Wagner ·Terfel: Berliner Philharmoniker / Abbado

Richard Wagner (Composer), Claudio Abbado (Conductor), Berliner Philharmoniker (Orchestra), Bryn Terfel (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Bryn Terfel
• Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker
• Conductor: Claudio Abbado
• Composer: Richard Wagner
• Audio CD (February 12, 2002)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: © 2002 Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Hamburg
• ASIN: B00005UWKZ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,766 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Bryn Terfel brings a resonant voice and wide emotional range to Wagner's bass-baritone roles. He's a touching Flying Dutchman, a grief-laden Amfortas in two scenes from Parsifal, a wise, sympathetic Hans Sachs in the two monologues from Die Meistersinger, and at his best in a smoothly sung rendition of Wolfram's Evening Star aria from Tannhäuser. The only quibble is a degree of overemoting that can sectionalize scenes through an excess of passion where understatement often works better. The first part of "Leb' wohl," for example, is delivered with a surplus of anger where sad resignation would be more appropriate, since Wotan's fury has been spent by the time we reach this point. Such vocal heavy lifting sometimes reminds one of the old "Bayreuth bark" school of Wagnerian singing, but those moments pass quickly. It's doubtful you'll find anything amiss if you're not familiar with past masters like Hans Hotter and Friederich Schorr. Wagnerians and Terfel fans will snap this up. --Dan Davis

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From the vocal and musical point of view, Terfel sings every piece beautifully. His words are crystal-clear even without following the texts (though this clarity also conveys the 'u' of Amfortas's 'unenthullt' as 'unenthalt'). Interpretatively, however, it sounds as if he has tried to imagine the missing environment of each excerpt and succeeded almost too well. Even for listeners familiar with those musical surroundings, the experience of hearing such passages separately requires a different sort of projection. Of course Terfel makes each of them sound different at the point of listening, but in one's aural memory a certain levelling takes place, and Wagner's characters retain a less than individual voice. This is an inevitable pitfall of bleeding chunks, no matter how carefully bandaged, and is often just a matter of degree – a higher voltage to Amfortas's Angst, or a more valedictory glow in Wotan's envoi. Still, these are high-level reservations given the overall distinction that Terfel brings to this music. The intelligently planned programme makes use of concentric symmetry. Sachs's 'Flieder' (track 4) and 'Wahnmonolog' (track 3) are sung in reverse order of their actual occurrence in Die Meistersinger. A slightly more forward placement of the voice would have optimized Terfel's palette of half-tones without compromising the total sound-picture, which can become opaque in tuttis but conveys the BPO's diaphanous textures with exemplary clarity. Abbado's Hollander Overture is cogently argued as a symphonic work predictive of Brahms's Tragic Overture. Meanwhile, Terfel's attention to fine detail makes this a positive stage en route to his eventual ascent (in full context) of the 'Everest' of Wotan's monologue in Act 2 of Die Walkure. Stephen Pruslin

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a singer instead of a barker!, March 6, 2002

By 

Gregory J. Diercks (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wagner ·Terfel: Berliner Philharmoniker / Abbado (Audio CD)

I heard Mr. Terfel sign the "Leb wohl" scene at Ravinia two summers ago. So, when I heard he was putting out a Wagner CD I was very excited.

Unlike a previous review, I find it refreshing that we have a bass-baritone who doesn't find it necessary to shout Wagnerian music. Remember when Placido Domingo first ventured into Wagner - many said his voice was too light. In fact he turned into one of the great Parsifals and Lohengrins of this generation because he actually sang the music instead of shouting the music. I believe Terfel will do the same. He is not only a gifted and singer, he is a highly intelligent man who will most certainly use his voice and talent wisely. I believe this disc is showing that already.

I do agree that the characters need to be deepened - that will come with experience and time on stage.

For now, I'm perfectly happening listening to beautiful sounds being made by a delightful human being.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A TASTER OF THINGS TO COME, September 16, 2005

By 

Klingsor Tristan (Suffolk) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wagner ·Terfel: Berliner Philharmoniker / Abbado (Audio CD)

Here's a disc to get Wagnerians salivating at the prospect of great things to come. Despite numerous and, no doubt, lucrative offers, Bryn Terfel wisely resisted the lure of the big Wagnerian roles until he felt he and his voice were ready for them. Apparently we have, in part, to thank Solti's wise words of warning for that. There is no doubt that here is potentially one of the great Wagnerian bass-baritones in the making, worthy to be compared with van Rooy, Schorr and Hotter. Terfel has the ability and the taste to sing with the kind of bel canto line that Wagner always said he wanted but, alas, has so seldom received.

But! It is still early days and there are times in this collection when a lack of stage experience in these parts shows. Yes, the singing is consistenly beautiful with the characteristic Terfel traits of wonderfully floated mezza voces and ringing top notes (listen to the end of the Dutchman's aria).

However, the depth of characterisation is sometimes lacking. Amfortas' anguish is too generalised. Sachs' understanding of mankind's foibles in the Wahnmonolog derives from the specific text rather than the character as a whole. Wotan, who undergoes the great sea-change in his character that turns him into the resigned Wanderer of Siegfried at precisely this point in Walkure (the Farewell), is still too much the angry, bitter Wotan of Act II and the beginning of Act III. (Remember, this disc was made before he embarked on his first stage performances.) Compare Terfel at "der freie als ich, der Gott: one freer than I, the God" - a forte outburst of resentment from Bryn's god: with Hotter, an infinitely moving patina of resignation colours the voice. Nevertheless, Terfel's ban on fearful fire-invaders at the end is hugely stirring.

It is, perhaps, the earlier Wagner that fares best. The Dutchman's Monologue, which he has recorded before with Levine, is hair-raising in the best sense. Wolfram's Song to the Evening Star is sublime. Even Sachs' Fliedermonolog, part of Terfel's repertoire since the famous head-to-head with Hvorostovsky in Cardiff, is sung with sensitivity and a wonderful sense of line. Amfortas perhaps lies a little high for his voice. Gurnemanz will, I think, prove to be the Parsifal part for him - a pity maybe that he didn't give us the Good Friday Scene instead of the Amfortas monologues. The orchestral accompaniments from Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic are, like the voice, stronger on beauty of tone than characterisation, but they get the recital off to a rousing start with a fine live performance of the Hollander Overture.

All in all, then, an appetising taster of (hopefully) things to come, a must for Wagnerians and Terfelians alike, but I feel sure there are greater performances to come from Terfel in this repertoire (witness his recent Wotan at Covent Garden and the Proms) - especially when he tackles complete roles rather than 'bleeding chunks'.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well worth the wait..., February 17, 2002

By 

Amy (Worthington, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wagner ·Terfel: Berliner Philharmoniker / Abbado (Audio CD)

I was so excited to find out that Bryn Terfel was releasing an album of Wagner arias that I marked it on my calendar. As most Bryn Terfel fans will agree, he never disappoints. This album has quickly become my favorite Terfel album. Opera fans have waited quite some time to get the privilege of hearing Bryn tackle much Wagner, particularly Wotan. He come through with flying colors-- his voice is as ever, strong, lush, and sensitive to the music and the words he sings. Sometimes, it seems that the voices of Wagnerian singers cannot in tone match the beauty of the music. Bryn succeeds in doing so, though the accompanying orchestra is marvelous as well. I cannot wait to see Terfel on stage in the roles he sings on this cd, particularly as the Flying Dutchman and Wotan, though I am sure it will be some time before Terfel deems himself fully ready. Once he does, however, I have no doubt he will be a stunning success.