Customer Reviews

Wagner: Die Walküre

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When I first began to become interested in Richard Wagner's music (about 35 years ago), I heard that there was a "golden age" of Wagner singing in the earlier 1950's. In those days, I had to accept this on faith, as few recorded performances were available (the LP era was just beginning 55 years ago and recording complete Wagner works was not the first priority). Those that were available, such as Wilhelm Furtwängler's 1950 La Scala Ring (with Flagstad) and his 1953 Ring from Italian Radio, were in dreadful recorded sound. In those days (early seventies) it seemed much better to stick with the Solti studio Ring or perhaps Karajan's (although the latter was receiving bad press in many cases).

It's fortunate for all lovers of Wagner's music that we're currently living in another golden era - this time of remastered CD recordings. Now we can enjoy the great interpreters of the fifties - in decent monaural sound - in Ring cycles conducted by Furtwängler, Clemens Krauss, Hans Knappertsbusch and others. But this year the selection has gotten even better - Testament is releasing a 1955 Bayreuth Ring cycle in STEREO. Decca engineers traveled to Bayreuth in 1955 (and 1956) to record Ring cycles conducted by Joseph Keilberth - but these recordings were never released until now. John Culshaw, the famed Decca producer responsible for the Solti Ring, reportedly didn't like "live" recordings and decided to withhold the Keilberth performances in preference for the Solti cycle yet to come. Testament, to their eternal credit, is now releasing these Keilberth performances, and they are superb. An extraordinary Siegfried was the first release, and now we have Die Walküre.

Compared with the other Rings of the period now on CD, the Decca/Testament sound is wonderfully rich and immediate, while the quality of the performances is frequently exceptional. Recent history has not been particularly kind to Joseph Keilberth, but these performances must certainly change all that. If your Wagner conductor of choice is Kna, you may perhaps not find Keilberth to be "indulgent" enough with the score - otherwise, you should agree that his interpretations are masterful.

The conductor is joined by the truly peerless Wotan of Hans Hotter, who at the age of 46 was at the peak of his form. This is the Walküre Wotan we've always dreamed about for the Solti recording, but which Hotter unfortunately recorded when he was past his prime. Just listen to Hotter in the closing scenes of this Keilberth performance and see if you have ever heard a better performance of this role.

I must confess that I was not familiar with Astrid Varnay's career until the 1980's and then it was with her then-current character mezzo roles. When I began to acquire recorded performances from her prime (especially of Brünnhilde and Isolde), I began to understand what a major artist she was. Even so, I had never heard her sound so marvelous as she does in the present recording. She had a mannerism - that got worse with the passing of time - of "sliding" into pitches, but that is largely absent here - it's a truly stupendous performance, on a par with Leider, Flagstad, Nilsson - you name 'er.

Like the other principals, Ramón Vinay is a known quantity from other recorded performances. As Siegmund, he manages to be both heroic and tragic. I have often thought that Gré Brouwenstijn must have been a more compelling artist "in person" than on recordings. While there is much to admire in characterization and musicianship, I find her voice to be excessively tremulous, and so she is here as Sieglinde. Josef Greindl's Hunding and Georgine von Milinkovic's Fricka offer strong support - and those valkyries are a particularly sturdy bunch of lasses.

There are those who are already calling this the "definitive" Ring recording - and they just may be right.

The eagerly awaited stereo edition of Die Walküre as performed at Bayreuth in 1955 is finally available in the superlative stereo sound which was recorded by Decca engineers and planned for release before John Culshaw nixed the idea in favor of a studio Ring. For many years Decca's studio Ring has been the preferred cycle by most Wagnerites. Now with the gradual appearance of the Keilberth "live" 1955 cycle thanks to the Testament label (as of now we have the two middle operas, the first and fourth to appear later this year), we can emphatically state that Decca officials denied the record buying public access to a stunning cycle for 51 years. All artists in this Walk¨re are in their absolute prime. Brouwenstijn and Vinay are the passionate lovers, Greindl a menacing Hunding, Hotter probably the very best Wotan ever recorded, Varnay an incredibly involved Brünnehilde (why oh why did major record companies virtually ignore this magnificent artist?), and Von Milinkovic a superb Fricka. The Walküre sisters are very fine. And Keilberth's conducting moves with every nuance of the score, bringing Wagner's music drama to life. Because this was recorded "live" before an audience all the performers are very involved with the action. This Walküre will draw you into the story and move you emotionally more than any other audio recording. As stated, the sound is excellent, so fine you'd never realize had you not been told that the original tapes are over half a century old. Expensive the set is, but if you want to hear a Walküre that surely fulfills every one of Wagner's hopes for a performance, this must be the first choice of all Ring fans. Listen to it and marvel at the artistry and commitment of the performers. You will not be disappointed!

