Wagner's Valhalla

[Wilhelm Richard]

My kind of stimulus check...

(AP) — BERLIN - Germany's government has pledged ?500,000 ($700,000) to renovate the Wahnfried villa that houses the archive of legendary German composer Richard Wagner.

The government said Thursday the money to renovate Wagner's former house in the southern city of Bayreuth would come from an economic stimulus package that earmarks funds for improving infrastructure.

Museum head Sven Friedrich said the renovation would include a new display documenting the composer's life and working environment. He said an exhibit on the Wagner family's role during the Nazi-era will also be added.

http://www.nj.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-3/1245344175229900.xml&storylist=entertainment

[Coopmv]

My kind of stimulus check...

http://www.nj.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-3/1245344175229900.xml&storylist=entertainment

shovel and jackhammer-ready?     

[Valentino]

Anybody else who get the Nibelheim-Musik (anvils and all) in their head now?

[Haffner]

Anybody else who get the Nibelheim-Musik (anvils and all) in their head now?

Oh yeah, especially doing chores.

[Lilas Pastia]

Recital Lauritz Melchior  €1.00

- Lauritz Melchior

"Allmächt'ger Vater" from Rienzi by Wagner, "Ein Schwert verhiess mir der Vater" from Die Walküre by Wagner, "Gia Sacerdoti adunasi" (with Margarethe Arndt-Ober) from Aida by Verdi, "Inbrunst im Herzen" from Tannhäuser by Wagner, "O paradise" from L'Africaine by Meyerbeer, "Dio mi potevi scagliar" and "Niun me tema" from Otello by Verdi, "Die Selige Frau" (with Lotte Lehmann) from Die Walküre by Wagner, "Nur eine Waffe taugt" from Parsifal by Wagner, "In fernem Land" from Lohengrin by Wagner, "Am stille Herd" and "Morgenlich leuchtend im rosigen Schein" from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by Wagner (all sung in german) - Lauritz Melchior (tenor) Recorded in 1923-1939 Duration: 53 minutes 18 seconds  File: RecitalMelchior.mp3

Listen to an extract   http://www.classicalmusicmobile.com/catalog/extracts/RecitalMelchiorExtract.mp3

The whole thing is available for download: 1 euro, please.

[Coopmv]

Here is an excellent recording of music for Wagner's Valhalla, among the some three dozen Telarc CD's I own ...   

[Haffner]

Here is an excellent recording of music for Wagner's Valhalla, among the some three dozen Telarc CD's I own ...   

You know, I've been reccomended that so many times (laughing). I need to get a grip and check it out.

[Coopmv]

You know, I've been reccomended that so many times (laughing). I need to get a grip and check it out.

The SQ of this CD is excellent for a redbook CD ...   

[Anne]

Here is an excellent recording of music for Wagner's Valhalla, among the some three dozen Telarc CD's I own ...   

That CD was recommended to me as a starting point for learning Wagner's music.  When it finally penetrated, I was in tears and couldn't imagine anything more beautiful.  Next my "teacher" said to listen to the same music with the voices added i.e., the "bloody chunks."  They added immense enjoyment and again I was duty bound to shed some tears for the beauty of that also.

Finally I returned to the "Ring without Words" and surprised myself by not liking it as much as before.  Without the voices, something was lacking and I have felt that way ever since.

[Dr. Dread]

That CD was recommended to me as a starting point for learning Wagner's music.  When it finally penetrated, I was in tears and couldn't imagine anything more beautiful.  Next my "teacher" said to listen to the same music with the voices added i.e., the "bloody chunks."  They added immense enjoyment and again I was duty bound to shed some tears for the beauty of that also.

Finally I returned to the "Ring without Words" and surprised myself by not liking it as much as before.  Without the voices, something was lacking and I have felt that way ever since.

Yes, you never really have to put the training wheels back on. 

[Anne]

 

P.S.  Congratulations on your splendid weight loss.  Keep up the good work!  Soon you'll have me on a diet too.

[Dr. Dread]

P.S.  Congratulations on your splendid weight loss.  Keep up the good work!  Soon you'll have me on a diet too.

Thank you. I'm pleased that my actions are proving inspirational.

[Valentino]

That CD was recommended to me as a starting point for learning Wagner's music.  When it finally penetrated, I was in tears and couldn't imagine anything more beautiful.  Next my "teacher" said to listen to the same music with the voices added i.e., the "bloody chunks."  They added immense enjoyment and again I was duty bound to shed some tears for the beauty of that also.

Finally I returned to the "Ring without Words" and surprised myself by not liking it as much as before.  Without the voices, something was lacking and I have felt that way ever since.

Quite interesting, and different from my way to Wagner. I did't get Wagner. Ok, the Tannhäuser Prelude is beautiful, but I did't warm to Holländer in the opera, or to C. Kleiber's Tristan (and CK couldn't do no wrong in my book).
So I went to the library, borrowed the Ring (Solti-Leinsdorf-Solti-Böhm), and a Danish book about the whole shebang. And was hooked before the entry of the Rhinemaidens.
Now I wonder if I'll get Tristan and the other stuff. Tickets for Tannhäuser at the fantastic opera house in Oslo are secured for March next year, at least.

