Wagner: Parsifal (Highlights)

Richard [Classical] Wagner (Composer), Daniel Barenboim (Conductor), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Berlin State Opera Chorus (Orchestra), Gunter Von Kannen (Performer), José van Dam (Performer), Matthias Holle (Performer), Siegfried Jerusalem (Performer), Waltraud Meier (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Gunter Von Kannen, José van Dam, Matthias Holle, Siegfried Jerusalem, Waltraud Meier
• Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
• Conductor: Daniel Barenboim
• Composer: Richard [Classical] Wagner
• Audio CD (August 1, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Teldec
• ASIN: B000000SQ8
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #312,482 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Vorspiel - Berliner Philharmoniker/Daniel Barenboim

2. Verwandlungsmusik - Berliner Philharmoniker/Daniel Barenboim

3. 'Nun Achte Wohl Und Lass Mich Seh'n' - Matthias Holle/Chor Der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin/Ernst Stoy

4. 'Amfortas! Die Wunde!' - Siegfried Jerusalem/Waltraud Meier

5. Grausamer! Fuhlst Du Im Herzen Nur And'rer Schmerzen' - Waltraud Meier/Siegfried Jerusalem

6. 'Vergeh, Unseliges Weib!' - Siegrried Jerusalem/Waltraud Meier/Gunter Von Kannen

7. Vorspiel - Berliner Philharmoniker/Daniel Barenboim

8. 'Geleiten Wir Im Bergenden Schrein' - Chor Der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin/Ernst Stoy

9. 'Ja Wehe! Wehe! Weh'uber Mich!' - Jose Van Dam/Chor Der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin/Ernst Stoy

10. 'Nur Eine Waffe Taugt' - Siegfried Jerusalem

11. 'Hochsten Heiles Wunder!' - Chor Der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin/Ernst Stoy

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Music, Good Performance, Problematic Recording Job, November 21, 2001

By 

Timothy Dougal (Madison, Wi United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wagner: Parsifal (Highlights) (Audio CD)

On one hand, it is a relief to finally have vocal and orchestral highlights of "Parsifal" on a well-filled, 76 minute CD, since it is not often that I have 4 1/2 hours to spend listening to a single work. The performance, led by Daniel Barenboim is a good one, serene, rapturous and intense. But don't listen to this disc on your headphones, because there are many sonic annoyances mixed in with the great music.

Despite the fact that this recording was made over a period of months in Jesus-Christus Kirche, the site of many legendary recording sessions, the sound is rather bland and faraway and there are many thumps, gasps and miscellaneous noises, such as Barenboim's unfortunately customary, periodic, orgasmic groaning! Does he think this enhances the music, or is music? Does he know there's a microphone on? Hello, Daniel: you're making rude, annoying noise, and disturbing your audience.

Until DG or Decca sees fit to issue highlights of this opera, this disc is the only game in town.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Barenboim highlights -- PARSIFAL in 77 minutes!, October 16, 2010

By 

R. Hutchinson "autonomeus" (a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wagner: Parsifal (Highlights) (Audio CD)

This is a highlights disc from a 1990 recording of Wagner's PARSIFAL by Daniel Barenboim, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin. It features Siegfried Jerusalem as Parsifal and Waltraud Meier as Kundry. What you have here is 76'42 of fantastic Wagner, with excellent singers. The liner notes are minimal, just a brief synopsis of the characters and story. I highly recommend this for anyone just seeking out Wagner's music. If you're not sure about an entire opera, by all means see if you enjoy these highlights first. After going through this process myself, I eventually acquired a copy of the acclaimed complete opera led by Hans Knappertsbusch at Bayreuth in 1962. But I still listen to these Barenboim highlights more often -- the music is superb, and it is a much more practical length for daily listening.

The great Barenboim Ring cycle recorded in 1991 and 1992 at Bayreuth is also available in four highlights discs: Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried, and Gotterdammerung. "Das Rheingold" was recorded in June/July 1991, and the other three operas were recorded in June/July 1992. John Tomlinson is Wotan, Anne Evans is Brunnhilde, and Siegfried Jerusalem, appropriately enough, is Siegfried.

I listen to these Barenboim highlights discs more often than the entire operas -- the length is ideal for everyday listening, while the entire operas, let alone the entire cycle, require some specially dedicated listening time. And while it wouldn't make sense to *watch* these works in fragments, the music does not have the same requirement. I can enjoy the Ring an hour at a time much more often than the entire operas -- thank goodness I'm not a purist, or I would only hear the music on rare occasions.

If you are not sure about Wagner or the Ring, or not sure about the practicality of such long multi-disc operas, then by all means check out this PARSIFAL and the other Barenboim highlights discs and hear for yourself!

(verified purchase from Amazon.co.uk)

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 'Waltraud Meier' fan........, March 31, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Wagner: Parsifal (Highlights) (Audio CD)

I've seen 'Waltraud Meier' on stage two times already as 'Kundry',thought her performance was magnificent. Heard and seen her perform with conductor Daniel Barenboim,'Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin' and conductor James Levine,'Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus'. Familar with Mr.Barenboim,who I have a collection of 'Piano Sonatas' written by Ludwig Van Beethoven,performed by Mr.Barenboim. Should be an interesting 'CD'......