Customer Reviews

Wagner: Götterdämmerung

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I have been more critical than most of the other parts of this Ring Cycle, frequently lauded by others not just as the first stereo Ring, but as the Ring to have over all the rest. To be fair, all 4 parts offer performances that would have been thrilling to have experienced in the theatre, certainly compared to anything you're likely to hear anywhere in the world these days. Standards in Bayreuth in the years following the reopening of the Festival in 1951 and throughout the 50's were impressively and consistently high. But there's the rub. From this one opera house and in that one decade alone there is a range of alternative performances of the Ring, often with a very similar cast, many of which can lay claim to match or even surpass this one, depending on your taste in performance style for this monumental work. Certainly Clemens Krauss from the year before Keilberth is for many people including myself the most satisfying performance of any. Knappertsbusch a couple of years later is patchy but, when he finds his focus, overwhelming - his is a Ring on the grandest scale. These were all in Wieland Wagner's groundbreaking, almost minimalist production from the reopening year of the Festival. Kempe in 1960 (in Wolfgang's first deconstructed dish production) is at the opposite end of the scale; more intimate, more subtle, very much alive to the ebb and flow of the entire cycle. Bohm a few years after that in Wieland's second, much more claustrophobic and primitive production is again a first choice Ring for many connoisseurs, intensely theatrical and with a cast similar to that of Solti's spectacular studio performances, here excelling themselves in live performances. Beyond that, you have Boulez, blowing some fresh air into the textures, cleaning the patina of age off the picture, but less than profound in the great moments, and Barenboim, following in the footsteps of his idol, Furtwangler, in his flexible approach to tempi, but not quite matching his broad architectural control. Neither has a cast to approach those of the 50's.

Having said all that, I must admit that this Gotterdammerung is the finest part of Keilberth's cycle. The urgency of his conducting carries the narrative along on a wave of inevitability to its tragic (if, indeed, it can be called tragic) and glorious end. This works to best effect in the taut, urgent and intense arch of Act 2. In the grandest moments of Act 3, however, you may feel something more is needed. For a Funeral March and an Immolation that carry the full grandeur and weight of the destruction of a whole civilisation (which is what they ultimately are), perhaps you need to turn to Kna, to Goodall or to Furtwangler.

The singers throughout the lifespan of this first Wieland Wagner production were remarkably consistent and uniformly of a far higher standard than we are forced to accept these days. Varnay never sang with less than 100% commitment, here more than ever. Hers is a white-hot performance: the voice has more warmth and darkness (if that's not oxymoronic) than a Nilsson, less mumsiness than a Flagstad and she uses it with bold abandon in the Dawn Duet and the Oathtaking of Act 2. Windgassen is truly a youthful hero (compared to his outings for Solti and Bohm) and brings real poetry to the Narration and Death. I'm inclined to think Neidlinger the definitive Alberich and here, as throughout the cycle, he gives his definitive performance. Uhde, too, is near enough the definitive Gunther, but his performance for Knappertsbusch in '51 perhaps shades this one for penetrating depth of characterisation. I've always found Greindl's voice a bit unattractive compared to the rich blackness of a Frick or an Andresen, but it certainly has the size to dominate a Wagnerian orchestra in full cry in his summoning of the vassals. Rhinemaidens, Norns and a superb Pitz-trained chorus are all worthy of their colleagues.

This is undoubtedly a very fine performance, one that does not deserve to have lain gathering dust on the shelves for so long. The finest Ring on disc, though? For my money that accolade would go to Krauss or, in Gotterdammerung alone, Knappertsbusch in 1951 - a concentrated, intense and profoundly moving performance on the grandest scale. The sound on these new `First Ever Stereo' recordings is good, too, giving an excellent impression of the unique Bayreuth acoustic, but Culshaw and Solti in Vienna are undeniably in a different class. To sum up, this is a Gotterdammerung well worth hearing, owning even, alongside other Bayreuth versions. But to say it sweeps all before it is perhaps overstating the case.

