Wagner: Lohengrin

Richard Wagner (Composer), Erich Leinsdorf (Conductor), Boston Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Sandor Konya (Performer), Lucine Amara (Performer), Jerome Hines (Performer), Rita Gorr (Performer), William Dooley (Performer), Judith Keller (Performer), Boston Chorus Pro Musica (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Sandor Konya, Lucine Amara, Jerome Hines, Rita Gorr, William Dooley, et al.
• Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Erich Leinsdorf
• Composer: Richard Wagner
• Audio CD (August 11, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000009W7L
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #120,818 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Compared to Rudolf Kempe's atmospheric Vienna EMI Lohengrin, Erich Leinsdorf's Boston version, in spite of expert orchestral playing (the first-desk soloists truly stand out) seems inert and studio bound by comparison. Sandor Kónya delivers the title role with personality and authority, but the remainder of the cast lacks the ensemble momentum that distinguishes the aforementioned Kempe recording. Leinsdorf, by the way, restores several bars of music to Lohengrin's Narrative originally cut by the composer. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not a 1st set; but could be your 2nd, November 14, 2000

By 

Laon (moon-lit Surry Hills) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wagner: Lohengrin (Audio CD)

_Lohengrin_ has been lucky on disk, with at least two great performances: the second Kempe and the Solti. I'm told the Abbado set is also in that front rank. There are also interesting _Lohengrin_'s, like Keilberth's set with Windgassen and the best Elsa in Eleanor Steber, or the 1955 Jochum set with the young Windgassen again, also Birgit Nilsson, Gerhard Stolze, Fischer-Dieskau and other stars early in their careers.

And then there are two sets that are special: the Leinsdorf and the recent Barenboim. Unfortunately it's not the performances that are special; neither is in the first rank of _Lohengrin_'s, and so people who want to own just one _Lohengrin_ would be best to start with Kempe or Solti or, apparently, the Abbado.

The Leinsdorf and Barenboim sets are special because they are the only truly complete sets. Just before the first performance of _Lohengrin_, Wagner wrote to Liszt, who was to conduct, to suggest that the second part of Lohengrin's famous Grail Narration ("In fernem Land") be cut. Wagner was influenced by doubts about the tenor who was to sing the name part. Since then the cut has been observed in almost all performances, and all recordings except these two.

What you lose with the cut is some wonderful music, a longer stay in the mysterious realm of the Grail. As you'd expect with Wagner the second part of the Narration is not a musical repeat of the first; it strikes out anew to provide a satisfying balance and conclusion. Wagner managed to convince himself that the cut would benefit the performance because the full Narration would delay the climax of the plot. But tastes and audiences have changed since that first performance, and it's time that complete performances became the norm. Dramatically you gain greater impact as Lohengrin's on-stage audience (and Wagner's audience, in the theatre) have more time to absorb the marvels they were living amongst, then have to confront the tragic reality that they have lost them, forever.

Barenboim and Leinsdorf both restore this cut. When I decided I just had to have a truly complete _Lohengrin_ I listened carefully to both. Neither set is in the very front rank, though as standards for this opera are high they are nevertheless both fine performances. I expected to prefer the Baremboim, with its better-known cast, his greater current reputation as a Wagnerian conductor, and modern sound. But after a couple of very pleasant hours listening, comparing notes, I bought the Leinsdorf.

The main reason is the Lohengrin of Sandor Kolya. It's a mystery that this wonderful tenor didn't become an international recording star, instead remaining a well-regarded live performer with many of his finest roles never preserved, or at best caught in live recordings never intended for release. But this is the ideal Lohengrin, heroic and otherworldly, better than Thomas, Domingo, Windgassen, and certainly greater than Peter Seiffert's slightly breathy performance of the title role for Barenboim.

The Elsas let down both of these sets, though Lucine Amara for Leinsdorf is perhaps slightly better than Barenboim's Emily Magee. Amara was actually a second choice, in one of the great missed opportunities of recording. The original Elsa for Leinsdorf was to have been Leontyne Price, who had the purity, warmth, beauty of voice and the acting skills and instincts to be a great Elsa, if not the very greatest. But commitments clashed and it was not to be.

