Customer Reviews

Wagner: Der Fliegende Hollander [The Flying Dutchman], WWV 63 (Great Recordings of the Century)

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"Der Fliegende Holländer" is the first real Wagner opera; the first opera in which his real voice comes through. It is also perhaps the most unrelentingly dramatic and intense of the three masterpieces he wrote during the 1840's ("Tannhäuser" and "Lohengrin" being the other two). As the string tremolo opens the overture, we are drawn into a world washed with sea salt and stormy spray: the world of the Flying Dutchman. A good recording needs to keep us in that world and not release us until the final chord has died away. This recording does that overwhelmingly.

The great German conductor Otto Klemperer (1885-1973) was nearing the end of his career and his life when this recording was made in 1968, but this is arguably his finest recording (his Beethoven 6, Fidelio and Bruckner 6 are my other candidates). Klemperer is admirably well matched to this work: when he was at his best, as he is here, his work was elemental, a force of nature, which is exactly the type of conducting required in this opera. Helped by magnificent playing from his New Philharmonia Orchestra, he gives us a blazingly intense overture, carrying that elemental intensity through to the final scene. He is also aided by the BBC Chorus. The chorus, as in most of Wagner's other operas, has an essential part in the plot and music, particularly in Act 3. The BBC Chorus produces a wonderful sound but is also dramatic.

Klemperer's cast is not flawless, but is almost certainly the best at that time, and the flaws are not very large. Theo Adam is the Dutchman. He has the vocal power necessary for the role, as well as the intelligence and insight. He has a resonant voice, but it grows a bit wobbly and gritty under pressure. Compare him to Hans Hotter at his peak (on a 1944 broadcast recording available on Gramofono 2000), and Adam's sizable achievement shrinks. Under the baton of Clemens Krauss, Hotter is at least as insightful as Adam, and also has a glorious, sumptuously warm, enormous voice that Adam simply does not have. But then again, no one else has a voice like that, either. Adam is on a much higher level than competence, and his performance here shows him to be the finest Dutchman of the last 35 years. His Senta is Anja Silja, whose performance is for the most part stunning. She is a simply astounding actress. There is no doubt that she IS Senta, bringing her to life in a wholly believable way (and for this slightly insane character, that's unbelievable!), and she also possesses a large, beacon-like voice. She does wobble a bit on sustained high notes, but this can be overlooked. I think she may be the greatest Senta on record. The rest of the cast is superb. The great Finnish bass Martti Talvela is a satisfyingly straightforward, gloriously sung Daland. His is one of those very rare voices you just want to drink. Ernst Kozub (Erik) has a dark, heroically ringing yet beautiful voice that reminds me a lot of James King. (Klemperer actually wanted King for the role, but King couldn't get out of a contract with another company.) Kozub sings ardently, but he has a choppy way with the vocal line and doesn't really characterize. It feels like nit-picking to be criticizing a singer with such a glorious voice, but on consideration, I don't really think he's a complete artist. (Kozub was originally cast in the title role of "Siegfried" on the superb Solti recording, but despite his excellent voice, he had to be abandoned for the veteran Wolfgang Windgassen. Kozub simply failed to learn the role, being too busy giving guest performances all over Europe. It's an interesting "might-have-been.") The excellent Gerhard Unger (Steuermann) and Annelies Burmeister (Mary) round out the cast.

By the time this recording was made, EMI had adopted the methods of producing an opera for records pioneered by Decca's John Culshaw, and this production is well done. For instance, in Act 1, Daland's ship and, later, the Dutchman's ship have definite, separate positions; in Act 2, the sound of spinning wheels is unobtrusively and sensibly added to the opening chorus; and in Act 3, the two ships and their contrasting crews and moods are given suitably contrasting positions. The sound itself, however, is not nearly as satisfying. Despite the new remastering at Abbey Road for this release as a "Great Recording of the Century," the sound retains a disturbing amount of hiss and roughness. It is no worse, though, than for instance Karajan's Tristan und Isolde (with none of the excruciating balances that disfigure the latter), and whatever roughness the sound can't take away from the glories of the performance. I recommend this Klemperer version as the best all-around recording of Der Fliegende Holländer, with the 1944 Krauss/Hotter as a supplement. Happy listening!