After having bought Rheingold, Walkure and Siegfried, I had high hopes for this last Ring opera. If anything, they were surpassed. Conductor Keilberth reveals a mastery of this richest and most complex of Ring scores in a way that boggles the mind. Every bit of pacing and phrasing is simply perfect, and it fits together so well that singling out examples won't do it justice. This is a true symphonic entity. anyone who thinks that Gotterdammerung is an overlong opera should listen to the concentration and intensity of Keilberth's interpretation. As for the cast, they really outdo themselves. Windgassen's Siegfried is if anything more secure and heroic than in Siegfried, and his Narration and Death are heartbreaking. Uhde's Gunther is perfect in its blend of heroism and cowardice. Brouwenstyn's Gutrune is perfect as an innocent seductress, von Illosvay's Waltraute is very urgent and really convincing, and Greindl's Hagen is perhaps the most polished and malevolent on recording. Neidlinger remains the classic Alberich, better than on another other cycle, because his portryal is multidimensional, embittered and downtrodden as well as spiteful. As for Varnay's Brunnhilde, well, she is the best, period! Vocally, she combines Flagstad's warmth with Nilsson's high notes, and goes through the metamorphoses of ardent lover to vengeful harpie to transfigured and resigned figure of wisdom more convincingly than any other. The sheer strength that she musters in the Immolation has to be heard to be believed. There is no question about it: GET THIS RING CYCLE AND LISTEN! BAYREUTH RULES FOREVER!
I would like to clarify something here. I fully appreciate other ring recordings in existence. I would never want to be without the Kempe or Krauss Bayreuth Rings, or the great 1951 Knappertsbusch Gotterdammerung. Each has something to contribute to our knowledge and appreciation of this, one of the greatest works of western art. But again, I must say that if I prefer this Keilberth Ring above others, it is merely because this is one Ring in which everything has gone right and fits so perfectly together. Plus, Keilberth seems to unite all the best qualities of the aforementioned conductors and makes this such a compelling experience for this listener. As for the recorded sound, I do not agree that it is behind in quality to the Solti/Decca. Wagner intended for there to be a BALANCE between singer and orchestra, not a predominance of orchestra over singer, something that happens in the Solti at times. This is not to belittle that achievement, but rather, that to my mind and ears, this is more what the composer wanted us to hear. The contrapuntal yextures are simply clearet in this recording; the Rhine Journey could almost be a Bach Brandenburg Concerto! REAL power comes from clarity, subtlety, light and shade, and tension, rather than from sheer muscle and brute force. I feel that Keilberth, like Krauss, Kempe and (at times) Knappertsbusch, offers us these qualities in greater portions than does Solti (again, not to in any way belittle his great concept). It is fortunate that, as I had said in the Rheingold review, there is a richness of great Ring recordings to offer us thought.

The 1955 Bayreuth Ring comes full circle with this excellent GOTTERDAMMERUNG. The cycle is a superb example of music drama at its finest, with golden-age performances caught live, in sound equal to the best of its day. We hear a truly stellar cast, in their prime, with several seasons of RING performances behind them. The conductor, Joseph Keilberth, had been conducting at Bayreuth since the 1952 RING. He knew the house well, and all the singers.

I would not want to be without the Clemens Krauss RING of 1953, another great cycle from Bayreuth, but the quality of sound, good as it is, cannot match the 1955 cycle, concluded with this recording. The only real problem the Decca team encountered was with the 'infernal' smoke and fire machine that runs through the Nibelheim scene of DAS RHEINGOLD.

There is no such technical problem with GOTTERDAMMERUNG. This, and its companion dramas of the Cycle, surely must be the benchmark in terms of cast, sound quality, conducting, and orchestral execution. It may be outpointed in certain areas, but overall this GOTTERDAMMERUNG completes a RING that ought to be the first choice, if cost is not an issue.

It is expensive. The cost for the vinyl version is staggering, though I suppose purists will insist on having that incarnation. I am very happy with the CDs, which I purchased one set at a time as they emerged. It took a while, but the wait has been worth it.

