u003e10. \u003cem\u003eWinterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond\u003c\/em\u003e (2:46)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 23 August 1927, Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrix: CR 1465-2 ∙ HMV D 1321\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLondon Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e11. \u003cem\u003eDu bist der Lenz\u003c\/em\u003e (7:51)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 16 August 1926, London ∙ Matrices: CR 611-2A\/613-1 ∙ HMV D 1322\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrchestra ∙ Lawrance Collingwood\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e12. \u003cem\u003eSiegmund heiß ich\u003c\/em\u003e (3:12)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 23 August 1927, Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrix: CR 1466-2A ∙ HMV D 1323\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLondon Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eWalter Widdop, ten.; Göta Ljungberg, sop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAct 2\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e13. Prelude . . . \u003cem\u003eNun zäume dein Roß . . . Hojotoho!\u003c\/em\u003e (4:14)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 12 September 1927, Singakademie, Berlin ∙ Matrix: CwR 1116-2 ∙ HMV D 1323\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra ∙ Leo Blech\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e14. \u003cem\u003eDer alte Sturm, die alte Müh!\u003c\/em\u003e (4:38)\u003cbr\u003e15. \u003cem\u003eSo ist es den aus mit den ewigen Göttern\u003c\/em\u003e (8:06)\u003cbr\u003e16. \u003cem\u003eWas verlangst du?\u003c\/em\u003e (4:51)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded April, 1932, Abbey Road Studio 1, London ∙ Matrices: 2B2840-2\/2841-1\/2842-2\/2843-1 ∙ HMV DB 1720\/21\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLondon Symphony Orchestra ∙ John Barbirolli\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e17. \u003cem\u003eO heilige Schmach!\u003c\/em\u003e (4:20)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 12 September 1927, Singakademie, Berlin ∙ Matrix: CwR 1117-2 ∙ HMV D 1324\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra ∙ Leo Blech\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eFrida Leider, sop.; Emmi Leisner, m-s.; Friedrich Schorr, bar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eCD 2 (76:58)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAct 2 (continued)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e1. \u003cem\u003eSo nimm meinen Segen\u003c\/em\u003e (4:13)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 12 September 1927, Singakademie, Berlin ∙ Matrix: CwR 1118-1 ∙ HMV D 1324\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eFrida Leider, sop.; Friedrich Schorr, bar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra ∙ Leo Blech\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e2. \u003cem\u003eRaste nun hier\u003c\/em\u003e (3:01)\u003cbr\u003e3. \u003cem\u003eHinweg! Hinweg!\u003c\/em\u003e (5:53)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 27 May 1927, Kingsway Hall, London ∙ Matrices: CR 1368-2\/1369-1 ∙ HMV D 1325\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e4. \u003cem\u003eSiegmund! Sieh auf mich!\u003c\/em\u003e (4:53)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 23 August 1927, Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrix: CR 1462-1 ∙ HMV D 1326\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e5. \u003cem\u003eFänd’ich in Walhall\u003c\/em\u003e (4:21)\u003cbr\u003e6. \u003cem\u003eSo jung und schön\u003c\/em\u003e (3:29)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 26 August 1927, Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrices: CR 1483-1A\/1484-1A ∙ HMV D 1326\/27\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e7. \u003cem\u003eZauberfest bezähmt ein Schlaf\u003c\/em\u003e (4:38)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 25 October 1927, Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrix: CR 1463-3 ∙ HMV D 1328\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e8. \u003cem\u003eWehwalt! Wehwalt!\u003c\/em\u003e (2:31)\u003cbr\u003e9. \u003cem\u003eGeh hin, Knecht!\u003c\/em\u003e (1:46)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 23 August 1927, Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrix: CR 1464-1A ∙ HMV D 1328\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eWalter Widdop, ten.; Göta Ljungberg, sop.; Florence Austral, sop.; Louise Trenton, sop.; Howard Fry, bar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e(\u003cem\u003eNote\u003c\/em\u003e: Trenton sings Sieglinde on CR 1463 only, while Fry sings both Hunding and Wotan on CR 1464)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLondon Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAct 3\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e10. Prelude . . . \u003cem\u003eHojotoho!\u003c\/em\u003e (6:55)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded October, 1927, Singakademie, Berlin ∙ Matrices: CwR 1163-6\/1164-2 ∙ HMV 1329 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e11. \u003cem\u003eRette mich, Kühne!\u003c\/em\u003e (3:45)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 1 November 1927, Singakademie, Berlin ∙ Matrix: CwR 1188-2 ∙ HMV 1327\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e12. \u003cem\u003eWo ist Brünnhild’\u003c\/em\u003e (8:46)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded October, 1927, Singakademie, Berlin ∙ Matrices: CwR 1161-2\/1162-1 ∙ HMV 1330\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e13. \u003cem\u003eWar es so schmählich\u003c\/em\u003e (3:31)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 1 November 1927, Singakademie, Berlin ∙ Matrix: CwR 1190-5 ∙ HMV 1331\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e14. \u003cem\u003eDu zeugtest ein edles Geschlecht\u003c\/em\u003e (3:46)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 29 September 1927, Singakademie, Berlin ∙ Matrix: CwR 1189-3 ∙ HMV 1331\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e15. \u003cem\u003eLeb wohl, du kühnes, herrliches Kind!\u003c\/em\u003e (3:59)\u003cbr\u003e16. \u003cem\u003eDer Augen leuchtendes Paar\u003c\/em\u003e (6:35)\u003cbr\u003e17. \u003cem\u003eLoge, hör!\u003c\/em\u003e (4:54)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 17 June 1927, Singakademie, Berlin ∙ Matrices: CDR 4695-1\/4696-2\/4697-1\/4698-1 ∙ HMV D 1332\/33\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eFrida Leider, sop.; Friedrich Schorr, bar.; Göta \nLjungberg, sop.; (Valkyries: Ljungberg; Elfriede Marherr; Genia \nGuszalewicz; Alberti; Lydia Kindermann)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra ∙ Leo Blech\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO107.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO107.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31975470285,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":31975470349,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO107_ae974c95-277b-464e-9e07-72c7bf6560f6.jpg?v=1487682009"},{"product_id":"paco118","title":"COATES, BLECH Wagner: The Potted Ring, Vol. 3 (1926-31) - PACO118","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eThe Potted Ring - Volume 3: Götterdämmerung, Motives and Extras\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eStudio recordings, 1926-31\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 2hr 23:59 and 60:30 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eFlorence Austral ∙ Walter Widdop\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRudolf Laubenthal ∙ Maartje Offers ∙ Ivar Andrésen\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLauritz Melchior ∙ Friedrich Schorr\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eGötterdämmerung: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eAlbert Coates ∙ Leo Blech\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eAppendix: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLawrance Collingwood ∙ Leo Blech ∙ Karl Muck \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775340\" style=\"padding-left: 30px\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fMusicWeb International Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThere are some singers here whose natural abilities still match or even transcend anything we can hear today578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003eIt may be perverse, but it makes some sense to deal in the first \ninstance with the supplementary disc provided here containing the \nAppendices. Just over half of this disc consists of six excerpts from \u003cem\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/em\u003e\n featuring Rudolf Laubenthal, which were jettisoned from the original \n78rpm boxes in favour of the tracks featuring Lauritz Melchior which \nwere issued by Pristine as Volume 2 of their ‘potted Ring’. One can see \nthe reasons for the substitution; Melchior was, as I have observed in \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.musicweb-international.com\/classrev\/2015\/May\/Wagner_Siegfried_PACO114.htm\"\u003emy review of Volume 2\u003c\/a\u003e, the most recommendable feature of the \u003cem\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/em\u003e\n recordings, and moreover the excerpts given there were much less \ntruncated than those here. Nor is Laubenthal anything like as impressive\n as Melchior, sounding unpleasantly strained in the more strenuous \npassages of the role; and although Frida Leider is excellent as \nBrünnhilde in the extracts from the final love duet, the massive \nomissions from the score do much to vitiate the viability of what we are\n given here.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Nor does the singing on the first CD of \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e\n do much to substantiate the often-trumpeted notion of the 1920s and \n1930s as a ‘golden age’ of Wagnerian singing. The Prologue, briskly \ndespatched by Coates, features a trio of Norns none of whom would pass \nmuster today and in particular the pipingly small-voiced Noel Eadie who \ncompletely fails to engender any sense of drama as the scene moves \ntowards its climax. When the lovers finally appear, Florence Austral and\n Walter Widdop seem to be flailing frantically to keep up with the \nheadlong pace that is set for them by Albert Coates; and once the \ncurtain has descended, he despatches the Rhine Journey at a speed that \nwould give the Flying Dutchman pause for thought. Even Alan Blyth, \nnormally an admirer of this conductor, describes his pace here as \n“ridiculously fast.” Nor, when we reach the Gibichung court, do things \nimprove much, since neither Arthur Fear and Frederic Collier begin to \ncome to terms with the dramatic element of their characters and it is \nleft to Göta Ljungberg in her few phrases to supply an element of vocal \ndistinction.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The record containing the oath of blood \nbrotherhood did not form part of the original boxed set of 78s but was \nclearly intended to fill in a gap in the plot which would otherwise have\n existed, and here everything suddenly comes to life. Lauritz Melchior \nand Friedrich Schorr make an ideal coupling, and the excerpt here leads \nnicely into Hagen’s Watch which is given a performance by Ivan Andrésen \nwhich is quite simply superlative, encompassing the lowest notes with \nease and producing tone and diction which are black as night. He is \nequally good in the high notes of his summoning of the vassals (slightly\n cut) where the chorus respond superbly to his call, although no attempt\n is made to comply with Wagner’s request for a smaller number of voices \nin the opening section. Before that, at the end of the first CD, we have\n heard a solidly contralto performance of Waltraute’s scene from Maartie\n Offers, although she displays distinct signs of uneasiness on her \nhighest notes, some of which she truncates very abruptly. This excerpt \ngoes on through the exchanges with Brünnhilde, only concluding on the \nentry of this disguised Siegfried. Albert Coates takes surprisingly slow\n tempos throughout this scene, except in the passage describing Wotan’s \nfelling of the World Ash Tree which takes on a sudden spurt of energy \nwhich verges on the jaunty. One suspects that this, and perhaps other \nunexpectedly fast tempi, may have been conditioned by the need to fit \nthe music onto one side of a 78rpm record.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Widdop and Austral \nare efficient rather than exciting in their taking of their conflicting \noaths, and the trio which concludes the Second Act relies largely on \nAustral to generate much sense of drama although Collier and Fear are in\n better voice than before. The opening scene of Act One (complete with a\n niggling cut of some ten bars) suffers from a totally unengaged trio of\n Rhinemaidens. Their warning to Siegfried of the curse on the Ring is so\n dismally unthreatening that one can hardly blame the hero for ignoring \nthem. Laubenthal is in better voice here than in Siegfried, with less \npurely heldentenor tones required for the delivery of his narration. \nHere we are given the interjections of the vassals with the solo voice \nthat Wagner designates, but it sounds as though the lines are given to \nDesider Zador as Gunther – which can be the only explanation that the \none tenor vassal’s lines are simply omitted. Alan Blyth describes this \nrecording of the narration as “one of the most clearly balanced 78s I \nhave ever heard” – and although Mark Obert-Thorn has done wonders with \nthe sound throughout, it is true nonetheless that this section has a \npresence that one might well expect from a mono recording made more than\n twenty years later. Leo Blech is an excellent conductor in these \nsections, with a greater sense of moderation in speed than Coates. But \nthen Coates also springs a surprise with a very measured account of the \nFuneral March, although an editing quirk introduces a couple of \nadditional timpani beats just after the march begins (presumably the \nresult of combining two different takes).\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Florence Austral’s \nImmolation Scene suffers from a similar combination of material from two\n sessions, her voice sounding very much more distant at the beginning \nthan at the end. There is also an inexcusable cut of some fifteen bars \nbefore the line “Ruhe, ruhe, du Gott!” which is all the more galling \nwhen one realises that this omission comes at the expense of the \nexchange between Brünnhilde and Gutrune which precedes the scene itself,\n and which is not helped by a very underpowered delivery by Ljungberg \n(or maybe she was just too far away from the microphones). We hear the \nvoice of Hagen (uncredited) at the end, and I am pleased to note that he\n really sings his line “Give back the Ring” rather than shouting as so \nmany modern exponents of the role do.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Coates thankfully avoids \nany sense of rush in the closing pages, but he does adopt the bad habit \nof making an unmarked ‘air pause’ before the last ten bars and the final\n chord is truncated rather abruptly. In the earlier part of the scene, \ndespite the inferior recording, Lawrence Collingwood takes a properly \nmeasured and dignified approach.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Collingwood is also \nresponsible for the delivery of the brief snippets of leitmotifs on the \nAppendix CD (which was originally issued on 78s separately). Each of \nthese is preceded by an announcer giving a number, which refers the \nlistener to the booklet where an explanation of each motif is given. \nThis may have been valuable to audiences at the time, but it hardly \ncomes up to the standards of Deryck Cooke’s marvellous exposition of \nWagner’s compositional methods on his 2-CD lecture which originally \naccompanied Solti’s Ring (it remains available separately, as well as in\n the Decca luxury limited edition). The identification of the numbered \nmotifs here also leaves much to be desired, with the principal love \ntheme described as ‘Flight’ in accordance with Walzogen’s original error\n in his analysis published during Wagner’s lifetime and criticised by \nthe composer for its inaccuracies. The two other tracks on the Appendix \nCD contain performances of the two orchestral sections of \nGötterdämmerung which were superseded in the 78rpm boxed sets; but they \nhave a particular interest in that they are conducted by the veteran \nWagnerian Karl Muck, whose association with Bayreuth extended back to \nthe nineteenth century. Both extracts are truncated rather curiously, \njust coming to a halt before the music actually stops. In the main set \nthe Funeral march is provided with a concert conclusion, but otherwise \nthe excerpts stick to Wagner’s operatic score. There are some other \npoints of historical interest, such as a bass trumpet which is clearly \nnot the valved trombone that one finds used on other recordings of the \nperiod; and the cowhorns in the summoning of the vassals are simply \ntrombones and not the specially constructed instruments that were at \nthat stage still employed at Bayreuth.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e I have had much pleasure\n in reviewing the seven CDs that Pristine have produced over the last \nyear enshrining what has been described as the “Old Testament” of \nWagnerian interpretation in the period immediately following the First \nWorld War. There are some singers here whose natural abilities still \nmatch or even transcend anything we can hear today; but it has to be \nsaid that the much-admired conducting of Albert Coates hardly bears \nscrutiny on the basis of these recordings, and the same could be said \nfor a good deal of the singing in minor roles. Even as late as the 1950s\n live performances of The Ring show a propensity for performers to make \nmistakes which would hardly be tolerated today (see the Clemens Kraus \nBayreuth Ring for an example, riddled with horrific errors of various \nsorts) but on these discs, without presumably much opportunity for \nretakes, the performers display a sense of security which is admirable. I\n note with some surprise the manner in which the singers slow down for \ncadences at the end of phrases to an extent which might occasion comment\n today, although Wagner does not always seem to expect them to do so; \none wonders to what degree he accepted this in his own performances? \nThose who have an interest in such matters, as well as those who would \nlike to encounter a sense of vocal history in the making, are earnestly \nrecommended to hear these discs, with transfers which are unlikely ever \nto be bettered.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cem\u003ePaul Corfield Godfrey\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMusicWeb International, July 2015\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO118.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eHMV's Potted Ring, Volume 3: Götterdämmerung, Motives and Extras\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"We\n encounter truly great Wagner singing ... Laubenthal’s Siegfried is not \nfar short of ideal ... Andresen sings with the kind of firm, black tone \nsimply not encountered today\"\u003cbr\u003e- Alan Blyth, Opera on Record (1979)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis third and final volume of our “Potted Ring” series centers on \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e, whose recording, like the earlier \u003cem\u003eWalküre\u003c\/em\u003e\n set, was divided between London and Berlin, with different casts, \nconductors and orchestras.  I have interpolated two recordings not \ncontained in the original sets in order to make the performance more \ncomplete.  First, by including the first side of Coates’ “Rhine Journey”\n (missing in the albums) and editing it around “Zu neuen Taten”, I have \nbeen able to present the Prologue uncut.  Secondly, I have included the \nMelchior\/Schorr recording of “Hast du, Gunther, ein Weib?” in order to \nfill in a scene which went unrecorded in the original albums, one which \nleads directly into Hagen’s Watch (and one which I did not originally \ninclude in my 1994 “Potted Ring” set for Pearl).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Appendix contains several recordings from the HMV and Electrola editions of \u003cem\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e\n which were replaced in the versions issued by Victor in America.  The \nsix sides with Laubenthal (three of them with Leider), as well as \nBlech’s orchestral version of the “Forest Murmurs”, were contained in \nthe first album of \u003cem\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/em\u003e excerpts issued in Europe.  By the time Victor issued their first \u003cem\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/em\u003e\n set, several sides had been re-recorded with Melchior, and these were \nchosen for the American release, although the abridged final scene with \nLaubenthal and Leider was retained.  Eventually, Melchior recorded the \ncomplete scene; and since that appears in Volume 2 of our series, these \nduplicated earlier sides are presented here.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMuck’s “Rhine Journey” and “Funeral Music” appeared in the European editions of the \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e\n albums, but Victor replaced them with the Coates recordings.  As Coates\n conducts the rest of the Prologue and most of the Immolation Scene, I \nthought it would be more consistent to go with the Victor choices here \nand put the Muck versions in the Appendix.  Finally, the two discs of \nillustrated motives from the Ring cycle were not originally part of any \nset, but were issued separately.  Two different, uncredited announcers \nare heard.  The first sounds like a seasoned BBC presenter; but I have \noften wondered whether the second might be producer\/conductor \nCollingwood himself.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sources for the transfers were American Victor editions \n(primarily “Z” pressings) for everything except the Melchior\/Schorr \nduet, the three Laubenthal \u003cem\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/em\u003e solos, Blech’s “Rhine Journey”, a portion of the end of Act 2 of \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e, and the side with “Schweigt eures Jammers” (dubbed on Victor), which all came from British HMV pressings.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eMark Obert-Thorn\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003cb\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD 1\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            Prologue\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1          \u003cem\u003eWelch Licht leuchtet dort?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            Noel Eadie, sop.; Evelyn Arden, sop.; Gladys Palmer, con.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            London Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 17 October 1928 and 3 \nJanuary 1929 in Kingsway Hall, London ∙ Matrices: Cc \n13724-2\/13725-1A\/13726-5\/13727-5A ∙ HMV D 1572\/3\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2          Dawn\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e           \u003cb\u003e Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 26 January 1926 in Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrix: CR 136-3 [part] ∙ HMV D 1080\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3          \u003cem\u003eZu neuen Taten\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eFlorence Austral, sop.; Walter Widdop, ten.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            London Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 18 October 1928 in Kingsway Hall, London ∙ Matrices: Cc 13730-2\/13731-3 ∙ HMV D 1574\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4          Siegfried’s Rhine Journey\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eSymphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 26 January 1926 in Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrices: CR 136-3 [part]\/137-1 ∙ HMV D 1080\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eAct 1\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e5          \u003cem\u003eBegrüße froh, o Held\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eArthur Fear, bar.; Walter Widdop, ten.; Frederic Collier, bs.; Göta Ljungberg, sop.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            London Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 10 October 1928 in Kingsway Hall, London ∙ Matrix: Cc 13699-1 ∙ HMV D 1575\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e6          \u003cem\u003eHast du, Gunther, ein Weib?\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            Lauritz Melchior, ten.; Friedrich Schorr, bar.; Rudolf Watzke, bs.; Lieselotte Krumrey-Topas, sop.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            Berlin State Opera Orchestra ∙ Leo Blech\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 15 June 1929 in the Philharmonie, Berlin ∙ Matrices: CLR 5458-2A\/5459-1A ∙ HMV D 1700\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e7          \u003cem\u003eHier sitz’ ich zur Wacht\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eIvar Andrésen, bs.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            Berlin State Opera Orchestra ∙ Fritz Zweig \u003cem\u003e(credited to Leo Blech on label)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 17 February 1928 in the Singakademie, Berlin ∙ Matrix: CLR 3883-1 ∙ HMV D 1576\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e8          \u003cem\u003eSeit er von dir geschieden\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e          \u003cb\u003e  Maartje Offers, con.; Florence Austral, sop.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            London Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 23 August and 25 \nOctober 1927 in Queen’s Hall, London and 16 February 1928 in Kingsway \nHall, London ∙ Matrices: CR 1460-3A\/1461-2\/1473-3\/1474-3 ∙ HMV D 1576\/8\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003eCD 2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAct 2\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1          \u003cem\u003eHoiho! Hoihohoho!\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e           \u003cb\u003e Ivar Andrésen, bs.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e            \u003cb\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra and Chorus ∙ Leo Blech\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 21 June 1927 in the Singakademie, Berlin ∙ Matrices: CDR 4708-2\/4709-1 ∙ HMV D 1578\/9\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2          \u003cem\u003eHelle Wehr!\u003c\/em\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e           \u003cb\u003e Walter Widdop, ten.; Florence Austral, sop.; Chorus\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 17 October 1928 in Kingsway Hall, London ∙ Matrix: Cc 13728-3A ∙ HMV D 1579\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3          \u003cem\u003eWelches Unholds List\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eFlorence Austral, sop.; Frederic Collier, bs.; Arthur Fear, bar.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 18 October 1928 in Kingsway Hall, London ∙ Matrices: Cc 13732-2A\/13733-2\/13734-1 ∙ HMV D 1580\/1\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eLondon Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eAct 3\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4          \u003cem\u003eFrau Sonne sendet lichte Strahlen\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            Tilly De Garmo, sop.; Lydia Kindermann, sop.; Elfriede Marherr, con.; Rudolf Laubenthal, ten.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 10 September 1928 in the Singakademie, Berlin ∙ Matrices: CLR 4488-1\/4489-1\/4490-2\/4491-2 ∙ HMV D 1581\/3\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e5          \u003cem\u003eMime heiß ein mürrischer Zwerg\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e6          \u003cem\u003eBrünnhilde, heilige Braut!\u003c\/em\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            Rudolf Laubenthal, ten.; Desider Zador, bar.; Emmanuel List, bs.; Berlin State Opera Chorus\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 7 September 1928 in the Singakademie, Berlin ∙ Matrices: CLR 4482-2\/4483-1\/4484-1 ∙ HMV D 1583\/4\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra ∙ Leo Blech\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e7          Siegfried’s Funeral Music\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eSymphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 26 January and 26 March 1926 in Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrices:  CR 217-2\/141-3 ∙ HMV D 1092\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e8          \u003cem\u003eSchweigt eures Jammers\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e9          \u003cem\u003eStarke Scheite schichtet mir dort\u003c\/em\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eFlorence Austral, sop.; Göta Ljungberg, sop.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            London Symphony Orchestra ∙ Lawrance Collingwood\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 1 December 1927 in Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrix:  CR 1472-3A ∙ HMV D 1586\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e10        \u003cem\u003eSein Roß führet daher\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e11        \u003cem\u003eRuhe, ruhe, du Gott!\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e12        Finale \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e           \u003cb\u003e Florence Austral, sop.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            London Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 25\/26 August and 25 October 1927 in Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrices:  CR 1486-3\/1487-1\/1475-2 ∙ HMV D 1586\/7\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003eCD 3: APPENDIX \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1 – 90  90 Motives from The Ring (\u003cem\u003esee booklet for details\u003c\/em\u003e) \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eLondon Symphony Orchestra ∙ Lawrance Collingwood\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 17 April and 23 May 1931 in Kingsway Hall, London, Matrix nos.:  2B 504-2A\/505-2A\/562-1A\/563-1A ∙ HMV C 2237\/8\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDOWNLOAD MOTIVES SCORE\u003c\/b\u003e by clicking \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #0000ff;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"s3:\/covers\/90_Motives.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHERE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eSIEGFRIED\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eAct I\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e91        \u003cem\u003eNothung!  Nothung!\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 25 August 1927 in the Singakademie, Berlin. Matrix no.:  CwR 1058-1 ∙ HMV D 1530\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eAct II\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e92        \u003cem\u003eDaß der mein Vater nicht ist\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e \u003cem\u003eRecorded 25 August 1927 in the Singakademie, Berlin. Matrix no.:  CwR 1059-2 ∙ HMV D 1530\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e93        Forest Murmurs \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 26 June 1928 in the Singakademie, Berlin. Matrix nos.: CLR 4305-2\/4306-2 ∙ HMV D 1531\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e94        \u003cem\u003eHeiß ward mir\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 25 August 1927 in the Singakademie, Berlin. Matrix no.:  CwR 1060-2 ∙ HMV D 1532\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eAct III\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e95        \u003cem\u003eHeil dir, Sonne!\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 27 August 1927 in the Singakademie, Berlin. Matrix no.:  CwR 1064-2 ∙ HMV D 1532\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e96        \u003cem\u003eEwig war ich\u003c\/em\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 27 August 1927 in the Singakademie, Berlin. Matrix no.:  CwR 1065-2 ∙ HMV D 1535\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e97        \u003cem\u003eO Siegfried!  Dein war ich von je!\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 27 August 1927 in the Singakademie, Berlin. Matrix no.:  CwR 1066-1 ∙ HMV D 1535\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eFrida Leider (soprano) \u003c\/b\u003e(Tracks 95 – 97)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eRudolf Laubenthal (tenor) \u003c\/b\u003e(Tracks 91, 92, 94 – 97)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra ∙ Leo Blech\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eGÖTTERDÄMMERUNG\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003ePrologue\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e98        Siegfried’s Rhine \nJourney                                                                                          \n (4:24)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 10 December 1927 in the Singakademie, Berlin. Matrix no.:  CwR 1418-2 ∙ HMV D 1575\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eAct III\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e99        Siegfried’s Funeral \nMusic                                                                                          \n (8:04)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 10 December 1927 in the Singakademie, Berlin. Matrix no.:  CwR 1419-3A\/1420-2A ∙ HMV D 1585\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e                \u003cb\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra ∙ Karl Muck\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO118.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO118.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fHistoric Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview\u003c\/strong\u003e: Opera on Record (1979)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: medium;\"\u003eBefore\n the days of LP, there were desultory efforts to record substantial \nchunks, bleeding or otherwise, of the opera. The first of these, still \nin the acoustic era, was the set of four discs added on to the ones from\n Siegfried, sung in English, These 78s (D 703-6) include the dawn duet \n(Austral and Davies in their usual forthright form), Radford in Hagen’s \nWatch and Call (good, solid work) and a cut version of the Immolation \nwith Austral. The conductors are Coates, Percy Pitt and Eugene Goossens.\n As soon as electric recording came in, Fred Gaisberg of HMV was keen to\n record more Wagner. As he wrote: ‘In 1925 Coates, who was recognised as\n England’s greatest conductor of Wagner, joined with me in the endeavour\n to satisfy the eager appetite for Wagner’s music, which had been denied\n throughout the war ... ’ I have already commented on his Walküre and \nSiegfried excerpts, with other conductors also concerned. The \nGötterdämmerung set, two volumes of eight 78s (D 1572-87), were made \npartly in London with Coates, partly in Berlin with Leo Blech and Karl \nMuck.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: medium;\"\u003eThese\n records are fascinating for various reasons. In the first place there \nis Muck’s rich, authoritative account of the Rhine Journey and Funeral \nMarch with the then superb Berlin State Opera Orchestra, discs that are \nalso a tribute to the spacious sound being achieved as early as 1927. \nThe vocal records start with an only moderate Prelude and Norns' Scene \n(Noel Eadie, Evelyn Arden, Gladys Palmer). Then come Austral and Widdop \nin a rousing Dawn duet (transferred to COLH 147), taken at an almost \nincredibly fast pace. (All Coates’s Wagner is speedy, but this is \nridiculous.) After the Rhine Journey, Gunther and Gutrune welcome \nSiegfried. ‘Siegfried Drinks the Potion’ in the inimitable words on the \nold record. An unremarkable disc, with Göta Ljungberg (Gutrune), \nFrederic Collier (Gunther) and Arthur Fear (Hagen) joining Widdop until \nthe tenor reaches ‘Vergäss’ ich alles’, which he phrases more tenderly, \nmore accurately than any other tenor except Windgassen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: medium;\"\u003eAndresen,\n in both Hagen’s Watch, and later in Hagen’s Call, sings with the kind \nof firm, black tone simply not encountered today, a truly menacing \nfigure. He is accompanied by Blech in Berlin. Back to London and another\n sterling artist, Maartje Offers, for Waltraute’s Narration. The Dutch \ncontralto, who was Erda and Fricka during Toscanini’s regime at La Scala\n in the 1920s, sings with the expression kept within the musical bounds,\n a typical attribute of an age when the perfection of tonal delivery \nduring the ‘Golden Age’ had not been forgotten but feeling had entered \ninto singers’ consideration. After the scene with the vassals done in \nBerlin, back to London for Siegfried’s oath, Widdop clear but \nuninvolved. Austral as honest and womanly as ever. She is joined by an \nindifferent Collier and Fear for the second act’s final trio.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: medium;\"\u003eIn \nAct 3 we encounter truly great Wagner singing. The Rhinemaidens (listed \nas Tilly de Garmo, Lydia Kindermann and Marker, but who are apparently \nde Garmo, Kindermann and Elfriede Marherr) are nothing special, but \nLaubenthal’s Siegfried, which I admired in Siegfried, is not far short \nof ideal in this scene, the Narration (reissued on LV 213) and Death. He\n can be most aptly and briefly characterized as being a Wagnerian \nMartinelli, with the same taut, pencil-edged tone, the same clear \nenunciation, and something of the same piercing intensity of declamation\n in his bright, incisive delivery of Siegfried’s previous exploits. This\n is also one of the most clearly balanced 78s I have ever heard. Blech \nis the conductor here up to the Funeral March, then back to Austral \nand Coates and his urgency for the Immolation (also on COLH 147), where I\n again admire Austral’s unaffected, unforced delivery - not an \nindividual performance but a lovable one. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlan Blyth \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino;\"\u003eOpera on Record Vol. 1 (1979)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample5_s3","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417088973,"sku":null,"price":33.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":32417089037,"sku":null,"price":27.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO118.jpg?v=1487682013"},{"product_id":"paco114","title":"COATES, HEGER, ALWIN Wagner: The Potted Ring, Vol. 2 (1928-32) - PACO114","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cul\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eThe Potted Ring - Volume Two: Siegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eStudio recordings, 1928-32\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 2hr 31:10\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLauritz Melchior ∙ Florence Easton ∙ Friedrich Schorr\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eHeinrich Tessmer ∙ Eduard Habich ∙ Albert Reiss\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRudolf Bockelmann ∙ Emil Schipper ∙ Maria Olszewska ∙ Nora Gruhn\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRobert Heger ∙ Albert Coates ∙ Karl Alwin,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e conductors\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fMusicWeb International Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f Melchior is again superb with a real sense of loss as he sings of his loneliness after the deaths of everyone he has cherished in his life...578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003eI first encountered this recording in the shape of a substantial box of \n78s (19 discs in all) belonging to Claire Campbell, to which I and a \nnumber of friends listened rapturously in her rooms at Somerville \nCollege in Oxford in 1970 or 1971. We were enraptured chiefly by the \nsound of the voice of Lauritz Melchior, so self-evidently \u003cem\u003emade\u003c\/em\u003e \nto sing the role of Siegfried and producing heroic tones which far \nsurpassed the assumption of the role by Wolfgang Windgassen for the \nSolti \u003cem\u003eRing\u003c\/em\u003e with which we were familiar. At the same time we \nwere disappointed by the severely scrawny sound of the recording, and \neven more by the barbarous butchery inflicted on the score by the need \nto cram the extracts from the opera onto the lengths of 78 sides. I had \nnot heard the recording since then, and although Pristine have done \nwonders with the sound in this re-mastering there is nothing they can do\n about the swingeing cuts which remove around half the score. Mark \nObert-Thorn in his booklet note claims that “Melchior’s unsurpassed \nassumption of the role was captured nearly complete at the height of his\n considerable powers in these recordings”. In fact there is nearly a \nthird of even \u003cem\u003ehis\u003c\/em\u003e part missing (at a guess) including the whole\n of his two encounters with Mime in Act Two and the greater part of his \nconfrontation with the Wanderer in Act Three, as well as more minor cuts\n elsewhere. Nevertheless we do have the most salient parts of his \nassumption of the part here, in a series of studio recordings that \ninevitably have more vocal presence than the stage transcriptions made \nten or more years later which have appeared on CD over the years.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n Melchior was frequently criticised for his slack sense of rhythm and \ncareless disregard for note values, but it must be observed that at this\n early stage of his career these faults are nowhere in evidence. He even\n manages a creditable top C on his entrance in Act One, which is more \nthan can be said for many Siegfrieds even today. The hammer-strokes in \nthe forging scene are spot-on, which if Melchior is actually hammering \nhimself is remarkable; but I suspect that the job is delegated to a \npercussionist, although John Culshaw seems to think that this ‘trick’ \nwas not employed until the Decca recording the \u003cem\u003eRing\u003c\/em\u003e under \nKeilberth at Bayreuth in the 1950s. Mime’s hammering at the opening of \nthe Act, however, sounds quite different in tone — more like a wood \nblock than an anvil — and since there \u003cem\u003eare\u003c\/em\u003e errors here one \nsuspects that the effects were recorded live by Heinrich Tessmer. This \nis one of the few slips in his performance, steady and firmly voiced. \nThis is more than can be said for Albert Reiss who takes over the role \nin the later sections of the Act, with a feeble tone which is afflicted \nby a wobble on sustained notes and frequently departs from the notated \npitch altogether. That, coupled with the fact that the forging scene is \nrecorded with less immediate impact — it is surprising how much electric\n recording techniques improved in a short period — leaves an impression \nthat is unfortunately less than ideal even though Melchior is thrilling.\n On the other hand we do have Tessmer in the first half of his scene \nwith the Wanderer. Here Friedrich Schorr is firm and trenchant even if \nsome later interpreters have sounded more noble and less tetchy. There \nis a short cut in the scene, of the passage where he challenges Mime to \ntheir duel of wits.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Schorr returns again for the opening of Act\n Two and his scene with Alberich, which is disappointingly shorn of its \natmospheric Prelude. The dispute itself is barbarously abridged, which \nrobs both protagonists of any chance to build up atmosphere, with even \nthe closing bars of the scene brutally hacked off. Eduard Habich is a \ncharacterful Alberich, but it was definitely a mistake to ask him to \ndouble the bass role of Fafner; quite apart from the dramatic nonsense \nwhen he immediately responds to his own questioning, his voice is quite \nunsuitable and totally lacks any sense of distance; this dragon in his \ncave is clearly standing shoulder to shoulder in front of the microphone\n with the other characters. Habich also takes on the role of Fafner in \nhis (heavily abridged) fight with Siegfried, and here his lack of the \nrequisite bottom notes is simply embarrassing. Melchior is properly \ntender in the forest murmurs, but even his horn-call is reduced to a \nsingle phrase and it is in passages like this that the phrase “potted” \nrears its head in entirely the wrong sense. The best section of this Act\n is the short duet between the two Nibelung brothers, where Habich and \nTessmer build up quite a head of steam. In the final scene of the Act \n(somewhat trimmed) Nora Gruhn is a rhythmically free Woodbird, but \nMelchior is again superb with a real sense of loss as he sings of his \nloneliness after the deaths of everyone he has cherished in his life.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n The first scene of Act Three is given absolutely complete — if with a \nrather abruptly cut off ending — but it is probably the least \nsatisfactory rendition of this set, as well as the worst recorded. The \norchestral playing under Karl Alwin is horribly imprecise, and the \nsinging of the husband-and-wife team of Emil Schipper and Maria \nOlszewska is nothing special. He petulantly resorts to shouting in \nplaces, and she strains ineffectually for desperately thin high notes as\n she tears into Wotan’s treachery. Rudolf Bockelmann is considerably \nbetter, although clearly no Schorr, at the end of his scene with \nSiegfried. This is ruined by the extraordinarily fast speed adopted by \nCoates which leaves both singers flailing to keep up. It is hard here to\n understand the high reputation that Coates enjoyed as a Wagnerian \nconductor, except perhaps to attribute it to the chauvinism of British \ncritics at the time. In the following interlude there is a sudden \ncramming on of the brakes at the climax, which has no warrant whatsoever\n in the score. Heger is far more effective in the scene on the mountain \ntop, again slightly cut but at a far more reasonable speed. Florence \nEaston sounds rather matronly at the beginning of the long duet, but by \nthe end she finds a more appropriate tone and she and Melchior are well \nmatched.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e This set is of course no match for more modern \nrecordings of Siegfried, and could hardly be regarded as a sole \nrepresentation of the opera for a collection but it stands as an ‘Old \nTestament’ of Ring recordings. In this sense it illustrates both the \nvery best and sometimes the worst of Wagnerian singing in the inter-War \nperiod. Mark Obert-Thorn has done wonders with the sound, reducing \nbackground noise to an almost undetectable silence which pays real \ndividends, for example, in the long passage for unaccompanied violins as\n Siegfried arrives on the mountain top. It certainly knocks spots off \nthe scratching of the original 78s as I recall them from my first \nacquaintance.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e It is a pity that fuller details of the \nrecordings themselves and the artists could not have been provided in a \nmore substantial booklet, but as usual with Pristine there are plentiful\n notes available on their website including a review of the original 78 \nset by Alan Blyth drawn from his Opera on Record. There were also \nrecordings of the forging scene and the final duet (cut) made at the \nsame time as the Schipper\/Olszewska duet featuring Horst Laubenthal and \nFrida Leider as Siegfried and Brünnhilde. We are advised that these \nexcerpts will be included as an appendix to Volume Three of Pristine’s \nPotted Ring.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u003cb\u003ePaul Corfield Godfrey\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMusicWeb International, May 2015\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO114.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eHMV's Potted Ring, Volume 2: Siegfried\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"This is a set no enquiring Wagnerian, whatever complete version of The Ring he or she owns, should be without\" - Gramophone\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe present release is the second of three which will bring together \nthe 122 78 rpm sides of extended excerpts from Wagner’s tetralogy which \nHis Master’s Voice recorded in London, Berlin and Vienna between 1926 \nand 1932.  The scope of this project centers around the Ring albums – \nnot every disc of music from the Ring which HMV issued during this \nperiod.  The first volume (PACO107) gathered together excerpts from \u003cem\u003eDas Rheingold\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/em\u003e; the present set focuses on Melchior’s \u003cem\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/em\u003e recordings; and the final one will feature scenes from \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e, as well as an appendix featuring alternate recordings from the series and an outline of motives from the Ring cycle.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/em\u003e recordings have a particularly convoluted \nhistory in the “Potted Ring” saga.  Initially, HMV released an album of \neight discs, combining two from \u003cem\u003eDas Rheingold\u003c\/em\u003e (featured in Volume 1 of our series) with six from \u003cem\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/em\u003e,\n in recordings made between June, 1927 and April, 1928.  This set \nincluded the Wotan\/Erda duet featured here (the only “Potted Ring” \nrecordings to come from Vienna), as well as six sides with Rudolf \nLaubenthal as Siegfried.  In three of these, he was joined by Frida \nLeider in excerpts from the final duet.  (Oddly, a disc with an \norchestral version of the “Forest Murmurs” led by Leo Blech was included\n along with Laubenthal’s vocal excerpts from the same scene.)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMelchior’s absence from these sides can be explained by the fact that\n he did not make his first recordings for the HMV labels until June, \n1928.  In May of the following year, sessions were scheduled in London \nfor him to record \u003cem\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/em\u003e selections under Albert Coates, \nincluding re-recordings of material already covered in Laubenthal’s solo\n sides.  These were collected into a second, five disc volume on HMV.  \nFurther recordings in May, 1930 (“Selige Öde” and “Das ist kein Mann”) \nunder Robert Heger were issued on two single discs.  In America, Victor \ncollected these, the 1929 recordings and the unduplicated 1927-28 \u003cem\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/em\u003e sides from the first volume in a ten-disc set. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFurther recordings of excerpts from Acts 1 and 2 in May, 1931 and the\n Act 3 duet in May, 1932, all under Heger, were issued as separate \nvolumes both in Europe and America.  Ultimately, HMV released a 19-disc \nset of the 37 sides presented here, although it was never offered this \nway on Victor.  Fortunately for posterity, Melchior’s unsurpassed \nassumption of the rôle was captured nearly complete at the height of his\n considerable powers in these recordings.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sources for the transfers were multiple copies of American Victor\n editions:  prewar “Z” and “Gold” label pressings, as well as a \nparticularly quiet postwar album, for the 1928-30 recordings; “Z” and \n“Gold” editions for the 1931 recordings; and two sets of “Z” pressings \nfor the 1932 final scene.  The progress of electrical recording during \nthis period can be traced through the variable sound of the originals, \nfrom the dim Vienna sides of 1928 and the occasionally strident and \noverloaded London sessions of 1929, to the warm, detailed sound obtained\n in Abbey Road in 1932.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eMark Obert-Thorn\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD 1\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            Act 1\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e1          Prelude \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e2          \u003cem\u003eZwangwolle Plage!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e3          \u003cem\u003eHoiho! Hoiho! Hau ein! Hau ein!\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e4          \u003cem\u003eAls zullendes Kind zog ich dich auf\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e5          \u003cem\u003eSoll ich der Kunde glauben \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e6          \u003cem\u003eAus dem Wald fort\u003c\/em\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e7          \u003cem\u003eHeil dir, weiser Schmied!\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e8          \u003cem\u003eDein Haupt pfänd’ ich\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e          \u003cb\u003e  Heinrich Tessmer\u003c\/b\u003e, ten.; \u003cb\u003eLauritz Melchior\u003c\/b\u003e, ten.; \u003cb\u003eFriedrich Schorr\u003c\/b\u003e, bar.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            London Symphony Orchestra ∙ Robert Heger\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 9 May 1931 in Kingsway\n Hall, London ∙ Matrices: 2B \n529-1A\/528-2\/531-2\/532-2A\/533-2A\/534-1A\/525-1A\/526-2  ∙ HMV DB 1713 and \nDB 1578\/81\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e9          \u003cem\u003eFühltest du nie im finstren Wald\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e10        \u003cem\u003eNothung! Nothung! Neidliches Schwert!  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e11        \u003cem\u003eHoho! Hoho! Hahei! Schmiede, mein Hammer\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eAlbert Reiss\u003c\/b\u003e, ten.; \u003cb\u003eLauritz Melchior\u003c\/b\u003e, ten.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eLondon Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 16\/17 May 1929 in Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrices: CR 2197-3\/2198-2B\/2199-3A\/2200-2 ∙ HMV D 1690\/1\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e            \u003cb\u003eAct 2\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e12        \u003cem\u003eIn Wald und Nacht\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e13        \u003cem\u003eZur Neidhöhle fuhr ich bei Nacht\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e14        \u003cem\u003eDeine Hand hieltest du vom Hort?\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e            \u003cb\u003eEduard Habich\u003c\/b\u003e, bar.; \u003cb\u003eFriedrich Schorr\u003c\/b\u003e, bar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e          \u003cb\u003e  London Symphony Orchestra ∙ Robert Heger\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 21 May 1931 in Kingsway Hall, London ∙ Matrices: 2B 554-2\/555-2 ∙ HMV DB 1582\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e15        \u003cem\u003eDaß der mein Vater nicht ist\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e16        \u003cem\u003eDu holdes Voglein!\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eLauritz Mechior\u003c\/b\u003e, ten.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e          \u003cb\u003e  London Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 17 May 1929 in Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrices: CR 2401-2\/2402-2A ∙ HMV D 1692\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e17        \u003cem\u003eHaha! Da hätte mein Lied\u003c\/em\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e18        \u003cem\u003eWohin schleichst du eilig und schlau\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e           \u003cb\u003e Lauritz Melchior\u003c\/b\u003e, ten.; \u003cb\u003eHeinrich Tessmer\u003c\/b\u003e, ten.; \u003cb\u003eEduard Habich\u003c\/b\u003e, bar.*\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e         \u003cb\u003e   London Symphony Orchestra ∙ Robert Heger\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 21 May 1931 in Kingsway Hall, London ∙ Matrices: 2B 557-1A\/556-2 ∙ HMV DB 1583\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e*(Note: Habich sings both Fafner and Alberich)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e        \u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e    \u003cb\u003eCD 2\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e            Act 2 (continued)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e1          \u003cem\u003eDa lieg auch du, dunkler Wurm!\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e2          \u003cem\u003eGönntest du mir wohl ein gut Gesell?\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e3          \u003cem\u003eHei! Siegfried erschlug nun den schlimmen Zwerg!\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e           \u003cb\u003e Lauritz Melchior\u003c\/b\u003e, ten.; \u003cb\u003eNora Gruhn\u003c\/b\u003e, sop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e            \u003cb\u003eLondon Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 29 \u0026amp; 17 May 1929 in Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrices: CR 2404-2B\/2403-1 ∙ HMV D 1693\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e        \u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e    \u003cb\u003eAct 3\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e4          Prelude  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e5          \u003cem\u003eWache, Wala!