I will add my voice to the chorus of praise that has greeted Testament's release of the Keilberth Bayreuth Ring Cycle from 1955. The stereo sound is a major factor here. For those of us who have heard the 1950s Bayreuth Rings from conductors like Knappertsbusch, Krauss, Karajan and a younger Keilberth (in '52 and '53), there is a undeniable thrill hearing the voices of Varnay, Hotter, Vinay, et. al, and the Bayreuth orchestra in such a well-balanced stereo spread. It's as if a muffling veil had been lifted off of the performances we knew so well, to revelatory effect.

Keilberth's conducting is closer in approach to Krauss rather than Knappertsbusch. He chooses relatively swift tempi, and the textures are more transparent than the bass-heavy weight of Knappertbusch's sound. Keilberth does a terrific job of keeping the opera moving while giving the singers room to breathe (many "golden-age" singers singled out Keilberth as perhaps the greatest conductor to perform with since he followed them so nimbly and sensitively). Ramon Vinay's intensity and his dark, burly tone couple well with Gré Brouwenstijn's impassioned if somewhat tremulous singing. Hans Hotter is at his most commanding, though his voice is already a bit past its prime (his tone was lighter and more attractive through the 40s; by the 50s it could turn shuddery and dry under pressure). Astrid Varnay's tone was never ideally steady either, but her vivid declamation of text and the way her sound could expand and fill the house is captured thrillingly here. Presentation is terrific, with a booklet containing a libretto with English translation and a number of intelligent essays. The price is quite steep, unfortunately. But for lovers of historic Wagner performances, this is an essential purchase.

Am I alone in finding these releases of the "First Stereo Ring" a bit overhyped? Certainly this Walkure, like the Siegfried before it, shows how consistently good Bayreuth performances were in the 50's. Krauss a couple of years before and Knasppertsbusch the year after worked with essentially the same cast. And it is invidious to start trying to make definitive comparisons between the singers' performances over those years. There are pluses and minuses across all three for the principals - Hotter, Varnay, Vinay, Windgassen, etc. Certainly Hotter was in better voice in all these recordings than he was for Solti some ten years later. But, to take just the Act 2 narration in Walkure as a keystone of a Wotan performance, I'd be hard-pushed to make an out-and-out decision about which was 'best', even if I wanted to. And much the same holds true of the other singers.

So, it's the conducting, then. Well, Keilberth certainly gives a well-balanced, exciting performance - a little lighter, faster and less bombastic than some. But so is Krauss - and he manages to land the big punches in Acts 1 and 3 more effectively. Kna was notoriously a patchy conductor: concentration could lapse sometimes for pages at a time. But his broader, grander approach certainly demands consideration - perhaps his 1951 Gotterdammerung (also on Testament) shows off his Ring at its best. A few years later at the Festpielhaus, Kempe's more intimate, refined conducting and Bohm's highly-charged theatrical approach also come into the picture.

So it's the sound quality, then. Well yes, it is better sound than either the Krauss or the Knappertsbusch. And it is in stereo, though not spectacularly so. But the Bohm from the following decade gives a much richer and truer idea of the real Bayreuth magic. And, undoubtedly, Culshaw's Decca recording (started just a couple of years after this recording) knocks them all into a cocked hat for sheer sound quality - whatever your views of the performance. (And so, incidentally, does the Vienna Philharmonic compared to the consistently good but not great Festspielhaus orchestra.)

Certainly this is a Walkure (and progressively a Ring) that deserves its place in the catalogue after half a century gathering dust. But to say it sweeps all before it is overstating the case.