I've waited a while to put my thoughts together and take a listen to this performance several times and also give a listen to another dozen or so RINGS to reach some conclusions. First, this is one of those truly GREAT RING CYCLES that gets it RIGHT! That said there are others Rings that also do this great work full justice. This one however is so strong and consistent in cast, conducting and sound that it is a must for any serious Wagner collection. Here is an ensemble that works as a complete unified team and each individual gives of their very best and many of them are definitive or as close as one can get to that illusive ideal. Bayreuth in the post war 50's assembled one of the legendary casts that would own these roles if they were here to sing them today in their vocal prime. We just don't come near this level of singing and complete identification with the character today! Varnay, Windgassen, Neidlinger, Kuen, Hotter in the other operas give their all which is a lot. The others in this illustrious cast are right up there with them. Every not so perfect Wagnerite should own this Ring as well as many other RINGS which I'll try to list a few and why. I'll stick my neck out and say this would be my first recommendation to someone new to the Ring because of this cast and this cast captured in very good stereo. I also recommend the KNA RING'S from Bayreuth especially 1957 (Melodram my preference because of Nilsson's wonderful Sieglinde) and now especially the new excellent remastering on WALHALL and very inexpensive to boot. I also would not part with Krauss of 1953. Both of these conductors get very good or better MONO Broadcast sound. If you can handle less than great Mono sound don't pass up Furtwangler's 1953 RAI Rome Cycle or in just barely acceptable broadcast sound with fluctuations and some weak areas the LA SCALA RING of 1950. For those who can handle the Ring in English try Andrew Porter's excellent translation with a great Wagnerian at the helm -Reginald Goodall with another great cast. You get to hear one of the most beautifully sung Siegfrieds in Alberto Remedios. For only the brave of heart and die-hard Helen Traubel Fans (and I'm one) there is a Met 1951 Ring with the pedestrian conducting of Stiedry. Flagstad sings DIE WALKURE but, you get Helen Traubel in SIGFRIED and GOTTERDAMMERUNG. She no longer has the high Bs and Cs but everything else is just beautifully sung and she sings sanctioned alternate high notes. The sound is quite good for 50's broadcast sound with some weak short patches;luckily, few and far between. I find it amazing that many of the great Rings are live recordings; and many of them from Bayreuth with the 50's cast. Now one must not forget Solti, Decca and Vienna. Many of us grew up with this Ring and it deserves its excellent reputation. I lean more to the Keilberth because of some of the same singers being so much more involved before a live audience, the wonderful Bayreuth acoustics and Windgassen and Hotter singing so much better and sounding far more fresh and youthful in the 1950's. There are no dry leathery tones or wobbles in this Ring. ONE NOTE: in my hearing there is a marked volume drop and tape editing blur in the Immolation Scene (Spectacularly sung by Varnay) which I found only needed a slight volume increase to match the rest of the full sonics of this Historic Cycle. I truly believe this was left in the Decca Vaults because it would have made Culshaw's Sonic Stage Ring with Solti redundant. As one can see a true lover of Wagner has many excellent choices and sometimes the conductor (Furtwangler, Krauss, Knappertsbusch, Goodall or Keilberth) can give use a new view and a great transcendent experience of this ever fascinating work. Some of these greatest Rings come with sonic handicaps that a great conductor with a majestic concept truly overcomes if we are willing to really listen and not just hear. As one grows in knowledge and love of the Ring the sonics can be ignored if the conductor or cast is inspiring! The reader may want to read my extensive comment as to why I cannot recommend the 1958 Knappertsbusch Bayreuth RING.

Clemens Krauss the best overall "Ring"? Says who? Oh yes, I forgot...The Critics. They Know Everything, and We Follow Blindly.

No way, no way. I have the Krauss "Gotterdammerung" and it simply doesn't measure up to what Keilberth achieves here. Finer detailing in the orchestra. Varnay scoops less during her entrance music. Windgassen is fabulous. Brouwenstijn is a sensitive, impassioned Gutrune. Uhde and Greindl are just as fine here as on the Krauss, and in much better sound. Keilberth's "Funeral March" far more powerful than Krauss, and it leads inexorably into the final denouement with much the same passion as Furtwangler 1950 (La Scala). I've heard many performances of "Gotterdammrung," and this one is absolutely the best. Get it!!