\u003c\/em\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e6          \u003cem\u003eStark ruft das Lied\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e7          \u003cem\u003eDir Unweisen ruf’ ich ins Ohr\u003c\/em\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e           \u003cb\u003e Emil Schipper\u003c\/b\u003e, bar.; \u003cb\u003eMaria Olszewska\u003c\/b\u003e, con.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e           \u003cb\u003e Vienna State Opera Orchestra ∙ Karl Alwin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 20 \u0026amp; 26 April 1928 in Vienna ∙ Matrices: CK 2939-2\/2899-1\/2900-2\/2938-1 ∙ HMV D 1533\/4\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e8          \u003cem\u003eKenntest du mich, kühner Sproß\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e9          \u003cem\u003eZieh hin!\u003c\/em\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e10        Siegfried mounts the rocky height \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eRudolf Bockelmann\u003c\/b\u003e, bar.; \u003cb\u003eLauritz Melchior\u003c\/b\u003e, ten.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e           \u003cb\u003e London Symphony Orchestra ∙ Albert Coates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 22 May 1929 in Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrices: CR 2405-3\/2406-2 ∙ HMV D 1694\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e11        \u003cem\u003eSelige Öde auf sonniger Höh’!\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e12        \u003cem\u003eDas ist kein Mann!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e           \u003cb\u003eLauritz Melchior\u003c\/b\u003e, ten.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e           \u003cb\u003eLondon Symphony Orchestra ∙ Robert Heger\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 12 May 1930 in Queen’s Hall, London ∙ Matrices: CR 2498-3\/2499-1\/2500-1 ∙ HMV D 1836\/7\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e13        \u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e \u003cem\u003eHeil dir, Sonne!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e14       \u003cem\u003eO Siegfried! Siegfried!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e15        \u003cem\u003eEwig war ich\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e16        \u003cem\u003eDich lieb’ ich\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e17        \u003cem\u003eOb jetzt ich dein?\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e            \u003cb\u003eFlorence Easton\u003c\/b\u003e, sop.; \u003cb\u003eLauritz Melchior\u003c\/b\u003e, ten.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e          \u003cb\u003e  Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden ∙ Robert Heger\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecorded 29 May 1932 in EMI \nAbbey Road Studio No. 1, London ∙ Matrices: 2B \n2896-2\/2897-1B\/2898-2\/2899-2B\/2900-2\/2901-1B\/2902-1B ∙ HMV DB 1710\/3\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO114.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO114.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fHistoric Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview\u003c\/strong\u003e: Opera on Record (1979)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: medium;\"\u003eThere\n is no consistency here of orchestras, conductors or singers - except \nthat Melchior is the Siegfried throughout, and what a Siegfried! I am \nwell aware of his sometimes faulty sense of rhythm and vagueness over \nnote values, but what are these set against his unsurpassed fullness of \ntone, his ability to convey the part’s many moods (in particular its \nyouthful ardour) and his peculiar vividness of articulation? All \nprospective Siegfrieds should be locked up with his Sword and Forging \nsongs (‘Nothung’ and ‘Schmiede, mein Hammer’) until they can manage them\n both with Melchior’s control and perception. He is just as exemplary in\n the peace of the Forest Murmurs, and the worry and sadness of ‘Selige \nÖde’, once available separately on the HMV German list as EJ 485, almost\n my first acquaintance with the singer along with ‘Nothung’ from this \nset (backed by a matchless Prize Song, DB 1858).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: medium;\"\u003eThe \nrest of the cast, all from Covent Garden, is more variable. Heinrich \nTessmer’s truly sung Mime turns into Albert Reiss’s caricature by the \nend of Act 1. Eduard Habich is a menacing Alberich. Schorr’s Wanderer, \nsubtle and often poetic in Act 1, is succeeded by Bockelmann’s more \nprosaic but not inconsiderable portrayal in Act 3 (Schipper is, of \ncourse, heard in Act 2). Nora Gruhn holds up British interests with a \nperky Woodbird. Florence Easton, London’s 1932 Brünnhilde and one of New\n York’s regular interpreters of the role from 1924, presents a human, \nvulnerable goddess (a contradiction in terms I know). Her bell-like tone\n and superfine diction, much admired at the Metropolitan, are much in \nevidence here. Heger and Coates, both expert Wagnerians, share the \nconducting.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlan Blyth \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino;\"\u003eOpera on Record Vol. 1 (1979)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417089741,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":32417089869,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO114.jpg?v=1487682016"},{"product_id":"pasc404","title":"DE SABATA Complete Berlin Philharmonic Recordings (1939) - PASC404","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBRAHMS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. 4 in E minor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eR. STRAUSS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDeath and Transfiguration\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eTristan und Isolde: Prelude \u0026amp; Liebestod\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eVERDI \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eAïda: Prelude to Act 1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eKODALY \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDances of Galánta\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eRESPIGHI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Feste Romane\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eStudio Recordings · 1939\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 2hr 06:21\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eVictor de Sabata\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBerlin Philharmonic Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cdiv data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775340\" style=\"padding-left: 90px\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Reviews578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fVery enthusiastically recommended578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThese recordings were made by Deutsche \nGrammophon in Berlin in April 1939, and we would probably be better off \njust not to think about the political context of an Italian conductor \nworking in Berlin in 1939, with an orchestra bereft of its Jewish \nplayers. Ironically, de Sabata’s mother was Jewish, which should have \nled the Nazis to ban him from the podium by 1939, and should have led \nhim to refuse to be there! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAll of that is so complicated, and \nwould require knowledge that we (despite our clear 20–20 hindsight), \ndon’t really have, that it is better to just concentrate on the music. \nAfter all, isn’t that what we do when we listen to the music of Wagner? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eI am familiar with almost all of this material from DG LPs; only the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eAida \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ePrelude\n was not in the collection I owned. For those who know the recordings, \nthe only question will be about Pristine’s sound quality, and I believe \nthey have done some of their finest work here. The producer of the set \nis Mark Obert-Thorn, one of the most respected transfer engineers \nworking today. These were never great-sounding recordings. They were not\n made in a good hall, but rather in a recording studio on Alte \nJacobstrasse, with the lack of richness and resonance implied by that \nfact. In some cases, where richness of orchestral color is an essential \ningredient in the music (Strauss and Respighi) this is a flaw that \nlimits enjoyment of the performances. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eBut what comes through in all cases is \nthe extraordinary conducting genius of de Sabata. Virtually all \ncollectors know of this from his work on the first Callas \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTosca\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e,\n a classic that has never been out of print since its first release. \nOther collectors know of his fine Verdi Requiem. A handful may be \nfamiliar with Nuovo Era 013.6337, a New York Philharmonic 1951 Wagner \nconcert performed at a remarkable level of white heat, and featuring \nEileen Farrell. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eFew conductors have understood as well \nas de Sabata does instinctively the principles of tension and release as\n an important element of performance. One creates that element through \ntempo, dynamic, and harmonic manipulation of the music. Holding back \nhere, accelerating there, carefully grading dynamic changes and relating\n them to tempo changes, and emphasizing certain harmonic shifts, all of \nthese are elements of tension and release. Overdo it and it becomes a \nmannerism, a tiresome trick that makes the listener feel manipulated. \nUnderplay it and the performance fails to engage. It is that element as \nmuch as anything that underlines that EMI \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTosca \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003efrom\n beginning to end, and de Sabata not only brings that knowledge to the \norchestra, but to Callas and Gobbi, and even to some extent to di \nStefano as well. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eHere the conductor’s mastery of \ndramatic progression is evident throughout, never more so than in the \nmost dramatic (and many would say tragic) of Brahms’s symphonies. The \n1939 Berlin Philharmonic was not, in fact, the great instrument it had \nbeen before it was robbed of some of its most important players, let \nalone that it is today. Some of the string playing is not quite in \nperfect unison, and can be just a touch crude. But none of that is \nserious enough to detract from this wonderfully free, Romantic-styled \nperformance. If your ideal in this music is Weingartner, this is not \nlikely to appeal. De Sabata is free with rubato, uses a wide range of \ndynamics, and a strong degree of portamento, though always tasteful and \nalways very effective. His internal rhythmic pulse is unerring and firm,\n and this Brahms has a sense of inevitability, an inexorable momentum \nfrom beginning to end. Interestingly, the brief note included in the \njewel box by Pristine quotes a 1999 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGramophone \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ereview\n that says: “In all these performances, the string playing is \nphenomenal, as is de Sabata’s way of etching phrasing and dynamics into \nthe mind and imagination.” I agree with the second half of that \nsentence, but at least in the Brahms don’t quite find that unanimity in \nthe strings that the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGramophone \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ecritic did. But please do not over-react to that reservation; it is truly a minor one when viewed against the whole. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn the Wagner, however, suddenly the \nstrings are at a different level. The richness and beauty of sound \novercomes, for the most part, the dry acoustic of the recording studio, \nand de Sabata’s ability to create that big arch from beginning to end, \nthrough carefully judged dynamics, so that the one true climax comes \nnear the end of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eLiebestod\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n Here is a perfect example of tension and release. Wagner created it in \nthis music, and de Sabata brings it to life. The final release is not \neven that big climax, but rather the final chord of the Liebestod. Only \nthen do we let our breath out. De Sabata gives us a thrilling \nperformance of this music, one that doesn’t let up for a second. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ePerhaps the biggest surprise is the \nKodály. I had not heard this in years, and forgot just how lively it \nwas, sparking with energy and rhythmic vitality, and a surprising range \nof orchestral color. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDeath and Transfiguration \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ehas\n many of the same qualities as the Wagner, with beautifully sustained \nlong phrases. The performance of the Respighi is at the same level, but \nthat is music that requires a more modern stereophonic recording. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAs indicated above, Pristine’s \ntransfer is superb, with a richness that I do not remember from the DG \nLPs or any prior release. Minimal notes with the disc, but more \navailable online, and you can order this from Pristine as a download or \nCD. Very enthusiastically recommended. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHenry Fogel\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 37:6 (July\/Aug 2014) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThomas Beecham, the saying used to go \nin London, conducted “red hot.” But Victor de Sabata was “white hot.” I \nthought of this as I listened to Mark Obert-Thorn’s excellent sonic \nrestorations of de Sabata’s Berlin Philharmonic recordings from 1939. \nThe very circumstances of the performances give anyone with a capacity \nfor irony a shiver. Here is a half-Jewish conductor, but a personal \nfriend of Mussolini’s (and predictably scorned by Toscanini), performing\n with Hitler’s largely de-Semitized Berlin Philharmonic under the gimlet\n eye of the authorities, and getting magnificent results just before the\n outbreak of the Second World War. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe genius of art and political \nrevisionism of conscience are seldom on the same page, so we do best \nhere to leave 1930s politics alone and make only musical judgments. The \nmore I listen to de Sabata, the more I conclude that his music making \nrepresents how the PR machine of the day suggested Toscanini was \nsupposed to sound—but didn’t. De Sabata has the sort of fire in pressing\n forward that we associate with Toscanini, but not the stiffness and \nseeming indifference to moments of expansion that so tarnish this \nconductor’s presumed greatness. Reiner might be a better comparison. And\n Carlos Kleiber, better still. Or Solti on a very good day. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eOne of the compelling things about de \nSabata’s Brahms Fourth is the extensive and organic use of portamento. \nIt is a swiftish, slithery performance, and the string slides are as \nintuitive and natural as breathing. Portamento has now returned to \nmodern orchestral practice, but for a long time was derided as the \nsaccharin-sickly equivalent of “Home Sweet Home” needlepoint kitsch. But\n the symphony flows beautifully because of it, and the Berlin \nPhilharmonic strings are to die for, even in 1939. This is how \nportamento is surely supposed to work. All these recordings are studio \nproductions, and they unfortunately do not convey the hall reverberation\n we get from Willem Mengelberg’s 1939 Mahler Fourth, for example. \nFortunately, the recordings are dry without being distorted. Even the \ntape hiss sounds smooth and bright—as easily forgotten as the rain \noutside. Mark Obert-Thorn at Pristine is the engineer behind the \ntransfer, and compared to other pressings of these releases by de \nSabata, such as those on the Urania label, he achieves a more natural \nsounding orchestral balance, largely eliminating the blatty upper \nmidrange dominance which so dates recordings in our ears. Some things he\n can do nothing about. The timpani are consistently just barely audible,\n and in the scherzo nearly impossible to hear. This movement would be \ncalled “light,” except for the fact one that one suspects it wasn’t with\n a proper lower end. Obert-Thorn is a bit more conservative than \nPristine’s Andrew Rose, who frequently manages to inject helpful \nout-of-phase material into the restoration process. Even so, this is \nvery listenable. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eTo my surprise, though, I find that \nthere exists a different restoration of the Brahms, the Strauss, and \nhalf of the Tristan music on the FONO label, remastered with the Cedar \nSound System. Cedar is a British manufacturer of mixing equipment, and \nits restoration process evidently features the addition of \nreverberation. There is so much back channel information here, that one \nalmost forgets that de Sabata’s performances are monaural, much less \nacoustically challenged. There are places in the Strauss where this \nturns slightly artificial and metallic—I would have used less—but \noverall, I find the added reverberation a natural and undistracting \nimprovement. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eI only wish Pristine had done something similar with the Respighi \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFountains of Rome\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n I am not as enthusiastic as I might be about this performance, whose \nopening sounds rushed to me in a frantic attempt to fill out dead spots \nin the sound—shades of Toscanini chasing non-existent echoes in Studio \n8H. But, this compilation of all the Berlin recordings under one \nacoustic roof is nonetheless valuable. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe Strauss and Wagner performances are as intuitively right as the Brahms. I’m particularly struck by how human the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTristan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n music sounds. De Sabata manages to vary the dynamics moment for moment \nwith slight but very personal changes in mood, all the while building \nthe sonority as we would expect. And the music arches perfectly, not \njust towards the great “love-death” climax, but towards the last chord \nitself. Compared to Karajan in both pieces, one notices that the later \nconductor tends to terrace his dynamics a bit portentously and make the \nmusic sound institutional and less personal. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIt should be no surprise to learn that \nde Sabata conducts the Verdi prelude beautifully and with real power. \nNor should we think the Kodály an eccentric choice: De Sabata is fully \nmaster of its compelling rhythms, if not perhaps able to convey the \ngorgeousness of color available on later recordings. (I’m thinking of \nOrmandy here). \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThese two CDs represent the best \norchestral playing de Sabata had the good fortune to leave us as a \nrecord of his art, well collected in one place. And as usual with great \nconductors from the past, we are stuck with the realities of the day. \nGratitude and frustration mixed together....Music, after all, is a \nvanishing art. Its greatest moments vanish in two seconds. And great men\n of the baton live or die seemingly to shadow-box the air. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSteven Kruger\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 37:6 (July\/Aug 2014) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC404.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eDe Sabata's magnificent Berlin Philharmonic recordings together for the first time\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e“De Sabata’s account of the Kodaly is thrilling, and the Respighi is, quite simply, sensational: definitive.” - Gramophone, 1999\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAt the time Victor de Sabata made these recordings, his discography \nwas limited to eight sides of mainly short works recorded with an \nItalian radio orchestra in 1933. This was disproportionate to his rising\n international reputation as a conductor, both in the opera house (as \ndirector of La Scala since 1930 and a frequent guest at the theatres of \nVienna and Berlin) and as an interpreter of the symphonic repertoire.\u003cp\u003eAlthough he would go on to record two more series of orchestral works\n (with the London Philharmonic in 1946 and the Santa Cecilia Orchestra \nin 1947-48) as well as the Requiems of Mozart and Verdi and an \nunsurpassed version of Puccini’s Tosca with Maria Callas, the Berlin \nrecordings occupy a special place in his slim commercial discography. \nThey feature uniformly superb performances – boldly conceived, \nrhythmically flexible and executed with tremendous verve and a minute \nattention to detail. Never again would de Sabata work with an ensemble \nof this calibre for a symphonic commercial recording session. While all \nof the works have appeared before on compact disc, this is the first \ntime they have been assembled in one place (an earlier Pearl set having \nomitted the rare Aïda Prelude).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sources for the transfers were yellow-label postwar DGG pressings\n for the Strauss, Verdi, Kodaly and Respighi items; picture-label \nGrammophon “Meisterklasse” pressings for the Brahms set and black-label \nGrammophon discs for the Wagner.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eMark Obert-Thorn\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cbr\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBRAHMS\u003c\/b\u003e  Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98\u003cbr\u003eRecorded 11, 13, 14 \u0026amp; 17 March 1939\u003cbr\u003eMatrix nos.: 1079\/80, 1057, 1061\/2, 1068\/9, 1059\/60, 1064 \u0026amp; 1070 GS 9\u003cbr\u003eFirst issued on Grammophon 67490\/5s\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eR. STRAUSS\u003c\/b\u003e  Death and Transfiguration, Op. 24\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eRecorded 18 \u0026amp; 31 March and 6, 11 \u0026amp; 12 April 1939\u003cbr\u003eMatrix nos.: 1107, 1072, 1108, 1074, 1097 \u0026amp; 1076 GS 9\u003cbr\u003eFirst issued on Grammophon 67516\/8\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/b\u003e  Tristan und Isolde – Prelude and Liebestod\u003cbr\u003eRecorded 7, 8, 11 \u0026amp; 12 April 1939\u003cbr\u003eMatrix nos.: 1096, 1098\/9, 1105\/6 GS 9\u003cbr\u003eFirst issued on Grammophon 67496\/7s \u0026amp; 67498\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eVERDI\u003c\/b\u003e  Aïda – Prelude \u003cbr\u003eRecorded 11 or 12 April 1939\u003cbr\u003eMatrix no.: 1104 GS 9\u003cbr\u003eFirst issued on Grammophon 68395\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eKODALY\u003c\/b\u003e  Dances of Galánta\u003cbr\u003eRecorded 7, 8, 11 \u0026amp; 12 April 1939\u003cbr\u003eMatrix nos.: 1100\/3 GS 9\u003cbr\u003eFirst issued on Grammophon 67525\/6\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRESPIGHI \u003c\/b\u003e Feste Romane\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eRecorded 1, 5 \u0026amp; 6 April 1939\u003cbr\u003eMatrix nos.: 1087\/90 \u0026amp; 1094\/6\u003cbr\u003eFirst issued on Grammophon 67510\/3s\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBerlin Philharmonic Orchestra · Victor de Sabata\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProducer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn\u003cbr\u003e Special thanks to Nathan Brown and Charles Niss for providing source material\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll recordings made in the Alte Jacobstrasse Studio, Berlin\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC404.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC404.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":90080641050,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":90080673818,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PASC404.jpg?v=1501752114"},{"product_id":"paco089","title":"FURTWÄNGLER Wagner Ring Cycle: 1. Das Rheingold (1950, La Scala) - PACO089","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer Ring Des Nibelungen: 1. Das Rheingold\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded in 1950\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 2hr 30:07\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eOrchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fNow that Andrew Rose of Pristine has gotten around to it, the result achieves a level that frankly I never thought possible578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eDifferent restoration engineers keep improving the Furtwängler\/Scala \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ecycle,\n and now that Andrew Rose of Pristine has gotten around to it, the \nresult achieves a level that frankly I never thought possible. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAs followers of conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler know, there are two complete \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ecycle\n recorded performances of his. One is from fully staged 1950 \nperformances at La Scala in Milan, and the other is a broadcast unstaged\n set of performances, recorded one act at a time, for the Rome RAI in \n1953. I have reviewed one or the other of these three times in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n (20:2 for the Music \u0026amp; Arts release of the Scala performances, and \n33:1 for the Archipel improvement on that effort; 29:6 for the Gebhardt \nrelease of the RAI set). William Youngren also reviewed the EMI release \nof the RAI set in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e14:4. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eFor many years the Rome RAI set was \npreferable because of superior sound quality. It was, after all, \nproduced for radio broadcast. In addition, the performers were able to \nretain freshness throughout, since they were only performing one act on \nany given evening, and they did not have to trouble themselves with \nstage business. Some of us always had a sneaking suspicion that the \nScala performances were more satisfying, because they had that sizzle \nand specificity of inflection that comes from fully staged performances \nof music dramas, but the limited sonic reproduction made it hard to \nreally enjoy them. The first release of the Scala \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ethat\n provided real listening pleasure was the Archipel (a label with an \nuneven history, but one that did a fine job here). Now, however, things \nhave moved up yet another whole level. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAny of those earlier reviews, easily locatable on the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eArchive, will give you the specifics of why I believe that anyone seriously interested in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eThe Ring \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003emust\n know Furtwängler’s performances, and why I think that of the two the \nScala set is preferable. If there ever was any doubt of this, Pristine \nAudio’s transfer removes it. This is, in fact, a remarkably lifelike \nreproduction of a performance that when first heard decades ago on a \npoor LP transfer seemed like something one would never actually be able \nto take much pleasure in. By the time you read this, the entire \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ecycle\n will be available from Pristine, and it is urgently recommended even if\n you own one of the earlier transfers. I have listened to it in both \nmonaural and the XR stereo versions (this release is in the latter)—both\n are satisfying. I slightly prefer the XR stereo—which is not at all \nlike the fake stereo of the 1970s, but simply a way of allowing the \nambience to feel more natural.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHenry Fogel \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 37:1 (Sept\/Oct 2013) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO089.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFurtwängler's 1950 Ring Cycle starts here - Part 1: Das Rheingold\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eXR remastering brings vivid depth and astonishing power to Wagner's epic operas\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eEver since I began working on Furtwängler's other \u003cem\u003eRing\u003c\/em\u003e\n cycle (RAI, 1953) I have received requests to follow it with this one, \nrecorded live at La Scala in Milan in 1950. Thus what seems almost to \nhave become something of an annual event begins again: Pristine's \nhistoric \u003cem\u003eRing\u003c\/em\u003e for 2013, another \"best ever\" contender that's \nsuffered from any number of dire-sounding releases in the past. With \nRichard Wagner's 200th birthday this year in mind, here's the start of \nthis 32-bit XR remastered Ring.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eInitial soundings last year suggested that this \nrecording would respond well to the rigours of the various XR processes,\n as it has - indeed, better than I'd dared hope. Wagner really does need\n a full, rich and all-enveloping sound, and at last we're able to hear \nit in this performance. It's not entirely uniform - there are a handful \nof short sections where the quality drops slightly - but overall this \noffers a pretty amazing improvement in audio quality. I've also excised a\n lot of bumps, coughs and other noises to help provide as involving a \nmusical experience, with as few distractions, as possible.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eYour musical journey starts here...\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e- Das Rheingold WWV 86A\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWotan\u003c\/b\u003e Ferdinand Frantz\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eDonner\u003c\/b\u003e Angel Mattiello\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFroh\u003c\/b\u003e Günther Treptow\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eLoge\u003c\/b\u003e Joachim Sattler\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eAlberich\u003c\/b\u003e Alois Pernerstorfer\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eMime\u003c\/b\u003e Peter Markwort\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFasolt\u003c\/b\u003e Ludwig Weber\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFafner\u003c\/b\u003e Albert Emmerich\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFricka\u003c\/b\u003e Elisabeth Höngen\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFreia\u003c\/b\u003e Walburga Wegner\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eErda\u003c\/b\u003e Margret Weth-Falke\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWoglinde\u003c\/b\u003e Magda Gabory\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWellgunde\u003c\/b\u003e Margherita Kenney\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFloßhilde\u003c\/b\u003e Sieglinde Wagner\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e conductor \u003cb\u003e Wilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Live recording, March 4, 1950, Teatro alla Scala \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO089.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO089.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417210637,"sku":null,"price":32.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417210829,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417211021,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":32417211213,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO089.jpg?v=1487682118"},{"product_id":"paco057","title":"FURTWÄNGLER Wagner Ring Cycle: 1. Das Rheingold (1953, Rome) - PACO057","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer Ring Des Nibelungen: 1. Das Rheingold\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded in 1953\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 2hr 37:50\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRome Symphony Orchestra \u0026amp; Chorus of RAI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fWhat Pristine has achieved here is close to a miracle ... the difference in quality is significant enough that you cannot do without Pristine’s transfer578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eI have written extensively in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eabout the two \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ecycles\n conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler, one from La Scala and one from the \nItalian Radio Studio in Rome. Interested readers are referred to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e20:2,\n 29:6, and 33:1 for reviews of both cycles. Suffice it to say here that \nany serious collector of Wagner cannot afford to be without at least one\n of these two monumental achievements. There are pluses and minuses to \neach, but it is possible that Pristine tilts the equation in favor of \nthe RAI cycle because of its remarkable sound. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eUntil now, the best transfer of the RAI \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ehas been the EMI set (7 67123 2), and Pristine’s is in another league. (The best transfer of the Scala \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eis\n Archipel’s, no longer available.) As I have said in the earlier \nreviews, sound quality is one of the reasons for preferring the RAI \ncycle. It was produced specifically for broadcast; the performances were\n unstaged and therefore singers didn’t move on and off mike. In \naddition, it was broadcast one act per day, with off days between, so \nthe singers (and orchestra musicians) were not exhausted by Wagner’s \nexcessive demands. The RAI cycle is also uncut (Furtwängler makes two \ncuts in the Scala cycle). Also most of the casting favors the RAI cycle.\n On the other hand, there is something about the smell of the theater \nthat pervades the Scala performances that cannot be denied. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eHowever, we get back to the sound \nquality. What Pristine has achieved here is close to a miracle. I did a \ndirect A-B comparison with the EMI cycle and was shocked at the \nimprovement Pristine has made. The sound is cleaner, less compressed, \nfuller at both ends of the frequency spectrum, and overall less \n“historic” in nature. This comes close to sounding like a 1953 monaural \nstudio recording made under ideal conditions. The orchestra sounds like a\n real orchestra, and the singers benefit from a far richer timbre than \non the EMI set. Hearing this set was like viewing a recently restored \npainting, having not been aware of the layer of dirt on it until you \nwitnessed the effect of its removal. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ePerhaps the biggest bonus goes to the \nSieglinde and the Brünnhilde—Hilde Konetzni and Martha Mödl. This \ntransfer reveals a bloom on both voices that is not apparent on the EMI \nset. Mödl in particular is a thrilling Brünnhilde, lacking perhaps the \ntruly glorious instrument of Flagstad in the Scala performances, but \nwilling to throw herself into the role with a passion that was never a \npart of Flagstad’s arsenal. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eSerious Wagner collectors will want \nthis set. If you already own the EMI, you may wish to keep it for the \nbooklets (though they do not include libretti), for Pristine’s \nproduction is bare-bones, to say the least. But the difference in \nquality is significant enough that you cannot do without Pristine’s \ntransfer. You can obtain it from their website, pristineclassical.com, \nas a download or in CD form. I presume that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eand \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdammerung \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eare coming, and would anticipate them being at the same level. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHenry Fogel \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 35:1 (Sept\/Oct 2011) of Fanfare Magazine\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO057.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFurtwängler's mighty 1953 Ring Cycle - Part 1: Das Rheingold\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAn astonishing sonic transformation thanks to XR remastering:\u003cbr\u003e\"Until now, the best transfer has been EMI - Pristine’s is in another league\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThere are two full recordings of Wagner's Ring cycle \nconducted by Furtwängler, but neither is the full studio recording \nplanned by EMI to begin in 1954 and left incomplete by the conductor's \ndeath at the age of 68 on 30th November of that year. There is a 1950 \nrecording of his La Scala cycle, and this, a series of recordings made \nfor broadcast on Italian radio (RAI) across ten sessions in October and \nNovember 1953 in front of a very quiet invited audience. The final \nbroadcasts were cut from both these recordings and taped rehearsal \nsessions, as chosen by Furtwängler and the RAI engineers the day after \nrecording.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe recordings were broadcast a short time after but \nwere not commercially issued until the early 1970s on LP by EMI. \nGenerally the sound quality I've been able to achieve from these \nrecordings - after some considerable difficulties - has been remarkably \nfine. However the first Scene is of a dimmer sound quality than the rest\n of the opera, for reasons which are probably now lost to time. \nThereafter, despite some variable and occasionally noticeable (but not \nintrusive) hiss, the sound is generally excellent for a radio recording \nof this era.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e- Das Rheingold WWV 86A\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrchestra Sinfonica di Roma della RAI \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e conductor \u003cb\u003e Wilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Recorded by Radio Audizioni Italiane (RAI) 26 October, 1953, \u003cbr\u003e Auditorio del Foro Italico, Rome \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e CAST\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWotan\u003c\/b\u003e Ferdinand Frantz\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eDonner\u003c\/b\u003e Alfred Poell\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFroh\u003c\/b\u003e Lorenz Fehenberger\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eLoge\u003c\/b\u003e Wolfgang Windgassen\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFricka\u003c\/b\u003e Ira Malaniuk\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFreia\u003c\/b\u003e Elisabeth Grümmer\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eErda\u003c\/b\u003e Ruth Siewert\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eAlberich\u003c\/b\u003e Gustav Neidlinger\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eMime\u003c\/b\u003e Julius Patzak\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFasolt\u003c\/b\u003e Josef Greindl\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFafner\u003c\/b\u003e Gottlob Frick\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWoglinde\u003c\/b\u003e Sena Jurinac\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWellgunde\u003c\/b\u003e Magda Gabory\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFlosshilde\u003c\/b\u003e Hilde Rössl-Majdan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO057.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO057.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417221069,"sku":null,"price":32.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417221261,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":32417221645,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/files\/PACO057_3cf047b7-6e64-4832-8ca5-0a748621c9fd.jpg?v=1732005314"},{"product_id":"paco091","title":"FURTWÄNGLER Wagner Ring Cycle: 2. Die Walküre (1950, La Scala) - PACO091","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer Ring Des Nibelungen: 2. Die Walküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded in 1950\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 3hr 32:13\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eOrchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThis Walküre cannot have been an easy task, yet the result is a hitherto unheard of presence that enables us to wonder anew at this majestic performance578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe Scala \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003econducted\n by Furtwängler is a monumental achievement and fully deserves to be \nheard at its best. And so it is that once more we sit in debt to Andrew \nRose of Pristine Audio. This \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eWalküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n cannot have been an easy task, yet the result is a hitherto unheard of \npresence that enables us to wonder anew at this majestic performance. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eTake the very opening. There is a \ntremendous clarity here that seems to match the fevered intensity \nFurtwängler sets up so well. Clear also is Furtwängler’s attention to \nWagnerian counterpoint (in the minute or so prior to Siegmund’s \nentrance, for example). Bear in mind on occasion the sound can be quite \nfragile still, for example track 2, around the three-minute mark, but at\n no point anywhere in the piece is it overly distracting to the musical \nflow. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe act I singers are well balanced. \nGünther Treptow has a heroic edge to his voice (almost Mime-like at \ntimes) and is quite fascinating when relating histories. He is capable, \ntoo, of moments of restrained, lyrical magic. Towards the end of the act\n there is a tendency to strain (perhaps even to approach a bark). Hilde \nKonetzni is impetuous and eminently believable. One might reasonably \nwish for a Hunding that is more jet black in sound than Ludwig Weber, \nthough. Perhaps the problem is he is not frightening enough. His voice \nstruggles occasionally to surmount the orchestra. It is difficult to \nimagine him as the primordial hunter\/gatherer\/thug. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIt is Furtwängler’s underlying \nmachinations that ensure the subtleties of the drama remain clear to the\n listener. The Scala orchestra reacts in chameleon-like fashion to his \ndirection, ensuring a strong arrival on the cries of “Wälse” (given some\n space here) and then illustrating, like surely no other, the dance of \nthe moonlight in sound; the arrival on “Nothung” is similarly expertly \nmanaged, the slightly scrappy brass playing unable to mar the moment in \nthe slightest. The sheer sensuous outpouring of the act’s later stages \nis due to Furtwängler and his orchestra, though. The web of sound he \ncreates is surely unparalleled, while in no other version is so much \norchestral detail so flawlessly evident in the closing measures of the \nact. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe Wotan, Ferdinand Frantz, seems \nbackwardly placed at his first entrance in the Second Act; Kirsten \nFlagstad’s glistening Brünnhilde is closer. Yet the dialogue is \nperfectly managed. There is no space here, or anywhere else in the long \ncentral act, for longeurs. Elisabeth Höngen is a Fricka with a spine of \nsteel, her voice pure drama. It is of course Furtwängler who spins the \nthread that runs through the experience. In his hands, one feels that \nthis central act truly holds the key to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eWalküre. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eFrantz\n delivers all the flawed nobility of his character, a nobility that runs\n right through this act’s second scene. The true mastery here though is \nFurtwängler’s: Try the instrumental color alchemy he achieves in the \nwoodwind (end track 13). The act’s vast span is impeccably shaped, \nculminating in a fourth scene that includes moments of unutterable \ntenderness, while its final climax is unbearably exciting. To hear this \n(almost) uncluttered and clear is a minor miracle. Bear in mind there is\n a change of disc (the latter-day equivalent of turning the LP) towards \nthe end of the Second Act (the third disc begins with scene 5’s \n“Zauberfest”). \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe woodwind trills of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eWalkürenritt \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eseem\n positively infernal. There is something of a momentary change of \nperspective around two minutes in. The Valkyries are a feisty lot, and \nthere is some stand-alone virtuoso string playing. Act III again brings a\n proper sense of over-arching form from the conductor, enabling dramatic\n climaxes, loud or quiet (“Hier bin ich, Vater”) to register to their \nfullest. Frantz comes into his own in this final act, clearly aflame \nwith anger in the earlier stages. Flagstad seems to project all of \nBrünnhilde’s vulnerability at “Was es so schmählich” (scene 3); yet the \ndialogue between them is effectively managed by the conductor, who seems\n to hold the key to the dramatic trajectory. Flagstad’s sense of the \nlyric is pronounced here, which heightens the poignancy of the \nsituation. As always in this performance, though, it is Furtwängler that\n creates the sense of the monumental and of inevitability. The sense of \nmomentum towards the famous farewell means that when it comes it is \ndripping in meaning. Frantz seems to find his finest form at this point;\n but has there ever been a finer, more gossamer fire than this? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThis is certainly not the first \nincarnation of this splendid performance (LP versions appeared on labels\n such as Murray Hill, Everest, and Cetra; CD on Fonit Centra, Gerhardt, \nand Music \u0026amp; Arts), but the sonic improvements make it the only one \nworthy of serious consideration. With this upholstering, one can \nproperly hear Furtwängler’s intent, his integration of large and small \nscale. There are blips (CD 1, track 6, around three minutes in), but \neven to mention them seems churlish. Andrew Rose gives a detailed résumé\n of problems and solutions on the Pristine website, including the \ntrimming of the coughing of distracted Italians. The studio 1954 \nrecording sits well on Naxos in a transfer by Mark Obert-Thorn (reviewed\n briefly by Henry Fogel in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e 30:4), while the 1953 RAI deserves shelf space right next to this 1950 Scala. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eColin Clarke\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 37:1 (Sept\/Oct 2013) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO091.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFurtwängler's 1950 Ring Cycle Part 2: Die Walküre\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Furtwängler surpasses himself and almost everyone else in sheer incandescence\" - Gramophone\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"bodymid\" align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Pristine has done wonders for Furtwängler's La Scala Ring\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodybigbluecentred\"\u003e- Alex Ross, The Rest Is Noise, 2013\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\" style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003eNow, this is a miracle. I never thought to live to hear \nthis. Yes, I bought back in the day—and still have—the Murray Hill LPs \nof these performances from circa 1977, which, when played, sounded as if\n they were coming from a phone left off the hook in La Scala’s lobby. I \ndid recently invest in the Music \u0026amp; Arts Programs Of America CD set, \nand it was a big improvement over the LPs, but your \u003cem\u003eRheingold\u003c\/em\u003e \nleaps way far ahead of it into a vivid realism that I’d never guessed \nwas hiding in its former iterations. I’m counting the days until \u003cem\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/em\u003e and beyond...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\" style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eG.T., \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cem\u003ee-mailed response to hearing Furtwängler's Das Rheingold on Pristine PACO089\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eMy major tasks here have included digging out not just \nsome credible bass, but a fullness and richness of tone that comes as \nclose as possible to reality whilst battling high levels of hiss and \nrumble, and thousands of bumps and thumps that I can only assume \nemenated from feet on the stage. Meanwhile, and with Rossini's witticism\n \"\u003cem\u003eWagner has great moments but dull quarter hours\u003c\/em\u003e\" in mind, I \ncame to the conclusion that perceived excitement levels in this \nperformance were in inverse proportion to audience coughs. I've done \nwhat I can to reduce their appearance in the slower, quieter sections \nthat some in the Italian audience may have found less than gripping. \nHowever, attempting complete eradication of audience noise would cause \nmajor musical damage, so some unwanted noises must inevitably remain. \nAlthough in places evidence remains of tape disintegration, as in \u003cem\u003eDas Rheingold\u003c\/em\u003e, but overall I hope and believe we have another \"miracle\" of \"vivid realism\" here in \u003cem\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/em\u003e!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e- \u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003eDie Walküre WWV 86B \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSiegmund\u003c\/b\u003e Günther Treptow\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSieglinde\u003c\/b\u003e Hilde Konetzni\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWotan\u003c\/b\u003e Ferdinand Frantz\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBrünnhilde\u003c\/b\u003e Kirsten Flagstad\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eHunding\u003c\/b\u003e Ludwig Weber\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFricka\u003c\/b\u003e Elisabeth Höngen\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGerhilde\u003c\/b\u003e Walburga Wegner\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eOrtlinde\u003c\/b\u003e Marie Cerhal\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWaltraute\u003c\/b\u003e Dagmar Schmedes\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSchwertleite\u003c\/b\u003e Polly Batic\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eHelmwige\u003c\/b\u003e Ilona Steingruber\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSiegrune\u003c\/b\u003e Margherita Kenney\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGrimgerde\u003c\/b\u003e Sieglinde Wagner\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eRoßweiße\u003c\/b\u003e Margret Weth-Falke\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e conductor \u003cb\u003e Wilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Live recording, March 9, 1950, Teatro alla Scala \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO091.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO091.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417226189,"sku":null,"price":48.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417226253,"sku":null,"price":33.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417226317,"sku":null,"price":33.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":32417226381,"sku":null,"price":27.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO091_d35af647-426e-4302-9bd6-1f827baf6c67.jpg?v=1487682124"},{"product_id":"paco058","title":"FURTWÄNGLER Wagner Ring Cycle: 2. Die Walküre (1953, Rome) - PACO058","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer Ring Des Nibelungen: 2. Die Walküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded in 1953\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 3hr 51:30\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRome Symphony Orchestra \u0026amp; Chorus of RAI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fHearing this set was like viewing a recently restored painting, having not been aware of the layer of dirt on it until you witnessed the effect of its removal. 578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eI have written extensively in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eabout the two \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ecycles\n conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler, one from La Scala and one from the \nItalian Radio Studio in Rome. Interested readers are referred to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e20:2,\n 29:6, and 33:1 for reviews of both cycles. Suffice it to say here that \nany serious collector of Wagner cannot afford to be without at least one\n of these two monumental achievements. There are pluses and minuses to \neach, but it is possible that Pristine tilts the equation in favor of \nthe RAI cycle because of its remarkable sound. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eUntil now, the best transfer of the RAI \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ehas been the EMI set (7 67123 2), and Pristine’s is in another league. (The best transfer of the Scala \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eis\n Archipel’s, no longer available.) As I have said in the earlier \nreviews, sound quality is one of the reasons for preferring the RAI \ncycle. It was produced specifically for broadcast; the performances were\n unstaged and therefore singers didn’t move on and off mike. In \naddition, it was broadcast one act per day, with off days between, so \nthe singers (and orchestra musicians) were not exhausted by Wagner’s \nexcessive demands. The RAI cycle is also uncut (Furtwängler makes two \ncuts in the Scala cycle). Also most of the casting favors the RAI cycle.\n On the other hand, there is something about the smell of the theater \nthat pervades the Scala performances that cannot be denied. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eHowever, we get back to the sound \nquality. What Pristine has achieved here is close to a miracle. I did a \ndirect A-B comparison with the EMI cycle and was shocked at the \nimprovement Pristine has made. The sound is cleaner, less compressed, \nfuller at both ends of the frequency spectrum, and overall less \n“historic” in nature. This comes close to sounding like a 1953 monaural \nstudio recording made under ideal conditions. The orchestra sounds like a\n real orchestra, and the singers benefit from a far richer timbre than \non the EMI set. Hearing this set was like viewing a recently restored \npainting, having not been aware of the layer of dirt on it until you \nwitnessed the effect of its removal. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ePerhaps the biggest bonus goes to the \nSieglinde and the Brünnhilde—Hilde Konetzni and Martha Mödl. This \ntransfer reveals a bloom on both voices that is not apparent on the EMI \nset. Mödl in particular is a thrilling Brünnhilde, lacking perhaps the \ntruly glorious instrument of Flagstad in the Scala performances, but \nwilling to throw herself into the role with a passion that was never a \npart of Flagstad’s arsenal. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eSerious Wagner collectors will want \nthis set. If you already own the EMI, you may wish to keep it for the \nbooklets (though they do not include libretti), for Pristine’s \nproduction is bare-bones, to say the least. But the difference in \nquality is significant enough that you cannot do without Pristine’s \ntransfer. You can obtain it from their website, pristineclassical.com, \nas a download or in CD form. I presume that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eand \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdammerung \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eare coming, and would anticipate them being at the same level. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHenry Fogel \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 35:1 (Sept\/Oct 2011) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO058.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFurtwängler's mighty 1953 Ring Cycle - Part 2: Die Walküre\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAnother astonishing 32-bit sonic transformation thanks to XR remastering\u003cbr\u003e\"Until now, the best transfer has been EMI - Pristine’s is in another league\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThere are two full recordings of Wagner's Ring cycle \nconducted by Furtwängler, but neither is the full studio recording \nplanned by EMI to begin in 1954 and left incomplete by the conductor's \ndeath at the age of 68 on 30th November of that year. There is a 1950 \nrecording of his La Scala cycle, and this, a series of recordings made \nfor broadcast on Italian radio (RAI) across ten sessions in October and \nNovember 1953 in front of a very quiet invited audience.