A few days after purchasing the great "Rheingold" in this series, I bought this Walkure. I am so glad that I did! I must have been listening to this opera for over 44 years,but I have never heard a better one, perhaps not even one as good as this. Keilberth continues his glorious conducting that began in "Rheingold", sensitive at every point, energetic but always inward-looking,capturing the mystery as well as the high emotion of the score. His First Act Prelude, for example, is paced at exactly the right tempo to suggest a raging thunderstorm. The whole act is shrouded in darkness,only to have light intrude when Nothung becomes visible to Siegmund. The great Wotan monologue in Act 2 is so suspenseful that I doubt that anyone could call this section of the opera dull; on the contrary, as in any good "Walkure", this should emerge as the turning point of the whole drama, which it does here. Wotan's Farewell and the Magic Fire Music never were more deeply moving than here. Vinay's Siegmund is simply glorious, a real Heldentenor voice, sensitively sung. Brouwenstijn's Sieglinde sounds a bit like Lotte Lehmann's in its intensity. Greindl's Hunding is not just menacing,he's outright dangerous! A primitive man who could erupt in physical violence at any moment! I look forward to his Hagen. Milinkovic's Fricka is divinely outraged here, as in "Rheingold", the Valkyries are not only exhuberant,but superbly disciplined. But even above this high level lie the real stars, Varnay's Brunnhilde and Hotter's Wotan. Varnay is at her most brilliant and secure self here, and Hotter ranges from deep despair to uncontrollable wrath, with the most secure singing ever heard from him during this period of his career. The recorded sound is as superb as in the "Rheingold", but there are two instances of pitch fluctuation (end of Act 1 and in Act 3, at Wotan's (In festem Schlaf"). Curiously, Varnay's "Soll fessendem Schlaf" loses the stereo effect and is heard in mono, but quickly reverts to stereo at the beginning of the Farewell. I suppose those were to be expected in an early, live stereo recording. For me,these are minor caveats. No doubt about it, this is THE Walkure and bodes the same for this Ring as a whole. Forget the expense and just get it! I can hardly wait for the rest!
I'd like to add a few words about Astrid Varnay's performance. She delivers the most spellbinding "Todesverkuendigung" Scene ever. She begins absolutely majestically and implacably, stern and impersonal in her delivery of Siegmund's fate, then gradually undergoes the most convincing transformation to a compassionate and ultimately rebellious daughter that I have ever experienced. The same goes for Hotter, turning from optimism over his plan succeeding to utter dismay and finally despair when Fricka pulls out the rug from under him. I cannot fathom the sheer stupidity of John Culshaw in vetoing the issue of this Ring.

I am about to use a word I rarely use in a review. This may be

the definitve recording of Wagner's " Die Walkure". Hans Hotter

in his prime delivering a Wotan the likes of which we would not

hear again until James Morris. Astrid Varnay bringing us a

Bruhnhilde for the ages. Joseph Keilberth conducting a perfomance that is wonderful.

Yes this recording is pricey, but it is worth every penny.

The rest of this Ring Cycle comes out later in 2006. While it

may end up being the most expensive ring cycle on the market.

It will certainly be one of the most honored and critically

praised ones ever to be released. Decca may end up wishing they

had a piece of this pie.

Rarely does a release live up to its hype, but the Testament release of the 1955 Ring from Bayreuth is one that does. This CD is jam-packed with incredible performances from one of the best casts assembled in the post-war era. Ramon Vinay gives a magnificent performance as Siegmund--and I really like his rich baritonal timbre. (In fact, he began and ended his career as a baritone.) He sings with intelligence, sensitivity and passion. Gre Brouwenstijn gives an surprisingly (for her) ardent account of Sieglinde and Josef Griendl is a wonderfully malevolent Hunding.
The two stars of the show are clearly Hans Hotter as Wotan and Astrid Varnay as Brunnehilde. Hotter was probably the leading heldenbaritone of the 20th century, and there really is no one better as Wotan. Others may have richer and fuller voices, but few are as good singing actors as was Hotter. Varnay is a revelation. If Birgit Nilsson was said to have a voice like burnished steel, Varnay, (who was one of Nillson's closest friends in the business), has a darker, richer instrument that gives her portrayal more "humanity", if one can use that word about a god's daughter! (She's also incredible on the "Siegfried" CD and don't miss her Tristan und Isolde with Ramon Vinay.) Known to many of my generation only through her later "character" mezzo roles, she is enjoying a renaissance now through these incredible releases from the mid-50s, the height of her career.
Joseph Keilberth conducts with drive and energy, and he gets ample support from the Bayreuth orchestra. The sound quality is remarkable for that time, (and in stereo, no less), and although the price is a bit steep, if one buys it from one of the dealers that sell on Amazon one can save quite a bit.
It may not be the "best" Ring cycle, but it's right up there and a wonderful opportunity to hear some of the last 50 years' top Wagnerian artists in their prime.