Buy this recording and you won't be disappointed. EMI has re-released this in a series called "Great Recordings of the Century". Although it is debatable if some of the others in this series deserve such a lofty designation, this one truly, truly does. This is simply a searing, white hot performance.

Klemperer is at his very best. Many of his tempi seem slow in comparison to other conductors, but Klemperer's tempi feel right, and, upon returning to the other recordings, the others feel a bit rushed. But despite the slower tempi, the performance is driven from its opening chords to its finale, constantly propelled forward as if - like the characters in the opera - compelled by fate. Klemperer achieves a wide spectrum of orchestral colors that are well captured by the microphones. This 1968 recording is sonically pleasing and wears its age well.

The excellent cast members all inhabit their characters. Combined with Klemperer, the result is amazing. The drama of this opera leaps out of the speakers, an experience akin to hearing a great radio play; the act of simply listening to this recording is a theatrical experience. Anja Silja may be the greatest recorded Senta (other than Leonie Rysanek), and she is able to sound youthful while being every bit the dramatic soprano. Senta's ballad is riveting - her inflections leave no doubt as to the state of this girl's haunted soul and her impending fate. Theo Adam is full of dark mystery as the Dutchman and sounds fantastic. Ernst Kozub is a cocky and impulsive Erik, and the tension in his scenes with Silja is deliciously thick. Marti Talvela makes a wonderful Daland.

Even though it preceeds digital technology, this is preferable to the more recent versions. This recording is the standard by which all others should be measured, and the others simply don't measure up.

When people think of great interpreters of Richard Wagner, the two most common names that are usually mentioned are Furtwangler and Solti. Otto Klemperer, however, is seldom mentioned in the same breath as those two and that is ashame. Not only is he in their class, but in some ways exceeds them. This recording of Holländer proves it. It has all of the characteristics of Klemperer: slow, methodical, and very powerful. In slowing the tempos down, the singers and orchestra produce a sound that is very full and developed. What is unique here is the sense of emotion one gets when listening to this performance. At first that might seem odd given the fact that Klemperer was not a conductor that went for emotion or color. The standout cast member is Anja Silja as Senta. When one hears her sing, one gets the absolute sense of destiny and pity that the character feels throughout the opera. She plays the role to perfection. Theo Adam gives a very fine performance as the Dutchman, the cursed sailor who made a foolish bet with the Devil. Like Silja, Adam portrays the emotions of his character very well: the sorrow, the frustration, and the helplessness. Needless to say, Silja and Adam perform beautifully together in Act II. Kozub and Talvela are very good additions to the cast and sing and act well. This recording is an excellent introduction to Wagner and seasoned veterans will enjoy it very much as well.

This is the best Flying Dutchman ever!! The fantastically intense Otto Klemperer brings his famed intensity to this masterpiece. Klemperer was performing the Flying Dutchman at Convent Garden at about the same time this recording was made. The stage experience and intensity of the 'live' performances has obviously carried over into this recording. This is the top recommended version by Gramophone, and it is indeed worthy of the Great Recording of the Century series. The Philharmonia plays superbly intense. Wind, sea and storm all come across vividly. Anja Silja is the personification of Senta's obsession with the Dutchman. From her entry, you KNOW what is the conclusion of the story - that she is so obsessed about the Dutchman that she will finally jump over the cliff for him. That last high B is fantastic!! Ernst Kozub as Erik is interesting for 2 reasons. One is that he really makes a great Heldentenor in the freakishly difficult role of Erik. The second reason is that he was the original Siegfried for Solti's Ring. So this recordings is valuable in preserving a 'what-might-have-been' for us to hear. Marti Talvela as usual is never less than fantastic - I need say no further. Theo Adam is the Dutchman to the core!!

Very highly recommended!! Don't pass by the chance to hear Klemperer's last great recording!!

