Die Walkure

Wagner (Artist), Elming (Artist), Hale (Artist), Silja (Artist), Dohnanyi (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 12, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 4
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B0000041JY
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #377,237 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Die Walkure: Act One : Vorspiel

2. Die Walkure: Act One : Scene One - Wes Herd dies auch sei (Seigmund)

3. Die Walkure: Act One : Scene One - Kuhle Labung gab mir der Quell (Siegmund)

4. Die Walkure: Act One : Scene Two - Mud am Herd fand ich den Mann (Sieglinde)

5. Die Walkure: Act One : Scene Two - Friedmund darf ich nicht heissen (Siegmund)

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Die Walkure: Act Two : Vorspiel

2. Die Walkure: Act Two : Scene One - Nun zaume dein Ross, reisige Maid (Wotan)

3. Die Walkure: Act Two : Scene One - Der alte Sturm, die alte Muh'! (Wotan)

4. Die Walkure: Act Two : Scene One - So ist es denn aus mit den ewigen Gottern (Frika)

5. Die Walkure: Act Two : Scene One - Nichts lerntest du (Wotan)

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Die Walkure: Act Two : Scene Four - Siegmund! Sieh auf mich! (Brunnhilde)

2. Die Walkure: Act Two : Scene Four - Herh bist du, und heilig (Siegmund)

3. Die Walkure: Act Two : Scene Four - So wenig achtest du ewige Wonne? (Brunnhilde)

4. Die Walkure: Act Two : Scene Five - Zauberfest bezahmt ein Schlaf der Holden Schmerz und Harm (Siegmund)

5. Die Walkure: Act Two : Scene Five - Kerhte der Vater nun heim (Sieglinde)

Disc: 4

1. Die Walkure: Act Three : Scene One - Vorispiel - Hojotoho! Hojotoho! Heiaha! Heiaha! (Gerhilde)

2. Die Walkure: Act Three : Scene One - Schurzt mich und helft in hochster Not! (Brunnhilde)

3. Die Walkure: Act Three : Scene One - Nicht sehre dich Sorge um mich (Sieglinde)

4. Die Walkure: Act Three : Scene One - Steh, Brunnhild'! (Wotan)

5. Die Walkure: Act Three : Scene Two - wo ist Brunnhild', wo die Verbrecherin? (Wotan)

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Taking Wagner's careful tempo, dynamic and expressive indications on faith, Ernst Dohnányi emphasizes Walküre's luminous, chamber-like textures, yet never downplays its drama as Karajan sometimes did in his similarly scaled DG recording. The singers are strategically positioned across the stereo spectrum for optimum dramatic effect, though they deliver uneven goods. Gabrielle Schnaut's intelligent yet strident, wobbly Brunnhilde can't compete with Behrens or Marton, let alone Nilsson or Flagstad. Poul Elming and Alessandra Marc, on the other hand, make a strong, passionate pair of Walsung twins, and Alfred Muff is a craftier, less belligerent Hunding than the norm. Veteran Wagnerite Anja Silja's maternal Fricka is mismatched to Robert Hale's youthful, impetuous Wotan. The Valkyries, though, are among the finest on disc. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Distinguished "alternative" Wagner, deplorably underrated, June 5, 2000

By 

"billmacv" (Upstate New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Die Walkure (Audio CD)

Christoph von Dohnanyi's superlative Cleveland Orchestra had embarked on a magnificent showcase -- Wagner's Ring Cycle -- when indifferent reviews lead to poor sales and then to Decca/London's cancelling the cycle halfway through. It's a tragic mistake, because in this Wagner you can hear Schubert and Mendelssohn and Weber as much as Bruckner and Strauss and Berg; the clarity and nuance are welcome, the pace forward looking without being headstrong. Orchestrally, this version is special, but vocally it's not to be dismissed, either. Gabriele Schnaut disciplines her ample though often unruly instrument, and it does the soul good to hear a LOUD Brunnhilde again (after Behrens and Evans, etc.). Both Hale as Wotan and Elming as Siegmund show great promise, though the former may be a mite callow for this dramatically demanding role. Marc delivers a voluptuous Sieglinde, a role that suits her better than, say, her overparted Elektra, and Silja (the conductor's wife), a resourceful vocal actress, is Fricka. (There were complaints that she wasn't youthful enough; I don't remember hearing them when Flagstad tackled the role at the end of her life.) All in all, it's at least a good a cast as has been assembled since Solti's ring from the 1960s. It's to be regretted that Dohnanyi's Siegfried and Gotterdammerung will not be committed to disc.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A mistakenly dismissed, sonically opulent Walkure., October 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Die Walkure (Audio CD)

Christoph von Dohnanyi's Cleveland Orchestra has never gleamed more luminously than in this showpiece recording (sadly, Die Walkure will be the final segment of the Cleveland Ring; bad sales caused Decca to scuttle it halfway through). Throughout, the conductor -- a "come scritto" stickler -- coaxes transparent textures and magically balanced orchestral strands from his players. It's a refreshing change from the big, bean-soup Wagner so long in favor, and a valid interpretation. True, there have been better casts, but this one is not half bad (and at least as good as any that has been assembled since the mid-1960s): Gabriele Schnaut at least delivers some vocal heft for her Brunnhilde, a quality that's been sadly lacking since Nilsson left the stage. Silja (Dohnanyi's wife) is a great singing actress; her Frica is memorable. Hale, Emling and Marc aquit themselves well. Snap up Dohnanyi's Rheingold and Walkure: their true value will be recognized someday soon, and its decision to cancel this Ring will redound as one of Decca/London's most grotesque goofs.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a major recording., March 10, 2000

By 

Helen Mitford - See all my reviews

This review is from: Die Walkure (Audio CD)

I agree with those who think Decca have been so foolish as to cancel this Ring half way through. What do they want? This is a major recording of the piece, with a strong cast of individual singers who appear to be singing at their best with a conductor who is giving us his well thought out, well schooled interpretation of the piece. A large scale, overall view of the work, of the type I never thought to hear in these days.

I ask again: What did Decca expect? Christoph von Dohnanyi is not some operatic flash in the pan whizz kid, [I certainly wouldn't buy his recordings if he were] but a mature musician with a larger following than Decca realises. This Ring would have been a best seller given time. I think maybe OPERA is getting TOO popular and that recording companies have unrealistic expectations.