Customer Reviews

Wagner: Tannhäuser

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With Sinopoli's, Solti's and so many other fine performances of this opera out there in both Dresden and the Paris verions, it might seem odd for a listener to rave about the present release, but it is one of the very best Tannhauser recordings I've heard. The conducting is dead-on with the score and the composer's markings. Unlike Solti's jarringly staged recording under Culshaw, the balance between orchestra and voices sounds natural here. But it's the voices that make all the difference by far . Birgit Nilsson will break your heart as Elizabeth, and she revels as Venus. Adam is a convincing Hermann and Windgassen a virile and tormented Tannhauser. At $23.99 or less for three disks, it is a steal. I would have appreciated a libretto, but the enclosed booklet provides enough information for the interested listener and libretti for this opera are available everywhere. UMG's Trio series has consistently surprised me with its value and quality, and by the number of recordings produced under its label that merit special attention. If you like your Wagner long and protracted and strident, you will hate this release. On the other hand, if you really enjoy the quieter, more lyrical side of this composer, and appreciate the way great singers can bring nuance to legendary roles, you'll love it. There are no revelations in the orchestra pit, but such a score requires very few. This release is not for purists or academicians. But those who simply love beautiful music, wonderfully executed, will love it.

I first heard this when I was at college in the mid 1970s. It was what we would then describe as "mind-blowing." I immediately bought the LP set, and a few years ago (upon moving into an apartment where I couldn't set up my complete stereo) bought the CD. At college (Berkeley), it was my first meeting with this opera (aside from Bugs Bunny meeting Hermann Goering in the Black Forest) and it made an incredible impression on me. Since that time, I have listened to several recordings, especially the one with the incomparable Grace Bumbry as Elizabeth, but my heart always returns to this one. With respect to what other reviewers hear, if Herr Windgassen is tired when he sings in this recording, I only wish to be so tired thirty years from now. Birgit Nilsson is, well, Birgit Nilsson, just like she was in her magnificent Aida. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau sounds as good as he always does (has anyone EVER heard a bad performance?), and Theo Adam is the same Helden-baritone he was in Otto Klemperer's "Fliegende Hollander."

The crux of the matter seems to be Otto Gerdes conducting. He may be an "engineer" according to one review, and wikipedia.com names him as the producer of a Grammy winning production of 1970, but his conducting of this recording is inspiring. I have owned a recording of the 'Paris' version, and I find this one much more inspiring. The orchestral parts (overture and end) positively heart-stopping. I may not be a trained musician or (God forbid) a critic, but may of us who have been raised on classical music and grand opera have often felt that we could do certain passages better than those conducting them. Otto Gerdes, whether engineer or producer, seem to understand how many of us uninstructed non-cognocenti would like to hear this played. I rate this recording as, forgive my vulgarity, Balls to the Wall!

This is in short a really good recording. Gerdes' handling of the opera is very good (though his tempo in the Pilgrims' Chorus theme of the Overture is almost disturbingly fast), the orchestra is well controlled and very expressive. Birgit Nilsson, one of the greatest Wagnerian sopranos of the 20th Century, sings the two principle female roles - Venus and Elisabeth; Wolfgang Windgassen, who sings the role of Tannhauser, is one of the greatest Wagnerian tenors of the century. And Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who sings Wolfram, is virtually undisputed as THE baritone of the century.

Highly recommend this recording.

I disagree. This is a superb recording. Nobody can sing with Birgit Nilsson's security. And Windgassen is fabulous. Conducting is incredibly good too. Voices excellently balanced. Only drawback is that this is the shorter Dresden version. A disappointment for me as I wanted this set to be the longer Paris version. Aside from this, the performance is first class and I am very satisfied with it. Decca tends to balance the voices to far backwards. I like DG's voice balancing better. Voices are more forward and better captured.

I disagree with the reviewer Laon. This is one of the great Tannhauser sets in the market. Yes, the Solti has the incomparable Christa Ludwig and an excellent Helga Dernesch as Elisabeth. Dernesch is wonderfully lyrical for Elisabeth. But Dernesch's voice strains and thins on the high B of Elisabeth's greeting aria. Nilsson hits the top B effortlessly. Yes, it's an unfair comparison because Nilsson is unique.

I think that the Solti Tannhauser may be better as a first set, but this is definitely a Tannhauser to reckon with. You cannot easily dismiss Nilsson's Venus and Elisabeth. This is great singing no matter what people say - her voice is beautiful, full, accurate, no squally notes - we would give anything for this level of singing today. Windgassen is also marvellous as Tannhauser.

The most successful _Tannhäuser_ sets, both by general acclamation and my own opinion, are those by Solti and Sinopoli.

After that, if you wanted a set that is mostly the Dresden version, though incorporating some of the Paris version, I'd recommend the Sawallisch, that offers Windgassen in good form as Tannhäuser, and the wonderful Grace Brumbry as Venus. For more on that set, you could look up my review if the mood took you.

Other secondary sets, problematic but with significant merits, include the Haitinck and the recent Barenboim.

So the Otto Gerdes set isn't in the first rank of recorded _Tannhäuser_s, or even the second. It's one of the third rank runners-up, not one you should buy as your first or second _Tannhäuser_. But if you became fascinated by this opera, as people can do (Wagner couldn't let it go, either), then this set has certain specific merits that are worth noting.

First, Gerdes has Wolfgang Windgassen in what must be his last complete operatic recording. Windgassen's age shows, and this is not a recording that is purely convinging as an evocation of the character of Tannhäuser, let alone of the musical beauty that the role allows when truly well sung.