Written in 1840, Der Fliegende Hollander was Wagner's second opera, (and after the 6-hour Rienzi, his shortest opera), and it is often considered his most "Italiante" in feel and lyrical quality. It's also extremely Romantic in style--you can feel the wind on your face and taste the salt spray.
It makes for an excellent introduction to Wagner's operas, and while there really are no bad recordings of this opera, this recording is one of the best. The great conductor Otto Klemperer was 82 when he made this recording, and although he made a couple of more recordings, this is generally considered his last great recording. His tempi are slow, but intense and purposeful and the opera never drags.
His cast is also excellent. Theo Adams makes a powerful, poignant Dutchman, with an edge to his voice that I found very moving. Many critics consider Anja Silja's performance of Senta to be the definitive interpretation, and while Leonie Rysanek or Astrid Varnay are also in the top flight, Silja is a superb singing actress who clearly convey's Senta's almost frightening intensity. Martti Talvela has got to have one of the richest bass voices of the 20th century, Ernst Kozub is ardent and in-your-face as Eric, and Gerhard Unger brings wonderful musicality to the role of the Steersman. Mention should be made of the chorus, which sings its large role with tremendous excitement. This recording is an excellent addition to any opera collection.

EMI brought out two Flying Dutchman recordings that went to the top of the list, this one under Klemperer and a later one under Karajan. Both had excellent sound, orchestral playing, and ocnducting, along with outstanding choruses (Klemperer, however, had the edge here with the masterful Wilhelm Pitz as his choral director).

Unfortunately, both sets had a serious flaw, and as it happened they were opposites. Karajan's Senta is the harsh-voiced, rather fierce Slavic soprano Dunja Vejkovic, Klemperer's Dutchman is the faceless, dry-voiced workman Theo Adam. Over the years neither defect has improved, so either you listen to these classic sets and skirt around the flaws--hard to do, given how much music Senta and the Dutchman sing together--or you go elsewhere. Personally, I went to the recent Sinopoli on DG and a live performance under Sawallisch on super-budget Opera d'Oro

Wagner: Der Fliegende Hollander [The Flying Dutchman], WWV 63 (Great Recordings of the Century) is a classic EMI recording from 1968 under the direction of Otto Klemperer who leads the New Philharmonia Orchestra. The booklet has 154 pages and contains a few nice photographs from the time of the recording. It also contains well-written music notes by Richard Osborne. The lyrics are in German, French and English. Highly recommended indeed. 5/5.

George Lucas went back into Star Wars to "re-do" certain things he wasn't happy about and ruined it. Steven Spielberg did the same, if not worse, to E.T. And Wilhelm Richard Wagner did that to his Dutchman.

That is why I adore this recording. It wasn't until I heard this Dutchman that I finally understood what it was all about. This is the original Dresden version and the Weber-like ending is more powerful than the Tristan-esque sunrise Wagner tacked on later. I much prefer a blazing red finale, which is in keeping with Vanderdecken's final judgment (dragging Senta up with him) than the cotton candy of the re-write.

The singers are all wonderful, despite what critics (there will always be those) say. I'll take drama over a pretty voice anyday because that is, after all, what theatre is about. And Klemperer may be too slow for some but to me the weight of the music feels like the water and wind and sorrowful longing that this music drama is about. When you hear this recording, you are astounded by the originality of Wagner.

I'm afraid I just don't get the enthusiasm others have for this recording. My principal problem is with Klemperer's speed, or rather the lack thereof. He's the only conductor I know who can make *everything* sound as long as Parsifal (even when the actual minutes aren't that different from other recordings). Here the Dutchman can barely sail, much less fly. I don't remember my dates well enough to know if this recording was made before or after Karajan did his best to ruin Silja's voice, but the top notes are pretty harsh here, though some of the role is nicely done. There are other recordings of this opera that have much to offer; check out the Konwitschny on Koch/Berlin with Fischer-Dieskau and Wunderlich, or the RCA with Dorati.