The rest of the cast in both sets are adequate, sometimes excellent, but neither set has the depth of casting of the Kempe, Solti, Abbado, Jochum, Keilberth and so on. Rita Gorr, for Leinsdorf, is a shrill Ortrud (some of her notes cracked so badly I thought I was listening to Callas! <-- a joke, or nearly), but with dramatic experience and intelligence. An ugly Ortrud isn't wrong, necessarily, and this is a compelling performance. But Baremboim's Deborah Polaski is just as sinister without resorting to stripping paint, or my ears, with her top notes.

Actually Jessye Norman, who was Solti's Elsa, might be the definitive Ortrud of one kind: the sexy Bad Girl. Ortrud can and should be portrayed more sympathetically. Her character is more interesting than Elsa's, and there are grounds for being on her side; as a member of an older religion at a time when her beliefs were being put down by fire and torture and execution, among other things, she had every right to fight for her survival. And once Lohengrin freed Gottfried, Elsa's brother, he went on (in real history) to lead the Crusaders into Jerusalem, with enormous slaughter of non-combatants, and consequences we are suffering from to this day. Frankly, we'd all be better off if he'd stayed a Swan like Ortrud made him, part of the aquatic transport system between Montsalvat in Spain and Brabant in Belgium. (It might be interesting to work out Lohengrin's route some time, since he was restricted to swan-driven river traffic. Am I off the point yet?)

Finally, Barenboim is a more thoughtful musician than Leinsdorf, studying and pondering the score, and making a superbly planned performance. But Leinsdorf offers stronger forward propulsion, keeping the drama taut while letting the romantic scenes breathe, captured in brilliant sound. My bias at present is for faster Wagner than most conductors are giving us just now, so I tend to favour Leinsdorf's approach. But even if I discount that bias, as far as I can, I'd rate Leinsdorf high for sensitivity as well as compressed energy.

Sooo, after I'd tested these two complete sets, I bought the Leinsdorf. But it was a close thing, and it took me some pleasant hours to reach that decision. Both sets are perfectly good, and both have strong attractions.

Cheers!

Laon

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best Lohengrin is finally here !, November 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Wagner: Lohengrin (Audio CD)

This set is the most thrilling and realistic yet recorded ! The Boston Symphony Orchesrta and Chorus perform with great verve and power under the baton of Erich Leinsdorf. Not even the exquisite sets of Kempe and Kubelik can compete here. Konya gives the best recorded portrayal of the mystical knight, Lohengrin. He combines chivalry, strength and tenderness in this treasured and moving performance. Amara is memorable as the dreamy, vulnerable, virgin, Elsa. Rita Gorr is her driven, hateful nemesis, Ortrud. Hines is a regal Henry. With such resources Leinsdorf has given us a magisterial, vital, and authoritative reading of Wagner's score, a reference shelf recording that even Kempe and Kubelik cannot equal.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Memento of Konya, March 1, 2007

By 

Virginia Opera Fan (Falls Church, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wagner: Lohengrin (Audio CD)

I'm giving this three stars on the basis of Konya's singing of the title role. We are fortunate that Konya, a tenor rather neglected in the studio, left excellent recordings of Lohengrin and the Meistersinger Walther (under Kubelik).

Leontyne Price was reportedly the first choice for Elsa. It would have been an interesting opportunity to hear her in a German role. There are a few glimpses of her singing in Richard Strauss excerpts in good vocal estate and they pique my interest for what she would have done in this role. (The complete Strauss Ariadne came a few years too late to showcase her great vocal gifts.) Lucine Amara is adequate but not much more. She no Janowitz, Norman, or especially, Grummer.

The rest of the cast is significantly outclassed, especially by Fischer-Dieskau and Christa Ludwig in the rival EMI/Kempe effort. Rita Gorr, an artist I admire, handles much of the role of Ortrud pretty well, but the final scene's squalling is a trial to the ears.

The Boston Symphony is tonally opulent and brings out much of the beauty of the orchestration, an accomplishment shared by Maestro Leinsdorf. The conducting isn't, however, on a par with Kempe.

This is an interesting recording for fans of Konya and the curious. Yes, it is absolutely complete with Lohengrin's uncut grail narrative, but for a reference recording, look elsewhere. My recommendation is EMI/Kempe.