However, Windgassen is always a thoughtful, intelligent and interesting actor-singer, even if Tannhäuser was never his ideal part, even when he was in good voice. It was even less ideal for his voice by 1968, but he is still dramatically a revelation in the Rome narration, and his closing frenzied desire to reach the Venusberg before succumbing to exhaustion (or is it redemption?). Like so many Tannhäusers, Windgassen finally comes truly alive as a performer only in the closing scenes of this opera.

Perhaps most people might buy the set for Birgit Nilsson's coup de theatre in singing both the roles of Venus and of Elizabeth. This dual role sounds impressive, but it is completely and thoroughly a bad idea. The two lead female roles in this opera are dramatic contrasts, and require different voices. Worse, Nilsson is not quite ideal for either role.

In a recorded performance, hearing Nilsson's performances again and again, you can't help noticing that the two roles are sung by the same person. This cancels out a great deal of Wagner's musical and dramatic intention in this opera, which depends on the contrast between the Wartburg and the Venusburg, the Venus and the Virgin.

Still, despite this fundamental reservation, I was surprised by how good Nilsson is as Venus. It's a surprise to me anyway; I admire everything I've heard Nilsson sing, except maybe Isolde, but I've always thought there's something slightly ... industrial about her voice: power, precision, strength and perfection, but not much in the way of warmth.

But her Venus is an exception. They should have gotten someone else to sing Elizabeth, though. Nilsson never convinces, or impresses, as Elizabeth.

Beyond that, Theo Adam as the Landgrave isn't fit to lick the boots of Gottlob Frick, Landgrav for the Konwitschny set. But Fischer-Dieskau is a great Wolfram, of course. It's a pity Fidi never recorded this role in a truly great _Tannhäuser_ set.

Otto Gerdes' conducting is a neutral feature of this set; there are no glaring mistakes of ensemble or tempo, and that's a triumph of a kind. But there are no revelations either.

So this set is not a strong recommendation. It's not a first set, nor even a second. It's mainly of interest for Windgassen's experienced Tannhäuser (too experienced, but interesting), or for Nilsson's gimmicky appearance as both Venus and Elizabeth; a thing not worth doing, but done moderately well here.

So: worth exploring, down the road, but not your first or second _Tannhäuser_.

Cheers!

Laon

This Tannhauser is not about the nifty effects a studio recording can do. Nor is it about putting together, out of all the different versions of Tannhauser, a definitive recording. It is about Tannhauser, Elizabeth and Wolfram, those three, in love with each other. T. and W. are best friends. W. loves E. but knows she loves T. T. has feelings for E. but would rather worship in Venus' holy of holies. In other words, he's not ready to commit to E. and doesn't realize how much he cares for her until he's been to Rome and back. Then they all die.

Gerdes et al have done a wonderful job in getting across the drama of this love triangle. The sound is rich and warm and this is the "Dresden" Tannhauser, which simply means it gets straight to the point and retains it's original charm rather than wallow in Tristan-esque indecision. I was floored when I first heard it and it will remain my favorite.

We have the right to dream. And I have a dream: this recording with another conductor. At this time( 1970) Deutsche Grammophon could have invited Eugen Jochum, Rafael Kubelik and even Herbert von Karajan. The reason to have Otto Gerdes as conductor has something to do with his position as recording engineer ( one of the the most important at his time). The cast is outstanding: Wolfgang Windgassen ,the most sensible Tannhäuser. Birgit Nilsson the legendary Swedish soprano is fantastic in both roles , Venus and Elizabeth. Fischer-Dieskau , the ideal Wolfram. And Theo Adam , at his peak at this time. Sometimes I think that Tannhäuser has a curse. Every recording has a disaster: The old Konwitschny recording has Marianne Schech as Venus(!!!). The excellent recording conducted ( very well) by Bernard Haitink has a terrible Tannhäuser( Klaus König). The recording with Sinopolli has a serie of miscasts( Domingo, Studer) . And the one in question has a conductor that makes one simple "mise en place". The only Tannhäuser without problems is the one conducted by Georg Solti. But even with this uninspired conducting this is my choice for the Dresden Version. For the Paris Version I have no doubt: Solti.

I wouldn't have thought it possible to hate a recording with Nilsson and Fischer-Dieaskau, two of my favorite singers, but this one is terrible. Having any soprano sing both Venus and Elisabeth is a mistake; they are too different, and Wagner went to great lengths to emphasize the difference in his score. Nilsson does not sound sultry enough for Venus, nor does she sound chaste enough for Elisabeth. Not that her singing is at all bad here, it just doen't work for either of these roles.
Fischer-Dieskau wasn't always wonderful either. Most of the time his intellect and sensitivity are right on the mark. But sometimes, his characteristic barking and rasping descends to mannered bathos, and it happens here.
Wolfang Windgassen, once a distinguished Wagnerian, sounds old and tired, which he was at this point in his life and career. Incidentally, both Windgassen and Fischer-Dieskau can be heard in absolutely radiant voice on the 1961 Opera d'Oro set.
The conductor, Otto Gerdes, at least avoids mistakes, but never really rises to inspiration.

This has been my favorite Tannhauser since it's release on LP many years ago. The Trio CD has much improved sound over the LP. Gerdes keeps this opera moving at just the right pace and the singing is superb. Other recordings might be more dramatic, but this is the most lyrical.

Recently I tried to find a good DVD version of Tannhauser at our well stocked library network. After watching three DVD productions, I became painfully aware of how rare great Wagnerian voices have become. Nobody came close. Modern stagings of this opera are just gross, but I am not adverse to new stagings that are done well. For Tannhauser I prefer to stay with this CD and use my imagination, rather than look at the new stagings and hear inadequate singing.

If you are looking for older operas, Mozart,Rameau,Monteverdi,etc things have never been better vocally. Some are even nice to look at on DVD.