From the start this recording pleases, and most everything about it is excellent. Klemperer delivers a truly white-hot performance in this masterpiece of Wagnerian opera, almost always hitting the right emotional chords and pulling the listener into a dark and brutish world.

Being Wagner's first true masterpiece, and written in the 1840's, the height of the bel canto era in Europe, the work is not as mature as his later works (Tristan und Isolde being his full maturity) and the music at times is decidedly Bellini-ish, but still backed by full Wagnerian force and anti-recitative writing. The opera is Wagner's easiest to comprehend, being his one of his only two operas to clock in at less than 3 hours, and also due to the fairly straight forward story, allowing for easy listening and viewing from almost anyone. The music is truly fantastic, with Senta's aria(!) in Act II being a deep and brooding ballad that has been unequalled in terms of brutality. The overture, the most famous part of the opera, is a tour de force introducing several of the major themes in the opera and displaying both the dark and jovial sides of the opera. The Steersman's theme "Mit Gewitter und Sturm" is a wonderfully delightful piece, as is the dance music from Act III. Wagner outdid himself here, and would not reach this level of sheer musical perfection again until Die Meistersinger 20 years later.

Klemperer's 1968 production came at a time when Walter Legge had just left the studio, allowing for the company to experiment with the sonic staging developed at Decca, a technique derided by Legge until his dying day. For the most part, they are successful. I honestly felt that they went a bit overboard at times (even Culshaw did now and again), especially with the spinning in Act II, but the sound effects with the Dutchman's ship chorus in Act III are fantastic. The sound is not as full as it could be (some of the singers seem a bit distant), and is a bit dry at times, but given the atmosphere of Klemperer's conducting, this is actually very nice. The ART remastering is better than I have heard of it being, but given how unlistenable part of Klemperer's Zauberflöte is, and how Giulini's Don Carlo is wanting, I am always wary of EMI remasters and have refused to even listen to some of their others. The New Philharmonia Orchestra handle the score well, but are not as adept as Vienna or even Chicago when it comes to Wagner (I've always felt they were more a Mozartian orchestra).

The production has a very expressionistic feel to it, and given the dry atmosphere and Klemperer's hot conducting, this is a great benefit as the work has some hallmarks of expressionism. The linear notes details a production from the 1920's that Klemperer did that was expressionistic, and this helps add to the feeling as well. Klemperer takes a large scale and brutish approach to the opera, and certainly lends to the big and powerful stereotype of Wagnerian opera, and even though he IS very slow at points, he never lets the score drag and always keeps everything large scale. I still, however, prefer Solti if only for his more lyrical approach, which is truer to the almost bel canto nature of the score. The edition of the score used here is the original premiere version, with a much shorter and more violent musical ending for both the overture and finale. It works just as well as the more known post-Tristan revision which owes more to the Redemption theme at the end of Götterdämmerung than to the rest of the original opera. I am still deciding which one I prefer since the revision gives a sense of the Dutchman's redemption.

The cast is excellent, even if they are not perfect. Anja Silja is a wonderful Senta, and she handles the score and acting well enough to earn the respect of anyone listening. Her voice may not be as beautiful as other sopranos, but it does come close, and she is wonderfully talented. Theo Adam is always an acquired taste, but his voice handles the role well, even if it is dry and stiff, and he is better here than he was for Haitink is his misguided attempt at Alberich. Ernst Kozub is not the greatest heldentenor I have heard, and like Ludwig Suthaus, his voice is not very lyrical and a bit too baritonish at times, but he handles the role well enough to be effective. I think anyone can agree that James King would have been a better choice, even if he had to bow out of the production. Martti Talvela and Gerhard Unger surpass all others as Daland and the Steersman, with Talvela's thunderous voice being used to the fullest extent and Unger's light, but fairly large, lyric tenor being as wonderful as ever. Burmeister is an enjoyable Mary, and helps round out the rest of the cast.

In total, this is a very good Dutchman, which captures the dark nature of the opera and all of its drama, with wonderful conducting, a nice cast, and an atmosphere that leaves everyone satisfied.