This "experimental stereo" recording of "Götterdämmerung", put together from rehearsals and performances from the 1955 Bayreuth Festival, first by Decca (although never released on LP) and then recently licensed for CD on Testament is here. AND it is finally worth its new price of around 65 dollars. When 106 dollars was being asked I thought the whole CD collecting world had gone nuts. I don't know how much the Decca license cost, but surely it never justified more than 25 dollars per CD while "Siegfried" and "Die Walküre" with the same numbers of CDs per box came for at least 25 percent less. There are plenty of reviews of the performance, but not that many mentions of this rip off!

I've now listened to Joseph Keilberth conduct the opera 3 times over the last month and find it amazing on many fronts. The cast certainly is amongst the very best ever assembled to do this opera. The performance of Varnay is reason enough to own the set, and if you're lucky enough to have the 1953 version under the direction of Clemens Krauss, then you have the two best renderings of Brünnhilde put on record for my money. The only difficulty is that she is often too far upstage in this version to be heard fully on the '55 mics. Yet I can't find any place to fault her singing. Windgassen is his usual, reliable self and has a voice that we've all become very familiar with. Greindl as Hagen on the Testament CDs is extraordinary. His rough-hewn idealization of the role has no peer in my experience. He is better here than on the Böhm set. He is too wobbly in his big moments on that 1967 recording. Matti Salminen on the stage was so imposing as to steal the show from substandard colleagues, but in 1955 and 1967 Greindl is up against the very best Wagnerians around. He more than holds his own and I think he finds even greater menace in the part than does Frick with Solti - no easy task. That is of course my opinion today. It might well change again tomorrow!! Uhde makes a very fine case for poor old Gunter. The rest of the cast gives the sort of performance one would expect. Neidlinger seems to sing every performance of Alberich in the same manner no matter where or when. I always love it too. The Norns and Rhine maidens give fine efforts as well, and Brouwenstijn has a better voice than does Decca's Watson in the role of Gutrune. It's nice to hear something that is head and shoulders above its competition. Maria von Ilosvay is a fine Waltraute even if her sound is a bit less colorful than is Ludwig with Solti. When all is sung and done, Ludwig brings the art of the lieder singer to the proceedings and that's what wins the day.

I had to start somewhere so I began by comparing the two live second act scenes with Hagen calling the vassals, both live from Bayreuth, both in stereo. Dr. Böhm in 1967 is clearly the better conductor. He was always a major leader of orchestras around the world. The chorus alone blazes white hot for Böhm while it is only ordinary under Keilberth. In fact it is in the conducting where things begin to really diverge among all the available sets. Solti is rhythmically stronger, Karajan svelter, and Krauss generally excellent. Böhm is only hampered by, say, Theo Adam, who is no match for Hotter in Siegfried or Walküre. What gives Keilberth a real leg up is of course the stereo sound. It is fascinating to hear this near-primitive set-up when one compares it to Böhm's Philips version. Böhm's is more colorful, I think, although the Philips recordings have been altered to get rid of the low frequency stage noise, much to the detriment of the upper registration. I changed this with a T.C. Electronics S-6000 at home; the sound becomes spectacular. (The S-6000 is a professional unit that will change any aspect of a recording). Maybe Philips should remaster it yet AGAIN. This makes the Testament "Ring" a darker recording in all four operas, although the rest of the color palate on Philips may indeed be the easier to listen to over the 14 hours it will take to hear the "Ring". But both Philips and the Decca/Testament team get Bayreuth perfectly as a space. Philips has more coverage of the stage, thus not loosing singers here and there as I've already metioned about Varnay. I do keep in mind, though, that the '55 is an EXPERIMENT in stereo, and I'm sure that's one reason it never saw the light of day. I don't think it would ever have come close to the Decca/Solti set in terms of sales where John Culshaw put stereo to the best use possible and thus changed the industry. In both Bayreuth stereo versions I find especially illuminating the placement of instruments in the orchestra pit. The standard studio versions all have symphonic seating for the orchestra. Bayreuth has the violins coming directly from the right side. The extra curricular noises, the changing presence of the voices, some poor playing all must be factored into the Testament "Ring". The noise sometimes plagues large scenes. But once you've gotten used to the thumps and bumps and occasionally the singer's back to the audience, even of a voice as big as Varnay's, you soon begin to enjoy a live performance of Götterdämmerung like no other.

