Wagner: Das Rheingold [Import]

Richard [Classical] Wagner (Composer), Joseph Keilberth (Conductor), Bayreuth Festival Orchestra (Orchestra), Elisabeth Schartel (Performer), Georgine von Milinkovic (Performer), Gustav Neidlinger (Performer), Hans Hotter (Performer), Herta Wilfert (Performer), Josef Greindl (Performer), Josef Traxel (Performer), Jutta Vulpius (Performer), Ludwig Weber (Performer), Maria Graf (Performer), Maria von Ilosvay (Performer), Paul Kuen (Performer), Rudolf Lustig (Performer), Toni Blankenheim (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Elisabeth Schartel, Georgine von Milinkovic, Gustav Neidlinger, Hans Hotter, Herta Wilfert, et al.
• Orchestra: Bayreuth Festival Orchestra
• Conductor: Joseph Keilberth
• Composer: Richard [Classical] Wagner
• Audio CD (December 12, 2006)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Testament UK
• ASIN: B000J20D6A
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #270,606 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Prelude

2. Weia! Wega!

3. Garstig Glatter Glitsch'riger Glimmer

4. Wallala! Wallala! Lalaleia! Lalaleia!

5. Lugt, Schewestern!

6. Der Welt Erbe

7. Wotan, Gemahl, Erwache!

8. Sanft Schlob Schlaf Dein Aug'

9. Zu Mir, Freia!

10. Endlich Loge!

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Auf, Loge, Hinab Mit Mir!

2. Schau, Du Schelm!

3. Nibelheim Hier

4. Nehmt Euch In Acht!

5. Vergeh', Frevelnder Gauch!

6. Ohe! Ha Ha Ha!

7. Da, Vetter, Sitze Du Fest!

8. Gezahlt Hab'ich

9. Bin Ich Nun Frei?

10. Fasolt Und Fafner Nahen Von Fern

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This, the third installment in the first stereo Ring (once thought lost), from the stage of the Bayreuth Festival in 1955, is as impressive and crucial to any collection as the previously released Siegfried and Die Walküre. Joseph Keilberth, whose devotion to Wagner was so great that he died conducting the second act of Tristan, leads an incredibly tight performance--almost jaunty in its storytelling. The opening chord, depicting the Rhine, is not played softly as marked; it does rather plunge us into the action with more energy than usual. The singing is universally remarkable. Hans Hotter's Wotan towers in its snideness and potency, while the Fricka of Georgine von Milinkovic is more subtle and alluring than we're accustomed to. Gustav Neidlinger's Alberich is, as on so many other recordings in which he sings this role, something to reckon with--a despicable but wretched character. The giants of Ludwig Weber and Josef Greindl have probably never been bettered; Paul Kuen's Mime is articulate and creepy and Rudolf Lustig's Loge is wily and clearly, cleanly sung. The only stain on this recording is the dreadful hissing noise given off by something called a "Mixtur-Trautonium," an electronic device invented to simulate the sound of the Nibelungs' anvils in Nibelheim. It's a distraction, but it can be lived with. This set is a must-have, and the extraneous noise during that scene is small price to pay for a performance this thrilling. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Ring on the Way!, December 15, 2006

By 

Ralph J. Steinberg "Lover of German Music" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wagner: Das Rheingold (Audio CD)

It is ironic that a work like The Ring, which is a dauting challenge to conductors, orchestras, soloists and choruses, has been blessed with several outstanding recorded versions. Among stereo versions, the Solti has rightly been favored for its superb cast, great playing from the Vienna Philharmonic, passionate conducting, and still-remarkable engineering, including sound effects. Of course, there have been caveats, including the view that Solti, while certainly bringing forth the raw passion of the score, sometimes lacked a certain coutnerbalacing subtlety, which made for a certain brashness and lack of the gravitas and mystery also in the music. Because of this, I have always had a slight preference for the live Bayreuth versions under Krauss and Kempe, with the Krauss perhaps havng a slight edge because of certain of the soloists. Both recordings are hihgly desierable, although being mono, they lack the clarity and sonic impact of the Solti. Well, that situation may come to an end with the release of the Stereo Keilberth/Bayreuth performance from 1955.

