Wagner: Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg

Wagner (Artist), Edelmann (Artist), Schwarzkopf (Artist), Karajan (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 27, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Angel Records
• ASIN: B000002S1U
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #334,770 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Prelude - Orch Festspiele Bayreuth 1951/Herbert Von Karajan

2. Act 1, Scene 1: Da zu dir der Heiland kam - Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951

3. Act 1, Scene 1: Verweilt!-Ein Wort! - Hans Hopf/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf/Ira Malaniuk

4. Act 1, Scene 1: Da bin ich! - Gerhard Unger/Hans Hopf/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf/Ira Malaniuk

5. Act 1, Scene 2: David, was stehst? - Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951/Gerhard Unger/Hans Hopf

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Act 1, Scene 3: Fanget an! - Erich Kunz/Hans Hopf

2. Act 1, Scene 3: Seid lhr nun fertig? - Erich Kunz/Hans Hopf/Friedrich Dalberg/Heinrich Pflanzl

3. Act 1, Scene 3: Halt! Meister! Nicht so geeilt! - Erich Kunz/Erich Kunz/Hans Berg/Heinrich Pflanzl/Friedrich Dalberg/Friedrich Dalberg...

4. Act 2, Scene 1: Johannistag! Johannistag! - Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951/Gerhard Unger/Ira Malaniuk/Otto Edelmann

5. Act 2, Scene 2: Lab seh'n, ob Meister! - Friedrich Dalberg/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf/Ira Malaniuk

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Prelude - Orch Fe

2. Act 3 Scene 1: Gliech Meister! Hier! - Gerhard Unger

3. Act 3 Scene 1: Am Jordan Sankt Johannes stand - Gerhard Unger/Otto Edelmann

4. Act 3 Scene 1: Wahn! Wahn! Uberall Wahn! - Otto Edelmann

5. Act 3 Scene 2: Grub Gott, mein Junker! - Otto Edelmann

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Act 3 Scene 4: Die selige Morgentraum-Deutweise.../Selig, wie die Sonne - Otto Edelmann/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf/Hans Hopf/Ira Malaniuk

2. Act 3 Scene 5: Sankt Crispin, lobet ihn! - Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951

3. Act 3 Scene 5: Ihr tanzt? Was werden die Meistern und Volk beliebt - Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951/Gerhard Unger

4. Act 3 Scene 5: Silentium! Silentium!.../Wach auf, es nahet gen den Tag - Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951

5. Act 3 Scene 5: Euch macht ihr's leicht, mir macht ihr's schwer - Otto Edelmann/Erich Kunz/Friedrich Dalberg

See all 9 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Karajan conducts "Die Meistersinger" at the reborn Bayreuth Festival, February 6, 2007

By 

L. E. Cantrell (Vancouver, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wagner: Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg (Audio CD)

SOURCE:
This is an assembled production built up by Walter Legge from portions of a rehearsal on July 27 and live performances in the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth on August 5, 16, 19, 21 and 24, 1951. It was originally issued by Columbia Records on 68 sides (34 disks) at 78 rpm, making it the largest production ever issued in that format.

SOUND:
This reocrding is one of producer Walter Legge's first attempts to crack the problem of recording the unique sound of Bayreuth. There are undoubtedly faults, as pointed out by prior reviewers. For those who insist on hearing the worst, it should be noted that the new tape recording technology of the era was not quite up to such a huge project as this one, so there are a few occasions of overloading, fade away and discernible joins. Nevertheless, the overall effect is not as bad as all this would seem to suggest. Considering that it is a first attempt, the mono sound is acceptable and capable of pleasing any listener who is more interested in the performance than the sound technology.

CAST:
Hans Sachs*, cobbler - Otto Edelmann
Walther von Stolzing, knight - Hans Hopf
Eva Pogner - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Sixtus Beckmesser*, town clerk - Erich Kunz
Veit Pogner*, goldsmith and Eva's father - Frederick Dalberg
David, apprentice cobbler - Gerhard Unger
Magdalena, Eva's nurse - Ira Malaniuk
Fritz Kothner*, baker - Heinrich Pflanzl
Kunz Vogelgesang*, furrier - Erich Majkut
Konrad Nachtigall*, tinsmith - Hans Berg
Balthasar Zorn*, pewterer - Josef Janko
Ulrich Eisslinger*, grocer - Karl Mikorey
Augustin Moser*, tailor - Gerhard Stolze
Herrmann Ortel*, soap maker - Heinz Tandler
Hans Schwarz*, stocking weaver - Heinz Borst
Hans Foltz*, coppersmith - Arnold van Mill
Nightwatchman - Werner Faulhaber.
(* Member of the Guild of Master Singers)

CONDUCTOR:
Herbert von Karajan with the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra and Chorus.

DOCUMENTATION:
Libretto in German.

COMMENTARY:
The Bayreuth Festival was reborn from the catastrophe of the war years in 1951. Its former director, Winifred Wagner, the composer's British-born daughter-in-law and dear friend of Adolf Hitler, was still very much alive but she had been firmly removed from any authority at the Festival because of her loudly proclaimed political affiliations. Her sons Wieland and Wolfgang were in charge of the officially de-Nazified Festival and of its nearly empty treasury. It is a famous part of opera lore that the bothers coped with both problems by presenting semi-abstract productions with next-to-bare stages, few props and simple (not to mention cheap) costumes, all bathed in elaborate lighting plots. All those things were certainly true of the soon-to-come "Tristan und Isolde," as produced by Wieland Wagner.