I have any number of complete ring cycles purchased over the years of LP and CD. One that I've yet to read about is the 1951 broadcast cycle from the Metropolitan Opera under the direction of Fritz Stiedry. It has some very interesting moments indeed, though it may well have gone out of print very rapidly. I bought it in Rome in 2001. It is not nearly as interesting as is the Testament series, and the "Götterdämmerung" has far too many musical cuts to be a viable learning tool. An Early 50s version exists with Furtwängler and Flagstad, but that's about all there is to recommend in what is a lousy sounding group of operas. That's for the specialist alone.

As to whether Keilberth is a great Wagnerian conductor to my ears will be determined over the next year. I do think his performances certainly warrant multiple auditions. His basic readings of my favorite parts of the Ring are quite good indeed. As to whether or not this is a legendary "Götterdämmerung" remains to be heard. These operas take a lifetime to learn intimately and varying performances all have their strengths and weaknesses just as do the simplest pieces of music. I'm still finding little moments here and there, a harmony, a rhythmic or melodic turn can suddenly show itself, especially with a variety of recordings to choose from.

I have to end stating that this now complete "Ring" cycle, stereo or not, is probably not the very best one to own if you want only one or you don't know the piece at all. Far too much thought went into the Solti/Decca "Ring" to make it anything less than the number one choice, especially when you want virtually every singer to be special. Some will argue that Von Karajan is better, others Böhm. All have great merits for sure. I don't think I need to elaborate on them any further. The only unique plus that Decca/Solti has over all the competition out there is the documentary film "The Golden Ring" which I saw when it first came out in the mid 1960s; it is one of the best music documentaries to be found and is now (again) on DVD. Let's face it, once I saw it in 1967 I went out and bought the entire Solti cycle, much to my student budget's distress, so it obviously serves as a great sales device. Its a must for anyone interested in how to record an opera or in seeing the likes of Nilsson, Windgassen and Frick all singing "Götterdämmerung" in the studio with the Vienna Philharmonic and a very vigorous Solti whipping the air into clouds of music. There is another option if Decca doeesn't appeal: put together your own "Ring". If I could have only one of each opera it would go like this. "Rheingold" Solti 1958; "Wälkure" Keilberth 1955; "Siegfried" Bohm 1967 or Solti 1962 (SORRY!); "Götterdämmerung" Solti, 1964.

I got a chuckle out of a curmudgeon's comment in American Record Guide that this set was overpriced and overrated. He's entitled to his opinion and is right-on about the price, however these Ring performances have been adequately qualified by a number of listeners and critics for what they do and don't deliver. They are certainly NOT overrated. First, what this recording does deliver; a rare evenly cast Götterdämmerung led by Astrid Varnay's sturdy warm lyric Brunhilde. Secondly; it does so in pretty decent stereo sound. There are ample other comments about the conducting and cast so I wanted to focus a bit on the sonics. For 1955 live performance, the sound and remastering are amazing. There is very little distortion, much less than one hears in many late 60s recordings. The voices are especially well captured with acoustic ambiance and wide stereo separation. There are of course moments when the singers' movements will divert their voice from the mics but those are minimal. The stage noises have likely been left alone to avoid dampening the bass response. I noticed some wow and flutter from the 1950s tape recorders. It's more audible in soft passages such as the opening of Act II but generally not distractingly so. The tutti orchestral passages such as the Dawn and Rhine Journey of Act I are handled fairly well although I noticed a tendency for the trumpets to dominate. I suspect that is a result of recording technology limitations more than any error on the musicians' or conductor's part. The orchestra is captured in detail by rather hot mics under the famous Bayreuth canopy. The orchestral stereo separation is narrow and the sound somewhat dry. However, the engineers did a fine job in the final balance between voices, orchestra and theater ambiance. I liken the quality to the famous RCA Living Stereo recordings of 1954; the Munch/Boston Daphnis and Chloe and Reiner/Chicago Heldenleben. As for Keilberth, he's a fine conductor who keeps the drama moving never slighting the big moments, overpowering the singers or avoiding the lyricism of this great work. Maybe he's not Furtwangler or Krauss, but neither of those guys lived long enough to record in stereo so I don't wish to hear their mono performances. Keilberth certainly chooses better tempi than James Levine and has a better interpretive handle on the Ring than Barenboim. I've heard live Ring performances conducted by Runnicles who's competent but prosaic, and one by Jesus Lopez Cobos who was outstanding. But neither of them could come up with a good cast. I've heard Schnaut, Vinzing, Polaski, Jones and Eaglen live as Brunhilde and while Eaglen came close, none of them are anywhere near Astrid Varnay's class.