As is well known, Decca recorded this cycle, only ot have John Culshaw veto its issue because of his prejudice against recording live performances. If this "Rheingold" is any measure of the rest of the cycle, this will be a Ring with which to contend. To begin with, Keilberth, well-known in Germany but not appreciated elsewhere, sounds like another unsung hero if the podium. His conducting is in the Krauss/Kempe manner, energetic, fiery, yet fully appreciative of the mystery of the music. The very first scene in the Rhine begins darkly, gravely, and gradually builds to swirling figures that really sound like water flowing. The Rhinemaidens are saucy and exhuberant, absolutely exhilirating in the "Rheingold! Rheingold!" hymn to the gold. Neidlinger's Alberich is even more brilliant here than other Rings, both demonic and desperate. Hotter delievers his finest Wotan, even firmer of voice than in the hallowed Krauss of three years earlier. Kuen likewise is a more musical Mime than usual, and the rest of the cast leaves nothing to be desired; I am especially impressed with von Illosvay's dark, foreboding Erda. Throughout, Keilberth maintains an unusually firm yet flexible hand on the music, taut but never rushed. How he could remain overlooked as one of the conductorial greats is mystifying. And the sound surpasses any other recording, even the Solti, because of the unique clarity and balance only found at Bayreuth. The stereo effect is entirely natural, never exaggerated. What you hear is the orchestra at your lap, supporting and never overwhelming the singers on stage. This is a "Rheingold" for the ages; if the rest of the Ring (I am soon going to purchase "Die Walkuere") measures up to this, then this will be the essential Ring.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars About that "hissing noise"..., February 21, 2007

By 

Stephan L. Burton - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wagner: Das Rheingold (Audio CD)

It begins at about 1 hour 8 minutes in, and continues for about 25 minutes. It's undoubtedly annoying - like really bad tape hiss. But at *no* point does it (even slightly) obscure the voices of Hotter & Neidlinger etc. at their absolute peak, in (otherwise) excellent sound.

Anybody who dismisses this remarkable set simply because of that is just missing the forest for the trees. But if you're in doubt, all you have to do is listen to the audio samples that Amazon has so helpfully provided: those for Disc 2, tracks 2 through 6 show off the "hissing noise" at its worst.

For whatever it's worth, I think that those who are kicking up a fuss over said "hissing nose" are being more than a bit silly. And I can't help wondering whether they could deal, even for a moment, with the much more severe audio compromises required to appreciate the incomparable recorded interpretations of Frida Leider & Lauritz Melchior & Friedrich Schorr.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A major disappointment, February 9, 2008

By 

madamemusico "madamemusico" (Cincinnati, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wagner: Das Rheingold (Audio CD)

I'm so glad that I didn't listen to "Das Rheingold" from this "Ring" until the very last, because I agree with Andre Filippe Vital. This is in many ways a disappointing recording and the weakest link of this "Ring."

It isn't so much tempos, though here - as nowhere else in the Ring - Keilberth chooses some very quirky ones. The waltz-like entrance for Fafner is one; the speed-up and then slow-down in the final scene for the Rhinemaidens is another. Also, it seems to me that in recording this performance, the Decca engineers were still experimenting, and their microphones were really too close to the action. The opening scene with its soft E-flat pedal point is too loud, which spoils the effect of the long crescendo; there's too much stage noise, lots of foot-stomping; and though the "Mixtur-titonium," or whatever the hell it is, doesn't really obscure the singers, its mere presence is not only unwelcome but truly annoying, mostly because it goes on like that for nearly a half-hour. Ugh. In the final scene the Rheinmaidens actually lose the beat; one more half-point off. This whole performance would definitely have to had been fixed in the studio if Decca-London were actually going to issue it.

In addition to all this, I subtract points for the truly ghastly singing of Rudolf Lustig as Loge. This is one plug-ugly, leathery tenor voice. He spoils this performance just as he spoils the Keilberth "Fliegende Hollander." He is only a small shade better than Rudolf Schock. The best Loges ever recorded were Rene Maison, bright-voiced and tongue-in-cheek jolly on the old 1937 Bodanzky performance, and Wolfgang Windgassen with Karl Bohm. (Set Svanholm sings well on the Solti set too, don't forget.) So that's three Loges who are far better than Lustig, and Loge is a VERY key role in "Rheingold."

The good: Neidlinger's solid, dark-toned if not particularly subtle Alberich; Paul Kuen's beautifully-sung Mime; Hans Hotter's penetrating and surprisingly well-sung Wotan; and the giants, Weber and Griendl. But those sterling performances aren't enough to make this a serious contender for "Das Rheingold" when you have the Solti and Bohm versions available. Since I personally prefer the "Bayreuth Sound" in Wagner operas, I suggest the Bohm "Rheingold" followed by Keilberth in the remaining three operas, which gives you one real benefit - Windgassen in three of the four. You go, Wolfgang!!! (Plus, Theo Adam was much better in the Bohm "Rheingold" than he was in "Walkure" or "Siegfried," and Anja Silja is the finest of all Freias.)

Save your money, skip this one, get the Bohm performance then journey on with Keilberth. You'll be glad you did.