Customer Reviews

Wagner: Die Walkure, Act 2

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This San Francisco performance was broadcast in 1936 and is justly famous to collectors of early Wagner performances. This is also the infamous recording where a polite sounding, though ethusiastic, female announcer enters a few seconds before Wotan dispatches Hunding to Walhalla and declares the curtain is now slowly falling on this 'extraordinary' performance. Very slow indeed since Wotan (Schorr) can still be heard threatening Hunding (list) in the background. Sudden fade-out. So not all WALKURE performances are the same and Hunding obviously survives in this one.

With the Reiner cuts and Hunding free to roam, this is hardly a 'complete' performance. But it is not cut as heavily as the Furtwangler LaScala Wotan Act 2 narrative or the Bodanzky Met performances.

Schorr has vocal problems here and there, but doesn't distract from the proceedings. A fine performance. Plus, Lotte Lehmann and Kirsten Flagstad on stage together with Melchior's Siegmund! Don't miss it. It's no wonder collectors treasure this early broadcast.

Unfortunately, Music&Arts once again gives us a shrill, treble heavy transfer that will scrape paint from your walls when played at high volume. Either up the bass and lower the treble or search out the MINERVA transfer (my choice) if you can find it.

Since I have Act 1, Act 2 was a necessity. It is very well done, and I particularly enjoyed the performance itself separate from the miracle of even having a live recording of this performance in such good shape. Sound wise, it is as good as can be expected, I think.