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe final broadcasts were cut from both these recordings\n and taped rehearsal sessions, as chosen by Furtwängler and the RAI \nengineers the day after recording. The recordings were broadcast a short\n time after but were not commercially issued until the early 1970s on LP\n by EMI.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eTwo CD reissues I've examined closely - EMI in 1990 \n(reissued without apparent alteration in 2011) and Gebhardt in 2005 - \nmanaged between them to reduce the quality achieved by those 1972 LPs. \nEMI's issue has come under criticism for its dull and rather dead sound,\n whilst the Gebhardt's choice of equalisation is at best unusual, and \nthe sound quality is - according to one's tastes - either improved or \nseverely degraded by the kind of dynamic compression which more usually \ngraces rock music recordings. The latter, which raises the levels of \neverything by squashing them all into a smaller dynamic space, has the \nadditional side effect of boosting hiss levels throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003ePristine's 32-bit XR remastering aims to avoid these \npitfalls: using predictive, ultra-sensitive re-equalisation to tease out\n of the recording the precise frequencies expected from Die Walküre in \nthe proportions expected of them, it expands the lower frequencies to \nprovide a fuller and more convincing bass whilst extending the upper \ntreble to produce natural clarity and sparkle, whilst avoiding excessive\n noise or hiss. Although this recording had a number of shortcomings: a \ntendency to peak distortion in places; a large number of bass thuds and \nbumps; these have largely been eradicated or ameliorated, and the result\n is particularly satisfying and enjoyable - especially if you have the \nAmbient Stereo version!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e-\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003eDie Walküre WWV 86B \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma della RAI \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e conductor \u003cb\u003e Wilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n Recorded by Radio Audizioni Italiane (RAI) 29 October, 3 \u0026amp; 6 \nNovember 1953 (plus possible material edited in from ealier rehearsals \nduring this period), Auditorio del Foro Italico, Rome \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003eCAST\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSiegmund\u003c\/b\u003e Wolfgang Windgassen\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eHunding\u003c\/b\u003e Gottlob Frick\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWotan\u003c\/b\u003e Ferdinand Frantz\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSieglinde\u003c\/b\u003e Hilde Konetzni\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBrünnhilde\u003c\/b\u003e Martha Mödl\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFricka\u003c\/b\u003e Elsa Cavelti\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eHelmwige\u003c\/b\u003e Judith Hellwig\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eOrtlinde\u003c\/b\u003e Magda Gabory\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGerhilde\u003c\/b\u003e Gerda Scheyrer\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWaltraute\u003c\/b\u003e Dagmar Schmedes\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSiegrune\u003c\/b\u003e Olga Bennings\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eRossweisse\u003c\/b\u003e Ira Malaniuk\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGrimgerde\u003c\/b\u003e Elsa Cavelti\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSchwertleite\u003c\/b\u003e Hilde Rössl-Majdan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO058.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO058.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417227405,"sku":null,"price":48.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417227469,"sku":null,"price":33.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":32417227597,"sku":null,"price":27.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/files\/PACO058_ed894757-e16f-4af4-8bea-3f38b0f94085.jpg?v=1732005836"},{"product_id":"paco092","title":"FURTWÄNGLER Wagner Ring Cycle: 3. Siegfried (1950, La Scala) - PACO092","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer Ring Des Nibelungen: 3. Siegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded in 1950\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 3hr 45:1 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eOrchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fAs an owner of the Murray Hill LPs that the Furtwängler Ring appeared on, let me say that I’m astonished at how good these CDs sound—this is some resuscitation!578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAs an owner of the Murray Hill LPs that the Furtwängler \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n appeared on, let me say that I’m astonished at how good these CDs \nsound—this is some resuscitation! I still entertain my reservations \nabout the casts; much of my pleasure in these performances comes from \nthe pit and the podium, especially the latter. Back in 1950, when these \nperformances were (fortunately) preserved, who would have guessed at the\n number of complete recordings of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDer Ring des Nibelungen \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ewould\n have been issued by now, so many of them good ones? Conductors such as \nKarajan, Keilberth, Kempe, Knappertsbusch, and Krauss have had their \nsay; in fact, one doesn’t have to have a surname beginning with the \nletter K to conduct the\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003e Ring\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e operas well—witness the various operas that were recorded by Dohnányi (unfortunately, only \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDas Rheingold\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e), Haitink, Levine, Sawallisch, Solti, Weigle, and Young. Nevertheless, I think the maestro who would conduct my all-time \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eis\n the man who led these Milan performances and then surpassed them in \nRome three years later. I wonder how Pristine’s transfer of the RAI \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n sounds—the RAI recording was kinder to the singers, whereas the sonic \nbalance in these La Scala performances definitely favors the orchestra. \nThis doesn’t trouble me because, for me, that is the principal \nattraction of these performances. Some listeners may even like the fact \nthat the singers sound like they are up there on a stage and you’re \nhearing them from the auditorium. The imbalance does take much of the \nauthority from some of the cast but not from its oldest member, Kirsten \nFlagstad, the only one other than Ludwig Weber to have been born in the \nprevious century—no one is going to drown her out and, while she may \nchoose to skip a few high notes, her voice sounds healthy and powerful \nand she even seems attentive to the text. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e, she’s joined by a longtime colleague, Set Svanholm, surely the greatest of the post-Melchior Siegfrieds (some people even \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003epreferred\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n him). For two acts, he sings with his expected authority, including a \nterrific forging scene. In act III, Furtwängler omits a huge chunk of \nthe Siegfried\/Wanderer confrontation. This relatively brief scene is not\n normally a candidate for cuts and, given the events of the following \nscene, I think I know why, for, as scene 3 progresses, it becomes \napparent that Svanholm is a singer in distress, grabbing for top notes \nand occasionally attacking just under them. He manages to get through it\n without any major mishaps but you can sense his fatigue. Was he \nindisposed or merely tired? Fortunately, there are two studio recordings\n of the scene which demonstrate what he could actually do with the \nmusic, one with Flagstad, the other with Eileen Farrell (a dream \nBrünnhilde). Peter Markwort is a suitably cringing, whining Mime—central\n Europe seems to produce a lot of good Mimes; I wish they could produce a\n few more good Siegfrieds. As his equally evil brother, Alois \nPernerstorfer fills the role adequately, though I’ve heard more menacing\n ones. Josef Herrmann strikes me as a relatively weak Wanderer, lacking \nthe authority of some later Wanderers. Next to Flagstad, the strongest \nvoices belong to Ludwig Weber (Fafner) and Elisabeth Höngen (Erda), \nneither of whom is on stage for very long. What makes the performance \nspecial is the intensity and rhythmic suppleness of Furtwängler—the \nsubtle way he underlines passages, the way the tempo expands and \ncontracts, the intensity of the playing. This is a good orchestra, but \nhe wasn’t necessarily the easiest conductor in the world to follow. They\n probably had had little experience with him, but they certainly rise to\n the occasion with minimal mishaps. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe same thing goes for the playing and conducting in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n Flagstad pours it on—the quality of her voice and her stamina are \nremarkable. The Siegfried, Max Lorenz, gets credit for stamina, too; \neven in “Siegfried’s Death,” he can still get the high notes out, but \nwhat used to be a voice with some metal in it had apparently become \nmerely generic by 1950. Having sung the role many times, he knows what \nhe’s doing and gets the message across, but there’s little pleasure to \nbe had from his voice, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eper se\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n Weber is a relatively subtle Hagen but has the power when he chooses to\n unleash it; personally, I prefer an even darker voice in the role, like\n those of, say, Ludwig Hoffmann or Gottlob Frick. Josef Hermann seems to\n find Gunther to be a more congenial role than the Wanderer, though he \nhardly compares with such later ones as Stewart and Uhde. He just can’t \n“do” much with his voice. I will yield to the temptation to refer to \n“the thankless role of Gutrune” (which is almost a cliché) and \nsympathize with Hilde Konetzni, who sings it so well. As Waltraute, \nElisabeth Höngen holds her own with Flagstad in their big scene—what \nmore praise can I give? The various Norns (Konetzni doubles as number \nthree) and Rheinmaidens are fine. I might mention that Wieland Wagner \nthought the Norns scene was superfluous and actually considered cutting \nit when the opera was presented at Bayreuth. Furtwängler began a studio \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e with the Vienna Philharmonic but, alas, only managed to finish \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e before his death. That would have been a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n to reckon with—some of it might have even ended up being recorded \nstereophonically and competed with Karajan and Solti’s later ones. In \nany case, we can consider ourselves fortunate to have two very \nlistenable Furtwängler \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRings \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ealong with so many other good ones. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eJames Miller\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 37:2 (Nov\/Dec 2013) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO092.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFurtwängler's 1950 Ring Cycle Part 3: Siegfried\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Towering above all are the two complete cycles left in recorded form by Furtwängler\" - Fanfare\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter all the various issues of Furtwängler's 1950 La Scala \u003cem\u003eRing\u003c\/em\u003e\n cycle over the years - elsewhere in his 1996 review quoted here Henry \nFogel remarks: \"when it was on the Everest and Murray Hill labels, it \nwas unspeakably bad—including being at the wrong pitch\" - the general \nopinion was that this was the better performance in much the worse sonic\n condition of the two recordings which exist of Furtwängler conducting \nthe Ring.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThus far the reaction to our XR-remastered issues of this Ring Cycle \nhave been exceptionally positive - particularly from those who've \nfollowed those various releases through since those first \nalmost-unlistenable LP issues.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen marking up the tracks for this release I used our previous issue\n of Furtängler's 1953 RAI Ring as a guide - and was repeatedly struck by\n just how much the better of the two the older recording sounded. By \ngetting the pitching spot on (a clear 50Hz hum indicates the performance\n took place at A=446Hz) and trimming applause to a minimum, I've been \nable to fit each act onto a single disc, with the only cut being \nFurtwängler's own in Act 3. As in previous operas in the cycle, sound \nquality slips occasionally for a few seconds at a time - that aside it \nreally does sound quite amazing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e- Siegfried WWV 86C \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/b\u003e Set Svanholm\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eMime\u003c\/b\u003e Peter Markwort\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBrünnhilde\u003c\/b\u003e Kirsten Flagstad\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWanderer\u003c\/b\u003e Josef Herrmann\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eAlberich\u003c\/b\u003e Alois Pernerstorfer\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFafner\u003c\/b\u003e Ludwig Weber\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eErda\u003c\/b\u003e Elisabeth Höngen\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWaldvogel\u003c\/b\u003e Julia Moor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e conductor \u003cb\u003e Wilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Live recording, March 22, 1950, Teatro alla Scala \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO092.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO092.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417230605,"sku":null,"price":48.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417230797,"sku":null,"price":33.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417230989,"sku":null,"price":33.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":32417231181,"sku":null,"price":27.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO092.jpg?v=1487682130"},{"product_id":"paco059","title":"FURTWÄNGLER Wagner Ring Cycle: 3. Siegfried (1953, Rome) - PACO059","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer Ring Des Nibelungen: 3. Siegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded in 1953\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 4hr 06:25\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRome Symphony Orchestra \u0026amp; Chorus of RAI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThis RAI Ring cycle remains one of the glories of the recorded musical history of the 20th century, and sounds here fuller, warmer, cleaner, and more natural than it ever has before578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn the previous issue of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e I reviewed the RAI \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDas Rheingold \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eand \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e from Pristine, and I noted that I have written extensively about the two Furtwängler \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ecycles\n in previous issues (20:2, 29:6, and 33:1). I said in that review that \nthere are pluses and minuses to both the La Scala and RAI cycles, but \nthat Pristine’s restoration work was so good as to possibly tilt the \nbalance in favor of the RAI. These two releases only confirm that \nfeeling. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eWhile the Scala cycle has the intensity\n of single, staged performances (this RAI cycle was broadcast one act \nper day, with days off in between, and unstaged), the superior sound \nquality of this cycle, having reached, in this incarnation, the level of\n a good monaural studio recording, is a serious factor in its favor. And\n while the Scala cycle has the great voice of Kirsten Flagstad (past her\n prime but still magnificent), this RAI cycle has singers who always \nsound fresh because of the rest between acts that they were given. And \noverall, the casting is superior here to the Scala. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAs we get to these two final operas in \nthe cycle, it sounds as if the orchestra and Furtwängler had become more\n comfortable with each other, so the orchestral playing seems more free \nand natural than it did in the first operas. The conducting remains \ntoday what it has always been: a model of how to shape this music. \nFurtwängler thinks in paragraphs and chapters, not in sentences. He \nbuilds climaxes theatrically (listen to the transformation of “Dawn” in \nthe Prologue to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e),\n but also always keeps the long view in mind—so as powerful as any \nmoment along the way might be, it doesn’t outweigh what is yet to come. \nOne of Furtwängler’s important skills that is often undervalued because \nof the cramped quality of many of his recordings is his ear for \norchestral color, and Pristine’s transfer allows us to experience that \nmore fully than ever before. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe casting is as close to ideal as one\n might get in 1953. Martha Mödl in particular benefits from Pristine’s \ntransfer. Her voice sounds a bit hard on the various EMI incarnations \nbut seems freer and more open here. More important, though, than any \nindividual performance is the sense of ensemble that one gets from these\n performances. One suspects that the rehearsal period was extensive and \nintense, and the result is a total immersion in the music and text, \nbetween singers among themselves and between singers and orchestra. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThis RAI \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ecycle\n remains one of the glories of the recorded musical history of the 20th \ncentury, and sounds here fuller, warmer, cleaner, and more natural than \nit ever has before. Pristine makes its transfers available as downloads \nand CDs, in monaural sound and in what they call “ambient stereo.” The \nlatter is not the “reprocessed” (or fake) stereo of the 1960s and ’70s, \nbut rather a monaural reprocessing that allows the illusion of space to \nthe ambience surrounding the main signal. (There are probably better \nways to explain this; I’ve never pretended to be an engineer.) Both \nversions sound better than previous transfers of these recordings, but I\n do find the ambient stereo version more natural and pleasing, \nparticularly over the length of these scores. Notes are minimal, texts \nnonexistent, but it doesn’t matter. These are recordings for specialists\n who know this music, and Pristine deserves nothing but praise for what \nit has done in restoring them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHenry Fogel \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 35:2 (Nov\/Dec 2011) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO059.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFurtwängler's mighty 1953 Ring Cycle - Part 3: Siegfried\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAnother astonishing 32-bit sonic transformation thanks to XR remastering\u003cbr\u003e\"Pristine deserves nothing but praise for what it has done\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThere are two full recordings of Wagner's Ring cycle \nconducted by Furtwängler, but neither is the full studio recording \nplanned by EMI to begin in 1954 and left incomplete by the conductor's \ndeath at the age of 68 on 30th November of that year. There is a 1950 \nrecording of his La Scala cycle, and this, a series of recordings made \nfor broadcast on Italian radio (RAI) across ten sessions in October and \nNovember 1953 in front of a very quiet invited audience.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe final broadcasts were cut from both these recordings\n and taped rehearsal sessions, as chosen by Furtwängler and the RAI \nengineers the day after recording. The recordings were broadcast a short\n time after but were not commercially issued until the early 1970s on LP\n by EMI.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eIn working on these new Pristine 32-bit XR remasterings \nI've made a few interesting discoveries and come to a few conclusions. \nFirst of all, the recordings were most probably originally recorded onto\n tape at 30 inches per second, with each reel running for about 15 \nminutes. The recordings were made an act at a time, and where necessary \nrehearsal material was cut into the live performance recording prior to \nbroadcast a few days later.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe final masters were preserved as vinyl discs (with \nmetal masters), each side representing a tape reel - at this time it was\n common to preserve radio broadcasts on disc; the medium was both proven\n and much less space-hungry than tape, which was expensive and could of \ncourse be erased and re-used. Thus when EMI mastered the original 1972 \nLP release, they worked from tape dubs of new vinyl pressings made from \nRAI's metal masters, and it is likely that these same tape dubs served \nfor future releases, both on vinyl and CD. Certainly there is more than \nenough evidence of vinyl origins in EMI's 1990 CDs which matches flaws \non their 1972 LPs - swish, clicks etc. The bizarre difference between \nthe two is in badly-dubbed applause at the end of each act, present on \nthe CDs but absent on the LPs. Bizarre indeed - the same canned applause\n was used at the ends of both Acts Two and Three in the present \nrecording! It also appears in the same form in the Gebhardt CD reissue \nbut is absent here.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e- Siegfried WWV 86C \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma della RAI \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e conductor \u003cb\u003e Wilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n Recorded by Radio Audizioni Italiane (RAI) 10, 13 \u0026amp; 17 November \n1953 (plus possible material edited in from ealier rehearsals during \nthis period), Auditorio del Foro Italico, Rome \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e CAST\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/b\u003e Ludwig Suthaus\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWanderer\u003c\/b\u003e Ferdinand Frantz\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eMime\u003c\/b\u003e Julius Patzak\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eAlberich\u003c\/b\u003e Alois Pernerstorfer\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFafner\u003c\/b\u003e Josef Greindl\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWoodbird\u003c\/b\u003e Rita Streich\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBrünnhilde\u003c\/b\u003e Martha Mödl\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eErda\u003c\/b\u003e Margarete Klose\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO059.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO059.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417238925,"sku":null,"price":64.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417239053,"sku":null,"price":44.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":32417239245,"sku":null,"price":36.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/files\/PACO059_5b7c7c5c-64be-4ab4-959e-cabbb7e33d01.jpg?v=1732005476"},{"product_id":"paco093","title":"FURTWÄNGLER Wagner Ring Cycle: 4. Götterdämmerung (1950, La Scala) - PACO093","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer Ring Des Nibelungen: 4. Götterdämmerung\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded in 1950\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 4hr 8:09\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eOrchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFlagstad pours it on—the quality of her voice and her stamina are remarkable578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAs an owner of the Murray Hill LPs that the Furtwängler \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n appeared on, let me say that I’m astonished at how good these CDs \nsound—this is some resuscitation! I still entertain my reservations \nabout the casts; much of my pleasure in these performances comes from \nthe pit and the podium, especially the latter. Back in 1950, when these \nperformances were (fortunately) preserved, who would have guessed at the\n number of complete recordings of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDer Ring des Nibelungen \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ewould\n have been issued by now, so many of them good ones? Conductors such as \nKarajan, Keilberth, Kempe, Knappertsbusch, and Krauss have had their \nsay; in fact, one doesn’t have to have a surname beginning with the \nletter K to conduct the\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003e Ring\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e operas well—witness the various operas that were recorded by Dohnányi (unfortunately, only \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDas Rheingold\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e), Haitink, Levine, Sawallisch, Solti, Weigle, and Young. Nevertheless, I think the maestro who would conduct my all-time \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eis\n the man who led these Milan performances and then surpassed them in \nRome three years later. I wonder how Pristine’s transfer of the RAI \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n sounds—the RAI recording was kinder to the singers, whereas the sonic \nbalance in these La Scala performances definitely favors the orchestra. \nThis doesn’t trouble me because, for me, that is the principal \nattraction of these performances. Some listeners may even like the fact \nthat the singers sound like they are up there on a stage and you’re \nhearing them from the auditorium. The imbalance does take much of the \nauthority from some of the cast but not from its oldest member, Kirsten \nFlagstad, the only one other than Ludwig Weber to have been born in the \nprevious century—no one is going to drown her out and, while she may \nchoose to skip a few high notes, her voice sounds healthy and powerful \nand she even seems attentive to the text. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e, she’s joined by a longtime colleague, Set Svanholm, surely the greatest of the post-Melchior Siegfrieds (some people even \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003epreferred\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n him). For two acts, he sings with his expected authority, including a \nterrific forging scene. In act III, Furtwängler omits a huge chunk of \nthe Siegfried\/Wanderer confrontation. This relatively brief scene is not\n normally a candidate for cuts and, given the events of the following \nscene, I think I know why, for, as scene 3 progresses, it becomes \napparent that Svanholm is a singer in distress, grabbing for top notes \nand occasionally attacking just under them. He manages to get through it\n without any major mishaps but you can sense his fatigue. Was he \nindisposed or merely tired? Fortunately, there are two studio recordings\n of the scene which demonstrate what he could actually do with the \nmusic, one with Flagstad, the other with Eileen Farrell (a dream \nBrünnhilde). Peter Markwort is a suitably cringing, whining Mime—central\n Europe seems to produce a lot of good Mimes; I wish they could produce a\n few more good Siegfrieds. As his equally evil brother, Alois \nPernerstorfer fills the role adequately, though I’ve heard more menacing\n ones. Josef Herrmann strikes me as a relatively weak Wanderer, lacking \nthe authority of some later Wanderers. Next to Flagstad, the strongest \nvoices belong to Ludwig Weber (Fafner) and Elisabeth Höngen (Erda), \nneither of whom is on stage for very long. What makes the performance \nspecial is the intensity and rhythmic suppleness of Furtwängler—the \nsubtle way he underlines passages, the way the tempo expands and \ncontracts, the intensity of the playing. This is a good orchestra, but \nhe wasn’t necessarily the easiest conductor in the world to follow. They\n probably had had little experience with him, but they certainly rise to\n the occasion with minimal mishaps. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe same thing goes for the playing and conducting in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n Flagstad pours it on—the quality of her voice and her stamina are \nremarkable. The Siegfried, Max Lorenz, gets credit for stamina, too; \neven in “Siegfried’s Death,” he can still get the high notes out, but \nwhat used to be a voice with some metal in it had apparently become \nmerely generic by 1950. Having sung the role many times, he knows what \nhe’s doing and gets the message across, but there’s little pleasure to \nbe had from his voice, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eper se\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n Weber is a relatively subtle Hagen but has the power when he chooses to\n unleash it; personally, I prefer an even darker voice in the role, like\n those of, say, Ludwig Hoffmann or Gottlob Frick. Josef Hermann seems to\n find Gunther to be a more congenial role than the Wanderer, though he \nhardly compares with such later ones as Stewart and Uhde. He just can’t \n“do” much with his voice. I will yield to the temptation to refer to \n“the thankless role of Gutrune” (which is almost a cliché) and \nsympathize with Hilde Konetzni, who sings it so well. As Waltraute, \nElisabeth Höngen holds her own with Flagstad in their big scene—what \nmore praise can I give? The various Norns (Konetzni doubles as number \nthree) and Rheinmaidens are fine. I might mention that Wieland Wagner \nthought the Norns scene was superfluous and actually considered cutting \nit when the opera was presented at Bayreuth. Furtwängler began a studio \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e with the Vienna Philharmonic but, alas, only managed to finish \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e before his death. That would have been a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n to reckon with—some of it might have even ended up being recorded \nstereophonically and competed with Karajan and Solti’s later ones. In \nany case, we can consider ourselves fortunate to have two very \nlistenable Furtwängler \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRings \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ealong with so many other good ones. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eJames Miller\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 37:2 (Nov\/Dec 2013) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO093.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFurtwängler's 1950 Ring Cycle Part 4: Götterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"This is simply the greatest performance of the whole cycle I have ever heard\" - Gramophone\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs with the previous three operas in this Ring Cycle, \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e\n has responded remarkably to the Pristine XR remastering treatment, with\n a sound that's full, rich, clear and bright. In this instance tape hiss\n is very slightly higher than in the other operas, though at a level the\n listener will soon cease to notice. I felt that any further noise \nreduction would prove too distructive to the wonderfully clear delivery \nof the soloists heard throughout the opera.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnlike the others in this \u003cem\u003eRing\u003c\/em\u003e there are no technical \nlapses, and sound quality is thus even throughout. Those listening to a \nFLAC download will appreciate no mid-scene gap in the first act - \ncontinuity can be reconstructed with the CDs, which do not fade out or \nin at this crucial join point.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e- Götterdämmerung WWV 86D\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBrünnhilde\u003c\/b\u003e Kirsten Flagstad\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/b\u003e Max Lorenz\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eHagen\u003c\/b\u003e Ludwig Weber\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eAlberich\u003c\/b\u003e Alois Pernerstorfer\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGunther\u003c\/b\u003e Josef Herrmann\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGutrune\u003c\/b\u003e Hilde Konetzni\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWaltraute\u003c\/b\u003e Elisabeth Höngen\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWoglinde\u003c\/b\u003e Magda Gabory\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWellgunde\u003c\/b\u003e Margherita Kenney\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFloßhilde\u003c\/b\u003e Sieglinde Wagner\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e1st Norne\u003c\/b\u003e Margret Weth-Falke\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e2nd Norne\u003c\/b\u003e Margherita Kenney\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e3rd Norne\u003c\/b\u003e Hilde Konetzni\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e conductor \u003cb\u003e Wilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Live recording, April 4, 1950, Teatro alla Scala \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO093.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO093.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417239821,"sku":null,"price":64.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417239885,"sku":null,"price":44.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417239949,"sku":null,"price":44.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":32417240013,"sku":null,"price":36.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO093_41314287-19a9-46e5-82f3-5c6a9b835d69.jpg?v=1487682136"},{"product_id":"paco060","title":"FURTWÄNGLER Wagner Ring Cycle: 4. Götterdämmerung (1953, Rome) - PACO060","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer Ring Des Nibelungen: 4. Götterdämmerung\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded in 1953\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 4hr 27:40\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRome Symphony Orchestra \u0026amp; Chorus of RAI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fOne of Furtwängler’s important skills that is often undervalued because of the cramped quality of many of his recordings is his ear for orchestral color, and Pristine’s transfer allows us to experience that more fully than ever before578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn the previous issue of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e I reviewed the RAI \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDas Rheingold \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eand \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e from Pristine, and I noted that I have written extensively about the two Furtwängler \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ecycles\n in previous issues (20:2, 29:6, and 33:1). I said in that review that \nthere are pluses and minuses to both the La Scala and RAI cycles, but \nthat Pristine’s restoration work was so good as to possibly tilt the \nbalance in favor of the RAI. These two releases only confirm that \nfeeling. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eWhile the Scala cycle has the intensity\n of single, staged performances (this RAI cycle was broadcast one act \nper day, with days off in between, and unstaged), the superior sound \nquality of this cycle, having reached, in this incarnation, the level of\n a good monaural studio recording, is a serious factor in its favor. And\n while the Scala cycle has the great voice of Kirsten Flagstad (past her\n prime but still magnificent), this RAI cycle has singers who always \nsound fresh because of the rest between acts that they were given. And \noverall, the casting is superior here to the Scala. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAs we get to these two final operas in \nthe cycle, it sounds as if the orchestra and Furtwängler had become more\n comfortable with each other, so the orchestral playing seems more free \nand natural than it did in the first operas. The conducting remains \ntoday what it has always been: a model of how to shape this music. \nFurtwängler thinks in paragraphs and chapters, not in sentences. He \nbuilds climaxes theatrically (listen to the transformation of “Dawn” in \nthe Prologue to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e),\n but also always keeps the long view in mind—so as powerful as any \nmoment along the way might be, it doesn’t outweigh what is yet to come. \nOne of Furtwängler’s important skills that is often undervalued because \nof the cramped quality of many of his recordings is his ear for \norchestral color, and Pristine’s transfer allows us to experience that \nmore fully than ever before. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe casting is as close to ideal as one\n might get in 1953. Martha Mödl in particular benefits from Pristine’s \ntransfer. Her voice sounds a bit hard on the various EMI incarnations \nbut seems freer and more open here. More important, though, than any \nindividual performance is the sense of ensemble that one gets from these\n performances. One suspects that the rehearsal period was extensive and \nintense, and the result is a total immersion in the music and text, \nbetween singers among themselves and between singers and orchestra. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThis RAI \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ecycle\n remains one of the glories of the recorded musical history of the 20th \ncentury, and sounds here fuller, warmer, cleaner, and more natural than \nit ever has before. Pristine makes its transfers available as downloads \nand CDs, in monaural sound and in what they call “ambient stereo.” The \nlatter is not the “reprocessed” (or fake) stereo of the 1960s and ’70s, \nbut rather a monaural reprocessing that allows the illusion of space to \nthe ambience surrounding the main signal. (There are probably better \nways to explain this; I’ve never pretended to be an engineer.) Both \nversions sound better than previous transfers of these recordings, but I\n do find the ambient stereo version more natural and pleasing, \nparticularly over the length of these scores. Notes are minimal, texts \nnonexistent, but it doesn’t matter. These are recordings for specialists\n who know this music, and Pristine deserves nothing but praise for what \nit has done in restoring them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHenry Fogel \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 35:2 (Nov\/Dec 2011) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO060.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFurtwängler's mighty 1953 Ring Cycle - Part 4. Götterdämmerung\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe monumental finale to this superlative performance\u003cbr\u003e\"Pristine deserves nothing but praise for what it has done\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe final instalment in Furtwängler's superb Italian Radio Ring, \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e\n offers for much of its duration perhaps the finest sound of the entire \ncycle. With each act being recorded on a different day, one notices \nslight changes in quality, and for me the best of the lot technically, \nfrom \u003cem\u003eDas Rheingold\u003c\/em\u003e onwards, is to be found in the second act \nhere. From a musical point of view it is also interesting to assess how \nFurtwängler and the Italian orchestra increasingly gel through the \nperformances, and listening to \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e leaves little \ndoubt that by this point all the musicians, soloists and conductor were \nperforming with a single, unified vision and purpose.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eHowever, this does not mean to say that \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e\n didn't through up a whole heap of technical difficulties to be \naddressed. As with all the Ring operas I found hundreds upon hundreds of\n thumps, like someone stamping on a wooden stage. \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e was no exception, though inexplicably not all of the acts in all of the operas suffered this, and here Act Two escaped.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eTape hiss too was barely noticed during Act 2, though a \nmajor issue throughout Act 3 and here quite variable. Act 2 suffered \nother short noise problems which, although simple enough to deal with \nsingly, involved again hundreds of individual, manual interventions and \nmany hours of work. The greatest difficulty, though, was reserved for \nthe final act of the entire \u003cem\u003eRing\u003c\/em\u003e - extensive sections of \nrepeated treble dropout at approximately quarter-second intervals, \nrepairable only by hand-selecting each section and boosting it \nsufficiently to smooth it out - a hugely tedious and time-consuming \ntask. Curiously I noticed the same problem afflicting the first 45 \nminutes or so of the EMI CD transfer of Act 1, yet it was happily absent\n from EMI's original 1972 LPs used here.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eOverall, the end result I hope more than justifies the \ntime and effort spent in restoring it and remastering it. The \ntransformation here with XR remastering has been quite amazing to hear \nand hugely rewarding - one embarks on lengthy projects such as this \nwithout any firm idea of how much success (or otherwise) one might be \nfortunate enough to witness. To paraphrase Furtwängler's words slightly,\n and echo them back to the conductor with perhaps some similar feelings \nafter spending several weeks almost entirely immersed in Wagner, \"I hope\n he would have been satisfied with me\"!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e- Götterdämmerung WWV 86D\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma della RAI \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e conductor \u003cb\u003e Wilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n Recorded by Radio Audizioni Italiane (RAI) 20, 24 \u0026amp; 27 November \n1953 (plus possible material edited in from ealier rehearsals during \nthis period), Auditorio del Foro Italico, Rome \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e CAST\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/b\u003e Ludwig Suthaus\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGunther\u003c\/b\u003e Alfred Poell\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eHagen\u003c\/b\u003e Josef Greindl\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBrünnhilde\u003c\/b\u003e Martha Mödl\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGutrune\u003c\/b\u003e Sena Jurinac\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWaltraute\u003c\/b\u003e Margarete Klose\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFirst Norn\u003c\/b\u003e Margarete Klose\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSecond Norn\u003c\/b\u003e Hilde Rössl-Majdan \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eThird Norn\u003c\/b\u003e Sena Jurinac\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eAlberich\u003c\/b\u003e Alois Pernerstorfer \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWoglinde\u003c\/b\u003e Sena Jurinac\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWellgunde\u003c\/b\u003e Magda Gabory \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFlosshilde\u003c\/b\u003e Hilde Rössl-Majdan\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO060.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO060.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417240205,"sku":null,"price":64.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417240269,"sku":null,"price":44.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":32417240397,"sku":null,"price":36.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/files\/PACO060_b4d0244d-7d5a-4661-a1c3-94652d10ae10.jpg?v=1732005542"},{"product_id":"paco100","title":"FURTWÄNGLER Wagner: Die Walküre (1954, studio) - PACO100","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cul\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eStudio Recording · 1954\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 3hr 50:55 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eVienna Philharmonic Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThere are many wonderful things unique to this Walküre578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThis is the EMI studio recording made in 1954 that was supposed to be the first installment in a complete \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ecycle.\n The project was never completed because Furtwängler died less than two \nmonths after the completion of this recording. It has been reviewed a \nnumber of times in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e,\n most recently by me in 30:4 when Naxos reissued it. Both Naxos and \nUrania have produced transfers on CD more satisfying than EMI’s, and the\n question here (at least for those who already know the performance) \nwill center around Pristine’s work. As you might expect, it is superb, \nand certainly if you have the EMI version and enjoy it there would be \nample reason to replace it with this. The Naxos transfer is also quite \ngood, and if I find this more satisfying it would be hard to say that \nevery collector will find the investment worthwhile in replacing Naxos \nwith Pristine. For me there is a degree of color that Andrew Rose gets \nout of both the orchestra and the voices that surpasses even the Naxos, \nespecially in the XR stereo version that is a specialty of Pristine. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe changing world of technology has \ncast an interesting light on this recording in unexpected ways. As \nFurtwängler collectors know, there are two complete live \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003es\n that have been in circulation in various guises for years: the Rome RAI\n studio broadcasts and the staged La Scala performances. When they first\n saw the light of day, the resulting sound quality ranged from dismal to\n barely tolerable. But over the years, reissues have consistently \nimproved both to the point where they are much more satisfying. Clearly \nthe Vienna Philharmonic, in a professionally produced studio setting \nwhere mistakes can be redone and corrected, is in a whole different \nleague from both the RAI Rome and La Scala orchestras. Furtwängler \ngenerally disliked studio recordings, but one senses that he felt the \nsignificance of being asked to make what would be the first complete \nprofessional recording of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n cycle, and the performance here certainly has plenty of intensity and \ndrama. But it is also true that it lacks the fire heard in the Scala \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eWalküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n Now that the Scala cycle is itself well transferred by Pristine (there \nis also a new version that I have not heard yet from Eduardo Chibas at \nfurtwanglersound.com) it remains, for me, the most thrilling of the \nFurtwängler cycles. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eBut there are many wonderful things unique to this \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eWalküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n The playing of the Vienna Philharmonic is at the top of that list, with\n a richness and variety of orchestral color not available to the \nconductor from the Italian orchestras. And this is certainly not a \nstatic, studio performance lacking energy. Rysanek and Mödl are actually\n astonishing in the commitment they bring to their roles, and all the \nsingers are alert to nuances of text and music. Were there no live \nversions with Furtwängler available, or were they still only available \nin cramped and distorted sound, this would be mandatory for all serious \ncollectors. As it is, it is perhaps more appropriate to say it remains \nan important recording, one that those interested in this conductor and \nrepertoire will want to obtain. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHenry Fogel \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 37:6 (July\/Aug 2014) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO100.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFurtwängler's final studio recording in a brilliant XR remastering transformation\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFrom the Ring that never was - Furtwängler shows his could have been the best: this Walküre is one breath-taking ride\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eIt should have been the world's first full \u003cem\u003eRing\u003c\/em\u003e on LP - Furtwängler's \u003cem\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/em\u003e\n the first of the four operas to be recorded by EMI, in mono (would they\n have remade it?) in the autumn of 1954. Two months later the conductor \nwas dead, his most ambitious recording plan barely begun. EMI duly \nreleased the LPs, to the response reprinted here, and music-lovers were \nleft to guess what might have been, their what-ifs only further \namplified by the two live Furtwängler \u003cem\u003eRings\u003c\/em\u003e that have trickled out since.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eThis XR remastering shines a whole new light onto the Furtwängler \u003cem\u003eWalküre\u003c\/em\u003e,\n stripping away the years and embuing it with a sense of life and depth \nthat makes the original 1954 sound seem flat and dull - it really is one\n of the most remarkable transformations I've heard using these \nremastering techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eThis Walküre offers moments as dark and as thrilling \nas you're ever likely to hear in a recording: from the moment the rosin \nstarts flying off the double-basses in the opening \u003cem\u003ePrelude\u003c\/em\u003e to the blaring, then glowing brass in the music's dying moments, this \u003cem\u003eWalküre\u003c\/em\u003e is one breath-taking ride.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e- Die Walküre WWV 86B\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eVienna Philharmonic Orchestra\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003econductor \u003cb\u003eWilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eRecording producer: Lawrance Collingwood\u003cbr\u003eRecording Engineer: Francis Dillnutt\u003cbr\u003eRecorded: 28 September - 6 October, 1954\u003cbr\u003eMusikvereissaal, Vienna\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eSiegmund - \u003cb\u003eLudwig Suthaus\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSieglinde - \u003cb\u003eLeonie Rysanek\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWotan - \u003cb\u003eFerdinand Frantz\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBrünnhilde - \u003cb\u003eMartha Mödl\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHunding - \u003cb\u003eGottlob Frick\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFricka - \u003cb\u003eMargarete Klose\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGerhilde - \u003cb\u003eGerda Scheyrer\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOrtlinde - \u003cb\u003eJudith Hellwig\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWaltraute - \u003cb\u003eDagmar Schmedes\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSchwertleite - \u003cb\u003eRuth Siewert\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHelmwige - \u003cb\u003eErika Köth\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSiegrune - 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PACO067","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eTristan und Isolde\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded in 1952\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 4hr 16:25\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eChorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003ePhilharmonia Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e Wilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f The orchestral colors are richer, the voices bloom more, and the whole is more satisfying than it has ever been578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003eIn Fanfare 28:1 I reviewed two reissues of this 1952 HMV recording, \none on EMI, the other on Naxos. I noted that like the Callas Tosca, \nsince it was first issued this has been defined as a classic of the \nrecording industry by just about every commentator who has written about\n it. It is, quite simply, one of the greatest Wagner performances ever \npreserved on disc. I won’t take valuable Fanfare space by repeating what\n I said there, other than to note again the greatness of Furtwängler’s \nconducting here. Every single phrase is connected to what precedes it \nand what follows it. Although the phrasing is supple, and there are many\n subtle variations of tempo, everything is perfectly prepared. The music\n breathes, breathes in a way that is so natural that we are ultimately \nunaware of the act of performance, and aware only of Wagner’s great \nachievement. Every aspect of the conductor’s craft and art is present \nand is applied to this whole—color, balance, tempo, texture, \nchord-voicing, shaping, articulation—all of this and more are sewn \ntogether to make this miracle of a performance. Add Kirstin Flagstad’s \nexalted Isolde, Ludwig Suthaus’s richly sung (and often underrated) \nTristan, and fine performances by Blanche Thebom, Dietrich \nFischer-Dieskau, and Josef Greindl, and you have a recording that merits\n the almost universal praise it has garnered. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe real question \nfor collectors is whether this Pristine transfer is significantly \nsuperior to the earlier ones. I had praise for both EMI’s and Naxos’s \nversions, giving a very slight edge to the Naxos transfer by Mark \nObert-Thorn. I was not expecting a meaningful difference in Andrew \nRose’s effort for Pristine, but in fact it is enough of an improvement \nto warrant its purchase by any serious collector. In addition to \nlistening to it all the way through, I did a number of spot A-B \ncomparisons to the EMI and Naxos. It seems to me that Rose has managed \nto come up with a sound picture that is fuller at both the upper and \nlower extremes of frequency, without ever turning the sound harsh. It is\n the bass that is particularly impressive here—never boomy, but \nsatisfyingly solid with an impact missing until now. The orchestral \ncolors are richer, the voices bloom more, and the whole is more \nsatisfying than it has ever been. I heard the ambient stereo version, \nbut assume the monaural version that Pristine also issues is of equal \nquality. Pristine’s ambient stereo bears no relation to the \npseudo-stereo that the record companies tried to peddle in the 1970s, \nbut instead manages to create just a bit more of a sense of space around\n the sound. Of course Pristine’s version is also available as a FLAC \ndownload from its website. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere can be little doubt that this \nFurtwängler-led Tristan recording belongs in the Classical Hall of Fame,\n and Pristine Audio’s stunning restoration gives me good reason to put \nit there.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHenry Fogel \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 35:5 (May\/June 2012) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO067.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFurtwängler's legendary Tristan and Isolde\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ePossibly its finest recording - new 32-bit XR remaster\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\nThis recording surely stands as one of the first truly great opera \nrecordings of the era of tape recording - at last Furtwängler was free \nin the studio from the stifling requirements of 4-minute 78rpm sides, \nand what a fabulous result he and the EMI engineers made with this \nopportunity. My role here has been chiefly to clean up some of the murk \nand noise present in the original, and to extend both the top end and \nvery deep bass. I was also able to address some pitch anololies \npreviously ignored or undetected, most notably the first tape reel of \nAct 2, which has been heard quite a bit sharp (until now) for nearly 60 \nyears...