Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg - Bayreuth 1952 / Knappertsbusch

Richard [Classical] Wagner (Composer), Hans Kanppertsbusch (Conductor), Hans Knappertsbusch (Conductor), Gerhard Unger (Performer), Hans Hopf (Performer), Heinrich Pflanzl (Performer), Ira Malaniuk (Performer), Kurt Böhme (Performer), Lisa della Casa (Performer), Otto Edelmann (Performer), Werner Faulhaber (Performer), Otto Edelmann (Performer), Werner Faulhaber (Performer), Hans Hofp (Performer), Josef Janko (Performer), Max Kohl (Artist), Ira Malaniuk (Artist), Karl Mikorey (Artist), Gustav Neidlinger (Artist), Heinrich Pfanzel (Artist), Walter Stoll (Artist), Gerhard Stolze (Artist), Karl Terkal (Artist), Gerhard Unger (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Gerhard Unger, Hans Hopf, Heinrich Pflanzl, Ira Malaniuk, Kurt Böhme, et al.
• Conductor: Hans Kanppertsbusch, Hans Knappertsbusch
• Composer: Richard [Classical] Wagner
• Audio CD (August 19, 1997)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 4
• Label: Melodram
• ASIN: B000001ZOO
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #575,165 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Erster Aufzug: Vorspiel

2. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Erster Aufzug: Da zu dir der Heiland kam

3. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Erster Aufzug: Verweilt! Ein Wort! ein einzig Wort!

4. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Erster Aufzug: SzeneII - David! Was stehst?

5. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Erster Aufzug: Mein Herr! Der Singer Meisterschlag

See all 10 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Erster Aufzug: Fanget an! 'Fanget an' So rief der Lenz In den Wald

2. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Erster Aufzug: Halt Meister! Nicht so geeilt!

3. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Zweiter Aufzug: Vorspiel

4. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Zweiter Aufzug: Szene I - Johannistag! Blumen und Bander

5. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Zweiter Aufzug: Szene II - Lass sehn, ob Meister Sachs zu Haus

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Szene VI - Den Tag seh ich erscheinen

2. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Wer heult denn da?

3. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Szene VII - Zum Teufel mit dir, verdammter Kerl!

4. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Dritter Aufzug: Vorspiel

5. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Dritter Aufzug: Szene I - Gleich, Meister! Hier!

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Das Gedicht?

2. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: So ganz boshaft doch keinen ich fand

3. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Szene IV

4. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Weilten die Sterne im lieblichen Tanz?

5. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Selig, wie die Sonne meines Gluckes lacht

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Famous 1952 Knappertsbusch "Meistersinger" from Bayreuth, February 5, 2007

By 

L. E. Cantrell (Vancouver, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg - Bayreuth 1952 / Knappertsbusch (Audio CD)

SOURCE: Live recording of the July 30, 1952 performance at the Bayreuth Festival.

SOUND: Good 1950s mono that catches the voices very well and the orchestra somewhat less so, but still acceptably for anyone but an audio purist. In a historic document such as this one, the quality of performance is always more to be considered than the mere mechanical reproduction of sound.

CAST: Hans Sachs*,cobbler - Otto Edelmann; Walther von Stolzing, knight - Hans Hopf; Eva Pogner - Lisa della Casa; Sixtus Beckmesser*, town clerk - Heinrich Pflanzl; Veit Pogner*, goldsmith - Kurt Boehme; David, apprentice cobbler - Gerhard Unger; Magdalena, Eva's nurse - Ira Malaniuk; Fritz Kothner*, baker - Werner Faulhaber; Kunz Vogelgesang*, furrier - Karl Terkal; Konrad Nachtigall*, tinsmith - Walter Stoll; Balthasar Zorn*, pewterer - Josef Janko; Ulrich Eisslinger*, grocer - Karl Mikorey; Augustin Moser*, tailor - Gerhard Stolze; Herrmann Ortel*, soap maker - Theo Adam; Hans Schwarz, stocking weaver - Heinz Borst; Hans Foltz*, coppersmith - Max Kohl; Nightwatchman - Gustav Neidlinger. (* Member of the Guild of Master Singers) CONDUCTOR: Hans Knappertsbusch with the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra and Chorus.

COMMENTARY: In 1952, the Bayreuth Festival was at the beginning of its rebirth after the--ahem--recent unpleasantness. Winifred Wagner, Richard Wagner's English-born daughter-in-law was still very much alive but firmly removed from authority at the Festival because of her loudly proclaimed political affiliations. Her sons Wieland and Wolfgang were in charge of the de-Nazified Festival and its nearly empty treasury. It is a famous part of opera lore that the bothers coped with both problems by presenting semi-abstract productions with next-to-bare stages, few props, simple (not to mention cheap) costumes and elaborate lighting. All that was certainly true of that year's "Tristan und Isolde," produced by Wieland Wagner.

But if Wolfgang's 1951 "Meistersinger" was still a newish production in this its second year, it was certainly a traditional one. Production photos show St. Katherine's Church in the first act to have been massive and almost oppressively heavy. Hans Sach's shop in the second act was on one side of a grimly authentic-looking Sixteenth Century cityscape. The interior of his house in the first part of act three was dimly-lit and gloomily realistic. Only the final set gave a hint of things to come, for Nuremberg was reduced to a bare stage with risers on each side and what appear to be cut-outs of the skyline placed flat against a sky scrim. Costumes and props were resolutely realistic and clunky throughout. All that would change in the next "Meistersinger" production when Wieland got his hands on it ... but not yet.

Less articulated in opera lore is the fact that the new production style was not terribly signifcant then and much less so now. What was important was that the post-war period was a time of immensely skilled older conductors (along with that young whippersnapper Karajan) and brilliantly talented singers. Just look at the cast list above: Edelmann, della Casa, Boehme, Unger, Malaniuk, Stolze, and yes, even Hopf are names to conjure with. And way down at the bottom of the cast list, two brilliant newcomers Theo Adam and Gustav Neidlinger.

In the following year, Hans Knapperstbusch would famously demand that the Wagner brothers restore what their grandfather had put into his operas. They would not or could not, so the great old traditionalist departed Bayreuth. That crisis was yet to come. In 1952 Knappertsbusch must have been happy with a realistic production and a cast that was literally of festival quality.

This is a famous performance from a famous production. It is a record of a specific night. There are occasional rough spots, as is to be expected in a live performance. The overall performance is excellent, even Hopf is bearable. (He had the voice and the strength to be great but not, apparently, the understanding or the will--a great pity.)

Good performance, great conductor, stellar cast, it's not perfect, for no "Meistersinger" recording is, but it is certainly worth five stars.

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes this is wonderful, May 17, 2009

By 

Theodore Shulman (NYC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg - Bayreuth 1952 / Knappertsbusch (Audio CD)

Knappertsbusch is great although for my money he got better later. In 1960 he conducted Windgassen and Josef Greindl and it's unbelievable. But that's another review.

Otto Edelmann was one of the best Hans Sachses ever. His voice is not dark; rather, it's a big brassy top which extends all the way down. He was big enough for any thundering role including Wotan/Wandrer and (earlier) Pogner, and of course Baron Ochs. He acts with the same humor he scored so well with as Baron Ochs and Leporello but he is also serious and tender, moving. And they don't come any smarter than he was.

Other than Hans Hopf's well-known wobble, there's nothing to complain of. Kurt Boehme is just right for Pogner and Gerhard Unger is always soooo beautiful.