Just finished listening to the second installment of this first stereo recording of the Wagner Ring live from the Bayreuth stage, and, I must say, I'm favorably impressed. But to suggest that this recording could be the definitive Walkuere is ridiculous!

First of all, in Astrid Varnay we have a Bruennhilde who, despite her vocal power and wonderful sensitivity, has a sound so matronly that she could easily be Wotan's mother. Fricka sounds quite young in comparison. (Varnay also perpetuates the Flagstad 'yelp' in the battle calls at start of Act II.) And then, we have a Wotan who, as a singer, was so cock-sure of his stature that he chose to rewrite the score, to include a quarter rest in the final phrase of 'Wer meines Speeres Spitze fuerchtet durchschreite das Feuer (non-written quarter rest)....nie!' I was acutally quite surprised at Hotter's capricious rhythmic sense all through the Farewell...maybe he was running out of steam on the stage and just couldn't keep up. I'll have to revisit his performance in the Solti Ring. His Act II narration impresses, however.

The standouts on the vocal and dramatic fronts are the incestuous twins. Ramon Vinay is a most virile Siegmund and Gre Brouwenstijn a most tortured Sieglinde. They sound great together.

Another drawback is that the live sound of this recording is very boxy, much like the sound on the LPs of Boehm's 1968 Bayreuth Ring. Somehow the transfer of the Boehm Ring to CD enriched and balanced the sound. That didn't happen here.

Keilberth has an amazing personal affinity with the score, which is this CD's chief attribute. We HEAR the love, without having to endure the cheap theatrical manipulations of Levine and his ilk. He ALLOWS us to enjoy the opera, he doesn't force us to. My gratitude to him.

It is almost a dream come true. Imagine Krauss' or Kna in stereo sound, the celebrated 53 or 56 versions, Imagine Solti but the singers all in their prime, especially Hotter. This is a dream come true. And to make things even better, everyone seems to be singing and playing their heart out. I have to admit, Krauss is a great interpreter orchestrally, as is Solti, but in terms of singing, this goes to the top of my list and I must say overalll is now at the top. Along with Siegfried, which is even better than this, this should be the greatest ring ever released, either in stereo or not. The only issue is the price, which is absurd considering they let it gather dust in their basement for fifty years. How could they charge 100 dollars for three opera and 46 for a preliminary evening, that is 346 for the entire cycle which is just about out of everyone's price range-especially when you can now get Krauss at 45, Solti at 150, etc, etc, it is a hard sell to convince someone that it is that much better. I cant say it is 200 dollars better than Solti and it is not 300 better than Krauss---but for those, like me, always searching for something new in the ring, this is like discovering the holy grail.

This WALKURE is a must just to hear Hans Hotter and Astrid Varnay in their prime and in very good early stereo. In the Solti WALKURE one must admit Hotter was past his prime. I love his sound as Wotan and especially his attention to musical as well as textual details. HE IS WOTAN and at his peak and prime here. Astrid Varnay is right there with him all the way. They make Acts Two and Three so very special and sublime. Varnay to my ears is an ideal Brunnhilde sound. In my humble opinion she is second to only Helen Traubel as a beautiful sounding and singing Brunnhilde. The rest of the cast is right there with these two TITANS. Only, Gre Brouwenstijn, the Sieglinde with her tight vibrato could be bettered. There are several other stronger Sieglindes then her (i.e. Nilsson, Crespin, Borkh, Rysanek to name a few.) Some others have expressed a little concern over the conducting. After a second and third listening I don't wholeheartedly agree. When he has to Keilberth turns up the tension especially in Acts II and III. I look forward to Gotterdammerung and Varnay's Brunnhilde.