\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003eTristan und Isolde\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden\u003cbr\u003e Philharmonia Orchestra \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e conductor \u003cb\u003e Wilhelm Furtwängler\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Recording producer: Walter Legge \u003cbr\u003e Recording Engineer: Douglas Larter \u003cbr\u003e Recorded 10-21 \u0026amp; 23 June 1952, Kingsway Hall, London\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDownloads\u003c\/b\u003e include full score and libretto\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e CAST\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTristan\u003c\/b\u003e Ludwig Suthaus\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eIsolde\u003c\/b\u003e Kirsten Flagstad\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBrangäne\u003c\/b\u003e Blanche Thebom\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eKönig Marke\u003c\/b\u003e Josef Greindl\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eKurwenal\u003c\/b\u003e Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eMelot\u003c\/b\u003e Edgar Evans\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSeemann\u003c\/b\u003e Rudolf Schock\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eHirt\u003c\/b\u003e Rudolf Schock\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSteuermann\u003c\/b\u003e Rhoderick Davies\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover 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data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eTANNHAUSER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e'Dich Teure Halle'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDER FLIEGENDE HOLLANDER\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e 'Jo ho ho hoe!'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eGOTTERDAMMERUNG \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSiegfried's funeral music and Brünnhilde's Immolation\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eBroadcast recording from 1955\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 38:1   \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eMargaret Harshaw, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003esoprano\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBoston Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e Charles Munch\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO029.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eMargaret Harshaw: One of the great American Wagnerian singers, at her height\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ePreviously unissued live concert recording\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\nThis remarkably well-preserved taped recording was drawn from the \ncollection of Leslie Austin, on of a number generously offered it to \nPristine for possible restoration and release. With the exception of one\n short moment in the final piece where FM radio interference was briefly\n apparent, my task was relatively simple - some XR re-equalisation, a \nlittle hum and hiss filtering and a small degree of pitch correction to \nA440 was just about all this excellent recording required.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBy the\n time this concert was broadcast, sound engineers had had plenty of \nexperience in setting microphones in Symphony Hall, Boston, and the \nbalance here is fine, with a full sound further enhanced by the sense of\n space brought to the recording by Ambient Stereo processing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eTANNHAUSER:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Elisabeth's Aria - 'Dich Teure Halle'\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eDER FLIEGENDE HOLLANDER:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Senta's Ballad - 'Jo ho ho hoe!'\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eGOTTERDAMMERUNG:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Seigfried's funeral music and Brünnhilde's Immolation\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eBroadcast recording from the second half of the concert of 19th February, 1955\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecording from the collection of Leslie Austin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e \u003cbr\u003eTransfer and XR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, December 2008\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e Cover artwork based on a photograph of Margaret Harshaw from the collection of Daniel Shigo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration: 38:15 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eMargaret Harshaw, \u003c\/b\u003esoprano\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBoston Symphony Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003econducted by\u003cb\u003e Charles Munch\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO029.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO029.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":33988257037,"sku":null,"price":16.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":33988257165,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":33988257229,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":33988257293,"sku":null,"price":9.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO029.jpg?v=1489413126"},{"product_id":"pasc453","title":"HORENSTEIN Liszt: A Faust Symphony; Wagner: A Faust Overture (1957) - PASC453","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eLISZT\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e A Faust Symphony\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eA Faust Overture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eStereo studio recordings, 1957\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 77:46\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eJascha Horenstein, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eFerdinand Koch\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e, tenor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eOrchestra And Chorus of the Southwest German Radio (SWDR)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"padding-left: 30px\"\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775340\" style=\"padding-left: 120px\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fNo lover of this score should turn down to a chance to hear this performance578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn his rave review of Horenstein’s 1972 BBC performance of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eA Faust Symphony\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n 16:5), Henry Fogel dismissed this German version from 15 years earlier,\n claiming that it was “so marred by poor ensemble and intonation from \nthe Southwest German Radio Orchestra of Baden-Baden, and by their \ninability to maintain tonal intensity, that one had to work to \nappreciate the conductor’s vision of the score.” There are certainly \ngrounds for his scorn. Tuning can be iffy (try the four solo violins in \nthe middle movement); faster wind figures flirt with, even give in to, \nmere approximation; key pillars of orchestral sonority often collapse \n(try the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003efff\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e \ntrombones at rehearsal Tt in the finale); and major details get swamped \n(you can barely hear the crucial stopped horns after W in the first \nmovement). Then, too, some of the more lyrical playing (for instance, \nthe opening of the second movement) is surprisingly prosaic—and even \nsome of the grander music, say the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003ealla breve\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n after rehearsal Ww in the finale, can turn dogged and rhythmically \nheavy-handed. Despite excellent vocal work, the ending is seriously \nanti-climactic. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAnd yet no lover of this score should \nturn down to a chance to hear this performance. Scrappy, yes—but also, \nat its best, feral in a way that can, at moments, make even Bernstein’s \nNew York recording seem tame. The swift first movement is especially \nriveting. Yes, Masur takes it at a similar clip; but whereas Masur \nskates across the music, Horenstein sears it in our memory with sharp \nmelodic profiles, lean orchestral colors, and stinging accents (note how\n seriously he takes the “violente” marking before rehearsal U). The \nmiddle section of the second movement is unusually dynamic, too, and \nplenty of high drama boosts the finale. The original sound, like that on\n many Vox orchestral recordings of the time, was screechy; Andrew Rose \nhas done an excellent job of taming its infelicities. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn sum, while this won’t sprint past \neither of the Bernsteins, the Beecham, or the Rattle among the \nfront-runners for a single recording of the piece, collectors happy with\n duplication—especially those who appreciate Golovanov’s similarly \nhigh-pressure Liszt—should find it a welcome addition to their shelves. \nThe vigorous reading of Wagner’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFaust Overture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e is an appropriate bonus. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePeter J. Rabinowitz\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 39:6 (July\/Aug 2016) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC453.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eJascha Horenstein conducts Fausts by Liszt and Wagner \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e \"Horenstein sears it in our memory with sharp melodic profiles, lean orchestral colors, and stinging accents\" - Fanfare\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGetting the best out of Jascha Horenstein's \"early stereo\" recordings \nmade for Vox in 1957 can be quite tricky. The microphone placing used \nhere means any number of potential compromises are necessary: a brighter\n remaster sounds more alive, with the brass positively shining, but the \nstrings may occasionally sound a trifle raw and screechy; rein this in \nand the whole thing risks sounding dull and dead, not helped by an \nunusually close acoustic. Thus here I've had to tread a careful path to \navoid tipping things too far in either direction, whilst maintaining the\n \"Wagnerian weight and breadth\" and \"tremendous drive\" referred to by \nDeryck Cooke in his review of the original UK LP issue. My thanks, \nagain, to Misha Horenstein for his help and expertise in producing this \nrecording. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLISZT\u003c\/b\u003e  A Faust Symphony, S.108\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/b\u003e  A Faust Overture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\" style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFerdinand Koch, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003etenor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOrchestra and Chorus of the Southwest German Radio (SWDR)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eStereo studio recordings, Südwest Tonstudio, Luffenau, \u003cspan class=\"_5yl5\" data-reactid=\".qv.1:$mid=11445944224746=2e0568ce2847906f772.2:0.0.0.0.0\"\u003e24-27 October\u003c\/span\u003e 1957\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eJascha Horenstein\u003c\/b\u003e, conductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC453.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC453.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":31975659661,"sku":null,"price":16.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31975659725,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Stereo MP3","offer_id":31975659789,"sku":null,"price":9.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PASC453_936d8df7-2b1b-46b5-bdf2-301718fdf1ca.jpg?v=1487682230"},{"product_id":"pasc440","title":"HORENSTEIN Mahler: Symphony No. 8; Wagner: Opera Excerpts (1959\/62) - PASC440","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eMAHLER  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. 8 in E flat Major (\"Symphony of a Thousand\")\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer fliegende Holländer - Overture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eTannhäuser - Bacchanale\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSiegfried Idyll\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e  Siegfried Idyll\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D7708D0\"\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770C60\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive and studio recordings, 1959 and 1962\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 2hr 1:13  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eJascha Horenstein, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLondon Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fWe can be nothing but grateful to Andrew Rose for his stunning remastering of this riveting performance578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe word “classic” is sometimes \napplied to a recording carelessly, but not in this case. This \nperformance has been praised almost universally by reviewers since it \nfirst saw the light of day on Discocorp LPs. You can read positive \nreviews in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eArchive\n by William Youngren (7:4), Benjamin Pernick (20:3), Christopher Abbott \n(22:6), and me (22:5), and I included it on my 1999 Want List. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eBBC Legends\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n release in 1999 seemed to be the last word, since it derived from the \nBBC’s own master tape. The original broadcast was in stereo (single \nmicrophone stereo, one must note), and while there are some balance \nproblems (some soloists are too distant), the overall sound was quite \nsatisfying. So what could Pristine offer that would improve on that? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe surprising answer is: quite a bit! \nPristine’s XR remastering has opened up the soundstage considerably, and\n the result is a very meaningful improvement even over the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eBBC Legends\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n release in terms of clarity, impact, and firmness and focus of the bass\n line. There is a sense of space around the performance that did not \nexist before; the sound is akin to sitting mid-balcony in a good hall. \nThose who have admired this recording and felt satisfied with the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eBBC Legends\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e version are urged to reinvest. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eI will not take a lot of space here \ndescribing the merits of the performance, as interested readers can look\n up any of the prior reviews for more detail. Briefly, what Horenstein \nmanages in this performance is what appears to be the perfect balance \nbetween spontaneous propulsion and intense drama on the one hand, and a \nfirm sense of organizational structure on the other. Moment-to-moment \ndramatic impact is never slighted, but there is a sense of inevitability\n about the direction of the performance so that it is always headed \nsomewhere. Horenstein judges tempo relationships perfectly, and makes \nhis transitions of tempo almost imperceptible as they are happening. \nThat is one of the major ingredients of a performance that flows. The \nother is appropriate relationships of dynamic variations, and again \nHorenstein hits his mark. The opening “Veni Creator Spiritus” has great \npower, but there is enough held back for the development of an 80-minute\n journey, and a final climax of immense weight and almost unbelievable \nfervor and intensity. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe soloists are all adequate or \nbetter, and the choral and orchestral forces perform with remarkable \neffectiveness given that this is not only an unedited live performance, \nbut that they all had to learn the work for the event. Yes, there the \nmomentary instrumental bobbles and ensemble lapses, but they are \nremarkably few and far between. There are rare performances that even \nwhen heard years or decades after they occurred still have about them a \ngenuine sense of occasion. This is one of those. It is as if \neveryone—performers, conductor, and audience—were making a spectacular \ndiscovery at the same time. And we have the ability to relive it, \ncomplete with the unison roar of the usually staid English audience at \nthe end. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe Wagner excerpts were originally \nrecorded for the Readers’ Digest label, and reissued (coupled with a \npowerful Brahms First Symphony) on Chesky. I don’t have the Chesky at \nhand for comparison. Andrew Rose claims that the original version of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried Idyll \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003edropped\n in pitch gradually, and I do not know whether Chesky corrected it. But \nit is fine here, and the sound of these 1962 studio recordings is warm \nand full. Horenstein’s way with Wagner is similar to his Mahler: a \nsuperb balance between impulsiveness and structure, along with genuine \nbeauty in the lyrical passages. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eMinimal notes, and no texts, as is \ntypical of Pristine—but we can be nothing but grateful to Andrew Rose \nfor his stunning remastering of this riveting performance. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\n\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHenry Fogel\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 39:1 (Sept\/Oct 2015) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC440.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eHorenstein's tremendous stereo Mahler 8 and Wagner in fabulous XR-remastered sound quality\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"The\n word “classic” is sometimes applied to a recording carelessly, but not \nin this case. We can be nothing but grateful to Andrew Rose for his \nstunning remastering of this riveting performance\" - Fanfare\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI was urged by the conductor's cousin, Misha Horenstein, to tackle \nthe BBC's splendid experimental stereo recording of Mahler's 8th \nSymphony, made with a single stereo microphone set-up in the vast, \nacoustically-untamed space of the Royal Albert Hall, in the hope that XR\n remastering might bring a greater focus and a better sense of the \nvastness of the forces employed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"I can't praise it highly enough. The difference is immediate from \nthe opening bars, where the organ hits you where it should, in the \nstomach, but the gain is evident throughout. This is especially true of \nthe bass line, which now has the depth and weight missing in the \n[previous issue]. Your remake also compliments the vertical and \nhorizontal spaces of the Albert Hall, bringing the sound forward as \nthough you are sitting in better seats than before...\" came the \nresponse, to which I find little to add (beyond noting the high number \nof coughs I had to remove!).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy contrast the Wagner, whilst derived from excellent 1962 studio \nrecordings engineered by legendary Decca man Kenneth Wilkinson, suffered\n from major pitch problems in the Siegfried Idyll, which  dropped \ngradually from an initial A=443Hz to A=430Hz over the course of the \nrecording, the full correction of which has only recently become \ntechnically possible. These recording, too, have benefited from the \nadded fullness of sound brought by XR remastering that so pleased Mr. \nHorenstein in the Mahler.   \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER  \u003c\/b\u003eDer fliegende Holländer - Overture\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\" style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER  \u003c\/b\u003eTannhäuser - Bacchanale\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER  \u003c\/b\u003eSiegfried Idyll\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecording producer: Charles Gerhardt\u003cbr\u003eRecording Engineer: Kenneth Wilkinson\u003cbr\u003eRecorded 29-30 September 1962 for Reader's Digest\u003cbr\u003eWalthamstow Town Hall\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eJascha Horenstein\u003c\/b\u003e, conductor\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eMAHLER  \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 8 in E flat Major (\"Symphony of a Thousand\")\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eJoyce Barker\u003c\/b\u003e (sop.I) - Magna Peccatrix\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBeryl Hatt\u003c\/b\u003e (sop.II) - Mater Gloriosa\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAgnes Giebel\u003c\/b\u003e (sop.III) - Una Poenitentium\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eKirsten Meyer\u003c\/b\u003e (alt.I) - Mulier Samaritana\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHelen Watts\u003c\/b\u003e (alt.II) - Maria Aegyptiaca\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eKenneth Neate\u003c\/b\u003e (ten.) - Doctor Marianus\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlfred Orda\u003c\/b\u003e (bar.) - Pater Ecstaticus\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eArnold van Mill\u003c\/b\u003e (bass) - Pater Profundus\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBBC Chorus; BBC Choral Society; Goldsmiths' Choral Union; Hampstead \nChoral Society; Emanuel School Boys' Choir; Orpington Junior Singers\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMusical Associate: Berthold Goldschmidt\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003eLondon Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHugh Maguire\u003c\/b\u003e, leader; \u003cb\u003eCharles Spinks\u003c\/b\u003e, organ\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eJascha Horenstein\u003c\/b\u003e, conductor \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecorded for BBC broadcast, 20 March 1959, Royal Albert Hall, London\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC440.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC440.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":31975664013,"sku":null,"price":32.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31975664077,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Stereo MP3","offer_id":31975664141,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PASC440_642495a8-82ec-46c9-8fae-49f625e7bd91.jpg?v=1487682236"},{"product_id":"paco062","title":"KEILBERTH Wagner: Der Fliegende Holländer (1955, Bayreuth) - PACO062","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer Fliegende Holländer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded in stereo in 1955\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 2hr 20:49\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eAstrid Varnay\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eHermann Uhde\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRudolf Lustig\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBayreuth Festival Chorus and Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eJoseph Keilberth, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fHis Dutchman has a haunted, tormented quality (it’s in his voice) that brings the character to life like few of his colleagues578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAn early and successful attempt at \nstereo recording, this performance was originally issued in the \nsingle-channel format and had to wait about 20 years for its first \ntwo-channel release. When first released it offered, arguably, the best \ncombination of sound and performance of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDutchman\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n recordings. Now, despite Pristine’s excellent stereo transfer, I \nbelieve that that is no longer the case. Its principal assets are \nHermann Uhde, Ludwig Weber, Josef Traxel, and the Bayreuth men’s chorus.\n Uhde, a specialist in portraying losers like Gunther, Klingsor, \nTelramund, and Wozzeck, gets to win one for a change—at least he gets \n“redeemed” at the end. His Dutchman has a haunted, tormented quality \n(it’s in his voice) that brings the character to life like few of his \ncolleagues. Successful Dutchmen like George London and Simon Estes \nneeded to be seen as well as heard, and proved to be less successful \nwhen they could only appeal to the ear. Not so with Uhde and Dietrich \nFischer-Dieskau, the excellent Dutchman of Franz Konwitchny’s recording.\n I am sure that Hans Hotter was a great one, too (with Georg Hahn as \nDaland) but I haven’t heard the poor-sounding Krauss recording in ages. \nThis recording’s Daland, Ludwig Weber, has just the right kind of deep \nvoice and hearty delivery that’s appropriate for Daland. They’re a great\n pair. Josef Traxel is a nice, lyric Steersman and the recording \ncaptures the rich, virile sound of the men’s chorus. For some odd \nreason, the female chorus sounds older and less impressive to me. Astrid\n Varnay, a Bayreuth favorite, was already dipping into lower roles when \nshe performed Senta in 1955. She makes all the right gestures and her \nvoice rings through the house (I heard her there as Ortrud in 1960) but \nshe sounds too mature; I prefer a younger-sounding voice in this role \nand hers moves just a bit sluggishly from note to note at times. Among \nthe recordings I know, I prefer Deborah Voigt (James Levine), Marianne \nSchech (Konwitchny), Leonie Rysanek (Antal Doráti), and Lisbeth Balsley \n(Woldemar Nelsson). Senta’s fiancé (?), Erik, is one of the more \ntiresome bores in opera, a condition not mitigated by the effortful \nsinging of Rudolf Lustig. The Mary, Elisabeth Schärtel, is good enough. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAs far as Joseph Keilberth’s conducting\n is concerned, I am of two minds. Sometimes I appreciate the relaxed \nweight, the refusal to whip things up, the steady support for the cast, \nbut at other times I just wish he’d get on with it and his conducting \nseems sluggish and heavy-handed. Here, I suppose I give him a B+ or a B.\n The orchestra’s sound is a bit dull and not well balanced during the \noverture but, oddly, seems clearer and better-balanced once the action \nbegins on stage. There is ample directionality and clarity—you can even \nhear the spinning wheels turning in scene 2, and it is “scene 2” because\n Keilberth chooses the one-act version of the opera, which Wagner \nultimately set in three separate acts. Cosima Wagner reverted to the \none-act edition when the opera was first produced at Bayreuth in 1901, \nand both editions have subsequently been heard there and elsewhere. In \nfact, the recordings of Otto Klemperer and Woldemar Nelsson use yet \nanother, earlier edition, which omits the Redemption Theme that normally\n ends the overture and the final scene\/act. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eOf the recordings I have heard, my \npreference is for Levine’s, which has a cast of strong voices. The \nDutchman, James Morris, is no Uhde or Fischer-Dieskau but that’s no \ndisgrace. Jan-Hendrik Rootering is a hearty enough Daland and Deborah \nVoigt, an appropriately young, healthy Senta. Add the luxury of Ben \nHeppner as Erik (he’s still a bore but at least he’s a great-sounding \nbore), and Paul Groves as a Traxel-like Steersman. Good sound, too. \nAfter that would come the weighty but generally well-sung performance \nled by Konwitschny (with Fritz Wunderlich as the Steersman!). \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eOne nice touch: Unless the custom has \nchanged, Bayreuth had one-hour intermissions between the acts of the \noperas. Outside the theater was a big tent where one could purchase lots\n of yummy non-dietary goodies as well as sample those tasty German \nbeers. At the 45-, 50-, and 55-minute mark, a brass group on the front \nbalcony summoned the audience back to the theater by playing a fanfare \nfrom the day’s opera, a nice touch. Unfortunately for the audience, the \none-act \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDutchman\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e \nhad no intermissions, so there was only one group of fanfares at the \nbeginning of the opera and no goodies between the acts. You can hear a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDutchman\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e fanfare at the start of this recording, an imaginative production touch. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eJames Miller \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 35:3 (Jan\/Feb 2012) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO062.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eKeilberth's magnificent stereo Flying Dutchman\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eBrilliant, dramatic new stereo remastering of this 1955 Bayreuth classic\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eI came to transfer this recording almost by accident - I\n had taken delivery of a new stereo LP replay cartridge and, having \nfitted it to my tonearm, picked up the nearest stereo record to hand, \nwhich happened to be the first disc of the three issued by Decca in the \nmid-1970s which make up this recording. Having been duly astonished by \nthe sound quality I was hearing from the LP, I decided to record a short\n section for comparison to the existing CD issue of the same recording, \nand found the Decca LPs to be far more to my liking, with much more life\n to them than the rather dead and flat (by comparison) 2006 CD transfer.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003eAs a result I ended up transferring the entire \nopera from my near-mint pressings and set about the minimal work \nrequired to remove occasional clicks, before applying 32-bit XR \nremastering technology to the transfer. This served to further enhance \nthe already fabulous sound of the LPs. Meanwhile a US correspondent and \nWagner aficionado contacted me to point out that the original mono LP \nissue of the recording had included fanfares and theatre bells which \nwere omitted from later releases but added wonderfully to the atmosphere\n of a Bayreuth Festival production. As a result these were provided by \nhim, and have now been added to the recording as it was originally \nreleased (this first track now presented in Ambient Stereo), prior to \nthe start of the full stereo recording.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003eDer Fliegende Holländer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Recording assembled from rehearsals on 14 \u0026amp; 21 July and performances \u003cbr\u003e on 30 July, 3, 6, 15 \u0026amp; 19 August, 1955 at Festspielhaus, Bayreuth\u003cbr\u003e Transfers from Decca ECS 665-667\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eAstrid Varnay\u003c\/b\u003e Senta\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eHermann Uhde\u003c\/b\u003e The Dutchman\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eRudolf Lustig\u003c\/b\u003e Erik\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eLudwig Weber\u003c\/b\u003e Daland\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eElisabeth Schärtel\u003c\/b\u003e Mary\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eJosef Traxel\u003c\/b\u003e The Steersman\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBayreuth Festival Chorus and Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e Wilhelm Pitz\u003c\/b\u003e Chorus Master\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003eJoseph Keilberth \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, March-June 2011\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of Joseph Keilberth\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration: 2hr 20:49\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO062.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO062.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":33847605197,"sku":null,"price":32.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":33847605325,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Stereo MP3","offer_id":33847605453,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO062.jpg?v=1489160485"},{"product_id":"paco052","title":"KEMPE Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (1956) - PACO052","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eStudio recording from 1956\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, August-October 2010 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e Cover artwork based on a photograph of Rudolf Kempe\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 4hr 21:32\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eFerdinand Frantz \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e- Hans Sachs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eGottlob Frick\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e - Veit Pogner\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eElisabeth Grümmer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e - Eva\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eGerhard Unger\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e - Davis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eHermann Prey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e - Ein Nachtwächter\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBerlin Philharmonic Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eConducted by\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e Rudolf Kempe\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775340\" style=\"padding-left: 30px\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fKempe’s masterly conducting is its outstanding feature578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eDevotees of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDie Meistersinger\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n are most likely familiar with Rudolf Kempe’s lovable, distinguished \n1956 performance, his second complete recording of the opera, recorded \nin rich mono by EMI with the Berlin Philharmonic and an expert cast. The\n opera has fared very well on recordings with strong studio accounts by \nKarajan, Knappertsbusch, Kubelík, Sawallisch, and Solti (his second) and\n important live versions by Toscanini, Abendroth, Reiner, Karajan (his \nfirst), Levine, and others. For many collectors, Kempe II is near or at \nthe top of the list. After revisiting the performance on Pristine Audio \nwith sound that gives a sense of greater space around the singers, I \nwould rank it just a notch below Kubelík’s as the best overall \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eMeistersinger. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eTo restate what many have already \nnoted, Kempe’s masterly conducting is its outstanding feature. He allows\n all of the work’s many facets—humor, pathos, and delicacy along with \nits monumentality—to emerge with natural momentum. There’s a wonderfully\n warm sound to the strings of the Berlin Philharmonic and, unlike many \nconductors, Kempe maintains an atmosphere of pomp without pomposity from\n the start of the overture. He brings great clarity and perfect pacing \nto the difficult contrapuntal finales of acts 1 and 2, helped by the \ncombined forces of three well-trained choruses. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThen there’s the pleasure of hearing an\n all-German cast of singers who were closely identified with their roles\n interacting as a real ensemble. There’s not one word in the whole \nperformance that isn’t clearly enunciated. In the important secondary \nroles, Gerhard Unger is ideal as David, and Marga Höffgen, Gottlob \nFrick, and Gustav Neidlinger are stylish, comfortable, and have exactly \nthe right voices for Magdalene, Pogner, and Kothner. The young Hermann \nPrey as the most lyrical of Night Watchmen is a special joy. Benno \nKusche is just right as Beckmesser, funny but not overplayed. The role \nof Eva is particularly well represented on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eMeistersinger \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003erecordings.\n Schwarzkopf, Janowitz, Donath, and Studer are all wonderful in the \npart. Elisabeth Grümmer, that paragon of German sopranos, is their \nequal. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eBut it’s with Walter von Stolzing and \nHans Sachs that we spend the most time (hours and hours), and it’s with \nthe performances of Rudolf Schock and Ferdinand Frantz in these huge, \ndifficult roles that I have some slight reservations. Frantz is a \ndark-voiced Sachs, authoritative and musicianly, but a little gruff and \nsomewhat unvaried in timbre. This isn’t to say that he isn’t touching in\n his quieter monologues. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eSeveral far-from-prizeworthy Walthers \n(Hopf, Beirer, Treptow) are the weak links in the casts of other \nrecordings. Rudolf Schock is preferable to them, and his Walther is \nphrased and sung with beauty and insight, but the voice is slightly dry,\n and there’s occasionally a sense of strain. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eTurning to the Kubelík recording, \nSandor Konya, an important Wagnerian tenor who is poorly represented on \ncommercial recordings, provides a more mellifluous Walther than Schock, \nand Thomas Stewart is a nobler, more vocally resplendent Sachs than \nFrantz, more poet than cobbler. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eNonetheless, Kempe’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eMeistersinger \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ehas well stood the test of time and is now heard to best advantage on Pristine Audio. I wouldn’t want to be without it. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePaul Orgel\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 34:5 (May\/June 2011) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO052.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFor many, Kempe's is the greatest Meistersinger recording ever\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLast of the golden-era mono studio recordings now in superb XR remastering\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eI regularly receive e-mails and calls with suggestions \nof recordings deemed necessary of a Pristine Audio XR and Ambient Stereo\n makeover. Occasionally these are accompanied with a CD-R transfer of \nthe recording in question. In this case, the collector, Dr. John Philips\n (to whom we are extremely grateful) arrived in person, bearing an \narmful of LPs for my consideration and a huge amount of enthusiasm and \nknowledge.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eAbove all he was insistent that I at least consider strongly the present recording of \u003cem\u003eDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg\u003c\/em\u003e,\n in his opinion not only the best recording ever made of it, but also in\n its US Angel pressing, the very best vinyl LP versions to be had. I was\n astonished to discover that, despite a reissue by EMI on CD some years \nago, this masterpiece of the recording studio was now out of print and \ndifficult to obtain. But I was still somewhat concerned that the LP \ntransfers might not live up to the quality of the EMI CD transfers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eI need not have worried. Towards the end of the LP \ntransfer and remastering process I finally managed to track down a copy \nof the CD issue for comparison. Despite this being a very good 1950s \nrecording, the XR remastering had found a greater depth and clarity in \nthe recording than was ever to be heard from the CDs. The LPs were so \nclean and clear to begin with that, after applying the same XR \nprocessing to a section of the CD issue that had been applied to the LP \ntransfers, the two were entirely indistinguishable by even the closest \nlistening tests.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThis is certainly a recording where I would recommend \nthe Ambient Stereo issue. As with all our Ambient Stereo releases, the \ncentral mono sound remains perfectly intact - this isn't the \"fake \nstereo\" of years gone by. What you do hear though is a real sense of the\n space around the singers and orchestra. In the original recording one \ncan detect what is a rather primitive use of studio reverberation at \ntimes - by allow this some spread and using advanced digital signal \nprocessing it has been possible to enhance and significantly reduce the \nartificiality of the effect.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe end result is a supremely listenable, crystal clear \nsound, with real depth in the bass, fabulous transparency in the treble -\n all in all a most worthwhile improvement on the now unobtainable EMI CD\n set of this superlative recording.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e- Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Hans Sachs: \u003cb\u003eFerdinand Frantz\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Veit Pogner: \u003cb\u003eGottlob Frick\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Kunz Vogelgesang: \u003cb\u003eHorst Wilhelm\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Konrad Nachtigall: \u003cb\u003eWalter Stoll\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Sixtus Beckmesser: \u003cb\u003eBenno Kusche\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Fritz Kothner: \u003cb\u003eGustav Neidlinger\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Balthasar Zorn: \u003cb\u003eManfred Schmidt\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Ulrich Eisslinger: \u003cb\u003eLeopold Clam\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Augustin Moser: \u003cb\u003eHerold Kraus\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Hermann Ortel: \u003cb\u003eRobert Koffmane\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Hans Schwarz: \u003cb\u003eAnton Metternich\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Hans Foltz: \u003cb\u003eHanns Pick\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Walther von Stolzing: \u003cb\u003eRudolf Schock\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Eva: \u003cb\u003eElisabeth Grümmer\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Magdalene: \u003cb\u003eMarga Höffgen\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e David: \u003cb\u003eGerhard Unger\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Ein Nachtwächter: \u003cb\u003eHermann Prey\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003eBerliner Philharmoniker \u003cbr\u003e Chöre der Deutschen Oper Berlin, der Berliner Staatsoper und St. Hedwigs-Kathedrale, Berlin\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003eConducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003eRudolf Kempe\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eSource information:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRecorded 4-20 April, 1956, Wintergarten, Berlin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Transfers from Angel box set 3572 E\/L\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, August-October 2010 \u003cbr\u003e Cover artwork based on a photograph of Rudolf Kempe\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration: 4hr 21:32\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO052.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO052.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563585794109,"sku":null,"price":64.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563585826877,"sku":null,"price":44.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563585859645,"sku":null,"price":44.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":12563585892413,"sku":null,"price":36.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO052.jpg?v=1672845792"},{"product_id":"paco039","title":"KRAUSS Wagner Ring Cycle: 1. Das Rheingold (1953) - PACO039","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer Ring Des Nibelungen: 1. Das Rheingold\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive concert recording from 1953\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e Total duration: 2hr 25:15 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eFeaturing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eHans Hotter\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e as Wotan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBayreuth Festival Orchestra \u0026amp; Chorus\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eClemens Krauss\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThe late golden-age cast sings like, well, gods578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAs always, the problem is not finding \nfive favorite releases of the last year, but limiting the list to five. \nIn a time where some are still ringing the death knell for recorded \nclassical music, there are a remarkable number of performances being \nreleased, so a list like this is as much a matter of opportunity as \ndesign. Still, the first selection was an easy one, and reflects a \nlongtime favorite recommendable here because of a glorious new transfer.\n The 1953 Clemens Krauss Bayreuth \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e is one of the finest—if not \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003ethe\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n finest—performance of the tetralogy available on CD. Krauss is urgently\n dramatic while never shortchanging the psychological depths. A few \nlapses aside, the late golden-age cast sings like, well, gods. It has \nbeen available in digital form since the Foyer\/Laudis release in 1987, \nin transfers of varying quality. Andrew Rose’s vividly lifelike \nremastering is the first to significantly improve transparency and \nimmediacy while retaining most of the Laudis AAD version’s sense of \nvoices in a real space. Not cheap, but worth the price, it is available \nfrom pristineclassical.com as a download or on CD-Rs. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003eWant List for \u003cb\u003eRonald E. Grames\u003c\/b\u003e [2010]\u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 34:2 (Nov\/Dec 2010) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO039.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eStunning sonic makeover for this classic Wagner recording\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFirst opera in Krauss' classic 1953 Bayreuth Ring cycle - among the finest ever\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThis recording is part of what has long been regarded as\n one of the key Ring cycles, certainly of the mono era, but also more \ngenerally. A review by Steve Taylor at the Wagner Discography website \nstates:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e...it is certainly one of the great Rings. What makes it\n great? Firstly it has to be the cast of singers. I doubt that there has\n been a greater cast at Bayreuth in all the years since World War II. \nAstrid Varnay is nothing less than outstanding as Brünnhilde. She \nclearly has an intimate understanding of the role is an absolute \npleasure to listen to.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e\n\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eWolfgang Windgassen sings Siegfried. It is his first \nappearance in the role and he is heard to better advantage in other \nrecordings. The thing that makes him special in this recording is his \nyouthfulness. He is at his best in the first two acts of Siegfried but \nis also able to portray well the more mature character in \nGötterdämmerung. This is the performance of a major star in the making.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e\n\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eTowering over them both vocally as well as physically is\n the Wotan of Hans Hotter. He is at his prime here and it is worth \nbuying the set for him alone. His singing in this set often astounds me.\n To my mind the best Wotan recorded. By the time he recorded with Solti \nhe was past his peak. Listen to this and you will know exactly what I \nmean! All the other singers are equally fine. Josef Greindl (Hagen), \nPaul Kuen (Mime) Gustav Neidlinger (Alberich) deserve special mention. \nOnly the Sieglinde of Regina Resnik fails to impress but this is a minor\n problem.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e\n\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe conducting throughout is solid and Krauss gives the \nwork the full structure which is needed. If there are any weaknesses in \nhis reading they show up in Götterdämmerung. This was the first and only\n Ring which Kraus conducted at Bayreuth and he was clearly out to \nimpress. His Parsifal of the same year was a record breaker. It was 23 \nminutes quicker than the previous record holder, his friend, Richard \nStrauss. No such haste with his reading of the Ring! It is a tragedy \nthat he was to die the following year and we do not have any more Ring \nrecordings by him.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eHowever, he does go on to comment on the sound, \nlabelling it as merely \"acceptable\". Meanwhile a correspondent and \nfriend of this site wrote directly to me a short time ago:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"The Krauss 1953 Ring needs you. I think that Krauss' \nstock is rising, and you have already done him noble service. Now is the\n time for the killer edition of his Ring. Who better than you?\"\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eI decided to investigate the possibility and started out\n with a few test settings for XR remastering. Quickly realising that \nthese recordings most certainly could benefit enormously from this type \nof remastering I decided to bite the bullet and begin work on what we \nexpect to become Pristine's first full Ring cycle.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe results are often astonishing - like the lifting of \nmultiple layers of grime from an old painting to see bright colours \nresplendent beneath. Gone is the boxiness of previous issues, and in its\n place is a full and deep bass alongside a greatly extended treble, with\n huge impact on clarity of both voices and instruments, coupled with \ngreat dramatic impact.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThanks to our download system we're also able to present\n the opera in a completely uninterrupted format both for FLAC and MP3 \npurchasers. The CDs are faded in such a way as to slightly overlap at \nthe end of Scene Two and start of Scene Three, but nothing is lost here \neither.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThis opera is of course already available - in its full \ncycle - on budget-priced CDs. I think when you hear the advances I've \nmanaged to make for this release you'll consider it an investment of \ntime and effort worthy of your consideration.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e- Das Rheingold WWV 86A\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWotan\u003c\/b\u003e - Hans Hotter \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eDonner\u003c\/b\u003e - Hermann Uhde \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFroh\u003c\/b\u003e - Gerhard Stolze \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eLoge\u003c\/b\u003e - Erich Witte \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eAlberich\u003c\/b\u003e - Gustav Neidlinger \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eMime\u003c\/b\u003e - Paul Kuen \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFasolt\u003c\/b\u003e - Ludwig Weber \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFafner\u003c\/b\u003e - Josef Greindl \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFricka\u003c\/b\u003e - Ira Malaniuk \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFreia\u003c\/b\u003e - Bruni Falcon \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eErda\u003c\/b\u003e - Maria von Ilosvay \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWoglinde\u003c\/b\u003e - Erika Zimmermann \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWellgunde\u003c\/b\u003e - Hetty Plümacher \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFlosshilde\u003c\/b\u003e - Gisela Litz \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChoir and Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival\u003cbr\u003e conductor Clemens Krauss\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLive concert recording, Bayreuth Festival, 8th August 1953\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO039.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO039.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417477261,"sku":null,"price":32.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417477325,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo CD Images (for Roxio)","offer_id":40066373124157,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":32417477453,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO039_2e861269-483b-4b01-8664-24e88b34d9e3.jpg?v=1657707175"},{"product_id":"paco040","title":"KRAUSS Wagner Ring Cycle: 2. Die Walküre (1953) - PACO040","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer Ring Des Nibelungen: 2. Die Walküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive concert recording from 1953\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e Total duration: 3hr 30:55 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBayreuth Festival Orchestra \u0026amp; Chorus\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eClemens Krauss\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fAndrew Rose’s vividly lifelike remastering is the first to significantly improve transparency and immediacy while retaining most of the Laudis AAD version’s sense of voices in a real space578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAs always, the problem is not finding \nfive favorite releases of the last year, but limiting the list to five. \nIn a time where some are still ringing the death knell for recorded \nclassical music, there are a remarkable number of performances being \nreleased, so a list like this is as much a matter of opportunity as \ndesign. Still, the first selection was an easy one, and reflects a \nlongtime favorite recommendable here because of a glorious new transfer.\n The 1953 Clemens Krauss Bayreuth \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e is one of the finest—if not \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003ethe\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n finest—performance of the tetralogy available on CD. Krauss is urgently\n dramatic while never shortchanging the psychological depths. A few \nlapses aside, the late golden-age cast sings like, well, gods. It has \nbeen available in digital form since the Foyer\/Laudis release in 1987, \nin transfers of varying quality. Andrew Rose’s vividly lifelike \nremastering is the first to significantly improve transparency and \nimmediacy while retaining most of the Laudis AAD version’s sense of \nvoices in a real space. Not cheap, but worth the price, it is available \nfrom pristineclassical.com as a download or on CD-Rs. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003eWant List for \u003cb\u003eRonald E. Grames\u003c\/b\u003e [2010]\u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 34:2 (Nov\/Dec 2010) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO040.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eOne of the greatest recorded performances of Die Walküre\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAn astonishing sonic resurrection of this all-time classic - superb in all respects\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eA few short weeks before this recording was issued we \ntook our first tentative steps in the remastering of this, one of the \ngreatest Ring cycles of all time, with our issue of \u003cem\u003eDas Rheingold\u003c\/em\u003e.\n Noting that the entire cycle was available elsewhere at budget price, \nthe decision to spend the enormous time and effort involved in producing\n a full XR remastering of these increasingly lengthy operas was taken \nwith some trepidation. I wanted to be absolutely sure that I could bring\n a major transformation to the sound quality of the recordings - one \nwhich not only satisfied me, but also the legions of Wagner lovers who \nalready knew these recordings well.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe responses to that first \u003cem\u003eRheingold \u003c\/em\u003eissue were nothing if not encouraging:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"...the Krauss is my favourite Ring of the moment, and I\n own it in two other incarnations, so I am in a good position to judge \nthe improvements that Andrew Rose has achieved. The sound is more open \nand focused than ever before and it is a real treat to hear the finest \nsingers of their generation sing their signature roles in a faithful \nrepresentation of the Bayreuth ‘noise’. The audio spectrum has been \ncleaned at the top and opened out at the bottom. Hans Hotter sings his \nbest Wotan, slightly more sensitively than for Keilberth in the \nTestament stereo Ring, and in far fresher voice than for Solti in the \n1960s. Astrid Varnay is marvellous as Brunnhilde, and has the benefit of\n really attentive, flexible conducting. Clemens Krauss’ approach may not\n be to everyone’s taste, being at the other end of the tempo spectrum to\n Knappertsbusch, but to my ears the naturalness of what he does serves \nthe composer without drawing attention to itself...\"\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003e\n\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"...I just downloaded and played he 53 Krauss Rheingold \nthat you recently released. it is utterly fantastic! Much more alive \nthan the CDs out there. When will Die Walkure be released?...