But Rudolf Hartmann's 1951 "Die Meistersinger von Nuernberg" was still very much a traditional production. Contemporary photographs show St. Katherine's Church in the first act to have been realistic and almost oppressively massive. Hans Sach's shop in the second act was set on stage right at the side of a broodingly authentic-looking Sixteenth Century cityscape. The interior of his house in the first part of act three was dimly-lit and gloomily realistic. Only the final set gave a hint of things to come, for Nuremberg was reduced to a bare stage with risers on each side and across the back, with what appear to be cut-outs of the skyline placed flat against a sky scrim. Costumes and props were resolutely realistic and clunky throughout. All that would change in the next "Meistersinger" production when Wieland got his hands on it ... but not yet.

Less articulated in opera lore is the fact that the new production style was not terribly significant then and much less so now. What was important was that the post-war period was a time of immensely skilled older conductors (as well as that youngish whippersnapper Karajan) and brilliantly talented singers. Consider the cast list: Edelmann, Kunz, Unger, Malaniuk, Stolze, and yes, even Hopf are names to conjure with. And Schwarzkopf is pure magic.

In the nature of things, the titanic egos of the Wagner brothers and Karajan led to conflicts. Not long after this recording was made, Karajan withdrew in the course of a feud over something or other, so the revival of the "Meistersinger" production in 1952 was led by Hans Knappertsbusch (who would feud with the brothers and depart in 1953.) The Knappertsbusch-led performance of "Die Meistersinger" of July 30, 1952 has also become available on CD, perhaps a little more happily recorded than this one. The cast is much the same, with the absence of Kunz, the substitution of della Casa for Schwarzkopf and the addition of brilliant newcomers Theo Adam and Gustav Neidlinger in small parts. The contrast of the two versions is enlightening. Knappertsbusch was the ultimate traditionalist, while Karajan was already beginning to reshape music in his own image.

This is a famous--if artificially assembled--performance from a famous production. There are occasional rough spots, as is to be expected in a live performance. The overall performance is fine. Even Hopf, who had the voice and the strength to be great but not the understanding or the will, is bearable. In fact, he is noticeably better here under taskmaster Karajan than he would be in the following year under the less insistent Knappertsbusch. Schwarzkopf is wonderful. (Her only equal as Eva was the luminous but shamefully under-recorded Elisabeth Gruemmer.)

Good performance, great conductor, stellar cast. It's not perfect, for no "Meistersinger" recording is ever likely to be, but it is certainly worth five stars.

NOTE ON ANOTHER VERSION:
This set set unavailable at the moment. As I write this, I see that Amazon UK has a perfectly acceptable version from Naxos, although without a libretto. That version, of course, is freely available here in Vancouver's classical record stores.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A benchmark none have matched, April 25, 2002

By 

"tjcolyer" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wagner: Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg (Audio CD)

Herbert vo Karajan's 1951 recording of Wagner's Die Meistersinger can be recommended without reservation. Even those with the most demanding needs for modern recording quality will recognise the benefit of sacrificing some of the finer points of sound quality for the greater immediacy, excitement and inspiration of this legendary performance.
For those accustomed to Karajan's later recordings, what is surprising about this recording is the freedom with which the whole piece is played, with tempos and dynamics allowed a freer reign than in some of Karajan's later, and drier, work. The Bayreuth playing brings out the work's celebratory nature better than any recording since, and Karajan's conducting allows all involved to respond when the score calls for an increase in adrenalin levels. Walter's entry in Act 2 is a case in point.
The singers give superb characterisations. Walter's impetuous and naiive romanticism is powerfully portrayed by the vibrany singing of Hans Hopf, whose spontaneous singing at the end of act one is quite magnificent. The central romance of the opera is further aided by the beautiful and at times poignant singing of Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, who's softer voice gives exactly the right level of innocence to the character.
The highlight, though, is Edelmann's imperious Sachs. Unlike some since, Edelmann understand's that Sachs is not just an old man, but is also one who has an important element of mischief (at the end of acts one and two), and a compassion for the common person. More than this, Sachs is also a character with a strong German nationalism (however unpopular that might be, it is something Wagner was certainly not ashamed of) and a sadness that never touches on self-pity. No other portrayal of this complex character quite brings out all the elements of the character, as well as providing some wonderfully musically singing. All the smaller parts sing there parts well, especially the somewhat pathetic Kunz as Beckmesser, whose interaction with Edelmann adds a lot to the comic aspect of the story.
Other recordings offer more control, more technical perfection (there are rare moments when mistakes are made, such as the opening chord of the overture), and improved sound quality. But none have matched the vibrancy, power, and characterisation that Karajan's early recording offers. A classic against which all other performances of this masterpiece must be judged, and against which all fall short.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars glorious New Bayreuth, April 6, 2004

By 

O. Dewaele "olidewa" (Miami, Florida United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wagner: Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg (Audio CD)

This was the first Meistersinger of the New Bayreuth. And what a performance. From the first bar on Karajan takes command of this big ship and leads the guilds gloriously through the narrow streets of Nurnberg to end in a grandiose way on the pastures outside of the city. Allthough the recording lacks a little balance (f.e woodwinds pushed to the background), it still shows an orchestra and a chorus with tremendous character and vibrance, especially the strings throughout the evening. Wilhelm Pitz, the Bayreuth chorus master, made the chorus definetely one of the stars of this production. What a sound and coherence (listen to the first minutes of the 2nd act). Besides the orchestra and the chorus, the other shining star was without question Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and her performance of Eva. Radiant and fluid, Rosenkavalier-like, this was to be her last appearance on the Hill. Her part in the 3rd act is unsurpassed ("O Sachs, mein Freund,...") and not to forget: the quintet were she is joined by the other four main characters in excellent shape. This is the essence of Wagner: Wort und Ton ( words and music) and this was the principal achievement of Karajan and his crew in this production. A must.