Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful recording of a great opera, February 24, 2007
Pierre Boulez' Das Rheingold, with Patrice Chereau producing, represents a recording made at the Bayreuth Festival over two decades ago. The visual version is well reputed; this audio CD is also an estimable work. Is it in the same league with von Karajan's version? To even ask the question is to speak highly of Boulez' conceptualization and the singers' craft.
The first scene begins with the Rhinemaidens singing. The ensemble work is nicely done, throughout the scene. The Rhinemaidens playfully joust with the wretched Alberich (sung by Hermann Becht, to good effect with very nice characterization) as he enters the scene. He wishes the gold that the Rhinemaidens guard; they treat him with considerable amusement. Well sung by all involved. The orchestral work supports and does not overwhelm the singing (some Wagnerian conductors emphasize the sound and make life more difficult for the human voice). Alberich successfully expropriates the gold and steals away, thus setting the stage for the unfolding four opera "Der Ring des Nibelungen," with the ultimate end of the gods. The orchestral transition to Scene two is well played by the orchestra.
The second scene shows the gods anticipating the enjoyment of their new home, Valhalla, constructed by the giants Fasolt and Fafner. Wotan, who agreed to pay off the giants by giving them one of the goddesses, runs into an angry spouse, who decries this deal. The giants, it is agreed, will hold onto Freia, until Wotan can return with the Rhine gold, stolen by Alberich. Wotan asks Loge to join him in the venture, as they will have to travel to Nibelheim. The music of Wagner is powerful in this scene; the various singers provide a rich sound. Donald McIntyre as Wotan and Heinz Zednik, as the too-clever Loge, are especially worth noting. McIntyre's rich voice makes him a credible Wotan, and Zednik's voice seems to capture the nature of the sneaky Loge. He scene ends with Loge and Wotan beginning the descent to Nibelheim, the realm of the dwarfs, where Alberich holds sway, through the power of the ring that he has created and the Tarnhelm (a helmet that gives him the great power of changing his shape).
The third scene begins with Alberich torturing Mime, another dwarf. Wotan and Loge enter. The gods cleverly ask Alberich to demonstrate how the Tarnhelm works. He changes shapes from a dragon to, based upon a clever suggestion by Loge, a frog. When he turns into a frog, they seize him. The music captures the momentous events of this scene, and is well conducted by Boulez and well played by the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra. The singing by Becht, McIntyre, Zednik, and Helmut Pampuch (as Mime) is well done, even compelling, in portraying the emotions of the characters and the significance of the scene. The musical transition to Scene Four is telling and has a foreboding quality to it.
In Scene four, the gods make Alberich give them the gold, the ring, and the Tarnhelm. Alberich issues forth a curse on anyone possessing the ring. Once they have the gold in their possession, Wotan approaches the giants to buy the freedom of Freia. The curse begins to claim its victims, as Fafner kills his brother Fasolt to acquire the ring and the other treasures. The gods then assemble and enter their fortress, Valhalla. Loge hangs back, unhappy with how the entire affair has played out. The ascent of the gods into Valhalla is very well done. Donner's singing (Martin Egel plays the role) and his use of his hammer serve to clear the air; the gods ascend into Valhalla with some of the most ravishing and powerful music in Wagner's Ring series. Far below, we hear the Rhinemaidens once more singing, crying out for the return of their gold. Wotan's last phrases are underlain by the leitmotif (Wagner assigned a particular musical theme to key concepts, persons, or objects; these are referred to as leitmotifs) of the sword, as he begins to figure out how to retrieve the gold and, above all, the ring. McIntyre's singing in this poignant finale is well done once more.
All in all, a fine version of the opera. This serves as an introduction to the final three operas in the Ring series--Die Walkure, Siegfried, and the mighty Gotterdammerung. This is a version well worth listening to. And, to get the full impact, take a look at the DVD, where one can see the production as well as appreciate the music.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply the best, February 1, 2007
This is possibly the best Rheingold ever recorded and I will even go as far as to say that it is quite possibly one of the best Wagner operas ever recorded in a studio. The reason? First of all the cast, simply unmatched and unmatchable. George London was an amazing Wotan, at par with Schorr, Hotter, James Morris and John Tomlinson. He didn't have the career he should have had due to health problems but hopefully his Rheingold Wotan is available here. If you want to hear him in Walkure, he partners Birgit Nilsson in a Decca recording conducted by Erich Leinsdorf. To hear him as the Wanderer you will need to dig for a 1962 MET broadcast, also conducted by Leinsdorf. London's Wotan is unsurpassed. The American singer offers a brilliant, hedonistic, extremely noble Wotan - very similar in character to the Don Giovanni this singer was portraying so well. Listen to the "heher, herrlicher bau" in scene 2 (CD I, track 7), you will understand what I mean. The rest of the cast is generally amazing, in particular all the gods. We shall start with Loge and Fricka portrayed by Set Svanholm and Kirsten Flagstad respectively. Former Tristan and Siegfried for him, Isolde and Brunnhilde for her, they are legendary singers at the twilight of their careers passing the baton to a younger generation. The voices remain spectacular. The Donner of Eberhard Waechter is very generous and ample, and so is the Froh of Waldemar Kmentt and the Freia of Claire Watson.