\"\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003e\n\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"Yesterday I downloaded your XR remastering of Das \nRheingold. What a superb job you have done with it. I own the Krauss \nRing on Archipel, but what an astonishing improvement the Pristine \nversion means. I just would let you know, since I am so enthusiastic \nabout it. Looking forward to Die Walküre!...\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eSince these initial comments from listeners, I've been continually nagged by e-mails requesting \u003cem\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/em\u003e, and naturally given the success of \u003cem\u003eDas Rheingold\u003c\/em\u003e, I was somewhat nervous with regard to my ability to match up to that standard.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eI should not have been. If anything, this was a \nbetter-made recording to begin with. This of course makes sense - \nrecorded a day after the first \u003cem\u003eRing\u003c\/em\u003e opera, the opportunity \nwould have been there to make adjustments to microphone placement and \nrecording equipment based on the experience of the previous day's \ntaping.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eAs a result, \u003cem\u003eDie Walküre \u003c\/em\u003efrequently surpasses \u003cem\u003eDas Rheingold\u003c\/em\u003e\n in overall sound quality - it truly sounds wonderful throughout. I've \nmanaged to deal with various faults which existed in the recording - \nhums, high frequency tones, occasional drop-outs, a tendency to \nhigh-frequency 'fuzz' around 10kHz, and removed a number of coughs and \nother intrusions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eBut above all the delight for this listener of this new \nremastering will be the absolute clarity and stunning sound quality of \nthe whole - the perfect balance of orchestra and voice for which \nBayreuth was designed is conveyed brilliantly in one of the finest opera\n recordings and performances I've ever heard.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cul\u003e\u003cli class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e- Die Walküre WWV 86B\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSiegmund\u003c\/b\u003e - Ramón Vinay\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSieglinde\u003c\/b\u003e - Regina Resnik\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWotan\u003c\/b\u003e - Hans Hotter\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBrünnhilde\u003c\/b\u003e - Astrid Varnay\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eHunding\u003c\/b\u003e - Josef Greindl\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFricka\u003c\/b\u003e - Ira Malaniuk\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGerhilde\u003c\/b\u003e - Brünnhild Friedland\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eOrtlinde\u003c\/b\u003e - Bruni Falcon\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWaltraute\u003c\/b\u003e - Lise Sorrell\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSchwertleite\u003c\/b\u003e - Maria von Ilosvay\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eHelmwige\u003c\/b\u003e - Liselotte Thomamüller\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSiegrune\u003c\/b\u003e - Gisela Litz\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGrimgerde\u003c\/b\u003e - Sibylla Plate\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eRossweisse\u003c\/b\u003e - Erika Schubert\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb class=\"body\"\u003eChoir and Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival\u003cbr\u003e conductor Clemens Krauss\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLive concert recording, Bayreuth Festival, 9th August 1953\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO040.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO040.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563584843837,"sku":null,"price":48.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563584876605,"sku":null,"price":33.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563584909373,"sku":null,"price":33.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":12563584942141,"sku":null,"price":27.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO040.jpg?v=1534333392"},{"product_id":"paco041","title":"KRAUSS Wagner Ring Cycle: 3. Siegfried (1953) - PACO041","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer Ring Des Nibelungen: 3. Siegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive concert recording from 1953\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 4hr 02:11 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBayreuth Festival Orchestra \u0026amp; Chorus\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eClemens Krauss\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fPristine Audio’s restoration of Siegfried and Götterdammerung brings new clarity and vividness to the sound of these performances578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eI find the 1953 Bayreuth \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n conducted by Clemens Krauss and the 1955 Keilberth version to be the \nmost consistently satisfying of all complete live-recorded \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRings\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e. The Krauss has been issued quite a few times in decent mono sound but Pristine Audio’s restoration of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdammerung\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n (along with the first two operas) brings new clarity and vividness to \nthe sound of these performances. The quality of the orchestral sound is \nwhere one hears the most notable improvement; it’s less congested, and \nmany previously obscured details emerge. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eComparing the Pristine \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n to a copy on Gala, one hears the difference right away. On Gala, the \neerie prelude that opens the first act is interrupted by a loud cough \n(at :02) and a squeak (at :04) followed by a murky, indistinct sound to \nthe low-lying instrumental lines. In the Pristine remastering, there’s \nless surface hiss, the cough and squeak are gone, and one can appreciate\n the nuanced playing of the opening contrabass tuba solo, a sinister \nsound that evokes Fafner, the dragon. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003efirst\n two acts come across particularly well thanks to Krauss’s pacing and \nexceptionally fine playing by the orchestra. He achieves the sense of \ndetailed storytelling in his lively, responsive pacing of Wagner’s large\n structures. The orchestra is always well synchronized with the singers.\n Climaxes are suitably exciting. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAs Siegfried, Windgassen has good \nmusical instincts and enough rich tone and stamina to succeed in this \ntiring role. At times, there is something a bit thin and vulnerable \nabout his singing that fits well with the character of the young \nSiegfried, a fool like the young Parsifal, another role in which the \nyoung Windgassen excelled. The most rewarding performances in this \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n come from the great singing actors Paul Kuen and Gustav Neidlinger, \nfully immersed in their roles, along with Hans Hotter, a truly great \nWotan, captured here in vocally fine condition. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn the sublime third act, the \nencounters of Wotan and Erda (the excellent contralto Maria von \nIlosvay), Wotan and Siegfried, and some of Wagner’s most fervent \norchestral music in transitions between the scenes are all beautifully \ndone. It’s with Astrid Varnay’s swooping delivery of Brünnhilde’s first \nlines, “Heil dir Sonne,” that I start to imagine tiny corrections in her\n pitch in order to enjoy the performance. Turning to the famous 1932 \nrecording with Florence Easton and Lauritz Melchior, one hears a \nlighter, girlish-sounding Brunhilde. Where Varnay is variable, Easton \nsings with great accuracy and has secure and radiant high notes. \n(Melchior offers thrilling, heroic singing of a kind that no other \nrecorded Heldentenor has managed.) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eRegarding the remastering of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e,\n Pristine Audio’s Andrew Rose writes: “Computer analysis of the tonal \nresponse of the entire 4hr 20min recording, a crucial first step in an \nXR remastering, revealed a basic shortcoming in both the bass and lower \nmidrange and at the very top of the audible range. Using the immortal \nSolti Decca recording of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdämmerung \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eas a guide—as well as referencing the previous three Krauss \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n operas released by Pristine—I was able to reequalize the recording to \nbring out these previously somewhat submerged frequencies, allowing the \nperformance to be heard in its full glory for perhaps the first time.” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAs with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e, Pristine’s remastering of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdämmerung \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003esucceeds\n at brightening and clarifying orchestral textures. As a musical \nperformance, it’s at its most exciting when Uhde, Greindl, and \nWindgassen are onstage. Two of the three Norns (Von Ilosvay and Ira \nMalaniuk) sing outstandingly in the opening scene. The weak link in the \ncast is the unsteady Natalie Hinsch-Gröndahl as Gutrüne. Though I have \nreservations about the inconsistencies of Varnay’s singing, there is \nmuch to admire in her Brünnhilde. She is entirely involved with Wagner’s\n text, is capable of a rich outpouring of sometimes very beautiful tone,\n and has the stamina required for the role. The Immolation Scene finds \nher in very good shape. On the other hand, it takes her about 10 minutes\n to warm up in the Prologue’s opening duet with Siegfried. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe glory of the Solti recording of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n is the playing and recorded sound of the Vienna Philharmonic, \nespecially the brass. Birgit Nilsson’s Brünnhilde has admirable control \nof pitch and vibrato but lacks some of Varnay’s intensity, and \nWindgassen, past his prime in the 1960s, husbands his resources. Over \nthe years, the artificiality of the Solti, a studio recording, seems \nlike more of a liability. Both the Krauss and Keilberth \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRings \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ehave\n the excitement of being live, continuous performances by an unsurpassed\n ensemble cast. Krauss may occasionally conduct with more taut control \nthan Keilberth, but the Keilberth version, with much the same cast as \nthe Krauss, is newly available in fine stereo sound. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e enthusiasts will want to experience all three versions. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePaul Orgel\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 34:2 (Nov\/Dec 2010) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO041.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe legendary Windgassen's first appearance as Siegfried\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eKrauss keeps up his incredibly high standard in this third Ring installment\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eMy notes for the two previous operas in this Ring cycle \nsuggested clear sonic improvements between the first and second opera. \nHere is \u003cem\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/em\u003e from day three of Krauss's August 1953 \u003cem\u003eRing\u003c\/em\u003e\n cycle, and technically it's often better still. This XR remastering has\n succeeded at both ends of the audio spectrum - bringing out a much \nfuller, deeper and richer bass than previously heard whilst also \nextending and brightening the top end.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe approach has revealed a very slight peak distortion \nin the original which generally only affects a narrow frequency range \nduring \u003cem\u003efortissimo\u003c\/em\u003e vocals, but it's a minor quibble. There was \nalso some minor audible quality variation between recorded sections - \nmanifested as a slightly lower treble response for some periods during \nthe recording - which I've generally managed to even out, but overall \nthe sound quality is excellent and notable for a lack of drop-outs and \nthe other sonic shortcomings one might normally expect from any \nrecording of this vintage, be it studio or live.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eIn short, it's technically pretty remarkable, with low \nnoise levels, clear constant sound and, if you choose the FLAC or MP3 \ndownloads, uninterrupted listening through each act, something \nimpossible with standard CDs. I followed the example of Solti's classic \n1962 recording in selecting track marker points throughout (a \nsurprisingly laborious process!) but used different (and perhaps more \nappropriate to the present recording) point in the music with which to \nend and begin discs 1-3. The Solti also served as a sonic reference for \nthe overall re-equalisation of the recording, which had previously been \nvery thin in the bass and lower mid-range.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e- Siegfried WWV 86C\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/b\u003e - Wolfgang Windgassen\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eMime\u003c\/b\u003e - Paul Kuen\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBrünnhilde\u003c\/b\u003e - Astrid Varnay\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWanderer\u003c\/b\u003e - Hans Hotter\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eAlberich\u003c\/b\u003e - Gustav Neidlinger\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFafner\u003c\/b\u003e - Josef Greindl\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eErda\u003c\/b\u003e - Maria von Ilosvay\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWaldvogel\u003c\/b\u003e - Rita Streich\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb class=\"body\"\u003eChoir and Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival\u003cbr\u003e conductor Clemens Krauss\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLive concert recording, Bayreuth Festival, 10th August 1953\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO041.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO041.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563585663037,"sku":null,"price":64.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563585695805,"sku":null,"price":44.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563585728573,"sku":null,"price":44.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":12563585761341,"sku":null,"price":36.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO041_1fb84e27-7cb6-4ced-8142-43f32fe2d56d.jpg?v=1534333401"},{"product_id":"paco042","title":"KRAUSS Wagner Ring Cycle: 4. Götterdämmerung (1953) - PACO042","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer Ring Des Nibelungen: 4. Götterdämmerung\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive concert recording from 1953\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 4hr 19:53\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBayreuth Festival Orchestra \u0026amp; Chorus\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eClemens Krauss\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fAs with Siegfried, Pristine’s remastering of Götterdämmerung succeeds at brightening and clarifying orchestral textures578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eI find the 1953 Bayreuth \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n conducted by Clemens Krauss and the 1955 Keilberth version to be the \nmost consistently satisfying of all complete live-recorded \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRings\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e. The Krauss has been issued quite a few times in decent mono sound but Pristine Audio’s restoration of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdammerung\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n (along with the first two operas) brings new clarity and vividness to \nthe sound of these performances. The quality of the orchestral sound is \nwhere one hears the most notable improvement; it’s less congested, and \nmany previously obscured details emerge. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eComparing the Pristine \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n to a copy on Gala, one hears the difference right away. On Gala, the \neerie prelude that opens the first act is interrupted by a loud cough \n(at :02) and a squeak (at :04) followed by a murky, indistinct sound to \nthe low-lying instrumental lines. In the Pristine remastering, there’s \nless surface hiss, the cough and squeak are gone, and one can appreciate\n the nuanced playing of the opening contrabass tuba solo, a sinister \nsound that evokes Fafner, the dragon. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003efirst\n two acts come across particularly well thanks to Krauss’s pacing and \nexceptionally fine playing by the orchestra. He achieves the sense of \ndetailed storytelling in his lively, responsive pacing of Wagner’s large\n structures. The orchestra is always well synchronized with the singers.\n Climaxes are suitably exciting. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAs Siegfried, Windgassen has good \nmusical instincts and enough rich tone and stamina to succeed in this \ntiring role. At times, there is something a bit thin and vulnerable \nabout his singing that fits well with the character of the young \nSiegfried, a fool like the young Parsifal, another role in which the \nyoung Windgassen excelled. The most rewarding performances in this \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n come from the great singing actors Paul Kuen and Gustav Neidlinger, \nfully immersed in their roles, along with Hans Hotter, a truly great \nWotan, captured here in vocally fine condition. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn the sublime third act, the \nencounters of Wotan and Erda (the excellent contralto Maria von \nIlosvay), Wotan and Siegfried, and some of Wagner’s most fervent \norchestral music in transitions between the scenes are all beautifully \ndone. It’s with Astrid Varnay’s swooping delivery of Brünnhilde’s first \nlines, “Heil dir Sonne,” that I start to imagine tiny corrections in her\n pitch in order to enjoy the performance. Turning to the famous 1932 \nrecording with Florence Easton and Lauritz Melchior, one hears a \nlighter, girlish-sounding Brunhilde. Where Varnay is variable, Easton \nsings with great accuracy and has secure and radiant high notes. \n(Melchior offers thrilling, heroic singing of a kind that no other \nrecorded Heldentenor has managed.) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eRegarding the remastering of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e,\n Pristine Audio’s Andrew Rose writes: “Computer analysis of the tonal \nresponse of the entire 4hr 20min recording, a crucial first step in an \nXR remastering, revealed a basic shortcoming in both the bass and lower \nmidrange and at the very top of the audible range. Using the immortal \nSolti Decca recording of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdämmerung \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eas a guide—as well as referencing the previous three Krauss \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n operas released by Pristine—I was able to reequalize the recording to \nbring out these previously somewhat submerged frequencies, allowing the \nperformance to be heard in its full glory for perhaps the first time.” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAs with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e, Pristine’s remastering of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdämmerung \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003esucceeds\n at brightening and clarifying orchestral textures. As a musical \nperformance, it’s at its most exciting when Uhde, Greindl, and \nWindgassen are onstage. Two of the three Norns (Von Ilosvay and Ira \nMalaniuk) sing outstandingly in the opening scene. The weak link in the \ncast is the unsteady Natalie Hinsch-Gröndahl as Gutrüne. Though I have \nreservations about the inconsistencies of Varnay’s singing, there is \nmuch to admire in her Brünnhilde. She is entirely involved with Wagner’s\n text, is capable of a rich outpouring of sometimes very beautiful tone,\n and has the stamina required for the role. The Immolation Scene finds \nher in very good shape. On the other hand, it takes her about 10 minutes\n to warm up in the Prologue’s opening duet with Siegfried. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe glory of the Solti recording of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n is the playing and recorded sound of the Vienna Philharmonic, \nespecially the brass. Birgit Nilsson’s Brünnhilde has admirable control \nof pitch and vibrato but lacks some of Varnay’s intensity, and \nWindgassen, past his prime in the 1960s, husbands his resources. Over \nthe years, the artificiality of the Solti, a studio recording, seems \nlike more of a liability. Both the Krauss and Keilberth \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRings \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ehave\n the excitement of being live, continuous performances by an unsurpassed\n ensemble cast. Krauss may occasionally conduct with more taut control \nthan Keilberth, but the Keilberth version, with much the same cast as \nthe Krauss, is newly available in fine stereo sound. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e enthusiasts will want to experience all three versions. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePaul Orgel\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 34:2 (Nov\/Dec 2010) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO042.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe conclusion of Krauss's legendary 1953 Ring cycle\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eA superb Götterdämmerung in excellent XR-remastered sound\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThis recording of \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e is another \nastonishingly well-captured document of Krauss in Bayreuth that was just\n waiting to be released from the sonic straight-jacket of previous \npresentations. Computer analysis of the tonal response of the entire 4hr\n 20min recording, a crucial first step in an XR remastering, revealed a \nbasic shortcoming in both the bass and lower midrange and at the very \ntop of the audible range. Using the immortal Solti Decca recording of \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung \u003c\/em\u003eas\n a guide - as well as referencing the previous three Krauss Ring operas \nreleased by Pristine - I was able to re-equalise the recording to bring \nout these previously somewhat submerged frequencies, allowing the \nperformance to be heard in its full glory for perhaps the first time.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eAs is quite usual in this kind of work, the remastering \nalso shone a light on one or two shortcomings of the original tapes, \nwhere mild cyclical semi-dropout affected the beginning of the opera for\n a few minutes, and was detected later in the recording as well, again \nfor a relatively short time. There was one other spot where the tape \nsounded less than totally smooth, but for the vast majority of the \nrecording there were no such worries. Having dealt with rumble and tape \nhiss and applied Ambient Stereo processing I was able to sit back and \nenjoy the experience with minimal further intervention bar the excising \nof the odd cough and sneeze from the audience.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eA truly memorable recording to end one of the great Ring\n cycles, one that can at last be heard in its full glory. As I've \ncommented before, this Ring can of course be obtained at budget price \nelsewhere, but without the advances that this remastering has brought to\n the cycle it can only ever be a somewhat thin and murky second-best \nlistening experience by comparison.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eP.S. During the summer festival of 1953 in Bayreuth, Krauss also conducted Wagner's \u003cem\u003eParsifal\u003c\/em\u003e. During the weeks that I've been working on the \u003cem\u003eRing\u003c\/em\u003e\n I've had e-mails requesting that, upon its conclusion, I consider \ntackling this recording as well. I'm pleased to report that at the time \nof writing work is well underway on \u003cem\u003eParsifal\u003c\/em\u003e, and we (just a little tentatively) expect to have this ready for issue quite shortly.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cul\u003e\u003cli class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e- Götterdämmerung WWV 86D\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBrünnhilde\u003c\/b\u003e - Astrid Varnay\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSiegfried\u003c\/b\u003e - Wolfgang Windgassen\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eHagen\u003c\/b\u003e - Josef Greindl\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eAlberich\u003c\/b\u003e - Gustav Neidlinger\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGunther\u003c\/b\u003e - Hermann Uhde\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGutrune\u003c\/b\u003e - Natalie Hinsch-Gröndahl\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWaltraute\u003c\/b\u003e - Ira Malaniuk\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWoglinde\u003c\/b\u003e - Erika Zimmermann\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eWellgunde\u003c\/b\u003e - Hetty Plümacher\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFloßhilde\u003c\/b\u003e - Gisela Litz\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e1. Norne\u003c\/b\u003e - Maria von Ilosvay\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e2. Norne\u003c\/b\u003e - Ira Malaniuk\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e3. Norne \u003c\/b\u003e- Regina Resnik\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb class=\"body\"\u003eChoir and Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival\u003cbr\u003e conductor Clemens Krauss\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO042.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO042.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563585368125,"sku":null,"price":64.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563585400893,"sku":null,"price":44.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563585433661,"sku":null,"price":44.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":12563585466429,"sku":null,"price":36.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO042_d7fcadc0-9755-4c6b-aa88-acfbd7413186.jpg?v=1534333397"},{"product_id":"paco043","title":"KRAUSS Wagner: Parsifal (1953) - PACO043","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eParsifal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive concert recording from 1953\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 3hr 54:50\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBayreuth Festival Orchestra \u0026amp; Chorus\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eClemens Krauss\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO043.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eClemens Krauss' excellent, swiftly-paced 1953 Parsifal\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eConductor's first Bayreuth appearance, just days before his epic Ring cycle\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eFollowing a number of requests, we decided to add this recording of \u003cem\u003eParsifal\u003c\/em\u003e to our 1953 Krauss series, following the huge success with his \u003cem\u003eRing \u003c\/em\u003ecycle,\n reissued here over the last few months - \"...this enterprising \nremastering by Pristine Audio goes a long way towards countering those \nobjections [\u003cem\u003eon grounds of sound quality\u003c\/em\u003e] and will for many permit this famous cycle to take its place at the head of a long line...\" (\u003cem\u003eMusicWeb International)\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eI noted an improvement in sound quality through the Ring\n cycle - one assumes that after each performance the engineers would \nhave had opportunity to fine-tune both their equipment, its location and\n its settings. The \u003cem\u003eParsifal\u003c\/em\u003e concert, which predates the \u003cem\u003eRing\u003c\/em\u003e\n by a couple of weeks, would not have had that advantage. (I should note\n here that the date is based on detective work by a number of experts, \nwho agree that it is most likely a recording of a transmission by \nBavarian Radio, who broadcast the first performances of all of the \nBayreuth Festival at that time in the 1950s - though he did conduct the \nopera twice more with the same cast, on 2nd and 15th August.)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThus technically we're more or less at the same stage of development as \u003cem\u003eDas Rheingold\u003c\/em\u003e,\n with a sound which is at times not as up-front as might be liked. The \nrecording was also quite hissy in places, and for lengthy periods \nsuffered from a high-pitched whine, rumbling bottom end, mains hum and \nother assorted faults, all of which I've endeavoured to either cure or \nalleviate considerably.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eI will refrain from commenting on the performance itself\n beyond a personal if rather uninformed view that I enjoyed it - I'm \nsure far more experienced and erudite commentators will no doubt bring \ngreat experience to bear over the next few weeks, and excerpts from the \ncritics will be added to this page as they become available. However I \ndo feel adequately qualified to make specific note of the remarkably \nswift pace at which Krauss moves in this, his first concert appearance \nat a Bayreuth Festival:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eI used as musical and tonal reference the 1973 Decca \nrecording of the opera with Solti - this also served as a template for \nmy track markings (always a tricky job when music is as lengthy and \ncontinuous as here). Placing the two recordings side-by-side it was \nimmediately apparent that there was a huge time discrepancy. Solti comes\n in a full 25 minutes longer than Krauss at 4hr 20min to Krauss's 3hr \n55min. The swifter pace here is to be found throughout the opera - \nalmost every track (and we've selected the same in points for each of \nthe 47 tracks here as with the Decca CD issue) comes in quite a lot \nshorter, yet there are no (apparent) cuts or changes to the score \n(naturally - this is of course a Bayreuth production!).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eA quick scan of other recordings shows this to be perhaps one of the swiftest \u003cem\u003eParsifals\u003c\/em\u003e ever recorded - checking out the information in my \u003cem\u003eGramophone Good CD and Download Guide\u003c\/em\u003e\n I find the next fastest to be Knappertsbusch's 1962 recording - widely \nregarded as the benchmark - which is some 15 minutes slower at 4hr \n10min. Thereafter we have Karajan (1979\/80) at 4hr 16min, the \naforementioned Solti, and slowest of all, Thielemann (live, 2005) at 4hr\n 22min.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHow this will play with the experts I will be very \ninterested indeed to see - but if you like your Wagner crisp, swift and \nwith a superlative cast, many of whom went on to deliver one of the \nfinest \u003cem\u003eRing \u003c\/em\u003eCycles of all time, then this recording is surely one for your consideration.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cul\u003e\u003cli class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e- Parsifal WWV 111\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eAmfortas\u003c\/b\u003e - George London\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eTiturel\u003c\/b\u003e - Josef Greindl\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGurnemanz\u003c\/b\u003e - Ludwig Weber\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eParsifal\u003c\/b\u003e - Ramón Vinay\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eKlingsor\u003c\/b\u003e - Hermann Uhde\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eKundry\u003c\/b\u003e - Martha Mödl\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eAltsolo\u003c\/b\u003e - Maria von Ilosvay\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGralsritter\u003c\/b\u003e - Gene Tobin\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGralsritter\u003c\/b\u003e - Theo Adam\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eKnappe\u003c\/b\u003e - Hetty Plümacher\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eKnappe\u003c\/b\u003e - Gisela Litz\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eKnappe\u003c\/b\u003e - Hugo Kratz\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eKnappe\u003c\/b\u003e - Gerhard Stolze\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBlume\u003c\/b\u003e - Rita Streich\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBlume\u003c\/b\u003e - Erika Zimmermann\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBlume\u003c\/b\u003e - Hetty Plümacher\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBlume\u003c\/b\u003e - Anna Tassopoulos\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBlume\u003c\/b\u003e - Gerda Wismar\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBlume\u003c\/b\u003e - Gisela Litz\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb class=\"body\"\u003eChoir and Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival\u003cbr\u003e conductor Clemens Krauss\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLive concert broadcast recording, Bayreuth Festival, 24th July 1953\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO043.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO043.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563585499197,"sku":null,"price":64.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563585531965,"sku":null,"price":44.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":12563585564733,"sku":null,"price":44.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":12563585597501,"sku":null,"price":36.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO043_9e4db882-813a-44fd-b585-aef1383d4ce6.jpg?v=1534333399"},{"product_id":"paco125","title":"LEINSDORF Wagner: Die Walküre (1940, Met) - PACO125","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cul\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive broadcast stage performance, February 1940\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 3hr 28:56 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eSiegmund - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLauritz Melchior\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eSieglinde - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eMarjorie Lawrence\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eHunding - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eEmanuel List\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBrünhilde - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eKirsten Flagstad\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWotan -\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e Julius Huehn\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eMetropolitan Opera Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eConductor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eErich Leinsdorf \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fReviews: Washington Post \u0026amp; Fanfare578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProbably the most significant recording to come along since the recent Wagner bicentennial578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003eI would be remiss if I didn’t steer listeners to what is probably the\n most significant recording to come along since the recent Wagner \nbicentennial. Andrew Rose, that miracle worker among audio-restoration \nengineers, at his company Pristine Audio, has recently unearthed a 1940 \nMet recording of “Die Walküre,” featuring a high-octane performance \nunder Erich Leinsdorf, with a golden-age cast: Kirsten Flagstad, Lauritz\n Melchior, Marjorie Lawrence, Emanue\u003cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003el \nList, Karin Branzell and a barely remembered bass-baritone, Julius \nHuehn, whose mahogany-voiced, vividly dramatic Wotan deserves a place \nwith the very finest.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable on mail-order CDs or as an audio download from Pristine \nClassical’s website, this archival recording features remastering that \nhas to be heard to be believed. There are certain tracks on these CDs, \ndrawn from especially worn portions of the Met source material, where \nRose has been able to restore the sound to a remarkable level of \nvividness and warmth. But most of the opera goes well beyond that mere \nexcellence to audio quality that is simply jaw-dropping in its clarity, \ndepth, range and sheer sense of presence. It would be no exaggeration to\n state that much of the recording sounds like a Met broadcast from last \nweek, rather than 75 years ago. And to hear Melchior and Flagstad in \nclose to their peak vocal primes, with this kind of three-dimensional \nfidelity, is a gift no Wagnerian should be without.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eJoe Banno\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eThe Washington Post, December 2016\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eFor anyone impatient with those of us \nwho talk about “the good old days” at the opera house, here is exhibit \nA. Wagner singing such as is heard in this Saturday afternoon \nperformance from 1940 simply no longer exists. Period. End of debate. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eRichard Caniell, on his admirable \nImmortal Performances label, issued parts of this performance in his \n“Dream Ring” set, but he combined it with another broadcast so that he \ncould get, among other things, Friedrich Schorr as Wotan. Both Colin \nClarke and I reviewed that package very favorably in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e37:2. But for those who want a single, unedited live performance with whatever cast happened to be on stage, here it is. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eSony and the Met, in their set \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eWagner at the Met\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e,\n issued this same performance, and one might wonder why Pristine would \nbother. After all, the resources of the Metropolitan Opera Company and \nSony should permit the transfer to be as good as technology is capable \nof. And indeed I have enjoyed that edition for the year or so that I \nhave owned it. I am sure Sony and the Met did the best they could with \nwhat they had, but Andrew Rose of Pristine was given a different source \n(he is discreet and doesn’t indicate from whom), a set of transfers on a\n completely different plane from the Sony release, not to mention \ninferior earlier issues. He had to make two tiny patches (each lasting \nless than a second, and covering side changes) and used the Sony\/Met \nversion. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAn A-B comparison of this with the Sony\n set is shocking. The difference is not subtle. The Sony set sounds like\n a 1940 AM broadcast. This sounds like a professional studio commercial \nrecording from 1940, and a good one at that. Pristine’s XR stereo \nremastering gives a sense of the space of the Met, and the result is \nthrilling in a way one never thought this performance would be. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAnd what a performance it is! Leinsdorf\n was taking over Bodanzky’s performances at the Met and he opened up \nBodanzky’s cuts in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n And he also conducted with a passion and energy that did not always \nmark his work in the later stages of his career. He had a fairly famous \nfeud with Melchior just prior to the series of performances in early \n1940, with Melchior complaining about Leinsdorf’s fast tempos. Some \nattribute the ulterior motive to Melchior of attempting to get \nFlagstad’s favorite conductor, Edwin MacArthur, to the Met pit. \nFortunately, the Met administration was having none of that, and it \nwould seem from listening to this performance (and others that have \ncirculated) that differences were patched up. Leinsdorf lets Melchior \nhold “Wälse” as long as he wishes (it is quite astonishing), and then \ntakes off like a bat out of hell immediately following. The effect is \nthrilling. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThrilling is the word, in fact, that \ncomes to mind as the easiest way to describe this performance. To have \ntwo great Wagnerian sopranos in the same performance (and in other \nperformances they switched the roles) along with perhaps the finest \nWagnerian tenor since recordings were first made is something unique and\n very special. Add List’s dark, growling Hunding as something also up to\n that level. It is true that Julius Huehn does not sing with the \nimagination of Friedrich Schorr, nor does he have Schorr’s mastery of \nline and phrase. But his Wotan is more than acceptable. The voice is \ncapable of a variety of color, and he interacts with Brünnhilde and with\n Fricka with a specificity of inflection that makes it a real and \ndramatic performance, not a singing exercise. He and Leinsdorf combine \nfor a particularly moving final scene, captured here in glorious sound. \nThose who like to say that Leinsdorf did not conduct with warmth need to\n hear the plastic, supple phrasing the orchestra supplies here. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAbout Melchior there is really little \none can say. He pours out golden tone, he clearly relishes the role of \nSiegmund, his enunciation is crisp, he conveys real passion in the first\n act, and the old canard about sloppy rhythm proves (as it so often does\n when one listens to him) to be nonsense. The voice has power and beauty\n in equal measures, and we have not heard anything like it since his \ncareer ended. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eLawrence’s Sieglinde is beautiful. \nThere is no other word for it. The voice glows, and she phrases with \ndelicacy and grace, singing with real tenderness toward her Siegmund. \nWhen power is needed, it is there, but it is the warmth of her singing \nthat stays in the memory. I suppose with Flagstad’s Brünnhilde it is the\n power that stays in the memory, but in fact her performance too has a \nhumanity and beauty about it that we don’t always associate with her. \nHer final scene with Wotan before his farewell is deeply moving. Karin \nBranzell’s Fricka is one more item on the plus side, sung with a rich, \ndark tone and a clear knowledge of the role. Branzell sang for over 20 \nyears at the Met, and it is clear from this just how valuable an asset \nshe was to the house. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAnyone who loves Wagner should own this\n set. It would be unthinkable to claim a representative collection of \nWagner performances that lacked this. Even if you have the Sony set, the\n difference in sound quality is too great to ignore. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ePristine includes two little speeches,\n recorded for the broadcast in their dressing rooms, by Flagstad and \nMelchior. These are both appeals for funding, and are quite personal and\n touching. The timing in the headnote includes 10:40 for those speeches,\n so the opera itself is 198:15. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHenry Fogel\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 39:3 (Jan\/Feb 2016) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO125.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFlagstad and Melchior star in classic 1940 performance of Die Walküre\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eMuch of the recording sounds like a Met broadcast from last week, rather than 75 years ago. To\n hear Melchior and Flagstad in close to their peak vocal primes, with \nthis kind of three-dimensional fidelity, is a gift no Wagnerian should \nbe without\" - The Washington Post, 2016\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e \n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis classic performance of Wagner's \u003cem\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/em\u003e\n can be heard in a number of incarnations, not least at the Metropolitan\n Opera's own website. Alas it would appear that none have had the \nbenefit of the transfers passed on to me by an anonymous benefactor. \nOriginally recorded onto 33rpm acetate discs, they have preserved with \noften amazing quality this legendary recording which, after XR \nremastering, offers unparallelled sound quality often quite above and \nbeyond anyone one might expect from a live stage performance of this \nera.\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe discs were not perfect. One would not expect perfection 75 years \nafter they were made. Wear was apparent on most sides, though generally \nconfined to the opening minutes of each side, and I've done what I can \nto render these sections in as high quality as possible, which has \nrequired many hours of slow, painstaking work. Elsewhere the sound is \noften excellent, and does full justice to the amazing cast and \nproduction. Two exceptionally small patches, each lasting less than a \nsecond, were necessary to patch an incomplete side change, and a very \nsmall section of damage. These were taken from the Met's own version of \nthe recording and I've done what I can to mask the otherwise dreadful \ndrop in sound quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFinally I chose, for technical reasons, to omit the lengthy (over 6 \nminute) introductory radio announcement to the broadcast. However the \nthird disc does include two additional speech items - we visit the \ndressing rooms of the stars, Flagstad and Melchior, who both recorded \nappeals for donations to the Metropolitan Opera, and reflected on their \nown personal musical experiences. A rare treat to hear indeed!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/b\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003eDie Walküre WWV 86B\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSiegmund - \u003cb\u003eLauritz Melchior\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSieglinde - \u003cb\u003eMarjorie Lawrence\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHunding - \u003cb\u003eEmanuel List\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBrünhilde - \u003cb\u003eKirsten Flagstad\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWotan - \u003cb\u003eJulius Huehn\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFricka - \u003cb\u003eKarin Branzell\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGerhilde - \u003cb\u003eThelma Votipka\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOrtlinde - \u003cb\u003eMaxine Stellman\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWaltraute - \u003cb\u003eDoris Doe\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSchwertleite - \u003cb\u003eAnna Kaskas\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHelmwige - \u003cb\u003eDorothee Manski\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSiegrune - \u003cb\u003eHelen Olheim\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGrimgerde - \u003cb\u003eIrra Petina\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRoßweiße - \u003cb\u003eLucielle Browning\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eMetropolitan Opera Orchestra \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003eLive broadcast stage performance from The Metropolitan Opera House, New York City|\u003cbr\u003e19 February 1940, NBC Radio \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cb style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003eErich Leinsdorf\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e, conductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO125.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO125.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fConcert Review - NYT578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: medium;\"\u003eFIRST NIGHT REVIEW: \u003cb\u003eWALKUERE’ GIVEN AT METROPOLITAN\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eThe \nspecial matinee performance of \"Die Walkuere\" yesterday in the \nMetropolitan Opera House, the second performance in the Wagner cycle, \nwas one of exceptional interest and brilliancy. Marjorie Lawrence took \nthe role of Sieglinde for the first time with the Metropolitan, and this\n proved a singularly fortunate casting. She is singing better this \nseason than ever before since she joined the New York company. She \nbrought to her impersonation the beauty of plastic and the spontaneity \nand abandon which made plausible Siegmund’s apostrophe to the Spring and\n the blossoming of the Volsung blood.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eWe \nhave implied that Miss Lawrence, in this role, was gladsome to the eye \nand of the type Nordic! And that is true. Also, her relatively modest \nstature was harmonious with the femininity and the tenderness and fire \nthat one expects of Sieglinde. The voice may in its essential quality \nsomewhat belie her nature of Sieglinde, for it is essentially bright, \nrather than rich and lyrically sensuous. But this did not prevent the \naudience’s quick realization and response to the wealth of feeling, the \nwarm impulse and dramatic intensity of the interpretation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eFamiliar Interpretations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eThe\n other interpretations of the afternoon were familiar, but never merely \nroutined. For some happy reason most of those on the stage appeared to \nbe in rare fettle. Lauritz Melchior did some of his best singing—indeed a\n good deal of it—as the afternoon went on. He had so much breath at \ncommand that, doubtless by intention, he delivered a Parthian shot at \nErich Leinsdorf in the conductor’s chair.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eIt \nwill be remembered that Mr. Leinsdorf has been accused, among other \nthings, of taking tempi prevailingly too fast for the singers. Arrived \nat the moment of Sieg-mund’s great cry for aid, the long-sustained upper\n tone that is repeated in a mounting sequence on the words “Waelse,” \n\"Waelse,” Mr. Melchior seemed to have his conductor where he wanted him!\n He prolonged his tones inexorably, while the orchestra kept furiously \nvibrating the chord, and the world waited to see how much breath the \ntenor had at his disposal and whether his throat or the muscles of the \nviolinists playing their tremolo would tire the sooner! What would a \nFarinelli, whose crescendo rivaled that of a trumpeter, have said to \nthis? Then Mr. Leinsdorf swept on with extra momentum.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eWith a\n notable cast about him, Friedrich Schorr’s interpretation nevertheless \ntowered over the scene. The delivery of the long narrative to \nBruennhilde in the second act was in and by itself a masterpiece of \nrhetoric, tone color and grand emotion. Then indeed did Wotan’s passages\n with Frieka and with Bruennhilde appear as the crux of the whole \ndramatic development. The final scenes with Bruennhilde, which Kirsten \nFlagstad also interpreted magnificently, had wholly exceptional \nsignificance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eKirsten Thorborg as Fricka\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eMme.\n Flagstad sang with her wonted nobility and breadth of style, if not \nwith invariable tonal opulence. Seldom have we heard her interpret with \nricher effect. Kerstin Thorborg’s Fricka was as rewarding as usual, and \nEmanuel List’s heavy bass fitted well the music of Hunding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eIt is\n a pleasure to add to the above that Mr. Leinsdorf achieved what was by \nall odds his best “Walkuere.” The score held together better than ever \nbefore under his direction. The second half of Act I, as it swept to the\n concluding measures, had line and continuity, and was not a series of \nchopped episodes which inadequately anticipated the climax. The \naccompaniment of Wotan’s narrative, an orchestral passage apparently \nsimple to the point of bareness, was given a rare measure of salience. \nOrchestra and cast were infected with the conductor’s enthusiasm. The \nlong applause and repeated curtain calls demonstrated the audience’s \nsatisfaction.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eOlin Downes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eThe New York Times, February 9, 1940\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eN.B. Some cast members changed between performances. This review was \nfor the opening night - the present recording was made of the \nperformance eight days later, with other singers taking some roles.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417509645,"sku":null,"price":48.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":32417509901,"sku":null,"price":33.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":32417510157,"sku":null,"price":27.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO125_2f2901a4-f023-475e-9bdb-d3634b34729d.jpg?v=1487682360"},{"product_id":"paco130","title":"LEINSDORF Wagner: Tannhäuser (1941, Met) - PACO130","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eTannhäuser\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive concert recording, 1941\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 2hr 57:32\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLauritz Melchior\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e - Tannhäuser\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eKirsten Flagstad\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e - Elisabeth\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eEmanuel List\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e - Landgraf Hermann\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eHerbert Janssen\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e - Wolfram\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eKerstin Thorborg \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e- Venus\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eErich Leinsdorf, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eMetropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fHearing the combination of Melchior, Flagstad, and Thorborg is not an opportunity to be taken lightly...578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e39:2, both Colin Clarke and I reviewed (with similar enthusiasm) Immortal Performances’s release of the 1942 Met \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTannhäuser \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ebroadcast\n with a similar cast, but George Szell leading and Flagstad and Kipnis \nreplacing Thorborg and List. In my review I also published a chart of \nthe various Melchior \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTannhäuser \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eperformances\n in circulation, as I believed then and continue to believe now that \nevery serious opera lover and collector should have at least one example\n of his remarkable portrayal. That chart is repeated here. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ctable class=\"main\" frame=\"box\" rules=\"all\" border=\"0\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConductor\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eElisabeth\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eVenus\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWolfram\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLandgraf\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eYear\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eBodanzky \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eMüller \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eManski \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eBonelli \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003e(Missing) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003e1935 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eBodanzky \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eFlagstad \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eHalstead\/Thorborg \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eTibbett \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eList \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003e1936 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eLeinsdorf \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eFlagstad \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eThorborg \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eJanssen \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eList \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003e1941 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eSzell \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eTraubel \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eThorborg \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eJanssen \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eKipnis \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003e1942 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eBreisach \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eVarnay \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eLawrence \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eHuehn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eKipnis \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003e1944 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eStiedry \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eTraubel \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eVarnay \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eJanssen \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003eSzékely \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES12\"\u003e1948 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eNo tenor since the beginning of \nrecordings through the present has absorbed the vocal and dramatic \ndemands of this role so completely into his vocal cords and his spirit \nas Melchior. The combination of beauty and richness of timbre, dramatic \ninvolvement, vocal imagination and raw power makes Melchior’s Tannhäuser\n one of the classic assumptions of any role by any singer in the 20th \ncentury. Any of the six performances listed above will be a revelation \nto you if you have not encountered it, but if you are looking for a \nsingle overall recommendation, the case becomes trickier. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn that earlier review, available in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eArchive,\n I narrowed the choice down to two—the Immortal Performances transfer of\n the 1942 Szell or this 1941 Leinsdorf. This one offers the superior \nElisabeth of Flagstad, whose glorious voice soars through the music with\n a gleam and majesty that surpasses Traubel, despite Traubel’s many \nassets. It is a case of the very good set opposite the uniquely great. \nOn the other hand, 1942 wins the competition in the role of Landgraf, \nagain the quite good List giving way to the magnificence of Alexander \nKipnis. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eWhat settles it for me, though, is the \nconducting of George Szell vs. that of Leinsdorf. Neither conductor \nbrings what you would call expansive warmth to their readings, but \nSzell’s greater attention to details of balance, to precision of \nattacks, to internal rhythmic pulse, and surprisingly greater \nflexibility of phrasing, make his the performance I am likely to return \nto more frequently. Leinsdorf is not bad, not by a long shot. But there \nare moments (starting even in the Prelude) that seem a bit square when \ncompared to the consistent momentum of Szell. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAndrew Rose of Pristine has applied his\n unique XR Stereo remastering technique to this performance, and the \nresult far surpasses the LP set issued by the Metropolitan Opera as a \nfundraiser, which in turn was far better than the Arkadia release of the\n same performance. Both Richard Caniell of Immortal Performances and \nPristine’s Andrew Rose have done sensational work in restoration of \nhistoric recordings and broadcasts. Rose’s results have a bit more \nambience, or space around the sound; Caniell’s a bit more presence and \nclearer vocal impact. But the differences are not major, and both \ndeserve enthusiastic praise and support from collectors. In contrast to \nImmortal Performances’s exceptional booklets, Pristine does not include \nmuch in the way of supplementary material. (Full discloser: I \noccasionally write essays for Immortal Performances but accept no \ncompensation for that work.) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eWith this 1941 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTannhäuser \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eavailable\n now in better sound than earlier releases, the choice between this and \n1942 is a bit more difficult. Even if I didn’t receive copies for review\n purposes, I would have purchased both, because each is irreplaceable in\n its way. Hearing the combination of Melchior, Flagstad, and Thorborg is\n not an opportunity to be taken lightly. Neither is hearing what the \nmore imaginative Szell does with the score, and in the end that would \ntip me in the direction of 1942. That we have both of these performances\n available to us, restored to a level of reproduction that requires no \nreal adjustment on the listener’s part, feels like some kind of operatic\n miracle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHenry Fogel\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 39:6 (July\/Aug 2016) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO130.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eA magnificent Met Tannhäuser in fabulous XR-remastered sound\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Every\n singer of the strong cast happened to be in exceptionally fine vocal \nform, and the orchestra, under Erich Leinsdorf, provided a support \nworthy of the expert achievements of those on stage\" - NY Times, 1941\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWithout doubt one of the great recorded performances of Wagner's \nopera Tannhäuser, this 1941 radio broadcast, live from New York's \nMetropolitan Opera House, follows our recent release of the Met's 1940 \nproduction of Die Walküre (PACO125) and was drawn from very similar \nsource material, allowing us to offer a previously undreamed of sound \nquality in these recordings.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOf that Walküre issue, Henry Fogel wrote in Fanfare magazine:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\"Sony and the Met, in their set Wagner at\n the Met, issued this same performance, and one might wonder why \nPristine would bother. After all, the resources of the Metropolitan \nOpera Company and Sony should permit the transfer to be as good as \ntechnology is capable of. And indeed I have enjoyed that edition for the\n year or so that I have owned it. I am sure Sony and the Met did the \nbest they could with what they had, but Andrew Rose of Pristine was \ngiven a different source (he is discreet and doesn’t indicate from \nwhom), a set of transfers on a completely different plane from the Sony \nrelease, not to mention inferior earlier issues...\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003eAn A-B comparison of this with the Sony \nset is shocking. The difference is not subtle. The Sony set sounds like a\n 1940 AM broadcast. This sounds like a professional studio commercial \nrecording from 1940, and a good one at that. Pristine’s XR stereo \nremastering gives a sense of the space of the Met, and the result is \nthrilling in a way one never thought this performance would be.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf some of the sides in the present recording of Tannhäuser were not \nquite as clean as one might hope for, and the microphone placement is a \nlittle further back from the principal singers by comparison to Die \nWalküre, this is perhaps minor criticism in the context of what these \ngenerally well-preserved discs have to offer. Once again, XR \nremaatering, coupled with Ambient Stereo processing, serves up an aural \nand musical treat which surely renders this an absolute must-have for \nWagnerians. As the New York Times stated on the day following this \nperformance: \"Every singer of the strong cast happened to be in \nexceptionally fine vocal form, and the orchestra, under Erich Leinsdorf,\n provided a support worthy of the expert achievements of those on stage\"\n - what more could one possibly ask for?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/b\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eTannhäuser WWV 70\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003ePerformed live at the Metropolitan Opera House\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eNew York City, 4 January, 1941\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCAST\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTannhäuser  \u003cb\u003eLauritz Melchior\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLandgraf Hermann  \u003cb\u003eEmanuel List\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWolfram  \u003cb\u003eHerbert Janssen\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWalther  \u003cb\u003eJohn Dudley\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBiterolf  \u003cb\u003eMach Harrell\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeinrich  \u003cb\u003eEmery Darcy\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReinmar  \u003cb\u003eJohn Gurney\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eElisabeth  \u003cb\u003eKirsten Flagstad\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVenus  \u003cb\u003eKerstin Thorborg\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA Young Shepherd  \u003cb\u003eMaxine Stellman\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eMetropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eKonrad Neuger\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e, chorus master\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eErich Leinsdorf\u003c\/b\u003e, conductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO130.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO130.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fConcert Review, NYT578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConcert Review\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eIt is\n many years since Wagner’s “Tannhaeuser’’ enjoyed a performance \ncomparable in excellence to that accorded the work at its initial \npresentation of the season, yesterday afternoon, at the Metropolitan \nOpera House. One or another of the roles has been sung as capably on \noccasion, but at no other time in the recent annals of the institution \nhave all of the participants reached so high a level of accomplishment \nin this opera, or has the spirit of the masterpiece been so completely \ngrasped.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eEvery\n singer of the strong cast happened to be in exceptionally fine vocal \nform, and the orchestra, under Erich Leinsdorf, provided a support \nworthy of the expert achievements of those on stage. For a number of \nseasons “Tannhaeuser” has been the weakest of the Metropolitan’s \nWagnerian productions. It has limped and dragged and been bereft of life\n or cohesion. Yesterday all this was changed. The performance moved \nsmoothly and impressively from the start. It was filled with significant\n drama, and possessed real mood and atmosphere.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eAs a \nrule the first act has been particularly unsatisfactory as a whole. But \nyesterday it received a treatment unmatched hereabouts for a long while.\n One reason for the improvement was the splendid condition of Lauritz \nMelchior’s voice in his negotiation of the name part. Mr. Melchior \ncustomarily struggles manfully, but rather futilely, with the difficult \nmusic allotted him in this division of the opera. On this occasion, \nhowever, he had his tones under superior control, and succeeded in \nmaking even the trying measures of “Dir toene Lob’’ well forth in free \nand well-rounded sounds.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eUnder\n these auspicious conditions the great duet of the opening scene, with \nKerstin Thorborg as the Venus and Mr. Melchior in his best estate, \nboasted a really memorable interpretation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eMost \noperatic impersonators of Venus are not able to supply the pulchritude \nexpected of the delineator of this fairest goddess of the pantheon. Miss\n Thorborg made a plausible appeal to the eye and her acting was natural,\n graceful and appealing. She was in superb voice, delivering every \nphrase with splendid tone as well as convincing power and eloquence. She\n was equally effective in the more seductive moments of the score and in\n those depicting rage, vindictiveness or despair.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eSince\n last heard here in this opera, Kirsten Flagstad has brought a deeper \ninsight to her interpretation of Elisabeth. She has sung it as superbly \nfrom the vocal angle heretofore, but never with such searching human \nfeeling. The gain in expressiveness was nowhere more telling than in the\n finale. Of the second act, where from the poignant cry, “Zurueck von \nihm,” onwards, the emotional content of the music was revealed with new \nand profoundly touching fervor, tenderness and simplicity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eHerbert\n Janssen made a sympathetic, rich-voiced Wolfram, and did some of the \nbest singing yet heard from him during the afternoon. The Landgraf of \nEmanuel List was a dignified portrayal, and during his contributions to \nthe noteworthy performance Mr. List’s tones were more firm and steady \nthan usual. Maxine Stellman sang adequately as the young shepherd, but \nMack Harrell’s voice was too light for Biterolf’s music.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eThe \nchorus did its share in making the occasion a success, and the ballet, \nthough not always with the orchestra, danced the bacchanale with \nconsiderable élan.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eNever\n before had Mr. Leinsdorf made the orchestra sound as rich and sensitive\n in this work, and his tempi were far better chosen than previously. He \nstill favored a very brisk pace for the march of the second act. \nOtherwise he was more prone to follow tradition than heretofore, and the\n orchestra played under his leadership with the same enthusiasm that \nmarked the endeavors of all concerned in this outstanding performance, \nwhich was heard by a demonstrative capacity audience.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNoel Straus, January 5, 1941\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":13660434759741,"sku":null,"price":48.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":13660434792509,"sku":null,"price":33.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":13660434825277,"sku":null,"price":27.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO130_5d074f1b-a719-4429-8cb3-a247041f2713.jpg?v=1545324926"},{"product_id":"paco103","title":"MUCK Wagner: The Complete Parsifal Recordings et al (1927\/28) - PACO103","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWagner \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eParsifal, Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried (excerpts) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eStudio Recordings · 1927\/28\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 2hr 31:42 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eKarl Muck\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e, conductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eSiegfried Wagner\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e, conductor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eFranz von Hoesslin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e, conductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBayreuth Festival Orchestra and Chorus\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra and Chorus\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eVarious Soloists\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fMuck’s mastery over technique and meaning creates a transcendent experience.578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eMy late, dear friend, the critic Marion\n Lignana Rosenberg, had one of the peak experiences of the last year of \nher life reviewing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eParsifal \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eat\n the Met. Marion’s specialty was Italian opera, and I think she might \nhave agreed with my high school music teacher that “Wagner is an Italian\n composer.” Wagner is a master at drawing out the cantilena of his \nthemes, very much in the manner of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003ebel canto\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e. Nowhere is this more obvious than in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eParsifal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e. I think Marion also was drawn, in her scholar’s way, to the notion of opera as ritual, which \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eParsifal \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eepitomizes. In Karl Muck’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eParsifal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n recordings, we have both the thematic substance and the ritualistic \nmystery of the opera raised to their highest level. Thomas Mann \ndescribed Wagner’s music as “forces struggling out of dark confusion to \nfind deliverance in beauty.” So much of this description pertains to \nMuck’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eParsifal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e. \nAlways we find the struggle with the confusion and sinfulness of the \nworld, leading not just to beauty but to spiritual redemption. In every \nnote of Muck’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eParsifal \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ethere\n is certainty as to the path of this journey. Adrian Boult wrote that \nideally one should witness just one act of a Wagner opera each night; \nthat’s all one can take. Never has Boult’s dictum struck me more \nforcibly than with Muck’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eParsifal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e. It is an experience of the most rarefied musical and dramatic intelligence. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eMuck sees the Prelude to act I \n(recorded in Berlin) not as a mere veil of mystery enshrouding the \nopera, but as actual prophecy. At nearly 16 minutes long, his \nperformance is over three minutes slower than Claudio Abbado’s. \nNevertheless, there is a constant revelation of emotion, as if Muck were\n consulting a Sibyl. His gradations in tempo and dynamics are masterly, \nyet with an ebb and flow that never lets them become mechanical. The \nshifting colors and harmonies in the orchestration sound brand new, \ncontributing to the feeling of the miraculous taking place before our \neyes. Muck summons the deepest human passions like a wizard. The \nremainder of the act, recorded in Bayreuth, begins with the \nTransformation Music, over two minutes slower than Boult’s. Rarely has \nit so exhibited the aspiration for the divine as found in a place of \nsanctuary, the sacred Hall of the Grail. Muck shows how if prefigures \nthe procession and ritual of the knights, enhanced by the otherworldly \nsound of the original bells cast for the opera. Most of the Grail Scene \nfollows, minus the vocal soloists. The first chorus of the knights is \nimbued with divine fervor. Muck elicits the overtones of German \nRenaissance polyphony when the pages sing of divine communion. He gets a\n deep tone out of the cellos to preface the consecration of the bread \nand wine. The consecration itself is marked by rapt sounds from the \norchestra. The transfiguration of a martial tread into the final \nexhortation to faith and love is beautifully handled. Muck also recorded\n a section of act II’s Flower Maidens Scene, minus a Parsifal. The \nmaidens sound a bit matronly to have been born in the spring, but they \nengage in some Bavarian flirtiness. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eMuck, in Berlin, recorded most of act \nIII. His soloists are distinguished. Gotthelf Pistor, as Parsifal, \nproduces a full but light tone, with an appealing youthfulness and \nsimple nobility that is most affecting. Ludwig Hoffman has a rock-solid \ntechnique over a broad range; his Gurnemanz is both strong and \ncompassionate. Cornelius Bronsgeest may not have quite the vocal allure \nof his colleagues, but he conveys Amfortas’s suffering most effectively.\n Muck’s slow Prelude begins with stark, Sibelius-like tones, \npsychologically establishing Parsifal’s internal sense of grief. After \nthe music reaches a crisis, Muck suggests Parsifal’s feeling of \nresolution, nearly subdued by his sorrow. In the action, there is a \nsunburst of immense majesty from the orchestra when Gurnemanz declares \nParsifal king. Muck presents the whole Good Friday Spell as a tremendous\n arc of beauty and passion. The orchestra’s tone colors are reminiscent \nof the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSiegfried Idyll \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eas\n Parsifal looks toward the meadow. The procession of the knights, in \nMuck’s reading, recalls Thomas Mann’s words about the “pessimistic \nheaviness and measured yearning” in Wagner. The opera’s final pages for \nchorus and orchestra go at a stately tempo which combines \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003enobilimente \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eand\n tenderness. Muck reminds us that these are Wagner’s last musical \nthoughts; at the ending there is a sense of release from the world of \nthe stage and perhaps from life itself. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eSiegfried Wagner’s Bayreuth excerpts \nfrom act III make an instructive contrast with Muck. The Prelude is a \nlittle quicker with a far greater emphasis on lyric beauty, yet lacks \nthe psychological depth and drama of Muck’s interpretation. The \ncomposer’s son is four-square in the Good Friday Spell, handcuffing the \nphrasing of an otherwise able Parsifal, Fritz Wolff. The redeeming \nfeature of this excerpt is the Gurnemanz of Alexander Kipnis, an \nabsolutely amazing performance technically and stylistically. The \nBayreuth \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eexcerpts,\n marred by cuts and an under-rehearsed orchestra, are valuable for \ndocumenting the art of Franz von Hoesslin, who was active at Bayreuth \nwell into the Nazi regime, despite having a Jewish wife. He chooses \nsensible tempos and has a good dramatic sense. The Bayreuth recordings \nof all three conductors were made in August 1927. Mark Obert-Thorn has \nrevealed much detail in them in his remastering, although they remain \nrather unatmospheric. Muck’s Berlin recordings, from 1927–28, are fuller\n and warmer in tone, more than realistic enough to convey the \nachievement of his interpretation. Not everyone was a fan of Muck. \nToscanini, in a well-calibrated Wagnerian insult, called him “the \nBeckmesser of conductors.” But his technical skills were beyond \nreproach. Sergei Rachmaninoff said that, as a pianist, the only two \nconductors he couldn’t “lose” in performance were Muck and Eugene \nOrmandy. In \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eParsifal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e, Muck’s mastery over technique and meaning creates a transcendent experience. I doubt there is anyone like him today. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDave Saemann\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 38:1 (Sept\/Oct 2014) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO103.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"The most uplifting, superbly executed reading of Act 3 in the history of recording\" - Gramophone\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eKarl Muck's 1927-8 Parsifal recordings - plus 1927 Bayreuth recordings by Siegfried Wagner and von Hoesslin \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eFor the first three decades of the Twentieth Century, Karl Muck (1859 - 1940) was identified with Wagner’s \u003cem\u003eParsifal\u003c\/em\u003e\n to a degree later rivaled only by Hans Knappertsbusch. Muck inherited \nthe Bayreuth presentations of the opera from its première conductor, \nHermann Levi, in 1901, and proceeded to lead it in all fourteen \nfestivals held there between then and 1930. His interpretation was \nconsidered definitive by many critics, both contemporary (American \ncritic Herbert Peyser called it “the only and ultimate \u003cem\u003eParsifal\u003c\/em\u003e; the \u003cem\u003eParsifal\u003c\/em\u003e in which every phrase was charged with infinities; the \u003cem\u003eParsifal\u003c\/em\u003e which was neither of this age nor that age, but of all time”) and modern (Alan Blyth cited Muck’s 1928 Berlin set in \u003cem\u003eGramophone\u003c\/em\u003e as “the most uplifting, superbly executed reading of Act 3 [...] in the history of recording”).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eAlthough a complete recording of \u003cem\u003eParsifal\u003c\/em\u003e \nduring the 78 rpm era was unfeasible due to the number of sides \nrequired, Muck managed to set down more than a third of the work over \nthree groups of sessions spanning fourteen months. The first took place \nat Bayreuth during the summer of 1927, where Columbia also recorded \nSiegfried Wagner, the composer’s son, in further excerpts from \u003cem\u003eParsifal\u003c\/em\u003e, and Franz von Hoesslin in scenes from the \u003cem\u003eRing\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"float: right; margin: 5px;\" title=\"Bayreuth Bells\" src=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20151024104859im_\/https:\/\/www.pristineclassical.com\/media\/Pictures\/Bayreuth-Bells.jpg\" alt=\"Bayreuth Bells\" width=\"350\" height=\"249\"\u003eFor\n all the advantages of recording in the Festspielhaus, the engineers \nwere mostly unsuccessful in capturing the hall’s unique acoustics. The \norchestra appears to have been moved out of its covered pit and onto the\n stage, while the vocal soloists are positioned in extreme proximity to \nthe microphone. Only in some of the unaccompanied choral passages and \nthe occasional reverberation at the end of a side can one get a true \nsense of the venue’s warmth. (One advantage of the location, however, \nwas the chance to preserve the sound of the original Bayreuth bells (\u003cem\u003eright\u003c\/em\u003e). Made for \u003cem\u003eParsifal\u003c\/em\u003e’s\n 1882 première, they were tuned to a noticeably lower pitch than the \norchestra was using by the 1920s. The bells were later melted down for \nthe German war effort, and this is their only recording.)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eIn December of the same year, the action shifted to \nBerlin, where HMV set down several sides of Muck conducting Wagner \norchestral works, including the Prelude to Act 1 of \u003cem\u003eParsifal\u003c\/em\u003e, \nin the Singakademie. Six months later, most of Act 3 was recorded there;\n (about 16 minutes of music at the beginning of the act were cut). Here,\n the engineers achieved better results, although most of Amfortas’s \nscene was only issued in a sonically compromised dubbing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\"\u003eIn order for Act 3 to be presented uninterrupted on \nthe CD edition of this release, the Bayreuth recordings of von Hoesslin \nand Siegfried Wagner are presented before Muck’s excerpts, except for \nthe Kipnis\/Wolff “Good Friday Spell”, which appears at the end. Multiple\n copies of the finest pressing vintages were drawn upon for the present \ntransfers: American Columbia “Viva-Tonal” and pre-war “Microphone” label\n copies for the Bayreuth recordings, and Victor “Z” and “Gold” label \npressings for the Berlin sides. Some remaining flaws are inherent in the\n original recordings.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eMark Obert-Thorn\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD 1 (77:23)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER: Das Rheingold \u003c\/b\u003eEntrance of the Gods into Valhalla (6:45)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWoglinde: Maria Nezádal (soprano); Wellgunde: Minnie Ruske-Leopold (soprano); Flosshilde: Charlotte Müller (alto)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eRecorded August, 1927 in the Festspielhaus, Bayreuth\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eMatrix nos.: WAX 3002-1 \u0026amp; 3003-1 (Columbia L 2016)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWAGNER: Die Walküre \u003c\/b\u003eRide of the Valkyries (Act 3) (7:07)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eGerhilde:\n Ellen Overgaard (soprano); Ortlinde: Henriette Gottlieb (soprano); \nWaltraute: Erika Plettner (alto); Schwertleite: Maria Peschken \n(mezzo-soprano); Helmwige: Ingeborg Holmgren (soprano); Siegrune: Minnie\n Ruske-Leopold (soprano); Grimgerde: Charlotte Müller (alto); Rossweise:\n Charlotte Rückforth (alto)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eRecorded August, 1927 in the Festspielhaus, Bayreuth\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eMatrix nos.: WAX 3004-1 \u0026amp; 3005-2 (Columbia L 2017)\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWAGNER: Siegfried\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 60px;\"\u003eForest Murmurs (Act 2)* (3:05)\u003cbr\u003ePrelude to Act 3 (4:05)\u003cbr\u003eFire Music (Act 3) (4:02)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eRecorded August, 1927 in the Festspielhaus, Bayreuth\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eMatrix nos.: WAX 3009-2*, 3000-3 \u0026amp; 3001-1 (Columbia L 2014* \u0026amp; L 2015)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eBayreuth Festival Orchestra · Franz von Hoesslin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER: Parsifal \u003c\/b\u003ePrelude to Act 3 (5:54)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eRecorded August, 1927 in the Festspielhaus, Bayreuth\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eMatrix nos.: WAX 3023-2 \u0026amp; 3024-1 (Columbia L 2012)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eBayreuth Festival Orchestra · Siegfried Wagner\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER: Parsifal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e Act 1 \u003c\/b\u003ePrelude (15:54)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eRecorded 11 December 1927 in the Singakademie, Berlin\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eMatrix nos.: CWR 1421-2, 1422-2, 1423-1A \u0026amp; 1424-1A (HMV D 1400\/1)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra · Karl Muck\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003eTransformation Music (7:17)\u003cbr\u003eGrail Scene:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 60px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eZum lezten Liebesmahle\u003c\/em\u003e (5:40)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eDurch Mitleid wissend, der reine Tor\u003c\/em\u003e (8:06)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eWein und Brot des letzten Mahles\u003c\/em\u003e (4:33)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eRecorded August, 1927 in the Festspielhaus, Bayreuth\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eMatrix nos.: WAX 3010-1, 3011-2, 3012-1, 3013-2, 3014-2, 3015-1, 3016-1 \u0026amp; 3017-1 (Columbia L 2007\/10)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAct 2 \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cem\u003eKomm’! Komm’! Holder Knabe!\u003c\/em\u003e (Flower Maidens Scene) (4:55)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eFlower Maidens: \nIngeborg Holmgren (soprano); Anny Helm (soprano); Minnie Ruske-Leopold \n(soprano); Hilde Sinnek (soprano); Maria Nezádal (soprano); Charlotte \nMüller (alto)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eRecorded August, 1927 in the Festspielhaus, Bayreuth\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eMatrix nos.: WAX 3018-2 \u0026amp; 3019-1 (Columbia L 2011)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eBayreuth Festival Chorus (Chorusmaster: Hugo Rüdel)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eBayreuth Festival Orchestra · Karl Muck\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD 2 (74:20)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER: Parsifal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e Act 3\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003ePrelude (6:38)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eHeil mir, dass ich dich wieder finde!\u003c\/em\u003e (4:24)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eO Gnade! Höchstes Heil!\u003c\/em\u003e (13:59)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eSo ward es uns verhiessen\u003c\/em\u003e (Good Friday Spell) (12:43)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eMittag: Die Stund’ ist da\u003c\/em\u003e (Transformation Music) (5:17)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eGeleiten wir im bergenden Schrein\u003c\/em\u003e (3:39)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eJa, Wehe! Wehe!\u003c\/em\u003e (7:07)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eNur eine Waffe taugt\u003c\/em\u003e (9:59)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eRecorded 10, 11, 13 \u0026amp; 14 October 1928 in the Singakademie, Berlin\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eMatrix\n nos.: CLR 4609-2, 4610-2, 4598-2, 4599-2, 4600-2, 4601-1, 4602-2, \n4603-1, 4604-2, 4611-1, 4612-1, 4613-1, 4614-1T1, 4615-1, 4616-1 \u0026amp; \n4617-1 (HMV D 1537\/44)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eParsifal : Gotthelf Pistor (tenor); Gurnemanz: Ludwig Hofmann (bass); Amfortas: Cornelius Bronsgeest (baritone)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eBerlin State Opera Chorus (Chorusmaster: Hugo Rüdel)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra · Karl Muck\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"western\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER: Parsifal - Act 3\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003eSo ward es uns verhiessen\u003c\/em\u003e (Good Friday Spell) (10:33)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eRecorded August, 1927 in the Festspielhaus, Bayreuth\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eMatrix nos.: WAX 3020-1, 3021-2 \u0026amp; 3022-1 (Columbia L 2013\/4)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eGurenemanz: Alexander Kipnis (bass); Parsifal: Fritz Wolff (tenor)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eBayreuth Festival Orchestra · Siegfried Wagner\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO103.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO103.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31975850125,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":31975850189,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO103_144cc953-a750-489f-b5e9-323f3b77ab98.jpg?v=1487682413"},{"product_id":"paco136","title":"SCHIPPERS Wagner: Der Fliegende Holländer (1960, Met) - PACO136","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDer Fliegende Holländer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eVERDI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e La Traviata - Prelude to Act 3\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive broadcast production, Met Opera, 5 March 1960 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 2hr 23:48 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eDutchman - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eGeorge London\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eSenta - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLeonie Rysanek\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eMetropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eThomas Schippers, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fMusicWeb International Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThis is surely the best result from this era that Pristine has yet issued578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003eWagner singing was still in a fine state in the early 60’s; a \ncontemporary studio recording featured a youthful Fischer-Dieskau as a \ncompelling Dutchman, accompanied by Schock, Wunderlich and Gottlob Frick\n and a more controversially voiced Marianne Schech as Senta; other \nalmost contemporaneous options include Sawallisch’s live Bayreuth \nrecording with the same two principals as here and another with Franz \nCrass and Anja Silja. There was also a studio recording with London and \nRysanek, sadly compromised by Dorati’s listless conducting.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e So \nhow does this live broadcast from the Met shape up against that \ncompetition? Apart from the usual problem of finding the right juncture \nat which to place the break when transferring a through-composed opera \nonto two CDs, which is no more successfully handled here than in \nvirtually every other transfer, this emerges as a truly electrifying and\n thus highly recommendable option. Pristine sound engineer Andrew Rose \nmight have had the advantage of excellent source tapes to begin, with \nbut he has excelled himself with the clarity and immediacy of the sound \nhe has achieved here, greatly enhanced by his editing and application of\n Ambient Stereo; this is surely the best result from this era that \nPristine has yet issued – and there was obviously nothing more that \ncould be done to minimise the passing radio interference in track 9, CD \n1.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Secondly, both principals are in finest voice, ably \nsupported by a superb, if rather too refined and aristocratic Daland \nfrom Giorgio Tozzi, who is very different from the usual gruff old \nbuffer, and a good contribution from Karl Liebl, even if his tenor is \nhardly the Erik of one’s dreams. Apparently his Tristan to Birgit \nNilsson’s Isolde met with her approval, but he has his work cut out here\n surviving alongside the equally huge-voiced Rysanek. He is far from the\n usual leather-lunged bawler in what is surely the most ungrateful tenor\n role in Wagner and is certainly less strained than most and quite \nappealing in his bafflement at Senta’s fixation, even if he does miss \nthe climactic top B in his aria ‘Willst jenes Tags’, whereas Rysanek’s \nconcluding top B blows everyone off the stage. The other supporting \nsingers are first rate, too: William Olvis makes a strikingly vibrant \nSteersman – though like Wunderlich, hardly sounds sleepy - and Belén \nAmparan is a rich-voiced Mary. The chorus is lusty if occasionally \nover-exuberant and ill-disciplined, while Schippers’ direction is, as \none might expect of this conductor, highly energised; he infuses the \nopera with a compelling dynamism from the very first notes. Apparently, \naccording to early reviews, this run at the Met had a rocky start in the\n New Year but was evidently in the groove by March.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The duets \nbetween Daland and the Dutchman avoid longueurs, indeed I found them for\n once wholly gripping, but the glory of this performance resides in the \npartnership of Rysanek and London. He is mesmerising in ‘Wie aus der \nFerne’ and brings his great, black bass-baritone to bear upon portraying\n the Dutchman’s agony with enormous intensity. Rysanek is similarly \nintense; yes, there are moments of bald, curdled or cloudy tone in the \nmiddle of the voice and she is occasionally ungainly when swooping up to\n notes but little of that matters when set against the thrilling animal \nmagnetism of her assumption of the role of Senta; her scream when she \nfirst claps eyes on the Dutchman is chilling.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Additional \nmusical and historical bonuses are the inclusion of an introductory \ntribute to Leonard Warren, who died on stage the night before, the \nexquisitely shaped and shaded Prelude to Act III of \u003cem\u003eLa traviata\u003c\/em\u003e played in his honour, Milton Cross’s commentaries and the rapturous applause at the final curtain. Truly a night to remember.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cem\u003eRalph Moore\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eMusicWeb International, November 2016\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO136.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRysanek stars alongside London in her Met Opera debut in this superb 1960 Flying Dutchman\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"electrifying and highly recommendable - truly a night to remember\" \u003cbr\u003e- MusicWeb International\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis broadcast performance of one of the Metropolitan Opera's finest \nproductions of Wagner's Die Fliegende Holländer begins on an unusual \nnote, as the Opera's General Manager, Rudolf Bing, introduces a tribute \nto the baritone Leonard Warren who had died on stage the previous \nevening in a performance of La forza del destino with Renata Tebaldi. \nAfter this emotional introduction, we hear Milton Cross introduce the \nmain performance and we're off!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis recording marks Leonie Rysanek's Metropolitan Opera debut in the\n role of Senta, one she was to make virtually her own for the following \ntwo decades. Her partner here, George London as the Dutchman, is equally\n scintillating. Sound quality here is superb mono throughout, drawn from\n two excellent source recordings and enhanced with the subtle use of \nAmbient Stereo processing and XR remastering. I have preserved much of \nCross's commentary, which adds to the sense of a very special occasion.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003eDer Fliegende Holländer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eDutchman - \u003cb\u003eGeorge London\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSenta - \u003cb\u003eLeonie Rysanek\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eErik - \u003cb\u003eKarl Liebl\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDaland -\u003cb\u003e Giorgio Tozzi\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMary - \u003cb\u003eBelén Amparan\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSteersman - \u003cb\u003eWilliam Olvis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eMetropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThomas Schippers, \u003c\/b\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\nDirector - Herbert Graf\u003cbr\u003eSet designer - Robert Edmond Jones\u003cbr\u003eSet designer - Charles Elson\u003cbr\u003eCostume designer - Mary Percy Schenck\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBroadcast of 5 March, 1960\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO136.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO136.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fAdditional Notes578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"\u003e\"WITH a performance of blazing \nintensity in the second act, Leonie Rysanek and George London gave \"The \nFlying Dutchman*' the size of a near masterwork at the Metropolitan \nOpera House last night.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis opera of Richard Wagner's \nlate twenties is not a frequent visitor at the Met. It was last done \nnine years ago. But with an interpretation as rapt and electric as this \nin its most eloquent moments it could become a fixed ornament of the \nrepertory.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMiss Rysanek and Mr. London were not the only\n vital contributors to a vivid performance. In the pit there was the \nyoung American conductor, Thomas Schippers, who brought immense \nconviction to his task. There were other fine singers in the cast, and \nthe sets and costumes as well as the staging were in the spirit of the \nwork.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne of the secrets of the opera's success was that\n no one condescended to \"The Flying Dutchman.\" It is easy to take the \nview that this is not the apocalyptic Wagner. The opera does look back \non popular Italian and German models. It indulges in set numbers, some \nof them sugary and longwinded. But it has a shrewd native sense of the \ntheatre, and it is charged with irresistible sincerity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWagner\n has not yet attained the freedom and flexibility of maturity, but his \nideas are often fresh and vigorous. The seed of his future may be \ndiscerned in the work's finest moments. His recurrent theme -that an \nall-sacrificing woman is the instrument of redemption for suffering, \nbedeviled man - does not yet attain the majesty with which it is stated \nin \"Tristan\" and \"The Ring.\" But its treatment here can create magic if \nperformed with sufficient imagination.\"  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e- The New York Times, 1960\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eThus began a gushing review of the Metropolitan Opera's early 1960 production of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman,\n which ran for six performances in January, February and March of that \nyear. And if Howard Taubman was keen to give praise across the board, it\n was onto Leonie Rysanek that he turned his spotlight of praise more \nthan anyone:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"From the first soft pianissimo uttered by \nMiss Rysanek as if wrenched from her by an invisible pres­ence, one was \naware that one was in the presence of a superb Senta. By the time the \nsoprano reached the long scene with Mr. London, the Dutchman, there was \nno mis­taking that she was the ob­sessed Senta Wagner must have \nenvisioned.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMiss Rysanek has a rare mastery of floating \nsoft tones high above the staff. She can shape and color them to conver \nsubtle variations of mood. But this was not the only skill in her vocal \narmory. Her soprano was produced with brilliance at the full. In the \npast it has lacked some­thing in the middle range, but this time there \nwas quali­ty throughout the voice's compass. Every phrase was part of an\n interpretive en­tity out of which emerged a memorable characterization.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSeated\n in a chair as the women sang their spinning chorus, she seemed lost and\n remote. Her costume was subdued and girlish. Yet, as, she sang Senta's \nBallad, she appeared to gain stature and radiance. Miss Rysanek is not a\n big woman, but she can dominate the stage with the power of her singing\n and the tension of her acting.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBy comparison George London, despite the assertion that \"Miss\n Rysanek and Mr. London were the big differ­ence. By their interpretive \ngrandeur they lifted the opera into a loftier realm than it usually \ninhabits.\" merited but a paragraph to himself: \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\"Mr. London was Miss Rysanek's equal in magnetism. His appearance in\n the first act had a fierce eeriness, and he sang the Dutchman's \nmonologue with somber pas­sion. In the scene with Senta in the second \nact he caught the mystery and pathos of the role. His voice was fervid, \nyet admirably controlled. In bearing and in force of per­sonality he \ngave impressive credibility to a pivotal role that can easily become \nfoolish.\"    \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eIt seems however that Taubman's assessment of Rysanek, in her first \nmajor appearance in the role, was absolutely spot on - the history books\n tell us that she was to \"virtually own\" the role of Senta for the next \ntwo decades. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYet not everyone was quite so enamoured of her at \nfirst - writing in the Saturday Review at the end of January 1960, \nIrving Kolodin suggested: \"In what has become somewhat of a vocal \npattern with her, this Senta was alternately excellent and untidy. In \nfull voice, the tones ring out impressively, and she commands a \nbeautiful pianissimo. But in the middle register, at middle power, the \nsound is apt to be cloudy, poorly supported.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSo what do you think? The fourth of the six performances was a Saturday matinee, broadcast live to the nation\n (and preceded by an unusual and unexpected tribute to the baritone \nLeonard Warren, who'd died on stage at the Met the previous evening). \nWas Rysanek showing any signs of being \"alternately excellent and \nuntidy\"? Or was she displaying \"quali­ty throughout the voice's \ncompass\", where \"every phrase was part of an interpretive en­tity out of\n which emerged a memorable characterization\"?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTake a listen - I think you may tend toward the latter... \n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":31975917837,"sku":null,"price":32.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31975917901,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":31975917965,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO136_8cee41aa-26f4-435a-b517-f0b6ba55e792.jpg?v=1487682528"},{"product_id":"paco065","title":"SCHORR Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (excerpts) (1928) - PACO065","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eGOUNOD \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eFaust\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eLive in the Theater unter der Linden, Berlin, 1928\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 79:50\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eFriedrich Schorr\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra \u0026amp; Chorus\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLeo Blech,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e conductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fWhat makes Friedrich Schorr’s Sachs special, at least to me, is the mellow, unforced authority he projects. He’s still the king of the cobblers.578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eWhen I first read about this collection of live excerpts from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDie Meistersinger \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003esome\n years ago, I was appalled that anyone could be so stupid as to record \nexcerpts from the opera back in 1928 and not bother to preserve \nFrederick Schorr’s performances of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFliedermonolog\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e and “\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eWahn! Wahn\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e!”\n but it turns out that there was actually some method to this madness. \nAs the producer\/annotator, Mark Obert-Thorn, points out, the idea was to\n fill in some gaps by recording passages that had not been recorded \nearlier and were unlikely to be in the near future. Some 46 sides of 78-\n rpm recordings were taken down from two performances, some of them \nduplicating the earlier ones. Ultimately, 20 sides were issued. This CD \nincludes most of two unpublished sides from the April performance. Why \nwas there some hesitation about recording the complete opera on 78s? The\n producer points out that, when this was finally done in 1951, the opera\n consumed 68 sides—I assume that most people bought the LP set instead! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eI found it both fascinating and \nfrustrating to eavesdrop on a 1928 stage performance—“frustrating” \nbecause I start contemplating all the things that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003emight\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n have been recorded back then. I have heard studio recordings from the \n’20s that sounded worse than this; once you become absorbed by the \nperformance, the surface noise, such as it is, virtually disappears. \nWhat makes Friedrich Schorr’s Sachs special, at least to me, is the \nmellow, unforced authority he projects—he sounds wise and humane and his\n interaction with the other singers is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003econversational\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e,\n even though he’s singing. I have admired performances\/recordings with \nTheo Adam, Ferdinand Frantz, Paul Schoeffler, Thomas Stewart, Giorgio \nTozzi, and José van Dam, but I think he’s still the king of the \ncobblers. Although a powerful motive for this project was the \npreservation of Schorr’s authoritative Hans Sachs, I heard enough of Leo\n Blech’s conducting to make me wish that more of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003ehis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e contribution had been preserved. After all, if you want a “complete” (it’s not uncut) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eMeistersinger\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n with Schorr sounding very nearly as good in 1940 as he did back in \n1928, there’s a Met broadcast conducted by Erich Leinsdorf in very \nrespectable sound with Charles Kullman as a splendid Walther and a \ndecent supporting cast. It’s been issued by Immortal Performances. My \nreview appears in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e 33:1. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eOpening the disc is part of David’s \nlecture to Walther. Karl Jöken may not have a particularly strong voice \nbut listen to how vividly he makes his points and executes the \nornamentation with the help of Blech’s sympathetic, supple support. The \nscene even takes on a playful, humorous quality. The next excerpt, “Das \nschöne Fest, Johannestag,” unfortunately, features Emanuel List’s \nlabored, congested vocalism as Pogner. This and his undistinguished \ncontribution to the scene with Eva near the beginning of act II suggest \nthat the Golden Age of Wagner performance wasn’t necessarily pure gold. \nAmong the selections on the disc is a nearly 20-minute chunk of the \n“Jerum! Jerum!” scene where Sachs sabotages Beckmesser’s serenade to \nEva. A smaller selection from it is preserved on one of the two unissued\n sides with the mike apparently placed closer to Eva and Walther (Fritz \nWolff on this night), since their brief interjections come across more \nclearly. From act III, we get the opening scene between David and Sachs;\n next, the scene where Eva pretends one of her shoes doesn’t fit, \nfollowed by Walther’s Prize Song and Sachs’s admonition that he’s too \nold for Eva, and the allusion to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTristan and Isolde\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n The recording cuts out just before Sachs “baptizes” David. Elfriede \nMarherr-Wagner and Robert Hutt strike me as solid performers, the kind \nthat even major opera houses need, rather than star singers; I doubt \nthat either was the best or worst thing in any performance in which they\n participated, and that was surely the case back on a certain night in \nMay 1928. Next, we hear part of the artisans’ entrance (as is sometimes \nthe case, the onstage trumpets aren’t exactly precise), the beginning of\n the Dance of the Apprentices, the tail end of the Procession of the \nMastersingers, most of “Wach auf!” and the closing scene, even though \nSchorr had made a previous studio recording of it. The other unpublished\n side, which concludes the CD, preserves the April 29 Eva\/Sachs scene \nfrom act III but cuts out before the Prize Song. It seems that the CD \njust ran out of space (look at the total time) but Obert-Thorn writes \nthat you can download the missing half-minute or so from Pristine \nAudio’s website. Throughout, Leo Blech (assuming it is he—there is some \ndispute about this) collaborates with the singers, offering a warm, \nsympathetic foundation for them. Too bad he never recorded the complete \nopera. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eJames Miller \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 35:5 (May\/June 2012) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO065.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFriedrich Schorr's legendary 1928 Berlin live Sachs\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eIncludes two sides never previously issued from the Berlin Wagner recordings\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe introduction of electrical technology in 1925 \nenabled recording to move outside the confines of the studio, and HMV \nand its associated companies were quick to take the microphone into the \nopera house. Starting with recordings made at Covent Garden and La Scala\n in 1926, excerpts of live operatic performances began to be issued \ncommercially on disc.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eDuring the 1927-28 concert season, recordings were made at the Berlin State Opera during public performances of three works: \u003cem\u003eLa\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eBohème\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eDer\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eRosenkavalier\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eDie\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eMeistersinger\u003c\/em\u003e.\n For the last of the three, two performances were recorded. Fourteen \nsides were taken down on April 29th, 1928, while another 32 sides (many \nof them duplicating the earlier recorded portions) were waxed on May \n22nd at the performance given in honor of Wagner’s 115th birthday. From \nthese, the 20 sides of the issued set were chosen.