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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Schirmt mich, ihr Madchen, mit machtigstem Schutz!", September 7, 2007
This review is from: Wagner: Die Walküre (Audio CD)
Picking up where Das Rheingold left off, we have Die Walkure: conducted by Sir Georg Solti and performed by the Vienna Philharmonic. This Walkure isn't as grand as it turned out to be. There are better recordings like Bohm and Goodall and Janowski. But on to the review:
Solti's usual bombast is less prevalent here than in Siegfred and Gotterdammerung, probably because Walkure was recorded last and Solti went for a more lyrical approach. But that doesn't mean Ride of the Valkyries is void of power; it still has lots of power. The orchestral tension between the characters works well here. "Wotan's Farewell" is played too fast, but the grandiose "Magic Fire Music" makes up for it.
Singers are absolutely a plus. Hotter is past his prime as Wotan, but I still can't see anyone else performing as the Ruler of the Gods here in the Solti Ring. James King and Regine Crespine are wonderful as Siegmund and Sieglinde. Christa Ludwig as Fricka is a spectacle for the ears. Gottlob Frick is a very sinister Hunding, and I like that. The Valkyries will certainly leave you speechless when you're finished hearing Act One Scene One.
In short, this Walkure isn't as good as other Walkures, but you'll be touched by the orchestra and the singers.
We continue on to Siegfried . . .
Das Rheingold: Das Rheingold
Siegfried: Siegfried
Gotterdammerung: Gotterdammerung
Box Set: Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sir Georg Solti
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solti Walkuere, June 28, 2000
This review is from: Wagner: Die Walküre (Audio CD)
This is a rock solidly conducted Walkure, for better or for worse. Solti is stolid, massive, and sometimes overly dramatic because, in the end, that's what the producer, John Culshaw, wanted in order to deliver the visceral punch that had been lacking in earlier recorded fragments of the Ring. Conducting aside, one must give due credit to the singers who, especially in Wagner, make or break the effort. Hans Hotter was a sentimental choice for Wotan who can only bring the threadbare vestiges of what once was a compelling voice, worthy of the king of the gods. The rest of the cast is exemplary, leaving today's crop of one size fits all singers far behind. Regine Crespin is remarkably aware of the sensitivity, vulnerability and defiant hope of Sieglinde, Christa Ludwig is simply authoritative as Fricka. Gottlob Frick is the definitive Hunding with a massive, malevolent tone and command of the script that sweeps any competition away.James King, as Siegmund is a true Heldentenor, something that is virtually uknown today. Listen to his delivery of "Kuhlende Labung..." and compare it to today's standard, the all purpose Placido Domingo, who interprets Wagner parts as if he were negotiating a minefield. King has the metal in his voice that cannot be reproduced by the generic tenors of the modern age.So too, Birgit Nilson delivers a knock-out performance as Brunhilde, effortlessly projecting the godlike steeliness of her character. In sum, you can get similarly authoritative performances from historic (mostly monaural) recordings but this Walkure represents the best combination of modern recording standards with yesterday's idiomatic interprative tradition.
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Walkure With Some Memorable Moments, October 10, 2004
This review is from: Wagner: Die Walküre (Audio CD)
I recall the first version of the Ring Cycle that I owned. I paid 14.99 for it. Now I am not dating myself. It was not at a time that 14.99 was a lot of money. I was a junior in high school and it was November of 1979. I went to Boston's famous Filenes' Basement, known for its amazing bargains, and discovered this set. It was an unknown label, taped live at a performance that was not mentioned, with stars who were never credited. Needless to say, it was not a masterpiece, and the needle on the phonograph skipped all through the very abridged version of Das Rheingold, and the Siegfried was lackluster as well. I do recall some great scenes from Gotterdammerung, but what did I know at the time? I do recall that the set did have a spectacular "Ride of the Valkyries," and when I got to college, this turned out to be useful since everyone loved this piece, recognizing not from the opera, but from the film APOCALYPSE NOW. We'd blast it from a huge stereo system. I even thought I might be introducing my party hearty dorm mates to the world of opera.
Since my college days I have had the means to afford better recordings of the Ring, and my top choice is the Solti version released in the 1960's with the Vienna Philharmonic (Wiener Philharmoniker). While the version of DIE WALKURE is not as strong as the recordings of Rheingold, Siegfried, and Gotterdammerung, it is still a wonderful recording. James King is spectacular as Siegmund and Regine Crespin is a perfect Sieglinde for King. The first time I heard the recording was an LP version and I found myself listening to Siegmund and Sieglinde's arias and duets that conclude Act I. The CD version of these portions begins with track 8 "Ein Schwert Verheiss" and include "Wintersturme" and Ich Bin Hore Mich" and am amazed at King and Crespin's vocal abilities. Other cast members include Birgit Nilsson who is a spectacular Brunnhilde and as one expect with Christa Ludwig, she gives a respectable performance as Fricka. Solti's conducting is, for the most part, powerful, but at times the heavy orchestra does overpower the singers, which could be why Hans Hotter is a less than spectacular Wotan. Still, it is a wholehearted performance on his part in spite of some flaws.
Since Wagner four disc sets are not inexpensive, and customers may be weary of spending so much on a recording that some Amazon reviewers praise and others pan, I do believe it is an excellent set and it is well worth the investment.
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