Wagner: Die Walküre, Act 3 [Original recording remastered]

Richard [Classical] Wagner (Composer), Herbert von Karajan (Conductor), Bayreuth Festival Orchestra (Orchestra), Astrid Varnay (Performer), Brünnhild Friedland (Performer), Eleanor Lausch (Performer), Elfriede Wild (Performer), Hanna Ludwig (Performer), Hertha Topper (Performer), Ira Malaniuk (Performer), Leonie Rysanek (Performer), Lieselotte Thomamuller (Performer), Ruth Siewert (Performer), Sigurd Björling (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Astrid Varnay, Brünnhild Friedland, Eleanor Lausch, Elfriede Wild, Hanna Ludwig, et al.
• Orchestra: Bayreuth Festival Orchestra
• Conductor: Herbert von Karajan
• Composer: Richard [Classical] Wagner
• Audio CD (March 6, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B000MX7SUK
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #304,443 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A tantalizing sample of Karajan's 50's Wagner, July 17, 2007

By 

Santa Fe Listener (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wagner: Die Walküre, Act 3 (Audio CD)

Karajan appeared briefly at Bayreth after its postwar reopening but then bowed out, never to return. There are pirates and airchecks of his Wagner performances, including a Rheingold and Tristan, but to myy knowledge the only official Bayreuth recording was EMI's live Meistersinger, now a classic despite its inadequate mono sound.

This single CD of the last act of Walkure is also a classic, widely circulated in a References issue and now refurbished. There's only so much that can be done with the rather boxy mono, but that is beside the point. Here is postwar Wagner singing at a very high level propelled by Karajan's inspired conducting. Many consider the Fifties to be Karajan's greatest era, and this impassioned performance could be offered as evidence. Varnay makes a great impression as Brunnhilde, Bjoerling less so as Wotan, although he is never less than good. The eight Valkyries have never been bettered.

All in all, one of the indispensable Wagner recordings from that era, which seems golden in retrospect.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is first rate singing from the 50's!, July 14, 2007

By 

Gonzalo Tello "GtelloZ" (LIMA, PERU) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wagner: Die Walküre, Act 3 (Audio CD)

Since i heard this recording from the first time, it makes me shake and tremble to hear those powerful voices over and over...First, the eight valkyries sound gloriouslyat the beginning of the act, in the 'ryde of the valkyries'. Then Varnay and Rysanek just steal the show inmediately. Varnay's voice is sublime, specially when the 'Immolation theme' appears in her desperate try to protect sieglinde from Wotan. Sigurd Bjoerling is as good as George London at his best...him and Varnay and so good together, and the rest we hear is pure extasy. Rysanek is great even Sieglinde doesn'r have much chance to show her abilities as in act 1.

Even the sound is not perfect stereo, the sound is powerful, specially if you listen in a good musis system...or even better, on your Bose speakers for ipod...or with very good noiseless headphones too.

This recording is worth every single minute...!

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving Die Walkure, September 1, 2011

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Profgv "GV" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wagner: Die Walküre, Act 3 (Audio CD)

Let me just say I can't imagine a more emotionally charged act 3 than here.

Although Sigurd Bjorling gets little notoriety he is wonderful and the strength of this act..

He sounds like a younger Wotan than usually encountered but he is touching and powerful.

And Astrid Varnay equally so. Her shading of the vocal line is one of a kind. Their dialogue together is so moving.

Then there's Leonie Rysanek, brief perhaps, but that voice soars with freedom and richness.

Von Karajan's youthful energy is in evident too.

Listening to this recording one does wish it was attached to acts 1 & 2. What a great performance it is.

And what's so remarkable is it marks the beginning of several international careers.