Wagner's Valhalla

[madaboutmahler]

I managed to find some time this afternoon to listen to Act 2 of Siegfried, but wanted to continue so much that I ended up listening to the whole of Act 3 too!

Absolutely fantastic music. The music around 'Brunnhilde's Awakening' was very beautiful! I enjoyed the whole opera so incredibly much, it may be my favourite overall of the Ring Cycle so far, perhaps...

Really really excited to listen to Gotterdammerung...

[Lisztianwagner]

I managed to find some time this afternoon to listen to Act 2 of Siegfried, but wanted to continue so much that I ended up listening to the whole of Act 3 too!

Absolutely fantastic music. The music around 'Brunnhilde's Awakening' was very beautiful! I enjoyed the whole opera so incredibly much, it may be my favourite overall of the Ring Cycle so far, perhaps...

Really really excited to listen to Gotterdammerung...

Amazing, Daniel, I certainly agree with everything you said! Brunnhilde's Awakening is one of my favourite parts of Siegfried and of the whole Ring Cycle as well, such passionate, thrilling music, absolutely overwhelming! But there's not a single note of that work I don't deeply love.

I remember I sent you Barenboim's Siegfried Finale of the 3rd act; if I may ask, after listening both it and the Karajan, which one do you think is better?

[madaboutmahler]

Amazing, Daniel, I certainly agree with everything you said! Brunnhilde's Awakening is one of my favourite parts of Siegfried and of the whole Ring Cycle as well, such passionate, thrilling music, absolutely overwhelming! But there's not a single note of that work I don't deeply love.

I remember I sent you Barenboim's Siegfried Finale of the 3rd act; if I may ask, after listening both it and the Karajan, which one do you think is better?

Certainly, I was very moved by the Awakening scene! And what an uplifting finale!!  0:)

hmmm... well they are certainly different! I would probably have to go for Barenboim for the finale of Act 3, in this part, slightly more involving and energetic than Karajan. Sorry!
But I absolutely love the whole Karajan cycle so far. Such great performances!

[Lisztianwagner]

Certainly, I was very moved by the Awakening scene! And what an uplifting finale!!  0:)

hmmm... well they are certainly different! I would probably have to go for Barenboim for the finale of Act 3, in this part, slightly more involving and energetic than Karajan. Sorry!
But I absolutely love the whole Karajan cycle so far. Such great performances!

Yes, Wagner had a very special gift for always composing beautiful, impressive final parts!

Sure, no problem; as a matter of fact, I've always told you Barenboim is better than Karajan in the finale of Act 3. There he adopts a slightly faster tempo which makes the piece and the atmospehere more powerful and vibrant.

[madaboutmahler]

Yes, Wagner had a very special gift for always composing beautiful, impressive final parts!

Sure, no problem; as a matter of fact, I've always told you Barenboim is better than Karajan in the finale of Act 3. There he adopts a slightly faster tempo which sounds more powerful and vibrant.

Certainly!!!!

Oh yes, I remember now! Yes, I think the slightly faster tempo works well and brings an even more joyous and uplifting, romantic effect. Such a great piece!

Really excited to listen to Gotterdammerung now...

[Lisztianwagner]

Certainly!!!!

Oh yes, I remember now! Yes, I think the slightly faster tempo works well and brings an even more joyous and uplifting, romantic effect. Such a great piece!

Really excited to listen to Gotterdammerung now...

Sure!!

The Ring Cycle couldn't have a better ending than Gotterdammerung, what a beautiful, intense and powerfuly expressive opera (or better, musikdrama)! Enjoy it!

[Scion7]

[madaboutmahler]

Sure!!

The Ring Cycle couldn't have a better ending than Gotterdammerung, what a beautiful, intense and powerfuly expressive opera (or better, musikdrama)! Enjoy it!

Thank you, Ilaria! I am sure that I will...

[Lisztianwagner]

Thank you, Ilaria! I am sure that I will...

[kishnevi]

Listening to the Haitink recording of Gotterdammerung as I post this.  Currently at the start of CD 3/Act II (the Hagen/Alberich scene).   The pacing makes it seem a much shorter opera than it actually is (as in "What, it's already at the end of Act I?  I just put it on a half hour ago--well, maybe not    );  it seems well balanced between singers and orchestra, and I've seen comments aimed at Marton's contribution, but at least as far as the Prologue/Act I goes, I detected no flaws in her performance.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Brunnhilde's Awakening is one of my favourite parts of Siegfried

My favorite parts of Siegfried has always been Waldweben in act II (because of how heavenly the bird calls sound), Fafner's moving death (how even the fratricide-committing Fafner has some redeeming qualities when he warns Siegfried of Mime) and one of the funniest parts in the Ring: quarrel between Alberich and Mime along with Mime's "true word"-conversation with Siegfried: (even though I kind of feel bad for Mime since everyone treats him like dirt) I especially love how Gerhard Stolze delivers Mime's "Ich will dem Kind nur den Kopf abhaun" in the way that sounds like he's just talking about how much he loves Siegfried. That being said, I love Brünnhilde's awakening as well.

