Customer Reviews

Wagner: Parsifal (Bayreuth 1952)

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These are the finest 2 recordings on record. Just a glance at the casting lets you know ehat good is in store.
btw I just noticed there is a 51 KNa, I just ordered it.
Will make note as it arrives.

I will not go into details on either. All things are about equal, with slight changes in casting. Its those slight changes I'll make note of.

In these 3 operas we find Wagner as the very first mondern.
And its for his modern inventions and chromantic colors/feeling is all that interest me. His other operas are a continuation of the classical tradition, a form i'm not at all interested in other than Mozart.

Now with that out of the way we can move on to these 2 greatest of all Parsifal's.
1952Titurel/Kurt Bohme
1954Titurel/Theo Adam
Both very good.

1952Gurnemanz/Josef Greindl
1954Gurnemanz/Ludwig Weber
Again both very good, I "might" slightly prefer Weber

1952Klingsor/Uhde
1954Klingsor/Neidlinger
Again both very good, however as we know Neidlinger was the greatest bass in Wagner, and thus give the nod to Neidlinger.

Now we come to a critical consideration.
Casting of Amfortas.
1952 Amfortas George London
1954 Amfortas Hans Hotter
Both are outstanding and is impossible for any review to choose one over the other.

Now with Wolfgang Windgassen as Parsifal in both 52 and 54, outstanding and the the second finest tenor in Wagner.... Suthaus, who was the greatest tenor in Wagner.
Then with Martha Modl cast as Kundry in both 52, 54, the greatest soprano in Wagner, here you have the 2 greatest Parsifal's.
KNA's conducting is about equal on both.
He has not fallen prey to odd tempos as yet, this came later in his career, starting in 1956.

Wagner was far ahead of anyone of his day, and for 40 yrs thereafter. The first modern and offers some of the greatest operas ever penned, in Parsifal, Tristan, the Ring cycle.
Please refer to all my other reviews in Wagner.