I appreciate a critic friend for turning me on to the quality of the singing in these sets. He absolutely raved about the second cast Walküre for the opportunity to hear Mödl's Brunhilde and was equally impressed by Varnay's first cast Brunhilde. I'm so pleased with this recording, that I've ordered the Walküre and Siegfried although in the form of cheaper used sets. I listened again to my recordings of the Böhm 1966 Ring and found the orchestral work more taut, and the sound more transparent and open, but there is a dryness to the remastering, a lack of bass response (likely due to trimming to remove stage noise) and ultimately one has to put up with Windgassen's aging tenor, the dry Wotan of Theo Adam and Birgit Nilsson's lack of vocal flexibility. Frankly, much as I admired her work, I consider her more a vocal phenomenon than a great singer. I never warmed to her recordings and for my money, would much rather hear Astrid Varnay's Immolation Scene than Nilsson's anyday.

So I add this to my list of favorite Wagner Ring recordings, along with the EMI Haitink Rheingold, the DGG Karajan Walküre with Crespin's Brunhilde, the Böhm Siegfried and Solti Götterdämmerung. Testament charges a wopping tariff on these recordings but they did a magnificent remastering job and packaged them with excellent notes. The fact that they are selling well perhaps justifies their business model in that they are selling to a niche market. Perhaps though, if they lowered the price they could sell four times as many sets.

I was prepared not to find this Gotterdammerung superior to, or even equal to, the preceding Siegfried from the same source, but one listen told me that all is well. Solti's Gotterdammerung is one of the recordings of the century (I read one poll where it was voted THE recording of the century). Yet for overall dramatic effect, Keliberth also leads an inspiring performance. Since Testament is asking a dear price for this historic set, it might be worthwhile to compare the two rivals.

Solti: The overwhelming element here has always been the Vienna Phil, recorded in sumptuous grandeur by Decca. For sweep and epic proportion, no one has come close to matching them. The next great thrill comes from Nilsson, a Brunnhilde of incomparable power and gleaming penetration in hre voice. Solti gives us his best effort in Wagner, and among the supporting roles the Waltraute (Christa Ludwig), Gunther (Fischer-Dieskau), Alberich (Neidlinger) and Hagen (Frick) cannot be faulted. Windgassen's voice had become worn and leathery over the years, and his aging Siegfried, although highly experiened and musical, isn't a pleasure to listen to for beauty of voice or youthfulness. (It sounds considerably more taxed, however, in the live Bayreuth set under Bohm on Philips.)

It must be remembered that the stereo era hadn't seen a complete Gotterdammerung before Solti's pioneering effort, which stunned the classical music world in the early Sixties. After four decades, it remains undiminished and sells for reduced price in various reissues. One should seek out the latest remastering, since the original ADRM version from the early Eighties sounds thin and shrill compared to the original LPs.

Keilberth: Decca also recorded this 1955 live Gotterdammerung, which would be the standard to this day if they hadn't rejected it and moved on to record Solti seven years later. The decision made sense at the time. Although the sonics are fine for a live performance, we hear some audience and stage noise, and the occasional fluff in the Bayreuth orchestra, which in any event isn't the equal of the Vienna Phil. by a long stretch. (Test Siegfried's Rhine Journey with its blatty brass, distant horn calls, and thin, scrambling strings.)