[Lisztianwagner]

My favorite parts of Siegfried has always been Waldweben in act II (because of how heavenly the bird calls sound), Fafner's moving death (how even the fratricide-committing Fafner has some redeeming qualities when he warns Siegfried of Mime) and one of the funniest parts in the Ring: quarrel between Alberich and Mime along with Mime's "true word"-conversation with Siegfried: (even though I kind of feel bad for Mime since everyone treats him like dirt) I especially love how Gerhard Stolze delivers Mime's "Ich will dem Kind nur den Kopf abhaun" in the way that sounds like he's just talking about how much he loves Siegfried. That being said, I love Brünnhilde's awakening as well.

Brilliant, I absolutely love all the scenes you mentioned.

Well, actually it wouldn't be completely fair to talk about favourite parts for me, I always enjoy every single note of Siegfried as well as the whole Ring Cycle; I could say that there are parts which powerfully impress more than others.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I adored 'Siegfried' as a teenager. I was thrilled at the energy of the sword-making scene, I loved the return to a 'Rheingold' atmosphere and the many favourite leitmotivs that crop up in the Wanderer-Mime scene. I loved the Alberich-Wanderer dialogue, the Waldweben, and the noble Fafner music, after Siegfried has mortally wounded him, and finally - Siegfried setting out to Brünnhilde's mountain. And Act Three as a whole - wow! That grandiose opening blew my mind...


Now, 35 years later, I must say Act 1 has paled a bit. I find it rather repetitive, and sometimes a bit tired, so I don't listen to it that often. Act 2 has stood up better, and it is an improvement on Act 1. Act 3 remains tremendous.


Just to give you an idea of what living with Wagner means to one admirer...

[madaboutmahler]

I adored 'Siegfried' as a teenager. I was thrilled at the energy of the sword-making scene, I loved the return to a 'Rheingold' atmosphere and the many favourite leitmotivs that crop up in the Wanderer-Mime scene. I loved the Alberich-Wanderer dialogue, the Waldweben, and the noble Fafner music, after Siegfried has mortally wounded him, and finally - Siegfried setting out to Brünnhilde's mountain. And Act Three as a whole - wow! That grandiose opening blew my mind...

You point out particular parts I really loved too, Johan! I was also pleased to hear so many of my favourite motivs coming back!

[Guido]

Siegfried remains for me the hardest nut to crack of the Ring. I find the first act rather dull, maybe the worst act in the Ring. The second act contains some very beautiful music in the latter half, and the third act I love. Thank god he paused before its composition!

[Elgarian]

Really excited to listen to Gotterdammerung now...

I almost envy you your first experience of Gotterdammerung, Daniel. A little over 30 years ago, English National Opera toured their Ring in the north of England, including Manchester. We'd known the Ring from our Bohm/Bayreuth recording, bought 2 or 3 years earlier, so we bought tickets for the Gotterdammerung evening (all we could afford, and this was our favourite of the four). I remember it was a hot evening, and we sweltered high up in the cheapest seats, while Rita Hunter and Alberto Remedios put on what surely must have been one of their finest performances. We were transfixed, despite the discomfort, from beginning to end. It was the finest musical experience of my life, and it's never been surpassed since.

It seems we were not alone in our enjoyment of it. At the end the audience erupted, and applauded, and applauded, and applauded, as if they were unwilling ever to let the performers go. I've never experienced anything like that response since, either. But in hindsight, I think nothing but Gotterdammerung could have permitted this kind of transcendence of performance/engagement. For a few hours we were among the gods, and died with them. You can't really beat that.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Sitting up in the gods, you became them. 


Nice piece, Elgarian.

[madaboutmahler]

I almost envy you your first experience of Gotterdammerung, Daniel. A little over 30 years ago, English National Opera toured their Ring in the north of England, including Manchester. We'd known the Ring from our Bohm/Bayreuth recording, bought 2 or 3 years earlier, so we bought tickets for the Gotterdammerung evening (all we could afford, and this was our favourite of the four). I remember it was a hot evening, and we sweltered high up in the cheapest seats, while Rita Hunter and Alberto Remedios put on what surely must have been one of their finest performances. We were transfixed, despite the discomfort, from beginning to end. It was the finest musical experience of my life, and it's never been surpassed since.

It seems we were not alone in our enjoyment of it. At the end the audience erupted, and applauded, and applauded, and applauded, as if they were unwilling ever to let the performers go. I've never experienced anything like that response since, either. But in hindsight, I think nothing but Gotterdammerung could have permitted this kind of transcendence of performance/engagement. For a few hours we were among the gods, and died with them. You can't really beat that.

Beautiful! It must have been an absolutely stunning event.

I believe there is a Ring Cycle here in London next year... I'll probably only be able to go to just one too... it will be a hard choice to pick which one to see!

[Lisztianwagner]

It seems we were not alone in our enjoyment of it. At the end the audience erupted, and applauded, and applauded, and applauded, as if they were unwilling ever to let the performers go. I've never experienced anything like that response since, either. But in hindsight, I think nothing but Gotterdammerung could have permitted this kind of transcendence of performance/engagement. For a few hours we were among the gods, and died with them. You can't really beat that.

Sitting up in the gods, you became them. 


Nice piece, Elgarian.

Absolutely, well said, Alan.

I believe there is a Ring Cycle here in London next year... I'll probably only be able to go to just one too... it will be a hard choice to pick which one to see!

Really?? Oh, I must definitely come to England then!!

[jlaurson]

I believe there is a Ring Cycle here in London next year...

I believe there's a Ring Cycle everywhere, next year. There won't be any escaping from Wagner in 2013.