Hans Knappertsbusch 3 Ring cycles
Handel8
conducted by Hans Knappertsbusch from Bayreuth from three consecitive
years, 1956, 1957 and 1958. See the list here:
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Drilldown?name_id1=12732&name_role1=1&name_id2=57174&name_role2=3&genre=33&bcorder=319&comp_id=11174
There are multiple versions of the 1956 recording, which I think is the
most celebrated. All three years are available on the Melodram label,
but at a dear price (www.archivmusic makes it even dearer !). I am
wondering if anyone has compared these versions ? I don't recall
seeing reviews of any but the 1956 cycle.
It is generally thought that the 1953 Clemens Krauss cycle is one of
the greatest along with the two Furtwangler cycles (1950, 1953). Some
are now touting the 1955 stereo Keilberth cycle being issued on
Testament, but with at least one extra cd too many and at a high price.
This new cycle seems to be controversial, if I take what I read in the
reviews to heart. Some reviewers love it, others are not impressed.
By the way, was there a 1954 Bayreuth cycle and if so, who did it ?
Alan Prichard
Richard Loeb
news:1152008920.3...@m79g2000cwm.googlegroups.com...
There was a 1954 Ring conducted by Keilberth but the only piece that has
surfaced so far is the Walkure.
I have those three Kna Rings and each has its highs and lows - the 56 has
the advantage of the main singers in the best voice - I prefer the official
issue on Orfeo but the M and A sounds fine as well - any cheaper versions
are probably knock offs of those two.
The 57 has a big problem for me in the casting of Bernd Aldenhoff as a last
minute replacement for Windgassen in Siegfried - Kna cuts a verse of the
forging song for him but I just can't take that off-pitch caterwauling - he
constantly sings sharp.
I like the 58 since it has the best sound of the three and some very strong
casting e.g. Vickers who makes some surprising mistakes and Rita Gorr as an
immense Fricka. However time is starting to tell for Varnay and Hotter
though though are both very strong. As for Kna I think I prefer him on the
56 though the 58 is excellent as well.
I prefer the Krauss to any of the Knas - the singers are all in better voice
in 1953 and Krauss is really wonderful - if not for his untimely death in
May 1954 we would have had a lot more Wagner from him in Bayreuth.
I have the new Testament Keilberth issues - they are not for me "second
coming" that others seem to feel they are though i superior to anything we
could muster today in many respects. The sound is more open and solid than
any of the Knas but I really don;t think it captures the Bayreuth acoustic
as well as some private issues do - the 62 Philips Parsifal really is the
best representation of how the music sounds at Bayreuth. Keilberth did some
very nice work in the 50s - his 53 Lohengrin is lovely and lyric - he
doesn;t give us any real flashes of insight into the music the way
Furtwangler or Kna does and he doesn;t have the long view of the nusic but
its sensible and secure, easy to live with. Hope this helps Richard
>
Handel8
Thanks for the overview. That is more than I could get from any review
in a magazine.
I will get a copy of the Kna 1962 Parsifal. Did you see the multiple
reviews of the Siegfried Wagner operas in the latest Fanfare magazine ?
I am not familar with his work and was only vaguely aware of him.
Thought he was one of the family who ran Bayreuth during the war.
Guess I was wrong ! LOL. I should read a bio of the Richard and get
up to speed !
Alan Prichard
Richard Loeb
news:1152020893.6...@v61g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...
No, Siegfried died in 1930 and his widow Winifred (whom I met in 1978) was
in charge of the festival after that till the end of the war (with a lot of
artistic guidance from the Berlin Staatsoper), I find the Siegfried operas
really interesting and fun to hear - some really nice melodies there!!!
As for the 1962 Bayreuth Parsifal it was one of those recordings where
everything clicked - much much more than the sum of the parts and the one
commercial Wagner recording that really sounds the way Parsifal sounds in
the Festspielhaus (and you also get Hotters wonderfully human and
sympathetic Gurnemanz)
The one Wagner bio you should avoid is the Gutman which starts out well but
goes way off the tracks regarding Wagners anti-semitism and Parsifal. The
Ernest Newman still holds up well. Richard
Richard
Todd Schurk
Just as a headsup- the Music & Arts website is offering the '56 Kna
Ring for $40...not sure how long that price is good for (I saw it on
7/6/06)
Richar...@gmail.com
> I prefer the Krauss to any of the Knas - the singers are all in better voice
> in 1953 and Krauss is really wonderful - if not for his untimely death in
> May 1954 we would have had a lot more Wagner from him in Bayreuth.
Couldn't agree more. Krauss had an incredible range of orchestral color
and an essentailly pessimistic sense of Wagner's drama that is
unequalled. As is his cast, as a whole.
> I have the new Testament Keilberth issues - they are not for me "second
> coming" that others seem to feel they are though i superior to anything we
> could muster today in many respects. The sound is more open and solid than
> any of the Knas but I really don;t think it captures the Bayreuth acoustic
> as well as some private issues do - the 62 Philips Parsifal really is the
> best representation of how the music sounds at Bayreuth. Keilberth did some
> very nice work in the 50s - his 53 Lohengrin is lovely and lyric - he
> doesn;t give us any real flashes of insight into the music the way
> Furtwangler or Kna does and he doesn;t have the long view of the nusic but
> its sensible and secure, easy to live with. Hope this helps Richard
>
I don't know if Keilberth's view is quite so simple.
Agree that it doesn't have the "profundity" of Kna or Furt, but I have
to admit that for me the Search for Profundity (or in Kna's case,
awesomely heavy gang-busters orchestral weight) is a little over-rated.
I have found the Keilberth Rhinegld and Siegfried very refreshing: he
knows the Wagner tradition inside out; he supports an admirable cast
and helps them give of their best; he doesn't over-play the music but
he doesn't short change it either. This is good to hear - and the sound
is better than any other Bayreuth recording from the 1950s.
Apparently the Bayreuth orchestra reps have asked Orfeo to consider
issuing a Kempe RIng, as they were particularly proud of their playing
for him. This will be interesting, if it happens.
Mitchell Kaufman
> Just as a headsup- the Music & Arts website is offering the '56 Kna
> Ring for $40...not sure how long that price is good for (I saw it on
> 7/6/06)
It's worth the $40, but I should also put in a good word for the newer
Orfeo issue, which is from the original Bavarian Radio tapes and sounds
a bit better than the M&A, though hardly hi-fi. And via MDT, it's
reasonably-priced.
MK