The second best bit of casting after London though is Gustav Neidlinger in his signature piece of Alberich. What can we say that hasn't be said before? He is caught in stereo close to the peak of his career, his curse remains as frightening as ever. Paul Kuen also portrayed his signature role, Mime. His exchange with Neidlinger is legendary.
In the pit, the Wiener Philharmoniker find incredible colours, were it for the opening or the coda, the arrival of the giants, the descent in Nibelheim, all of it is perfectly balanced and dynamic. This has a lot to do, one can imagine, with the fantastic conducting of Georg Solti, as often privileging the narrative and the drama. Some people think his conducting is not contemplative enough, I will just say that the reason why people still listen to this Rheingold after fifty years is because at the end of the day, this studio recording always "feel" like the theatre, and this is in my view, a great tribute to Solti's dynamic, enthusiastic and fresh approach to the score. An incredible Rheingold.
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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A modernist puts together a gripping 'Rheingold'--one of the best, November 28, 2006
I am reviewing each installment of the 1976 Boulez/Chereau "Ring" from Bayretuh, but all four reviews are collected under the complete Ring now issued in remastered sound on DVD.
'Das Rheingol.
Donald McIntyre Wotan ; Hermann Becht Alberich ; Martin Egel Donner ; Matti Salminen Fasolt ; Carmen Reppel sop Freia ; Norma Sharp sop Woglinde ; Ilse Gramatzki sop Wellgunde ; Hanna Schwarz mez Fricka ; Marga Schiml mez Flosshilde ; Ortrun Wenkel cont Erda ; Heinz Zednik ten Loge ; Helmut Pampuch ten Mime ; Siegfried Jerusalem ten Froh ; Fritz Hübner bass Fafner
As expected, Boulez takes a swift view of Rheingold, which helps immensely to bring the drama to the fore. In this instance the absence of visuals isn't harmful. The mostly non-stellar singers are exemplary, starting with a trio of Rheinmaidens who sing absoutely beautifully and an Alberich who malevolence is totally convincing. The Bayretuh acoustic is almost as good as a studio recording, albeit some details (such as the trumpetfanfaress in Scene 1 that celebrate the gold when the sunlight hits it) can feel a bit underplayed. With the microphones in the pit, the orchestral part is neither muffled nor distant. The voices are crystal clear, and Philips has done well in softening the sharp treble that listeners complained about on the LPs. Stage noises are considerable; the audience is silent.
For once the legendary Bayreuth orchestra actually plays like a world-class ensemble, kept together meticulously by Boulez. At the time his avoidance of Wangerian convention (i.e., ponderousness and weighty 'importance') was controversial. Now it feels both natural and refreshing. Some of the major roles aren't completely satisfying on CD, starting with Donald McIntyre's Wotan. He has a strong voice and stage presence, but the pscyhological depth of a Hans Hotter is missing; fortunately, McIntyre does his best to dramatize his lines. Happily, the Loge, aided by the fast pace, sounds like a real fire spirit and ot just a retired German tenor--this one is a bit srill and sharp-voiced, which suits the role. The Mime is even stronger (to tell the truth, he should have been the Loge since he has a mellower voice).
The scene changes and prelude are excitingly played--the entrance into the Niebelugen world after Scene 1 is quqite thrilling, and the anvils come through with force, if not exactly the ring of terror the have in Karajan's recording for DG. Donner's clanging hammer in Scene 4 is feelbe, but the resulting thunder is admirably loud. As for the climax, I've heard grander and more exalted entires of the gods into Valhalla--Boulez prefers a light, lyrical rainbow bridge.
In sum, a great Rheingold that bows to none, especially in its conducting and dramatic impact.
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by Richard Wagner 