Keilberth does one of his best jobs conducting, but he is proficient and experienced rather than inspired. At moments he surpasses himself, however, as in the riveting Summoning of the Vassals, a hair-raaising episode with chorus and orchestra in full cry. Keilberth has one good trait that the hard-driving Solti lacks, a flexible, expressive beat. I especially liked the opening scene of the opera with the three Norns, which he keeps from dawdling. But at times Keilberth is too anxious to move forward, and the great set pieces of the Rhine Journey, Siegfried's Funeral March, and Immolation Scene lack the grandeur and technical polish of studio recordings.

In the cast the standout is Astrid Varnay as Brunnhilde, singing with passion and commitment. Her voice, although not conventionally beautiful, is womanly yet gleaming, and heroic enough to encompass the role (she doesn't get overly tired by the end and remains resplendent in the Immolation Scene). Windgassen is nearly as good--he and Varnay were frequently paired and had made duet recordings of Wagner for DG, newly reissued. His voice was fresh in 1955, and he shows considerable stamina during the Act 1 love duet. In the end Windgassen was only an almost-Heldentenor, but we haven't seen his like as Siegfried since, so I can't complain too much about his unlovely timbre. The supporting cast is nearly as strong as for Solti, with Neidlinger repeating his signature Alberich. Decca's microhones capture the voices onstage quite realistically and with minimal fade-out due to stage movements.

Overall, Keilberth's interpreatation goes for momentum and propulsion, which is fine over such a long evening, while Solti gives us richness, epic sweep, and the incomparable beauty of the VPO. I am not aobut to make recommendations between the two sets. Many of us who love Gotterdammerung have owned the Solti forever, so it's wonderful to get a second bite of the apple. We'll own both and be greateful.

This recording of Wagner's "Die Gotterdammerung" recorded live at Bayreuth in 1955 is a TRUE masterpiece, a testament to the heights that can be reached when "everyone works together" for the sake of the "art" itself, not self-aggrandisement (which we have today, generally). Every aspect of this recording pales every other! It immediately, and solidly, goes to the top of the list of "Die Gotterdammerung" choices on disc. As do the remaining three operas, also recorded at the same time, by the same cast, that make up the "Ring".

Going back over the decades of my life, I remember when you only had one choice for a "Ring"...Solti/Decca, and that was it.

Then, there came the von Karajan, and then the Bohm/Bayreuth. Then, there seemed to be a mini-explosion of "Rings" over the following years, so many that it became/becomes staggering to think about!

Two statements:
1) If you are NEW to Wagner's "Ring" do not become confused with all the choices out there. There are really only two live recordings you need consider...the Krauss/Bayreuth, and this one, Keilberth/Bayreuth, and one studio recording to think about, the Solti/Decca set. You may think this excessive, but you NEED all three of these recordings. Period.
2) If you are FAMILIAR with Wagner's "Ring", then, assumably, you want the Best recording of it. I will assume you already have the Solti set, as most people do. The Krauss set you may or may not have. It is a stunner. And, now, the Keilberth....the most awesome recording, in many ways, you will ever experience.

Think: 1955, live, Bayreuth, the Best Wagnerians of their age, assembled together at the behest of Wagner's grandsons, in Wagner's theater, and the best part....recorded in STEREO! By Decca, of all people, before the Solti studio Ring was ever thought about! Why Decca sat on these magnificent recordings just blows my mind.

Luckily for us, Testament acquired the rights to release these timeless recordings, and we now, after 52 years, can marvel at and enjoy these magnificent performances of four of the greatest musical masterpieces ever written, combining to make up the most monumental work ever written for the stage! Enjoy this (set) of Masterpiece Recordings! ~operabruin

Joseph Keilberth has been always regarded like a remarkable conductor, although he is by far much better director than many peolpe think. This is the main and most forceful evidence. This memorable Gotterdamerung conffirms it.

At the moment you want to make the most reduced list among the five best versions ever recorded, this musical jewel will be with all probabilty in the most of them.

So, please don't hesitate for a second and acquire it. It's a first-order treasure.