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThere was no thought at the time of recording the work \ncomplete. (When that was finally done, at the 1951 Bayreuth Festival, \nthe result took a formidable 68 sides.) In selecting which excerpts to \nrelease, the focus seemed to be on portions which were not already \navailable – or likely to be available – as single disc releases. Thus, \nwe have no Preludes, nor either of Sachs’ monologues. Instead, we have \nDavid explaining the song rules to Walther and Pogner discussing his \ndoubts with Eva, as well as scenes which work better in the unedited \nlong-form of an actual performance, like the extended \u003cem\u003eSchusterlied\u003c\/em\u003e\n scene from Act 2. We do have the finale, which the same performers had \nalready recorded in the studio the previous year; but one couldn’t \nimagine ending the set without it. The overriding \u003cem\u003eraison\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003ed’être\u003c\/em\u003e\n for the recording, however, was the preservation of Friedrich Schorr’s \nportrayal of Sachs, which was already considered in a class by itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eA controversy has arisen recently regarding the identity\n of conductor. The labels of the original discs give no performer \ncredits at all. The 1936 \u003cem\u003eGramophone\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eShop\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eEncyclopedia\u003c\/em\u003e identified the singers, but it was only with the first volume of \u003cem\u003eWERM\u003c\/em\u003e\n in 1951 that Blech is credited as conductor. Someone claiming to have \nthe playbill of the May 22nd performance has said it lists Erich Kleiber\n for “Musikalische Leitung.” The wording choice seems ambiguous; one \nwould think he would be listed as “Dirigent” if he in fact conducted the\n performance. Kleiber was co-Music Director of the BSOO with Blech at \nthe time; could that title have been a reference to this position? In \nany event, Alan Kelly’s research into the HMV logs shows Blech listed as\n “Dirigent” for both performances.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eIn the issued set, all the sides save the opening of Act\n 2 (Track 3) came from the May performance. From the earlier date, two \nfurther sides have been discovered and are published here for the first \ntime. They show differences in microphone placement (the asides between \nWalther and Eva during the \u003cem\u003eSchusterlied\u003c\/em\u003e are more audible here) \nas well as featuring a different Beckmesser and Walther, along with some\n unwelcome stage noises. A check of the EMI vaults has shown these to be\n the only extant unpublished sides from either performance. (Due to CD \ntiming limitations, the second unpublished side had to be faded out \nabout a half-minute before its conclusion here. However, it is available\n complete as a download on the Pristine Audio website page devoted to \nthis release.)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cb\u003eMark Obert-Thorn\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003eDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e(Excerpts)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Transfers from HMV\/Electrola EJ 277 \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eFriedrich Schorr \u003c\/b\u003eSachs\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Elfriede Marherr-Wagner\u003c\/b\u003e Eva\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Robert Hutt\u003c\/b\u003e Walther\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Leo Schützendorf\u003c\/b\u003e Beckmesser\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Emanuel List\u003c\/b\u003e Pogner\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Karl Jöken\u003c\/b\u003e David\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Lydia Kindermann \u003c\/b\u003eMagdalene\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e *Fritz Wolff \u003c\/b\u003eWalther\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e *Eduard Kandl\u003c\/b\u003e Beckmesser\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eBerlin State Opera Orchestra and Chorus \u003cbr\u003e Leo Blech \u003c\/b\u003econductor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eINCLUDES\u003c\/b\u003e PREVIOUSLY-UNISSUED EXTRA TRACKS:\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003eJerum! Jerum! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e(Sachs, Beckmesser, Walther, Eva) (3:16)*\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eCLR 4073-1 · Previously unpublished\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003eSieh, Evchen! Dacht ich’s doch, wo sie blieb!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e (Sachs, Eva) (3:42)*\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eCLR 4075-1 · Previously unpublished\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eRecorded during the performances of *29 April and 22 May 1928 in the Theater unter der Linden, Berlin\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProducer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn\u003cbr\u003eFront cover artwork based on a photograph of Friedrich Schorr as Sachs\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration: 79:50\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO065.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO065.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":33848448717,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":33848448781,"sku":null,"price":9.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO065.jpg?v=1489161662"},{"product_id":"pasc441","title":"STOKOWSKI Acoustic, Volume 2 (1919-24) - PASC441","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDEBUSSY\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSCHUBERT  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e\"Unfinished\" Symphony, No. 8\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eOrchestral excerpts\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eTCHAIKOVSKY \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphonic movements and short pieces\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eAcoustic studio recordings, 1919-1924\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 79:01  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLeopold Stokowski, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eThe Philadelphia Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"padding-left: 30px\"\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThey are life-enhancing in a way that so few new recordings ever are578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn 1981, I hosted a semester-long \nweekly series on Harvard Radio devoted to Leopold Stokowski. If you had \ntold me at the time that we one day would have the historic material now\n available on these two CDs and in such fine sound, I never would have \nbelieved you. I think that throughout that whole radio series I had only\n one LP available to me of monaural content from our station’s library. \nFortunately Stokowski’s admirers are a dedicated bunch, and can support \nPristine’s enterprise of giving us CDs with small commercial potential. \nThe evening I first played these discs I had a terrible time falling \nasleep, such is the Stokowski magic they contain. To love recordings \nenough to write for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eyou\n probably have to be a little bit crazy. I freely admit to suffering \nfrom an as yet undefined malady I would call “Stokowski-induced mania.” \nOf these two CDs, the one featuring the most recent material clearly is \naimed at my fellow sufferers. It collects all the post-acoustic era \nrecordings by Stokowski until now unavailable on CD and which are in the\n public domain in France, where Pristine Audio is based. For instance, \nthere is a previously unissued 1945 session by the New York City \nSymphony playing the Prelude and Libestod from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTristan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e,\n of which only the first and last 78-rpm sides survive. They \nnevertheless reveal the tremendous sense of style Stokowski had imbued \nhis one-year-old ensemble with. He is alternately vigorous and sensitive\n in selections from Prokofiev’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eThe Love for Three Oranges\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e, with the NBC Symphony performing with the precision and clarity this Toscanini trained ensemble was known for. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe remaining items on the CD feature \n“Leopold Stokowski and his Symphony Orchestra.” Perhaps the greatest \ndraw for the non-specialist collector is the music from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTannhäuser\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n The Overture opens with a blend of reverence and sensuality peculiar to\n Stokowski. The second statement of the Pilgrim’s Chorus is positively \necstatic. At its peak, the Venusberg Music reaches a pitch of controlled\n frenzy only Stokowski could achieve. Although he was a noted lady \nkiller, there also was a feminine side to Stokowski, expressed in his \nface’s sensitivity and the delicacy of his hands. The overall effect was\n an apparent androgyny that held a mysterious sway over orchestral \nplayers, helping to produce the remarkable Stokowski sound we hear here.\n As Wagner’s orgiastic music subsides, it is replaced by something like \npost-coital tristesse. In act III’s Prelude, Stokowski portrays the \nfever in Tannhäuser’s mind and his need for redemption. The brass \nplayers, drawn from the New York Philharmonic, cover themselves with \nglory in their chorales. While Solti and Doráti have given us memorable,\n stand-alone accounts of the Overture and Venusberg Music in stereo \n(Solti has the Dresden Overture and the Venusberg Music as separate \ntracks), nothing in my experience matches Stokowski in these highlights.\n \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAnother great reason to own this disc is Stokowski’s arrangement of Dido’s Lament from Purcell’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDido and Aeneas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n It is filled with the archaic-sounding string sonorities Stokowski \nloved to exploit in his orchestrations of Baroque music. There’s a \nwondrous feeling of sorrow in the repetitions of Dido’s “Remember me” in\n the violins. Stokowski conducted music from Tchaikovsky’s Fifth \nSymphony in the 1947 movie “Carnegie Hall,” so RCA at the time \napparently saw the commercial value of his leading an abridged version \nof the slow movement that would fit on one 78. Judging by the \nperformance’s passion, Stokowski must have been happy to oblige. Two \nyears later, he conducted the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from \nTchaikovsky’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eNutcracker \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003efor\n a children’s disc, with Mozart’s “Sleigh Ride” on the flip side. New \nYork Philharmonic pianist (and future conductor) Walter Hendl plays the \ncelesta unusually expressively, as Stokowski brings out the menace \nunderlying Tchaikovsky’s fantasy. Restoration engineer Mark Obert-Thorn \nhas contrived highly listenable sonics throughout this CD, although the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTannhäuser\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n excerpts sound rather cramped for their 1950 recording date. Even if \nyou’re not collecting everything Stokowski ever did, this disc is a \nblast. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn 1977, a then elderly friend loaned \nme Stokowski’s 1923 acoustic 78s of the slow movement of Tchaikovsky’s \nFifth Symphony. Even played on my inexpensive equipment, I was amazed at\n the sound quality. Now we have this and other acoustic recordings by \nStokowski, made between 1919 and 1924, in new remasterings by Andrew \nRose. The results are highly illuminating. Rose has achieved a generally\n listenable sound from all this material, and their musical content for \nthe most part is first-rate. The main drawback for the acoustic \ntechnique in recording an orchestra is the absence of hall atmosphere, \nwith very little air around the instruments. The balance on these \nrecordings, though, in the main is very good. They document a period in \nStokowski’s career when, at about age 40, his interpretations tended to \nbe less idiosyncratic than they later became. A Metropolitan Opera \nbassist who played under Stokowski in the early 1960s told me that the \nconductor “did things just to be different.” There really is very little\n about these early recordings that the most Toscanini-minded purist \ncould find objectionable. The one recording where the music overtaxes \nthe engineering technique is that of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003ePrelude to the Afternoon of a Faun\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n Stokowski had tried twice previously to make a recording of the work, \nbefore finally releasing this 1924 effort. The evanescence of the string\n writing really is beyond the capacity of the acoustic equipment to \ncapture. Still, there is much to enjoy in the eloquent playing of \nflutist William Kincaid, oboist Marcel Tabuteau, and a marvelous first \nhorn. They respond to the flexibility of Stokowski’s interpretation with\n great tenderness. Perhaps the conductor had reservations about this \nrecording as well, for he rerecorded the piece electrically only three \nyears later. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eStokowski’s Schubert “Unfinished” is a \ngreat performance, from a time when complete symphonies were still rare \non records. As one can hear on his London Philharmonic recording from \nthe 1960s, Stokowski was fascinated by the sound of this work. For an \nearly 1950s performance in San Francisco, he retouched the orchestration\n and also added an extra wind instrument. Even this 1924 recording \nsuggests the vivid, haunting colors Stokowski found in the piece. The \nensemble is vigorous and highly disciplined, quite different from, say, \nBruno Walter’s approach. There is no exposition repeat in the first \nmovement, repeats being sparing on 78s. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe Wagner recordings here are pretty sensational. Stokowski’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRienzi \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eOverture\n really swings, even though it is cut to fit onto two 78 sides. The \norchestral sound possesses a suavity I’ve rarely encountered elsewhere. \nThe Ride of the Valkyries has a dramatic tension that would have pleased\n Toscanini, while the tone of the performance is something the Italian \nmaestro never achieved. The brief excerpt from Wotan’s Farewell and \nMagic Fire Music has all the magic of Stokowski’s classic Houston \nversion for Everest, but with a better orchestra. If any recording on \nthis CD stands out as an engineering triumph, it’s the Prelude to Act \nOne of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eLohengrin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e. Somehow the acoustic horn managed to capture the rapt beauty of Stokowski’s beautifully proportioned reading. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe third movement of Tchaikovsky’s \nSixth Symphony is a bit of a throw-away. It is cut to shreds to fit onto\n one 78 side, and the orchestra’s response is somewhat perfunctory. As I\n mentioned earlier, we do get a complete account of the slow movement of\n Tchaikovsky’s Fifth—beautifully molded in its playing and paced with \ngreat sensitivity. It is not as individual as the abridged version on \nthe previous CD in this review, but it is accomplished in a way very few\n conductors could achieve. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eNutcracker \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003edance\n has great charm, while Tchaikovsky’s Song Without Words is one of those\n romantic Stokowski orchestrations that seems to linger in the \natmosphere after it ends. Pristine also gives us a cover with a \nwonderful drawing of the young Stokowski, from the record sleeve of one \nof his acoustic 78s. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIf this exploration of the world of \nacoustic recordings of orchestras whets your whistle, I would also \nrecommend Biddulph’s set devoted to the discs of Willem Mengelberg and \nthe New York Philharmonic. These two new releases from Pristine fill out\n our view of one of the greatest conductors of all time. I’m aware that \nthey are likely to appeal to a specialized audience, but they are \nlife-enhancing in a way that so few new recordings ever are. There’s one\n more volume of acoustic Stokowski on the way from Pristine, and I can’t\n wait. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDave Saemann\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 39:2 (Nov\/Dec 2015) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC441.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eStokowski's earliest recordings of Debussy, Schubert, Wagner \u0026amp; Tchaikovsky \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the second of four volumes dedicated to the acoustic \nrecordings Stokowski made with the Philadelphia Orchestra between 1919 \nand 1924. By acoustic we mean a recording process entirely devoid of \nelectrical equipment: a weight-driven cutting lathe on which master \ndiscs were cut, the minute variations in the grooves being driven \nentirely by the vibrations reaching the cutting head through a large \nhorn, concentrating as much acoustical energy as possible from the \norchestra. This frequency- and dynamically-limited process was the only \nmeans of recording sound for well over a quarter of a century, during \nwhich time the technology progressed from being considered a novelty toy\n to something which, although recognised as limited, was of serious \nartistic value. Stokowski was one of very few internationally known \nmusical artists to see the progression right through as a recording \nperformer from the acoustic horn to the multitrack studio. His acoustic \nbeginnings are, like so many, often consigned to ancient history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis volume uses the latest 21st century technology to clean up, \nclarify, stabilise and bring you the best possible sound from recordings\n almost a century old. Volume One (PASC192) was restored 6 years ago - in that short time considerable further \nstrides have been made that have allowed me to find even greater \nfidelity and clarity from these marvellous relics of an almost lost age \nof sound recordings.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe transfers were made by Edward Johnson from his collection of (relatively) quiet-surfaced Victor original 78s.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cbr\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003eDEBUSSY\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eRecorded April 28, 1924. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eDisk: Victor 6481, Matrices: C-21057-5, C-21058-5\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSCHUBERT\u003c\/b\u003e Symphony No. 8 in B minor, \"Unfinished\"\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\" style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded April 18, 1924. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eDisks: Victor 6459, 6460, 6461 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eMatrices: C-29052-5, C-29053-5, C-29054-5, C-29055-4, C-29056-5, C-29057-5\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/b\u003e Rienzi - Overture\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded May 8, 1919. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eDisks: Victor 74602, 74603 Matrices: Victor C-22815-3, C-22816-3\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/b\u003e Die Walküre: Ride of the Valkyries\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded March 25, 1921. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eDisk: Victor 74684 or HMV DB 387 Matrix: C-24987-4\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/b\u003e Die Walküre: Wotan's Farewell and Magic Fire Music\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded December 5, 1921. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eDisk: Victor 74736 Matrix: C-24124-12\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/b\u003e Lohengrin - Prelude to Act 1\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded April 28, 1924. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eDisk: Victor 6490 or HMV DB 839 Matrices: C 30021-2, C 30022-1\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTCHAIKOVSKY\u003c\/b\u003e Symphony No. 6 - March \u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e(heavily cut 3rd mvt.)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded April 18, 1921. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eDisk: Victor 74713 Matrix: C-24628-11\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTCHAIKOVSKY\u003c\/b\u003e Symphony No. 5 - 2nd mvt. - Andante cantabile con alcuna licenza\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded April 30, 1923. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eDisks: Victor 6430, 6431 Matrices: C-27904-2, C-27905-1, C-27906-2\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTCHAIKOVSKY\u003c\/b\u003e The Nutcracker - Dance of the Flutes\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded February 13, 1922. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eDisk: Victor 66128 Matrix: B-24938-6\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTCHAIKOVSKY\u003c\/b\u003e (arr. Stokowski) Song Without Words, Op. 40, No. 6\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded April 28, 1924. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eDisk: Victor 1111 Matrix: B-27065-7\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003eThe Philadelphia Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003eLeopold Stokowski\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e, conductor\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC441.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC441.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":31975976461,"sku":null,"price":16.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31975976525,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31975976589,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":31975976653,"sku":null,"price":9.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PASC441_ebcc8613-9985-4017-b5b2-c3509bb41068.jpg?v=1487682616"},{"product_id":"pasc471","title":"STOKOWSKI Acoustic, Volume 3 (1917-24) - PASC471","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cul\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eRACHMANINOV\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Piano Concerto No. 2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eVARIOUS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphonic movements and short pieces\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eAcoustic studio recordings, 1917-1924\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 79:41 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLeopold Stokowski, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eSergei Rachmaninov, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003epiano\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eThe Philadelphia Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"padding-left: 30px\"\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fReviews: MusicWeb International \u0026amp; Fanfare578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThe metrical freedoms taken by the soloist-composer are a touch freer than in his remake, making this recording that much more uplifting and combustible ... a memorable achievement and it has been very well transferred here578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThis is the third of a projected four \nvolumes in Pristine’s series devoted to acoustic recordings made for the\n Victor Company by Leopold Stokowski and members of the Philadelphia \nOrchestra between 1917 and 1924. I have long been skeptical about the \nvalue of orchestral recordings made with the acoustic process, prior to \nthe introduction of the microphone in 1926. As anyone at all familiar \nwith this primitive recording method would be aware, what is performing \nin these selections is not actually the Philadelphia Orchestra but \nrather a few of its members, clustered around a recording horn. \nAccordingly, a major issue in assessing this release is whether the \nsonic wizardry of Andrew Rose has been able to create the illusion of an\n actual orchestra playing in these recordings. The answer is “not \nentirely,” but the sound on this Pristine release is often substantially\n better than I would have expected, and there are portions where it is \npossible to overlook the absence of a full orchestra. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn the 1924 recording of the Rachmaninoff Concerto, the orchestral sound is acceptably full in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003etutti\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003es,\n although opaque. Elsewhere, string tone is sometimes ample and \nsometimes thin or tubby, but the results remain thoroughly listenable. \nSurface noise from the source discs is audible but unobtrusive. What is \ntruly remarkable, however, is the piano sound, which is full, rich, \nsolid, and completely stable in pitch, although it is impossible to \ndetermine how closely this warm, rounded sound replicates the actual \nsound of Rachmaninoff’s playing. The sound of the Pristine remastering \nis in any case good enough to allow one to appreciate the performance, \nbut the 1929 remake by the same performers remains preferable for \nfull-orchestra sound and superior dynamic range. (I have that later \nrecording on a 1994 RCA Gold Seal reissue, but there are other \nremasterings that are probably better.) Other than sound, the main \ndifference between the two performances is the quicker main tempo for \nthe slow movement in the earlier one. Both performances are \ndistinguished by the composer’s effortless fluency at the piano, by a \nsuppleness and elasticity that never strays into mannerism, and by \npacing that is swifter than in most modern recordings. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eQuality varies among the shorter pieces\n filling out the disc, but one area where Pristine’s treatment has \nunquestionably produced a substantial improvement is in freedom from the\n wow and flutter one would expect in material of this vintage. The four \nBizet selections (recorded 1919–23) fare well sonically and \ninterpretively. Bizet’s transparent orchestration is done comparatively \nlittle harm by the reduced complement of instruments, while Stokowski’s \nreadings are lively but straightforward, without any fooling around with\n tempo. Liszt’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSecond Hungarian Rhapsody\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n (recorded 1920) is heavily cut, but the roughly half of it that remains\n is brilliantly played by the Philadelphians, and the menacing opening, \nwith growling low strings, and the wild, headlong conclusion will \nimpress the listener. The sharp staccato attacks at the very beginning \nwere not employed by Stokowski in two later (complete) recordings of the\n piece, in 1936 and 1960–61. I don’t care much for the bloated \narrangement of the Chopin Prélude or the equally soupy rendition of \nGluck’s “Dance of the Blessed Spirits.” The sound in Ippolitov-Ivanov’s \n“Procession of the Sardar” (recorded 1922) is less good than in the \nBizet and Liszt selections, and some of the wind playing seems not up to\n Philadelphia standards. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eMidsummer Night’s Dream\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e Scherzo (1917) suffers from a boomy, murky bass and a relatively high noise level. Chabrier’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eEspaña\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e (1919) is heavily cut, and the sound does not much disguise the limitations of the acoustic recording process. The march from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTannhäuser\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n (1924) is an excerpt and cuts off abruptly after three minutes. The \nsound is brassy and not much like a full orchestra. The excerpt from the\n third movement of Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique” (1917), in contrast, \nstarts off in the middle of the movement. The balances initially seem \nway off, and there is some imperfect ensemble, but things improve. It is\n difficult to know how closely these early recordings actually represent\n Stokowski’s interpretations during this period and the extent to which \nthey may have been influenced by the exigencies of the primitive \nrecording process, but it is noteworthy that he slows the tempo at \nexactly the same point in this 1917 recording as in his 1945 live \nHollywood Bowl performance (Memories), although tempo shifts in the \nearlier performance are somewhat less pronounced. The Wagner and \nTchaikovsky selections and the one by the obscure American composer \nEdgar Stillman Kelley (1857–1944) are previously unissued. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThis release demonstrates that some \nworthwhile listening can be drawn from the grooves of these early \norchestral recordings. Rachmaninoff’s earlier recording of his Concerto \nNo. 2 is, of course, the most valuable item on the program, in terms of \nhistorical significance and performance and sound quality, and its \npresence on the disc mandates a recommendation. The remaining selections\n will appeal primarily Stokowski completists but are worthwhile bonuses.\n \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDaniel Morrison\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 40:2 (Nov\/Dec 2016) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\nPristine Audio reminds me of a plate-spinner on the variety stage. It \nhas a large number of plates spinning at the moment, with multi-volume \nseries devoted to Beecham, Stokowski and Monteux just three that have \ncome my way in the past few weeks. The third volume of their series \ndevoted to Stokowski’s acoustic recordings (see reviews of \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.musicweb-international.com\/classrev\/2010\/Jan10\/Stokowski_pasc192.htm\"\u003e Volume 1\/a\u0026gt; and \u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.musicweb-international.com\/classrev\/2015\/Sep\/Stokowski_acoustic_v2_PASC441.htm\"\u003e Volume 2\u003c\/a\u003e)\n has a major work, and then a raft of lighter material, several of which\n pieces will be of considerable interest to Stokowski collectors as they\n have never before been issued.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The major work is Rachmaninov’s\n Second Piano Concerto with the composer as soloist. This 1924 recording\n shouldn’t be confused with the later electric remake. The strange \nhistory of its missing first movement – never issued at the time, thus \nforcing purchasers to buy a torso of the work – can be explored \nelsewhere, though suffice to say it first reappeared commercially in RCA\n Red Seal’s Rachmaninov edition of his complete recordings. It’s known \nthat he played a Steinway Model B here, which was raised on a platform \nto allow the horn better to pick up his sound – quite a common practice \nat the time – and the results were exceptional. Given that Rachmaninov \nnever approved the first movement for release, listeners would have had \nto start with the slow movement but for us no such impediment exists. It\n is one of those little ironies of recording history that Victor was \nrecording a pretty complete complement of orchestral players back in \n1917 but in succeeding years they actually cut back, so that by the end \nof the acoustic era the Philadelphia often had around 38 or 40 players \nin the studio. Any bass reinforcements in this Rachmaninov recording \nhave been utilised quite subtly. The metrical freedoms taken by the \nsoloist-composer are a touch freer than in his remake, making this \nrecording that much more uplifting and combustible. It is, in any case, a\n memorable achievement and it has been very well transferred here.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n The remainder of the programme is graced by a succession of \nsingle-sided sweetmeats. The quartet of Bizet gives the brass and winds a\n workout in particular – the \u003cem\u003eMarch of the Smugglers\u003c\/em\u003e is notably \nwell played – and whilst this is by no means the first recording of \nBoccherini’s Minuet, it is assuredly one of the most suavely played. \nIppolitov-Ivanov’s \u003cem\u003eProcession of the Sardar\u003c\/em\u003e from the \u003cem\u003eCaucasian Sketches Suite No.1\u003c\/em\u003e\n offers some exotic fair and Stokowski’s arrangement (and the \norchestra’s performance of Chopin’s Prelude in E minor) is persuasive: \nother Stoky Chopin arrangements were not always so tasteful. The Gluck \nis, alas, too bass heavy and lugubrious but the 1919 Chabrier \u003cem\u003eEspaña Rhapsody\u003c\/em\u003e\n makes up for it. The last three pieces have never before been released.\n Like everything else, the sound is excellent for the 1917-24 time \nperiod. We hear the second part of the Scherzo from Tchaikovsky’s Sixth \nSymphony, and part one (only) of Tannhauser’s \u003cem\u003eFestmarsch\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cu\u003e,\u003c\/u\u003e which duly stops abruptly. But the gem here is the piece by the American composer Edgar Stillman Kelley whose \u003cem\u003eThe Red Queen’s Banquet\u003c\/em\u003e, from his \u003cem\u003eAlice in Wonderland\u003c\/em\u003e\n suite, offers some busy material. In fine sound, it brings Kelley to \nthe attention of contemporary listeners and one wonders what else is out\n there by him.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Full documentation can be found on Pristine’s \nwebsite, as there isn’t much room in the disc for much beyond a brief \nProducer’s Note and the running order.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eJonathan Woolf\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMusicWeb International\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC471.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRachmaninov plays his 2nd Concert with Stokowski in truly astonishing sound quality for an acoustic recording!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"What is truly remarkable, however, is the piano sound, which is full, rich, solid, and completely stable in pitch\" - Fanfare\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the third of four volumes which aims to present all of the \nsurviving acoustic recordings made by Leopold Stokowski with the \nPhiladelphia Orchestra at the studios of the Victor recording company \nbetween 1917 and 1924. The somewhat drawn-out nature of this project has\n allowed us to track down a number of rare and unreleased sides, several\n of which appear for the first time on this release.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSince \nbeginning the series, a number of technological advances in the field of\n sound restoration have appeared, allowing each time for greater \nfidelity to be extracted from the limited opportunities found in the \ngrooves of acoustically-recorded discs, with their highly limited \nfrequency and dynamic range. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne such advance is in the control \nof pitch instability - the \"wow and flutter\" inherent to one degree or \nanother in all analogue recordings, and generally found to greater \ndegrees as recordings get older. To be able to restore solidity of pitch\n to Rachmaninov's piano is to give it a degree of realism never heard \nbefore. Despite the aforementioned technical limitations, a few moments \nlistening to the solo piano in the opening bars of the Piano Concerto \nNo. 2, not originally issued, may have you pinching yourself - surely \nthis is not the sound of a piano captured through a horn, cut into a \ndisc being driven by weights, just months before the introduction of \nmicrophones? The delicacy of touch, the immediacy of the sound, the \nsolidity and (relative!) realism of the piano's tone is quite remarkable\n to hear.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor many, the performance given by Rachmaninov and \nStokowski here was preferable to their 1929 electrical remake. Here we \ntake a step closer to that performance, alongside a panoply of single \nsides and previously unissued Wagner, Tchaikovsky and one Edgar Stillman\n Kelley, a composer who was new to me. My sincere thanks to all who make\n this release possible. A fourth and final volume in the series will \nfollow within a month.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 1-3. Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 [30:38] \u003cbr\u003e rec. January 3 and December 22, 1924\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSergei Rachmaninov, \u003c\/b\u003epiano\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1st mvt: Unissued, matrices: \u003cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small;\" size=\"2\" color=\"black\" face=\"arial\"\u003eC-31395-2\u003c\/span\u003e, \u003cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small;\" size=\"2\" color=\"black\" face=\"arial\"\u003eC-31395-2\u003c\/span\u003e, \u003cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small;\" size=\"2\" color=\"black\" face=\"arial\"\u003eB-31397-1 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e2nd mvt: Victor 89166-68, matrices: \u003cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small;\" size=\"2\" color=\"black\" face=\"arial\"\u003eC-29233-4, C-29234-3, C-29235-4 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e3rd mvt: Victor 89169-71, matrices: \u003cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small;\" size=\"2\" color=\"black\" face=\"arial\"\u003eC-29236-3\u003c\/span\u003e, \u003cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small;\" size=\"2\" color=\"black\" face=\"arial\"\u003eC-29251-2\u003c\/span\u003e, \u003cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small;\" size=\"2\" color=\"black\" face=\"arial\"\u003eC-29252-2 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGeorges BIZET (1838-1875)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 4. Carmen – Prelude [2:13] \u003cbr\u003e rec. May 8, 1919, matrix: Victor B-22812-4\u003cbr\u003eVictor 64822, \u003cbr\u003e 5. Carmen - Changing of the Guard transc. Stokowski [3:35]\u003cbr\u003e rec. April 30, 1923 \u003cbr\u003eVictor 66263, matrix: B-27903-2\u003cbr\u003e 6. Carmen - March of the Smugglers transc. Stokowski [3:32]\u003cbr\u003e rec. April 30, 1923\u003cbr\u003eVictor 66264, matrix: B-27902-1\u003cbr\u003e 7. L'Arlésienne - Spanish Dance [1:40] \u003cbr\u003e rec. January 28, 1922\u003cbr\u003eVictor 1113, matrix: B-25942-5\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFranz LISZT (1811-1886)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 8. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 orch. Karl Müller-Berghaus [3:59]\u003cbr\u003e rec. May 20, 1920\u003cbr\u003eVictor 74647, matrix: C-24126-4\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eLuigi BOCCHERINI (1743-1805) \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 9. Quintet in E, Op. 11, No. 5 - Minuet transc. Stokowski [2:36] \u003cbr\u003e rec. January 28, 1921\u003cbr\u003eVictor 66058, matrix: B-25943-4\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eMikhail IPPOLITOV-IVANOV (1859-1935) \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 10. Caucasian Sketches Suite No. 1 - Procession of the Sardar [3:20]\u003cbr\u003e rec. April 29, 1922 \u003cbr\u003eVictor 66106, matrix: B-26442-2\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFryderyk CHOPIN (1810-1849) \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 11. Prelude no 4 in E minor, Op. 28, No. 4 transc. Stokowski [2:15] \u003cbr\u003e rec. November 6, 1922\u003cbr\u003eVictor 1111, matrix: B-26408-7\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFelix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 12. A Midsummer Night's Dream - Scherzo [4:30] \u003cbr\u003e rec. November 8, 1917\u003cbr\u003eVictor 74560, matrix: Victor C-21056-4\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eChristoph Willibald von GLUCK (1714-1787)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 13. Orfeo ed Euridice - Dance of the Blessed Spirits [4:43] \u003cbr\u003e rec. November 8, 1917\u003cbr\u003eVictor 74567, matrix: Victor C-21066-1\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eEmmanuel CHABRIER (1841-1894) \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 14. España Rhapsody [4:28] \u003cbr\u003e rec. May 9, 1919\u003cbr\u003eVictor 74621, matrix: Victor C-22809-7 \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eEdgar Stillman KELLEY (1857-1944)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 15. Alice in Wonderland - Suite: The Red Queen's Banquet [4:36]\u003cbr\u003e rec. December 31, 1924*\u003cbr\u003eUnissued, Matrix No. C-31625-1\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eRichard WAGNER (1813-1883) \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 16. Tannhäuser - Act II: Festmarsch (Entrance of the Guests) transc. Stokowski [3:08]\u003cbr\u003e rec. April 30, 1923*\u003cbr\u003eUnissued, Matrix No. C-27900-4\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 17. Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 - Scherzo - Part 2 [4:27] \u003cbr\u003e rec. December 4, 1917*\u003cbr\u003eUnissued, Matrix No. C-21230-2\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecorded at Camden Church Studio (Victor Building no 22) Camden NJ, USA \u003cbr\u003eexcept tracks 12, 13, 17: \u003cbr\u003eVictor Office Building no 2, Eighteenth Floor Auditorium, Camden, NJ, USA\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e*Previously unissued\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLeopold Stokowski, \u003c\/b\u003econductor\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Philadelphia Orchestra\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC471.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC471.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":37537399181,"sku":null,"price":16.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":37537399245,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":37537399309,"sku":null,"price":9.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PASC471.jpg?v=1494861916"},{"product_id":"pasc442","title":"STOKOWSKI CD Premières: Purcell, Tchaikovsky, Wagner (1941-50) - PASC442","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Tannhäuser – Overture and Venusberg Music ∙ Prelude to Act 3; Tristan und Isolde – Prelude and Liebestod (First Release)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003ePURCELL-STOKOWSKI \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e “When I am laid in earth” (Dido and Aeneas)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eTCHAIKOVSKY\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Andante cantabile from Symphony No. 5; Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003ePROKOFIEV\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e  Three excerpts from The Love for Three Oranges\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eStudio recordings, 1941-50\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 65:02  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLeopold Stokowski, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eNew York City Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eNBC Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"padding-left: 30px\"\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThis is a performance that needs to be heard by any Wagnerite578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAs producer and restoration engineer \nMark Obert-Thorn notes in his booklet note, this release takes us one \nstep closer to having every last note recorded by Leopold Stokowski \navailable on CD. (His recording of Panufnik’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eUniversal Prayer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n remains at large, and presumably will remain so until 2041, when it \nenters the public domain.) This is excellent news for Stokowski \ncompletists, and good news for his many admirers. For everyone one else \nreading this headnote, they might be taken aback by the grab-bag nature \nof this release, which features an odd assortment of works, some of them\n in incomplete recordings. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTristan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n excerpts, recorded in 1945, are accidentally incomplete, one assumes. \nApparently this comes from a two-disc test pressing, and the second disc\n (which would include the second and third sides) was either broken or \nhas not been found. Thus, we get the first half of the Prelude and the \nsecond half of the Liebestod. Stokowski’s music-making is white hot, but\n you have to be fairly dedicated to put up with such bleeding chunks, \nwhich are even more bloody than usual. The excerpt from the second \nmovement of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth (the movement’s second half, roughly) is\n a result of it having been featured in the 1947 film \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eCarnegie Hall\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n It was intended more for movie-goers than for serious music lovers (not\n that the two groups can’t intersect).Too bad, because it’s an excellent\n performance, even though it is incomplete. The “Dance of the Sugar Plum\n Fairy” (Walter Hendl on celesta!) seems to have been a “B side” to a \n1949 recording of Mozart’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eSleigh Ride\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e.\n The tempo is luxuriously slow, and the effect is most seductive, \nespecially if you have a venereal sweet tooth. Stokowski’s arrangement \nof Purcell also makes Dido sound hot and bothered; “When I am laid” \nindeed! Obert-Thorn guesses that the cello soloist here, in this \nrecording from 1950, is Leonard Rose. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe Prokofiev excerpts were recorded in\n 1941 in New York’s “Cosmopolitan Opera House.” (Really?) The March has \nbeen on CD before, but not the other two movements. “The Prince and the \nPrincess” languish with searing intensity, and so this is another \nworthwhile albeit incomplete find. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eI’ve saved the best for last. The excerpts from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTannhäuser\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n date from 1950 and feature the conductor and his musicians at the top \nof their form; even the women’s chorus (unidentified) in the Venusberg \nMusic makes a memorable contribution. Although the music-making has a \nsweeping, theatrical spontaneity, one also senses Stokowski’s brain \nticking away as he deploys one gorgeous effect after another. Unless you\n like Wagner to be boring and sedate, this is a performance that needs \nto be heard by any Wagnerite, perfect of otherwise. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eObert-Thorn’s transfers probably get \neverything out of the source material that there is to be gotten; they \nsound remarkable for their age. But then again, so did Stokowski. \nScraping the bottom of the barrel? Well, maybe, but what happy \nscrapings!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRaymond Tuttle\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 39:2 (Nov\/Dec 2015) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC442.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFabulous Stokowski recordings unheard for decades\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"They sound remarkable for their age. But then again, so did Stokowski\" - Fanfare\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWith the publication this month of a Music \u0026amp; Arts set \ndevoted to all of Stokowski’s recordings with the All-American Youth \nOrchestra and Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra that had not yet been \nreissued on CD, the number of the conductor’s post-acoustic era output \nin that category has been greatly reduced.  The present release brings \ntogether all but one of the remaining such recordings, and adds a first \nrelease.  (The single holdout is Stokowski’s 1970 Unicorn LP of \nPanufnik’s \u003cem\u003eUniversal Prayer\u003c\/em\u003e, which will not enter the public domain until 2041.)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe original labels of most of the items featured here credited\n “Leopold Stokowski and his Symphony Orchestra”, a pickup ensemble with \nwhich the conductor recorded almost exclusively for his RCA sessions \nfrom 1947 through 1953.  It has always been known that during these \nyears, it consisted of members of the New York Philharmonic (which \nrecorded exclusively for rival label Columbia at the time), the NBC \nSymphony, and top New York freelancers.  But what critic and \ndiscographer James H. North brought to light in an article published in \nthe Spring, 2013 issue of the \u003cem\u003eARSC Journal\u003c\/em\u003e was the actual mix of personnel:   Philharmonic members and freelancers far outweighed NBC players in participation.  The \u003cem\u003eTannhäuser\u003c\/em\u003e\n selections which begin our program provide a case in point:  All of the\n players came from the New York Philharmonic except freelance oboist \nRobert Bloom.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor all the various arrangements of music from \u003cem\u003eTristan\u003c\/em\u003e\n that Stokowski recorded over his career, it is remarkable that he made \nonly a single published version of the “standard” Prelude and Liebestod,\n and that only in 1973, toward the end of his career.  The previously \nunissued recording presented here was made with the New York City \nSymphony, an ensemble that Stokowski created in 1944.  Only the first \nand last sides of the set survive in test pressings, but they are enough\n to indicate the white-hot intensity of Stokowski’s performance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe cello soloist in Stokowski’s deeply-felt Purcell \ntranscription is most likely Leonard Rose, who was listed as the first \nchair at that session.  The foreshortened single movement from the \nTchiakovsky Fifth is a souvenir of the conductor’s appearance in the \n1947 film, \u003cem\u003eCarnegie Hall\u003c\/em\u003e, in which he led this music.  The \nrecording of the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” which was issued on \nsingle 78 and 45 rpm discs coupled with Mozart’s “Sleigh Ride” has often\n incorrectly been thought to come from Stokowski’s 1950 recording of the\n entire \u003cem\u003eNutcracker\u003c\/em\u003e Suite, but it predates it by a year.  The celesta soloist here is future conductor Walter Hendl.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Prokofiev selections with the NBC Symphony were originally \nrecorded on three separate 12-inch matrices and then were dubbed to two \nsides.  I was lucky to be able to work from undubbed vinyl test \npressings for the “Infernal Scene” and “March”, but had to use the \nsonically-compromised dubbed shellac release for “The Prince and the \nPrincess”.  While the March has appeared on CD previously, it is now \njoined to the other movements to conclude our program of “firsts”.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eMark Obert-Thorn (April 2015)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eWAGNER:\u003c\/b\u003e  Tannhäuser\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1          \u003cb\u003eOverture and Venusberg Music                                     \u003c\/b\u003e                                   \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2          \u003cb\u003ePrelude to Act 3*                                                                                                    \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            Recorded 1 and 15 February 1950 in Manhattan Center, New York City\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            First issued on RCA Victor LM-1066 and *WDM-1383\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eWAGNER:\u003c\/b\u003e  Tristan und Isolde\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3          \u003cb\u003ePrelude to Act 1 (beginning)\u003c\/b\u003e                                                                              \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4          \u003cb\u003eLiebestod (conclusion)\u003c\/b\u003e                                                                                       \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            Recorded 2 March 1945 in Manhattan Center, New York City\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            Matrix nos.:  D5-RC-866-2A \u0026amp; 869-1A                            \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            Previously unpublished\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e5          \u003cb\u003ePURCELL\u003c\/b\u003e (trans. Stokowski):  \u003cb\u003e“When I am laid in earth\u003c\/b\u003e” from Dido and Aeneas\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            Recorded 8 August 1950 in Manhattan Center, New York City\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            First issued on RCA Victor LM-1875\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e6          \u003cb\u003eTCHAIKOVSKY:\u003c\/b\u003e  Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e           \u003cb\u003e 2nd Mvt.:  Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza\u003c\/b\u003e (abridged)                         \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            Recorded 26 February 1947 in the Lotos Club, New York City\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            Matrix nos.:  D7-RC-7330 and 7331\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            First issued on RCA Victor 11-9574\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e7          \u003cb\u003eTCHAIKOVSKY:  Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy\u003c\/b\u003e from The Nutcracker\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            Recorded 2 March 1949 in Manhattan Center, New York City\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            Matrix no.:  D9-RB-244\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            First issued on RCA Victor 10-1487\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003ePROKOFIEV:  \u003c\/b\u003eThe Love for Three Oranges, Op. 33\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e8          \u003cb\u003eInfernal Scene \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e9          \u003cb\u003eThe Prince and the Princess   \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e10      \u003cb\u003e  March    \u003c\/b\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            Recorded 27 November 1941 in the Cosmopolitan Opera House, New York City\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            Matrix nos.:  CS-071264-1, 071266-1R \u0026amp; 071265-1A\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            First issued on Victor 18497\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            \u003cb\u003eTracks 1, 2, 5 – 7: Leopold Stokowski and his Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            Tracks 3 - 4:  New York City Symphony Orchestra ∙ Leopold Stokowski\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e            Tracks 8 – 10:  NBC Symphony Orchestra ∙ Leopold Stokowski\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC442.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC442.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31975993613,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":31975993677,"sku":null,"price":9.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PASC442_e998b253-2dad-431e-a148-e1a5c3d70677.jpg?v=1487682628"},{"product_id":"paco105","title":"TOSCANINI All-Wagner Concert (1941) - PACO105","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eLohengrin - Tannhäuser - Die Walküre - Tristan und Isolde - Götterdämmerung excerpts\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive recording · 1941\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e Total duration: 2hr 9:43 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eHelen Traubel, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003esoprano\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLauritz Melchior, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003etenor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eNBC Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e Arturo Toscanini\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fShould be snapped up by Wagner lovers and fans of these singers and Toscanini without hesitation578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ePristine Audio’s Andrew Rose made this \nproduction from a set of acetate radio checks that were donated to him. I\n have found Rose’s work to be uneven (or, more accurately, his source \nmaterial has been uneven), but this release is astonishing. My quick \ncheck for the success of a so-called “improved” reissue of historic \nmaterial is to listen to the strings. They sound like bows drawn across \nstrings here, not a gelatinous mess, or a screechy computer-generated \nfacsimile. The overall sound has excellent depth and clarity, if just a \nbit of compression of the dynamic range, but this is not distracting, \ncertainly not once you fall under the spell of the performance. I happen\n to own an LP copy of RCA’s 1968 rerelease of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n excerpt (which used the infamous “stereo effect” technique), and the \ndifference is night and day. Rose essentially eliminates any background \nnoise. