Tristan und Isolde

[madaboutmahler]

Hello all,

I am rather ashamed to say that I am yet to listen to my first Wagner opera in full! But my time has come now to start my Wagnerian journey and I have decided to start with 'Tristan und Isolde' after being absolutely amazed by the beauty and passion in a variety of excerpts I have heard. I would like some help though in choosing a good recording, so please comment away with your favourite recordings of the work. Is it Karajan? Furtwangler? Solti? Barenboim? Pappano? Kleiber? Bohm? Bernstein? Thielemann?

Thank you!     
Best Wishes,
Daniel

p.s Apologies if this topic has already been raised, but I couldn't find it...

[Lethevich]

The Böhm is remarkable - it sounds better than you would expect for its age, the orchestra is driven and secure and the vocal contributions, especially from Nilsson, only add to this sense of volcanic power. As much as I like Kleiber and Furtwängler (EMI), their appeal is less elemental to me than Böhm. Imagine, perhaps, the reputation of Solti in Wagner, but with a little more flexibility and more natural recorded sound - if you're looking for a poetic Wagner, this may not be the place to go, however.

[Todd]

Bohm.  If you can sample it in DVD, sample the version with Nilsson and Vickers.  Image quality is a bit less than ideal, and the staging isn't the best, and sound quality is not up to Bohm's DG set, but there is much to commend this one.  Seeing and hearing Vickers in Act III is something.

If you want just the music, Bohm on DG, Furtwangler on EMI, Carlos Kleiber at La Scala (sound is not good; Caterina Ligendza is great), or Carlos Kleiber's DG set. 

[Mandryka]

I recommend you get first the 1952 Karajan with Vinay and Hotter and Moedel.

If you want to explore further I recommend the 1947 live  Furtwaengler (Acts II and III only) with Erna Schlueter

[Mandryka]

I wonder if any would mind if I asked a question in this thread.

Can someone recommend a  Tristan on DVD for me? One of my main interests is the production and acting.  I don't really like to see traditional settings and costumes. I prefer minimal or updated productions, with an element of regietheatre. In a way the production of Boehm's performance at Orange is perfect for me as I think that minimilism suits a work as timeless as this -- but the sound and picture quality are so bad that I get very little pleasure from watching it.


I can see these  versions:

Barenboim, Meir, Kollo

Barenboim, Storey, Meier (the Chereau production)

Robert Gambill, Nina Stemme, Jiri Belohlavek

Robert Dean Smith, Iréne Theorin , Peter Schneider

West, Meyer Mehta,

Bertrand de Billy, Debroah Polaski, John Treleaven,

Levine, Hepner, Eaglen

Charbonnet, Fujimora, Armin Jordan

Felsenstein, Richard Decker and Iordanka Derilova

Gwyneth Jones, Rene Kollo, Jiri Kout

There's a Wieland Wagner  production with Wingassen from Osaka in 1967 which looks very good to me -- is it available anywhere? Here's an excerpt



http://www.youtube.com/v/yojPKD1r6vU

[Lethevich]

Levine, Hepner, Eaglen

This one is a solid production - somewhat minimal but high quality, but it's almost an olden-style "stand and sing" affair: rather dull in terms of acting. I suppose this is a de-recommendation.

[Mandryka]

This one is a solid production - somewhat minimal but high quality, but it's almost an olden-style "stand and sing" affair: rather dull in terms of acting. I suppose this is a de-recommendation.

I can imagine what the singing is like -- I've seen Hepner and Eaglen in it at Covent Garden.

By the way I have found the Wieland Wagner production with Windgassen from Osaka on  DVD at Berkshire Record Outlet.. I am very fond of what I've seen of Wieland Wagner's art. Does anyone know what other Wieland Wagner DVDs there are?

I wish Peter Brook would have directed this opera 

[mjwal]

I agree about Karajan '52 and the '47 Furtwängler - which for me is notable more for a Suthaus at the top of his form than for Schlüter, F being of course hors concours in this music. The Kna version (Munich '50) is surprisingly dramatic, though the Isolde is so-so. - I haven't seen any T&I DVDs, nor do I particularly want to. It all goes on in my head when I listen. Do you know you can find the gravestone of Tristan in Cornwall? If my memory serves me well, it says "Hic jacet Drustans, filius Connemori". Thereby hangs a tale, of course, since the opera does have very Oedipal overtones.

[Superhorn]

   Speaking as a veteran Wagner freak , I would recommend that with either CDs or DVDs, , that you take one act at a time and give yourself a breather between them.  This makes them easier to  experience and digest.   With CDs, make sure you follow the English translation along with the original German libretto in the booklet. Not all of the  recordings have this,  but you can easily download  opera librettos at the Naxos website.
     There is nothing so intoxicating as Wagner !   It;s like taking illegal drugs without any  physical danger .

[madaboutmahler]

Thank you all for your feedback.

if you're looking for a poetic Wagner, this may not be the place to go, however.

But you would recommend Bohm overall? Ok. Which conductors are more poetic in their interpretation - as I know that Tristan und Isolde has a lot of poetic love music!

   Speaking as a veteran Wagner freak , I would recommend that with either CDs or DVDs, , that you take one act at a time and give yourself a breather between them.  This makes them easier to  experience and digest.   With CDs, make sure you follow the English translation along with the original German libretto in the booklet. Not all of the  recordings have this,  but you can easily download  opera librettos at the Naxos website.
     There is nothing so intoxicating as Wagner !   It;s like taking illegal drugs without any  physical danger .