[Haffner]

Quite interesting, and different from my way to Wagner. I did't get Wagner. Ok, the Tannhäuser Prelude is beautiful, but I did't warm to Holländer in the opera, or to C. Kleiber's Tristan (and CK couldn't do no wrong in my book).
So I went to the library, borrowed the Ring (Solti-Leinsdorf-Solti-Böhm), and a Danish book about the whole shebang. And was hooked before the entry of the Rhinemaidens.
Now I wonder if I'll get Tristan and the other stuff. Tickets for Tannhäuser at the fantastic opera house in Oslo are secured for March next year, at least.

Tristan is hard, and remains hard for me. I learned early on that one has to be totally "there" when experiencing Tristan und Isolde: no mind-wandering. Total focus. And one has to try to completely wipe out any "pop" preconceptions: the pesky, lingering habit of waiting for resolution in music. Once I completely lock into Tristan und Isolde, I see why Verdi has a hard time believing it was written by "a human being". The twists and turns, the unbelievably brilliant orchestration...

In Tristan und Isolde, Wagner went beyond the whole "orchestra as chorus/main character". He made the orchestra become the conscience, emotion, and inner combatant of each character, scene, situation. The orchestra became absolutely vital, instead of accompanying. This he did to varying extents in the latter fourth of the Ring, but nowhere near as prevalent as in Tristan.

There are parts that are just way too long : King Marke's monologue in Act II comes most readily to mind (to this day I often just ff through alot of it). In fact, Act II remains the most difficult for me, probably because alot of it is so inwardly oriented. The whole "night" (inward experience) vs. "day" (other people, "real" world, etc.) is something that is perhaps too close to my own experience (I'm a bit of an agoraphobe and shun the company of other people for the most part).

But, like the majority of Wagner's operas, the experience pays off, again and again ("thus spoke the Hallmark card company").

[Brünnhilde ewig]

Great post, AndyD, about Tristan und Isolde, and helpful even for this old Wagnerian, thank you.

This great Wagner work has to be experienced as a video and my latest addition to my collection is the 2007 production at the Milan Scala with Daniel Barenboim conducting the performance directed by  Patrice Chéreau. It is Chéreau's work with the performers making the difference. He convinced them to act like actors, not just Wagnerian singers. Outstanding is Matti Salminen's König Marke, who walks among the performers when singing his famous solo. It has to be seen, can't be described in words!

[Haffner]

Great post, AndyD, about Tristan und Isolde, and helpful even for this old Wagnerian, thank you.

This great Wagner work has to be experienced as a video and my latest addition to my collection is the 2007 production at the Milan Scala with Daniel Barenboim conducting the performance directed by  Patrice Chéreau. It is Chéreau's work with the performers making the difference. He convinced them to act like actors, not just Wagnerian singers. Outstanding is Matti Salminen's König Marke, who walks among the performers when singing his famous solo. It has to be seen, can't be described in words!

Boy I need to see that one! I have the Barenboim Bayreuth dvd and like it. For audio I subdivide: For Act I the might Furtwangler, Act II Karajan, Act III Barenboim/Bayreuth. But for full the Kleiber.

Okay, I'm very weird.

[knight66]

Boy I need to see that one! I have the Barenboim Bayreuth dvd and like it. For audio I subdivide: For Act I the might Furtwangler, Act II Karajan, Act III Barenboim/Bayreuth. But for full the Kleiber.

Okay, I'm very weird.

Oh, I ca understand that. I don't mix and match, but Furtwangler would be my Act 1, Kleiber Act 2 and Karajan Act 3. One set only Kleiber, the atmosphere is narcotic, the orchestra translucent.

Mike

[Brünnhilde ewig]

Mike, that would be the CD with the Dresdners? Yes, it is my favourite CD of Tristan und Isolde. Story goes around that the audio engineers asked Kleiber to stay around to help them with any corrections or changes. Kleiber told them: "It's perfect, no changes needed." and he went back home to Munich. 

[Haffner]

One set only Kleiber, the atmosphere is narcotic, the orchestra translucent.

Mike

I'm completely in agreement.

[knight66]

Lis, Yes it is with the Dresden mob. I initially had it on LP, seemingly Kleiber insisted the sides be faded out and in. It was a very odd idea, a complete throwback. You heard the same music twice as the ebb and flow took place. Thank goodness there is no such eccentricity on the CDs.

I also read that Margaret Price and Kollo were never in the studio together....whatever, they sound convincing and there has never been a more beautiful sounding or womanly Isolde, though it really is not the classic voice for the part.

BTW, Andy, I used to think as you do about King Mark, but now I think it just right, an unwinding and descent into tragedy from the hysteria of the love duet.

Mike