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eCollectors of vintage opera, especially\n Wagner lovers, do not need to be told that this is a legendary \ncollection of artists. I am not much of a believer in “golden ages,” nor\n am I a Wagnerite in the league of colleague Andrew Quint, but this \nFebruary 1941 concert performance captures an era when giants walked the\n musical world. Melchior’s thrilling tenor, captured here in all of its \nradiant glow, is inimitable. Traubel does not quite match him tonally so\n well as Kirstin Flagstad, but her voice has an alluring, humanizing \nwarmth that is more down to earth than the rather icy Swedish soprano. \nToscanini’s Wagner is delivered in the same, no-nonsense way that he \npresented Brahms and Beethoven. This aesthetic is the basis of most \ncriticism of the conductor, especially \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003evis-à-vis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n his great contemporary Furwängler, whose fans considered Toscanini’s \nmanner to be lacking in personality. This, of course, is exactly the \npoint. Toscanini wanted to be the conduit for the composer, and nothing \nmore. His greatness, and it is on full display here, is the technique he\n employed to achieve this. He was a genius at finding the proper pulse \nand pace, and in executing the specific direction of the score. A\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003e forte \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eis a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eforte\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e,\n a crescendo is a crescendo. Of course all of these musical decisions \ninvolve some degree of interpretation, but Toscanini always went back to\n the score to make his choices. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eToscanini’s signature, above all, was \nhis sound. There is always a remarkable lucidity in the playing of his \norchestras (mainly the NBC Symphony Orchestra, but it is evident in his \nexceptional 1930s recordings with the BBC Symphony Orchestra as well), \nas if you can hear any individual instrument at any given time. It gives\n his sound a richness and depth that is unmatched. His Wagner has an \nopen-throated power that is unparalleled. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eI know that I join several other \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n writers in my praise of Pristine’s superb remasterings of so many \nwonderful old recordings. The productions are bare-bone and a bit sloppy\n (Melchior’s name is misspelled on the rear cover), but this is not at \nthe expense of the recording itself, which should be snapped up by \nWagner lovers and fans of these singers and Toscanini without \nhesitation. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePeter Burwasser\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 38:2 (Nov\/Dec 2014) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO105.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eToscanini's brilliant 1941 all-Wagner concert in groundbreaking sound quality\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Toscanini\n had a single absorbing purpose which hypnotized all his associates — \nthe proper articulation of the music of Richard Wagner”- New York Times,\n 1941\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eA couple of weeks ago I was contacted by a donor who prefers to \nremain anonymous, and offered a set of superior transfers of the \noriginal NBC acetate discs which make up this recording. With more than \none set, covering a number of the side changes, this allowed me an \nunprecedented choice of material, all of it in a quality and with a \nfrequency range one simply doesn't expect from this era in recorded \nsound. My correspondent was familiar with the raw transfers, but eager \nto hear what a Pristine XR remastering might achieve with them.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe result is, for the bulk of the recording, little short of \nmiraculous - only occasionally does the source give itself away to \nremind you that this is a recording made over 73 years ago. The \norchestral and vocal balance is excellent, the acoustic almost ideal, \nthe performances sublime, as the Times reviewer described the following \nday.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHere we present the full, unedited broadcast, including the interval \ntalk on Wagner. I have tracked the final masters such that those who \nwish to skip the commentary can easily do so, whilst those who'd rather \nenjoy the full experience, in unprecendented high fidelity sound \nquality, may also find their demands fully met. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart 1\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction, announcer: Ben Grauer (2:09)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLohengrin\u003c\/b\u003e - Prelude to Act 1 (9:32)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTannhäuser\u003c\/b\u003e - Act 2, \"Dich, teure halle\" (5:41)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDie Walküre\u003c\/b\u003e - Act 1, Scene 3 (27:46)\u003cbr\u003eBack anno, part 1 (0:50)\u003cbr\u003eIntermission talk: Samuel Chotzinoff on Wagner (9:17)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePart 2\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction to part 2 (6:02)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTristan und Isolde\u003c\/b\u003e - Prelude to Act 1 (12:24)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/b\u003e - Dawn Duet and Siegfried's Rhine Journey (20:38)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/b\u003e - Siegfried's Death and Funeral March (13:14)\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/b\u003e - Brünnhilde's Immolation (20:21)\u003cbr\u003eBack anno, part 2; programme close (1:50)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHelen Traubel\u003c\/b\u003e - soprano\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLauritz Melchoir\u003c\/b\u003e - tenor\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eNBC Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eArturo Toscanini\u003c\/b\u003e - conductor\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis release comprises the full, unedited NBC broadcast of the concert of 22 February 1941 \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO105.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO105.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fConcert Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe New York Times, 1941\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTOSCANINI OFFERS WAGNER PROGRAM\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eConducts the NBC Symphony With Lauritz Melchior and Helen Traubel as Soloists\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘WALKUERE' SCENE GIVEN\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e‘Goetterdaemmerung’ Excerpts and ‘Tannhaeuser’ Number Heard at Carnegie Hall\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is perhaps only heroes who can talk with heroes, and this seemed \nespecially evident last night when Arturo Toscanini conducted the NBC \nSymphony Orchestra in a Wagner program which he discoursed unforgettably\n in Carnegie Hall, with Helen Traubel and Lauritz Melchior of the \nMetropolitan Opera Association as assisting soloists.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBoth singers were in excellent vein, but singers and players were \nalike the instruments of Toscanini’s will, and Toscanini had a single \nabsorbing purpose which hypnotized all his associates — the proper \narticulation of the music of Richard Wagner. He read this music in an \noverwhelming fashion; everything was fused and unified in his imperious \ninterpretation.\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHeroic Quality Noted\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWherefore the audience entered into the presence of Wagner. There is \nthat in Wagner’s heroic music, and equally in the spirit of this leader,\n which shakes alike performers and listeners and makes them at least for\n the moment the greater for the experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe circumstances of the occasion were a symphony concert given for \nthe benefit of the Lenox Hill Neighborhood Association and a program \nconsisting of the “Lohengrin” Prelude, the air from Tannhaeuser, “Dich \ntheure Halle”; the duet from “Walkuere,” the Prelude to “Tristan und \nIsolde,” and the opening scenes, including the duet of Siegfried and \nBruennhilde, “Siegfried’s Rhine Journey,” the Funeral March and the \nImmolation scene from “Goetterdaemmerung.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMelchior in Fine Voice\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese were the offerings. When the orchestra was heard without the \nsingers it was sublimated song, plus the elemental power and the \nmonumental lines of Wagner’s symphonic style. Mr. Melchior sang with a \nwealth and brilliancy of tone that indicated his exceptional condition \nand spirits, the authority his experience as a Wagner singer bestowed \nhim, and a sincerity which reflected the earnestness of the leader.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is also to be noted that Mr. Melchior sang strictly in time. And \nwhen it came to “Waelse, Waelse” from ‘‘Walkuere,” where he loves to \nhold onto the sustained high tones for a time which is at least double \ntheir length in the score, he held these tones to their exact values and\n on observing a little wigwag of Mr. Toscanini’s finger promptly \nrenounced them.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut it was neither exactness of detail nor technical brilliancy which\n gave Miss Traubel her inspired eloquence. Her “Dich theure Halle” was a\n warming process, creditable enough, before the duet which she and Mr. \nMelchior delivered with a fine sweep over the glories and tumults of the\n orchestra. Notable were the sensitive proportions in this duet and \nlater observed by Miss Traubel in the music from “Goetterdaemmerung.\" In\n this way, for once, the shattering climaxes were balanced and \nproportious and the grandeur of Wagner’s form fully revealed.\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHelen Traubel Is Heard\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe thus heard something more than an excited soprano clamoring \nagainst the Bayreuth tubas. We heard, for example, the unearthly \npianissimo of “Ruhe, du Gott,” as well as the wild exaltation of the \nfinal cry to Siegfried and the welcoming flames. Miss Traubel can well \nafford so to utilize her resources and reserve her powers. She has in \nher throat the instrument that can cope with any dramatic demands. Mr. \nToscanini, as he so often has done with other artists, seemed to release\n all her capacities.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe hall was packed, as a matter of course. At the end the whole \naudience stood for minutes and cheered. Mr. Toscanini, who in these days\n of horror overseas is not an over-happy man, would fain have \ndisappeared and left to the audience Wagner’s memory, for which he has \ndone all that his genius permitted. But he saw to it that the gentlemen \nof the orchestra as well as the distinguished artists who stood by him \nwere adequately recognized for their deeds of the evening, and at last \nthe audience went home.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReview by\u003cb\u003e Olin Downes, New York Times\u003c\/b\u003e, 23 February 1941 (\u003cem\u003eexcerpt\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":31976026317,"sku":null,"price":32.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31976026381,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31976026509,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":31976026573,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PACO105_67a73842-2ce2-4630-a33a-6ea6e185566b.jpg?v=1487682680"},{"product_id":"pasc454","title":"TOSCANINI The Final New York Philharmonic Concert (1945) - PASC454","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cul\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eHAYDN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Symphony No.101\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eRESPIGHI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e The Pines of Rome\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSIBELIUS\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e The Swan of Tuonela\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Siegfried's Funeral Music\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWEBER\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Euryanthe Overture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive recording, Carnegie Hall, 1945\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 79:53 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eArturo Toscanini, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003ePhilharmonic Symphony Orchestra of New York\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThese are examples of orchestral playing and interpretation which demand to be heard578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThis in-house recording of the \nJanuary 13, 1945 Pension Fund Concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall may \nprove to be the last available treasure we have of a unique \ncollaboration. Andrew Rose has put us once again in his debt with an XR \nremastering of surprisingly good, but rough, source material. Toscanini,\n who had first recorded with the orchestra in 1926, before becoming \nmusic director, made no studio recordings with them after his departure \nfrom that post in April 1936. Little has circulated from guest \nappearances (there was a complete Berlioz \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRomeo and Juliet\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e with Jennie Tourel included among the soloists, but it is seemingly unavailable). This concert was valedictory, and farewell. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe commercial recordings which \nToscanini made when it was “his” orchestra total less than three and \none-half hours—a shockingly small legacy considering the orchestra’s \nexcellence and the conductor’s stature during his lifetime. One, from \n1929, is the Haydn Symphony included here. This wartime program \nreplicates Toscanini’s 1926 debut with the orchestra. The Haydn was \nrecorded in the studio about three years after that first concert. \nAlthough the two performances are easily identified as the work of the \nsame conductor, there are differences. The Carnegie Hall sound in \nPristine’s remastering has more impact, if less suavity, than the early \nelectrical product of RCA. I would say part of that greater suavity is \nalso in the orchestral playing. The Philharmonic-Symphony, as it was \nthen called, was a more refined band in the late 1920s and 1930s than \nlater on, or today. Mengelberg’s tenure, followed by two seasons in \nwhich the Dutch conductor, Furtwängler, and Toscanini shared the podium,\n and then the Italian maestro’s incumbency, had created a remarkably \nsensitive orchestral machine. By 1945, it was Artur Rodziński’s \norchestra, and although most of Toscanini’s players had survived the \nBarbirolli years, a combination of World War II absences, Rodziński’s \npersonnel changes, and the personality of the Dalmatian-born Polish \nconductor had changed the orchestra palpably. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eSo, while the 1945 Haydn strikes my ear\n as excellent of its style, and it surely benefits from inclusion of the\n first movement exposition repeat, absent from the earlier recording, it\n is not the same orchestra, quite, as that which Toscanini had led \nbefore. Critic Olin Downes still thought the Haydn the best played \nportion of this concert (I don’t entirely agree) and it is surely very \nwell done: a bracing performance of a composer Toscanini loved. The same\n may be said for the Respighi which, I believe, had its first New York \nhearing at the 1926 concert. Downes, who often seemed stuffy in “his” \nday, to say nothing of ours, found it bad music but bad in a glorious \nway. This performance seems to me to be extremely refined. Sonically, it\n is the least successful part of the concert, not poor, but lacking the \nquite amazing clarity of the Haydn, Sibelius, and Wagner selections, in \nparticular. In this work, also, I prefer the Carnegie Hall recording \nmade just over eight years later in the same hall with the NBC Symphony,\n utilizing RCA’s then best single-mike technique. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAside from sonics, I find the later \nrecorded performance seems to have a better over-arching grip on the \npiece. Interestingly, timings are identical, and for those who love the \nwork, and also who love the unique qualities of both orchestras, it is \ninteresting to compare the sound of the NBC’s Harry Glantz with the \nPhilharmonic’s first trumpet, William Vacchiano, and also the really \ndelightful \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003efrisson\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n of the Philharmonic’s lower strings—and also timpani at numerous points\n where Respighi makes subtle use of them. Those come through very well; \nindeed, the sound improves, I should say, throughout the tone poem. The \nremastering is exceptional, as well, following intermission, \nparticularly in the Sibelius and Wagner selections. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eToscanini did not play a huge repertory\n of Sibelius compositions, but was clear in his respect for the composer\n and performed several works, particularly in his NBC years. This \nperformance of the ubiquitous “Swan” strikes me as fine as any I have \never heard—10 minutes in which time all but stands still. The sound \ncomes up fresh, and one hears playing of intense concentration. Even \nmore focused orchestral playing is heard the Wagner which follows. \nConductor and orchestra had recorded, in 1936, near the end of \nToscanini’s tenure as music director, a matchless performance of \nSiegfried’s Rhine Journey but the Funeral Music was not, for some \nreason, recorded at that time. What we have here is entirely worthy to \nstand with that studio effort, and is amazingly impactful in Pristine’s \nXR sonics. It is a stunning performance, nearly a quarter-hour of Wagner\n as we seldom hear it performed today. After the Wagner, I am not so \nsure closing with the exuberant Weber was the best of ideas, but that \nwas the way programs were made nine decades ago and replicated at this \nconcert. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eWe have so little else; there could \nhave been much more. There is a Beethoven Fifth from the 1930s which \nmany value highly; a Bruckner Seventh which confirms the conductor was \nwise to perform that composer seldom. The remarkable 1935 Beethoven \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eMissa Solemnis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n has been four times remastered by Richard Caniell. The concert closing \nthe 1936 season is said to have been captured—all Wagner, including \nGertrude Kappel in the Immolation Scene. To my knowledge, it has not as \nyet surfaced. May we hope? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThis distinguished release is not \nmerely a period piece. These are examples of orchestral playing and \ninterpretation which demand to be heard, and which, fortunately, we can \nhear with remarkable clarity in Pristine’s offering; this one is \nurgently recommended. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eJames Forrest\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 39:5 (May\/June 2016) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC454.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eToscanini's final concert with the New York Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall, 1945\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e \"\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eA stunning performance\u003c\/span\u003e ...  urgently recommended\" - Fanfare\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Toscanini took to the podium at Carnegie Hall on the evening of \n13 January 1945 he was to conduct the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of\n New York (now known simply as the New York Philharmonic Orchestra) for \nthe very last time. He opted to repeat the programme he had conducted in\n his debut with the orchestra almost exactly 19 years earlier, on 14 \nJanuary 1926. He had conducted the orchestra a dozen times in the 1942 \nseason, after his Gala Farewell concert of April 29, 1936, and once more\n in 1944 as part of a combined Red Cross concert in Madison Square \nGarden with the NBC Symphony Orchestra, but this really was his last \nfarewell to the orchestra: a special one-off concert in aid of the \norchestra's pension fund.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe concert was not broadcast live, and as a result it is unclear as \nto exactly where our source recording originated. It was clearly an \nin-house recording, cut onto acetate discs, and there is a suggestion it\n may have been made for Toscanini's personal use. It is also possible \nthat the concert was broadcast overseas as part of the war effort. The \nsource discs themselves varied in quality - the opening of the Haydn in \nparticular suffered surface damage that I've tried to ameliorate at much\n as possible. Elsewhere a wide frequency range and clear sound has been \npossible with the acceptance of slightly higher background hiss than I \nwould normally aim for - attempts to reduce this further caused \nunacceptable musical quality loss. I have also had to keep applause down\n to a bare minimum in order to squeeze the entire concert onto a single \nCD - these performances were very well received indeed!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHAYDN\u003c\/b\u003e  Symphony No. 101 in D major, \"Clock\", Hob 1:101\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eRESPIGHI\u003c\/b\u003e  Pines of Rome\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSIBELIUS\u003c\/b\u003e Lemminkäinen Suite, Op. 22 - 2. The Swan of Tuonela\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e Götterdämmerung - Siegfried's Death and Funeral Music\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWEBER\u003c\/b\u003e  Euryanthe, Op. 81 - Overture\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003ePhilharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eLive at Carnegie Hall, New York, 13 January 1945\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eIn-house acetate disc recordings \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003eArturo Toscanini, conductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC454.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC454.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":31976044813,"sku":null,"price":16.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31976044877,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31976045005,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":31976045133,"sku":null,"price":9.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PASC454_678daec8-bfca-4cac-938c-39ef2d39cf66.jpg?v=1487682703"},{"product_id":"pasc469","title":"WALTER Standard Hour: Haydn, Mozart, Wagner, Weber (1954) - PASC469","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eParsifal - Prelude\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eMOZART \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eEt incarnatus est\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eMOZART  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eEine Kleine Nachtmusik\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eHAYDN   \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eThe Seasons - excerpts\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWEBER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eOberon - Overture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive broadcast recording, 1954\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 55:47 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eSan Francisco\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBruno Walter,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e conductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fReviews: MusicWeb International \u0026amp; Fanfare578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fOnce again, Pristine has produced a winner; enthusiastically recommended578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eI think this is the first time I’ve \never been quoted as (in effect) promoting a release before its \npublication! Knowing of my devotion to Bruno Walter, Andrew Rose of \nPristine Audio forwarded to me an advance sound clip for this planned \nissue of a complete \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eStandard Hour\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n NBC Radio broadcast. I sent an enthusiastic email reply, and lo and \nbehold part of it appeared as a promotional blurb on the release \nannouncement that also is printed on the CD front tray insert card. Not \nthat I’m complaining, mind you; I’m both amused and flattered. For the \nrecord, here it is: “It’s especially welcome because Walter’s live \nperformances of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eEine kleine Nachtmusik\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n are much superior to his studio recordings, which with but one \nexception (Vienna 1936) are disappointingly wooden and heavy. This has \nreal life to it!” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAnd, yes, I stand behind that statement\n 100 percent. I still have the dim-sounding bootleg Italian CLS LP that \nalso contains this concert—though not for much longer, as this \nsplendidly remastered version from a much superior source makes the \nvinyl version sound positively ludicrous by comparison. The sound \nquality here is that of a good, clear monaural radio broadcast from its \nera. While—as one already knows from Pierre Monteux’s 78-rpm \nrecordings—the San Francisco orchestra at that time was nowhere near as \ntechnically polished an ensemble as it is today, its members are \nobviously responsive to Walter’s baton and play expressively for him. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe program is a mixture of three \nWalter favorites and two novelties. Walter left us six performances of \nthe Parsifal act I Prelude: three studio recordings, from 1925 and 1927 \n(both with the Royal Philharmonic) and 1959 (with the Columbia Symphony \nOrchestra in its West Coast incarnation, and coupled with the act III \nGood Friday Spell music), and three live performances, with the Los \nAngeles Standard Symphony (June 19, 1949), the New York Philharmonic \n(December 28, 1952), and this one from 1954. The New York performance is\n the slowest (14:00), followed by the CSO studio account (12:51); the \n1927 RPO version is the fastest (11:04), with the other three coming in \nat 11:52 (RPO in 1925) and 12:15 (both live California performances). \nCalifornia seemed to hold the magic spell for Walter in this score; the \ntwo early British electrics suffer from dated sound, and the live New \nYork performance (which has only been released in misdated issues on \nolder bootleg Italian CD labels) has not enjoyed a proper remastering \nbut seems to suffer from a bit of stasis rather than timelessness. While\n the 1959 studio recording claims pride of place, both sonically and \ninterpretively, the two live performances from 1949 and 1954 are very \nfine and may appeal more to those who prefer more forward movement in \nthis score. They are of about equal merit, though I subjectively have a \nslight preference for Los Angeles here. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn my review of Walter’s 1950 Stockholm\n concerts in 39:5, I provided a table of Walter’s seven \nperformances—four studio efforts and three live ones—of the Mozart \nSerenade and discussed them in some detail there. In that review, not \nknowing of this impending release, I awarded the Stockholm performance \nthe palm in the Walter discography. However, with its refurbished sonics\n this account now arguably takes precedence instead, having both \nsignificantly better recorded sound and just a touch more energy in the \nfinale despite virtually identical timings in all four movements. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eFor the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eOberon\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n Overture there are four surviving renditions by Walter: a 1931 Berlin \nPhilharmonic performance on film; an NBC Symphony broadcast in very \ntinny Studio 8-H sound from March 18, 1939; a Los Angeles Standard \nSymphony broadcast, again from June 19, 1949; and this one. The timings \nare virtually identical—8:27, 8:36, 8:19, and 8:22 respectively—and, as \nthat suggests, the interpretation remains virtually unchanged over 23 \nyears. Walter was a superb Weber conductor (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDer Freischütz \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ewas\n a favorite opera of his, and it is a great pity we do not have a \nsurviving recording of any part of it beyond the Overture from him), and\n his account of this overture fully captures both its ardent Romantic \nlyricism and almost puckish humor. In this instance the present San \nFrancisco account is the clear favorite, with superior sound and more \nexpressive shaping of phrases. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe two novelties are the arias from \nthe Mozart Mass and Haydn oratorio, the latter sung in English rather \nthan German. Information about soprano Brunetta Mazzolini is rather \nscanty: I have not been able to find dates of either birth or death for \nher, but she was presumably born around 1930. A native of Portland, OR, \nshe was trained at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia and won the \nMetropolitan Opera regional audition for the Northwest in Seattle on \nJanuary 5, 1958; Lotte Lehmann wrote a letter of recommendation on her \nbehalf, but she apparently never made it onto the stage in New York. She\n made her career primarily on the West Coast; online census data records\n I could not fully access indicate that she married and later divorced. \nBy 1954 she was singing under Bruno Walter in San Francisco, and later \nin Chicago, in the Brahms\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003e German Requiem \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eand\n Mozart Requiem among other works. (She also sang the Mahler Fourth \nSymphony, though not with Walter, but he surely coached her in the \npart.) Her voice was that of a light soprano, brilliant in texture and \nwell produced (think of Hilde Güden), with fine diction and intonation; \none can see why Walter took her under his wing, and one wishes that more\n of her artistry was preserved. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn sum, then, we have here a fine \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eParsifal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e Prelude, the preferred recordings in Walter’s discography of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eOberon\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\n Overture and the Mozart Serenade, plus the additions to the conductor’s\n discography on CD of two unique arias with a quite fine soprano \nsoloist, all presented with Pristine’s usual excellence in restoration \nof historical recordings. As usual with this label, the disc comes with \nonly a list of contents and a brief liner note. Once again, Pristine has\n produced a winner; enthusiastically recommended to both fellow \nWalterians and to collectors of historic orchestral broadcasts in \ngeneral. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eJames A. Altena  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 40:1 (Sept\/Oct 2016) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eNBC Radio’s Standard Hour Broadcast \nNo.1410 preserved a 56-minute performance given by guest conductor Bruno\n Walter and the San Francisco Symphony on 18 April 1954. The broadcast \nis topped and tailed by a preserved introduction and radio close, spoken\n by the announcer John Grover, something that always strikes me as \nenshrining the true atmosphere of the event.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Given the timing \nconstraints the programme is somewhat bitty, though two substantial \norchestral pieces frame the concert. The first is the Prelude to \nParsifal, a work that was long established as part of his discography. \nThe best-known example, coupled with the Good Friday music, was to come a\n few years later in 1959 when he directed the Columbia Symphony. Other \nperformances though have survived, not least in New York in 1952 and \nwith the Los Angeles Standard Symphony in 1949, which was revived by \nMusic \u0026amp; Arts. Two of the more discographically venerable, however, \nand these are of particular interest to Walterites, are the London 78s \nmade in 1925 and 1927, when he directed the orchestra of the Royal \nPhilharmonic Society. This San Francisco reading – which was released on\n LP (CLSRPOL2031) – is moulded with distinguished lyricism and control. \nThough powerful in impression, it’s kept moving phrasally and with \nacutely judged rubati. Timings are deceptive here; post-performance \nspeech bloats the track listing – Walter actually takes it in 12:20.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n The other larger work is the piece with which he ends the performance, \nthe overture to Oberon, which is also on the LP noted, as well as having\n been released on AS Disc. Verdant and full of brio it takes an honoured\n place alongside his earlier recordings with the NBC and LAPO. Soprano \nBrunetta Mazzolini was clearly a local favourite and had appeared on \nStandard Hour broadcasts before: at the time of this one she was on the \nstaff at Portland. Importantly, Walter left behind no studio recordings \nof Mozart’s Mass in C minor, so this is a tantalising glimpse of the \u003cem\u003eEt Incarnatus est\u003c\/em\u003e.\n Mazzolini has a fine technique, and her voice is bright and relatively \nlight. Again Walter didn’t conduct Haydn’s The Seasons in the studio so \nonce again Mazzolini’s singing of two movements is all we have. Once \nmore she evinces fine, focused singing, in English. This too was on the \nnow rare LP noted as well as having been issued on a Japanese Bruno \nWalter Society LP.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Perhaps surprisingly, and despite these discographical novelties, it’s the most superficially hackneyed of the works, \u003cem\u003eEine Kleine Nachtmusik\u003c\/em\u003e\n that proves the most quietly revelatory. It’s full of the most charming\n subtlety and warmth, and fully ranks alongside his pre-war Vienna \nperformance. There’s not the tiniest hint of routine in this delightful \nreading.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Whether this will sway you to buy this disc depends on\n the depth of your allegiances to the conductor. The novelties here – \nthough relatively brief - will certainly be tempting to the \ntightly-focused collector.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cem\u003eJonathan Woolf\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cem\u003eMusicWeb Internat\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eional\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC469.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eBruno Walter's 1954 live broadcast reveals an amazing Eine Kleine Nachtmusik!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Full\n of the most charming subtlety and warmth, and fully ranks alongside his\n pre-war Vienna performance\" - MusicWeb International\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eHaving previously appeared as a guest conductor on NBC Pacific's \nStandard Hour programme, Bruno Walter found himself back on the air on \n18 April 1954 with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and guest \nsoprano Brunetta Mazzolini - just four days before conducting the \norchestra (and Mazzolini) in their first ever performance of Brahms' \u003cem\u003eA German Requiem\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough sections of this concert may have appeared briefly before, I\n understand that the high fidelity sound quality heard on this release \nsets it apart from previous outings by a considerable distance. Here we \npresent the concert in its entirety as broadcast. It also has great \nmusical value, as Fanfare's assistant editor James A. Altena explains: \n\"It's especially welcome because Walter's live performances of \u003cem\u003eEine kleine Nachtmusik\u003c\/em\u003e\n are much superior to his studio recordings, which with but one \nexception (Vienna 1936) are disappointingly wooden and heavy.  This has \nreal life to it!\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe recording benefits from clear, clean and bright sound, with full \nand well-rounded orchestral tone - and a quiet and unobtrusive audience.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/b\u003e Parsifal - Prelude \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMOZART\u003c\/b\u003e Mass in C minor, K.427 - Et incarnatus est\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cb\u003eBrunetta Mazzolini, \u003c\/b\u003esoprano\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMOZART \u003c\/b\u003e Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K.525\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHAYDN  \u003c\/b\u003e The Seasons, Hob. XXI:3:\u003cbr\u003eOh welcome now\u003cbr\u003eOh how pleasing to the senses\u003cem\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBrunetta Mazzolini, \u003c\/b\u003esoprano\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWEBER\u003c\/b\u003e Oberon - Overture\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStandard Hour #1410\u003cbr\u003eBroadcast from the War Memorial \u003cbr\u003eOpera House, San Francisco\u003cbr\u003eon 18 April, 1954\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSan Francisco Symphony Orchestra \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBruno Walter\u003c\/b\u003e, conductor\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC469.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC469.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":31976080205,"sku":null,"price":16.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31976080269,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":31976080333,"sku":null,"price":9.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PASC469_72a4c6ac-6ec8-4444-a182-3a841a0ee451.jpg?v=1487682759"},{"product_id":"pasc482","title":"WALTER The Complete Acoustic Columbia Recordings (1924-25) - PASC482","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cul\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWEBER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Der Freischütz – Overture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eMENDELSSOHN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Nocturne\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBERLIOZ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e The Damnation of Faust – Minuet of the Will-o’-the-Wisps\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Tristan und Isolde – Liebestod\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDie Meistersinger – Prelude to Act 3\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Götterdämmerung – Siegfried’s Rhine Journey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Siegfried Idyll\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eR. STRAUSS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Death and Transfiguration\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eStudio recordings, 1924-25\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 76:51\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBruno Walter,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e conductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fMusicWeb International Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fDespite the primitive nature of the horn recording, these are especially important examples of Walter’s art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003eAll of Bruno Walter’s 1924-25 acoustic Columbia recordings fit into this\n handy 76-minute disc. They were made at the company’s Petty France \nstudios in London, which was not always the most responsive environment \nfor large-scale acoustic recording but which managed to yield a good \nreturn over the years. And the A\u0026amp;R men chose repertoire wisely, \nencouraging Walter to record Wagner, Strauss, Weber, Berlioz and \nMendelssohn; he had just starred in Covent Garden’s German Season \ndirecting the Ring, \u003cem\u003eTristan,\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eDer Rosenkavalier\u003c\/em\u003e. \nIndeed, despite the primitive nature of the horn recording, these are \nespecially important examples of Walter’s art as he never returned to \nthe studio to record the Tristan \u003cem\u003eLiebestod\u003c\/em\u003e, the \u003cem\u003eMidsummer Night’s Dream\u003c\/em\u003e music or the Berlioz excerpt.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Weber’s overture to \u003cem\u003eDer Freischütz\u003c\/em\u003e,\n which was only issued in America, can be heard over two sides. There \nare the usual bass reinforcements and the strings slither about as was \nthen fashionable – especially noticeable in the ad-hoc British set-up of\n the time – but the direction is authoritative. I assume one of the \nBrain family was drafted in for the Mendelssohn \u003cem\u003eNocturne\u003c\/em\u003e on a freelance basis whilst the Berlioz goes vey agreeably. The \u003cem\u003eLiebestod\u003c\/em\u003e\n sees the strings on so-so form and the winds’ intonation wanders - \nthere’s a degree of pitch battling to be heard. Just before they \nrecorded the \u003cem\u003eTristan\u003c\/em\u003e extract Walter and the band tackled the Prelude to Act III of \u003cem\u003eDie Meistersinger\u003c\/em\u003e\n and here one can hear the first desk fiddles sawing happily away – this\n was the band known as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, though it was \nmuch earlier than Beecham’s orchestra of the same name. One wonders how \nmuch rehearsal time was available as ensemble is approximate and the \nstygian bass reinforcements sound very treacly. But of enthusiasm \nthere’s no shortage.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Most of these pieces had already been recorded by 1924 and that goes for \u003cem\u003eSiegfried’s Rhine Journey\u003c\/em\u003e. In fact, Walter’s was not even the first British recording as Percy Pitt had made a disc of it back in 1921. The \u003cem\u003eSiegfried Idyll\u003c\/em\u003e\n took up four sides of two 78s. Walter does little actively to resist \nthe lashing of sentimental portamenti, mostly – thankfully – uniform. \nThough the bass reinforcements tend to glue it down and prohibit maximum\n flow, it’s an endearing reading and can be listened to in the context \nof the near-simultaneous recordings of the piece made by Albert Coates, \nLeo Blech and Siegfried Wagner’s own recording. The other major \nundertaking is the last, Strauss’s \u003cem\u003eDeath and Transfiguration\u003c\/em\u003e \nwhich stretches 21 minutes. This must have been suggested because of \nWalter’s operatic prestige in Strauss. Perhaps surprisingly Columbia was\n a Johnny-come-lately as Abendroth, Coates and Eduard Mörike had all \nrecorded it by then. Walter’s searing reading is hindered only by the \ncircumstances of the recording and the unfamiliar orchestra.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \nThis is a valuable corpus of recordings, splendidly transferred. As I’ve\n noted before Pristine is doing worthwhile work on behalf of Bruno \nWalter’s early recording career, which has long been overlooked in the \nworld of sonic restoration.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cem\u003eJonathan Woolf\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMusicWeb International\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC482.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eBruno Walter's complete Royal Philharmonic Columbia acoustics\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"This is a valuable corpus of recordings, splendidly transferred\" - MusicWeb International\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough Bruno Walter claimed late in life that he had made his first\n recordings around 1900, his earliest documented discs date from 1923 \nwhen he began a series for Grammophon\/Polydor in Berlin, most of which \nhave been reissued on Pristine PASC 142 and PASC 322.  In May, 1924, \nWalter was in London for the first presentation of a German opera season\n at Covent Garden since the end of the Great War.  That month, he \nconducted Wagner’s \u003cem\u003eRing\u003c\/em\u003e cycle, \u003cem\u003eTristan und Isolde\u003c\/em\u003e, and Strauss’ \u003cem\u003eDer Rosenkavalier\u003c\/em\u003e\n in enthusiastically-received productions featuring Frida Leider in her \nCovent Garden début, Lauritz Melchior, Friedrich Schorr, Lotte Lehmann \nand Elisabeth Schumann.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn May 22, Walter entered the Columbia studios at Petty France to \nmake the first in a series of discs for a label with which, on one side \nof the Atlantic or the other, he would be associated for much of the \nrest of his life.  A \u003cem\u003eSiegfried Idyll\u003c\/em\u003e was recorded that day, followed by the first three sides of Strauss’ \u003cem\u003eDeath and Transfiguration\u003c\/em\u003e the following day; however, neither was approved for release. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt would not be until the following December that Walter, who had \nreturned to London to conduct the (old, pre-Beecham) RPO in a \nperformance of Elgar’s First Symphony in the presence of the composer, \nwould be back in the Columbia studios.  Over the next five days, he \nwould preside over four recording sessions, one of which was devoted to a\n single title (Mozart’s \u003cem\u003eMarriage of Figaro\u003c\/em\u003e Overture) which \nultimately remained unissued.  Four further sides would be recorded the \nfollowing February before the microphone supplanted the old acoustic \nmethod of recording.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe present collection brings together all of Walter’s published acoustic Columbias.  It includes one recording (Weber’s \u003cem\u003eFreischütz\u003c\/em\u003e Overture) which was only released in America, as well as two which were only published in Britain (the “Rhine Journey” and \u003cem\u003eSiegfried Idyll\u003c\/em\u003e).  A further recording of “Siegfried’s Funeral Music” from \u003cem\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/em\u003e which came out on American Columbia credited to Walter was actually conducted by Hamilton Harty.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe repertoire chosen largely follows the composers and even some of \nthe particular works with which Walter was making a name for himself at \nCovent Garden at the time – much Wagner, along with Strauss – and \nincludes several works to which Walter would not return again in the \nstudio (the Mendelssohn, Berlioz and the \u003cem\u003eTristan \u003c\/em\u003e“Liebestod”). \n The playing of the orchestra is variable, both in ensemble and pitch; \nand some of the tempi seem a bit speeded up in order to get the music \nonto a single side (particularly in the Mendelssohn and the \u003cem\u003eMeistersinger\u003c\/em\u003e\n Prelude).  Elsewhere, though, Walter is given the opportunity to take \nas long as he wants, with the Weber overture spread over three sides, as\n it would not be in his Paris remake fourteen years later, and the \n“Liebestod” generously given two 12-inch matrices for its six-minute \nduration.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe transfers for this release drew wherever possible upon American \nColumbia “New Process” pressings (for the Weber, Mendelssohn, Berlioz, \nStrauss and Wagner “Liebestod”) which featured the most (relatively) \nquiet surfaces available, and English Columbia discs for the remainder. \n From its original release onward through all modern discographies I’ve \nseen, the Berlioz has always been misidentified as the “Dance of the \nSylphs” rather than as the “Minuet of the Will-o’-the-Wisps”, to which \nit has been corrected here.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMark Obert-Thorn\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWEBER\u003c\/b\u003e  Der Freischütz, Op. 77 – Overture\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 7 December 1924 ∙ Matrices:  AX 795-3, 796-1 \u0026amp; 797-2 (Am. Columbia 67082\/3-D)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eMENDELSSOHN\u003c\/b\u003e A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61 – Nocturne\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 11 February 1925 ∙ Matrix: AX 881-2 (Columbia L 1651)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBERLIOZ \u003c\/b\u003eThe Damnation of Faust, Op. 24 – Minuet of the Will-o’-the-Wisps\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 5 December 1924 ∙ Matrix: AX 794-1 (Columbia L 1623)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/b\u003e Tristan und Isolde – Liebestod\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 11 February 1925 ∙ Matrices: AX 879-1, 880-2 (Columbia L 1652)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/b\u003e  Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg – Prelude to Act 3 \u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 11 February 1925 ∙ Matrix: AX 878-2 (Columbia L 1651)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/b\u003e  Götterdämmerung – Siegfried’s Rhine Journey\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 7 December 1924 ∙ Matrices: AX 798-2, 799-2 (Columbia L 1636)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e Siegfried Idyll \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 3 \u0026amp; 5 December 1924 ∙ Matrices: AX 782-1, 783-1, 789-2 \u0026amp; 790-2 (Columbia L 1653\/4)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eR. STRAUSS\u003c\/b\u003e  Death and Transfiguration, Op. 24 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded 5 December 1924 ∙ Matrices: AX 787-1, 788-2, 791-2, 792-2 \u0026amp; 793-1 (Columbia L 1621\/3)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBruno Walter,\u003c\/b\u003e conductor\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003eAll recordings made in the Columbia Petty France Studio, London\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC482.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC482.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"16-bit FLAC","offer_id":31976081997,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps MP3","offer_id":31976082061,"sku":null,"price":9.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1691\/2535\/products\/PASC482.jpg?v=1487682762"},{"product_id":"paco024","title":"WALTER Wagner: Die Walküre (Act 1) (1935) - PACO024","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDie Walküre (Act 1)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded in Musikvereinssaal, Vienna 20-22 June 1935\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 61:58 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLotte Lehmann\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e: Sieglinde\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLauritz Melchior\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e: Siegmund\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eEmanuel List\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e: Hunding\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eVienna Philharmonic Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBruno Walter\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775340\" style=\"padding-left: 30px\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO024.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWidely regarded as the greatest Wagner recording ever made\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis stunning remastering leaves all previous issues redundant\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThis recording is legendary - it is frequently held up \nas the greatest recording ever made of music by Wagner, despite its \nvintage sound. My aim, therefore, was simple to describe, if not so \nsimple to achieve: to get beyond that vintage sound and elevate it to a \nlevel which would bring dramatic and significant new life to the \nrecording - to literally leave previous issues in the past. I believe \nI've succeeded beyond all expectations - certainly my own. By applying \nthe very latest XR remastering techniques I've been able to lift the \nsound quality of this recording to a level I would not have considered \npossible just a few weeks ago.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eAt the time of writing I regard this as my finest ever \nremastering work. As one respected reviewer put it to me ahead of \nrelease:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou've done wonders here; if I hadn't recognised \nLehmann's voice, I'd never have believed this dates from 1935. I'm not \nsurprised this has been described as the cream of all Wagner \nperformances. The detail is all there, the balance is superb and there's\n an ample acoustic preserved from the originals allowing the voices to \nexpand naturally. There's such depth to the soundstage, too...\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eBut what is it that is so special about this particular,\n single-act-only recording? Here I hand over to the Wagner experts - the\n reviewing public, as remarked on websites around the world in reference\n to previous issues of this legendary recording:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eMade in Vienna in 1935, this recording of probably \nthe most popular act of the Ring Cycle has always been the benchmark. It\n employs three unbelievable singers, under the glorious conducting of \nBruno Walter...Lauritz Melchior is unquestionably the greatest \nHeldentenor who ever lived. Here he is in fabulous voice, even by his \nstandards, and he is so much more involved and intelligent when he is \nworking with a great conductor...Lotte Lehmann is just as fabulous as \nMelchior. She has a very beautiful voice ideal for Sieglinde: solid at \nthe core but soft-edged, and she too has model diction and excellent \nlegato...finally, we come to the conducting of Bruno Walter. Helped by \nthe radiant playing of the Vienna Philharmonic, he conjures up Wagner's \nunique world of blended sound and emotion like no one else on record. He\n is as warm and lyrical as is possible, but realizes all the drama, and \nnever goes over the top...\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e...[Lehmann] can be heard at her best in this \nrecording of the first act of \"Die Walküre\" made in Vienna in 1935. It \npreserves one of her most famous operatic portrayals. Few Sieglindes \nhave conveyed so much in their singing: first an eager curiosity, then a\n guarded welcome, a wondrous admiration, an intensity in the narration, \nand finally an impassioned ecstasy. Such singing lives on in the \nlistener's memory. Melchior is also represented at his best, but the \nhero of the proceedings is the conductor Bruno Walter. Under Walter's \ndirection the performance has a sweep, a warmth, a glow and a tenderness\n that I have never heard equalled...\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eSpectacular! There is simply no better CD version of\n this opera, despite being recorded in 1935. \"Du bist der Lenz\" with \nLotte Lehmann has never been surpassed. This CD is a \"MUST HAVE\" for any\n serious music lover. Modern recordings obviously have better sound, but\n the singers are like pygmies compared to these two giants - Melchior \nand Lehmann.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWAGNER \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDie Walküre (Act 1)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eRecorded in Musikvereinssaal, Vienna 20-22 June 1935\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eIssued as UK HMV 78s HMV DB 2636-43\u003cbr\u003e Matrix nos. 2V94-109, Takes 1, 2, 2, 1, 3A, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2A, 2, 1A, 1, 1, 1\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eRestoration and XR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, May-June 2008\u003cbr\u003e Cover artwork based on a photograph of Lauritz Melchior as Seigmund\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration: 61:58 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