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Product Details
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| 1. 1-10 Erster Aufzug/ Act One/ Premier Acte |
| 2. 1-15 Zweiter Aufzug/ Act Two/ Deuxieme Acte |
| 3. 1-7 Dritter Aufzug/ Act Three/ Troisieme Acte |
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't be fooled by the nay-sayers,
By Pekinman (Illinois) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Wagner: Tannhäuser (Audio CD)
Let's be quite clear about this recording of Tannhäuser, it's a very great performance, captured on the wing at the Vienna State Opera in 1963. I sort-of understand the critics who have jumped on the negative bandwagon when commenting on this DG release. Mostly they are happy to trash poor Hans Beirer, the Tannhäuser. I think this was because the pundits in the audience were disappointed that Wolfgang Windgassen had to cancel for health reasons.
In such instances the objectivity of the listeners is tainted by their expectations being thwarted. In this case they were entirely unwilling to really hear Beirer's excellent assumption of one of the most brutally difficult tenor roles in the entire opera literature. Tannhäuser is every bit as difficult to perform as Tristan. I resisted buying this release based upon all the negative reviews I'd read. Beirer comes in for the worst of the commentaries which have come done to us over 40 years as some kind of bogus gospel, something that is always difficult if not impossible to dispel. I've heard (and own) many recordings of this masterpiece and I have to say this is, overall, the greatest performance of them all. Beirer had a heavy baritonal voice, even for a heldentenor, which I think is entirely appropriate for this tortured character. I didn't hear all the train-wrecks that have been commented upon by others in his performance. He has all the high notes that ring heroically and easily carry over the heavy orchestration, yet he can refine his tone to create a deeply moving portrayal of the human wreckage Tannhäuser has become after his pilgrimage to Rome in Act 3. In the Venusberg scene that opens the opera Beirer even manages the impossible; not being completely overshadowed by Christa Ludwig's magnificent singing as Venus. She is far finer here than her excellent recording for Solti, made in the studio, which emphasizes the fast vibrato in her voice by the close-up miking, a recording made 7 years after this live performance. The added excitement and involvement of a live performance is always a plus and with Ludwig the spacious acoustic of an opera house allowed her vibrato to enhance the huge beauty of her voice. I can't think of any other singer in this part who comes anywhere near this assumption of hers in Vienna. Her reappearance at the end of Act 3 is the very embodiment of the elemental passion of Venus, something that can't help but move the human heart very deeply. And Tannhäuser's final resistance to her entreaties to rejoin her in her cavern of love have all the more pathos in his death. Beirer stays the course with a solid, only slightly fatigued, performance at the end of a very long evening. And he does not wobble, bleat or bark. No, Beirer's is one of the great Tannhäuser's. It's not an entirely beautiful voice, though there is much that is very beautiful here, notably his phrasing and dramatic commitment, but it is an exciting, totally involved performance. The rest of the cast is quite fine, though Gré Brouwenstijn's vibrancy is not as well served by the simple miking in the opera house, she manages to touch the heart deeply in all her scenes. Her prayer in Act 3 before wandering off to die, is deeply moving. I can find no fault with Eberhard Wächter's sensitive and subtle portrayal of Wolfram. His song to the Evening Star after Elisabeth departs is simple and touching. Nothing in any of these performances is over-done. This is due in large part to the masterful leadership of Karajan. The great genius of the podium presents a Tannhäuser not in the usual mode of bombast alternating with saccharine sentimentalism. His approach is more akin to his conducting of Parsifal, an opera that comes to mind several times while I listened to this set. It doesn't take but a minute or so to adjust the ear to the sound. It is in excellent stereo and the balance between pit and stage quite naturally creates a vital experience as if the listener were in the front row of the orchestra seats. The audience is totally silent, except at the end of each act when they erupt in ecstatic cheering. Part of this may have been due to their support of Karajan in his political struggles with the management of the Vienna State Opera administration, which eventually led to his resignation, but it is also an honest response to a performance that moved them profoundly. The final chorus of angels is one of those great moments in opera that can break down the stoniest of hearts, and usually invokes tears, but rarely does it cause me to burst in to tears as this performance does. If you love Wagner, Tannhäuser and Karajan you probably already own this unjustly maligned recording. If you are someone who loves beauty and the stirring of the human heart you will love this recording. Please note: there is no libretto in English, in this case, a minor drawback. Highly recommended. An essential opera recording for anyone who isn't completely averse to anything that is not totally pure in the recorded sense. I have to say, however, that this Tannhäuser comes closer to perfection to my way of hearing than any others out there right now. And I don't think it will ever be bettered, given the degraded condition of the thinking by the executives of recording companies these days.
5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Surprising release for DG,
By Gustav Mahler "Gus" (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Wagner: Tannhäuser (Audio CD)
This was an odd choice for DG to reissue. Although it was recorded during Karajan's good years (almost anything before the late 70's, before health problems and his growing megalomania began affecting his performances), the second act contains the usual random assortment of cuts to which this poor opera is subjected, the singing variable and the sound so-so.
However, this performance contains a wonderful example of a singer recovering from a big error during a live performance just in the nick of time. I guess Beirer got a bit confused during the excitement of the performance and sings the final verse from the Act I "hymn to Venus" instead of the second act verse at the end of the song contest. You can actually hear the chorus and/or prompter mumbling in the background most likely about the impending disaster. But, literally, a measure before the words "...Venus ein!" you here him making an audible shudder at the moment he realizes the error and he blasts out his high B only about a beat early. The amusement continues as it takes the chorus until the word "Venusberg" to regain their musical composure and integrity. If you are interested in a better recording from this period, try the surprisingly good Heger recording (originally on Urania, now on Preiser.) Heger is at least equal to or better than Karajan, good strong voices (Seider does a fine solid job with this very hard role). It may be a bit over-miked, but contains far fewer cuts than most performances from this period.
0 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
review,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Wagner: Tannhäuser (Audio CD)
arrived promptly as promised. excellent condition and well packaged. a thoroughly satisfactory transaction. five stars to the vendor and my thanks!
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