Thank you for that advice! Yes, it is probably a better idea to take it an act at a time considering the length!

[bhodges]

I'm hardly an expert on Tristan versions, but would cast another vote for Böhm. Even though recorded in 1966 the sound is excellent, and the cast - especially Nilsson - ditto. As many have said, there was only one Birgit Nilsson, and when she does the concluding "Liebestod" it's quite an experience.

On DVD, I have seen the Levine/Heppner/Eaglen production (also live at the Met) and like it very much: the scenic design is fascinating - very minimal, using geometric shapes and light very effectively, and when Tristan dies, a landscape of miniature soldiers, cannons and castles.

--Bruce

[Brahmsian]

Daniel, go with the Bohm!  The Bohm is The Bomb in Tristan und Isolde!   

[madaboutmahler]

Daniel, go with the Bohm!  The Bohm is The Bomb in Tristan und Isolde!   

haha You certainly are enjoying your word puns today, Ray!

I have not heard the Bohm, but I do have the Barenboim and Knappertsbusch (Munich/Live, 1950) and can recommend both.

Thank you, Leon! The Barenboim has been recommended to me quite a few times, it is very tempting considering it is with the Berlin Phil!

Have a nice day everyone, thank you all for the replies.
Best Wishes
Daniel

[eyeresist]

I prefer minimal or updated productions, with an element of regietheatre.

SSSSSSssss!!!!!!! *Makes the sign of the cross*

[snyprrr]

WHAAT??? There's more than one recording???

[Josquin des Prez]

Bohm for me as well.

[Sergeant Rock]

Which conductors are more poetic in their interpretation

Karajan with Dernesch (a remarkably feminine and touching Isolde as opposed to Nilsson's super-human singing machine that I admire but who leaves me in neutral emotionally) and the extraordinary Jon Vickers (even if you don't like his intense interpretation, his palpable anguish, he's a must-hear at least once). Bernstein is another with, again, a very womanly, vulnerable and less than perfectly controlled Isolde in Behrens. Bernstein's tempos are slow but I find the performance mesmerizing. I like Kleiber too but not as much as Karajan and Bernstein. Barenboim I haven't heard.

Let me cast the first negative vote against Böhm. Nilsson just isn't my idea of Isolde and Windgassen is too middle-aged. But as you've noticed, mine is a minority opinion 

Sarge

[marvinbrown]

Hello all,

I am rather ashamed to say that I am yet to listen to my first Wagner opera in full! But my time has come now to start my Wagnerian journey and I have decided to start with 'Tristan und Isolde' after being absolutely amazed by the beauty and passion in a variety of excerpts I have heard. I would like some help though in choosing a good recording, so please comment away with your favourite recordings of the work. Is it Karajan? Furtwangler? Solti? Barenboim? Pappano? Kleiber? Bohm? Bernstein? Thielemann?

Thank you!     
Best Wishes,
Daniel

p.s Apologies if this topic has already been raised, but I couldn't find it...

  I have Bohm and it is great but for me the most spectacular recording of Tristan und Isolde is Furtwangler on EMI Great Recordings of the Century.  This recording:

 

  There will never be an Isolde quite like Flagstaad, she defines that role in much the same way as Callas defines the role of Norma!

  As great as the Bohm recording is I find the pace much too fast, it's a white hot recording, but much too fast to allow the music to breathe.  This prevents me from entering into that all important  hypnotic trance, essential for Tristan und Isolde.

  Own both if you wish................. I do,............................. but please please own FURTWANGLER!

  marvin

 

[mjwal]

Karajan with Dernesch (a remarkably feminine and touching Isolde as opposed to Nilsson's super-human singing machine that I admire but who leaves me in neutral emotionally) and the extraordinary Jon Vickers (even if you don't like his intense interpretation, his palpable anguish, he's a must-hear at least once). Bernstein is another with, again, a very womanly, vulnerable and less than perfectly controlled Isolde in Behrens. Bernstein's tempos are slow but I find the performance mesmerizing. I like Kleiber too but not as much as Karajan and Bernstein. Barenboim I haven't heard.

Let me cast the first negative vote against Böhm. Nilsson just isn't my idea of Isolde and Windgassen is too middle-aged. But as you've noticed, mine is a minority opinion 

Sarge

I have already cast a negative vote against Nilsson - and agree about Windgassen - in the Collecting Wagner thread, Sarge, so the minority is growing  . Karajan/Dernesch/Vickers is my favourite of the stereo Tristans I have heard, though I prefer the '52 mono Karajan/Mödl/Vinay for its greater passion or the Furtwängler/Flagstad/Suthaus for its cosmic depth. Of other historical recordings I am attached to the Knappertsbusch/Braun/Treptow 1950, though his Isolde has obvious weaknesses, and have found moments of white-hot ecstasy in the '48 Erich Kleiber with a more dramatic Flagstad and excellent Svanholm. Sound is very dodgy though - only for Tristan-fanciers. Of all the Tristans, I rate Suthaus '47 highest (missing Act 1 though), then Melchior with Reiner or Beecham, then Vinay, Svanholm and Treptow. The greatest - unmissable - recording of the love duet is of course Coates/Leider/Melchior, best heard on that Great Conductors of the 20th Century transfer, I find.

[madaboutmahler]

  I have Bohm and it is great but for me the most spectacular recording of Tristan und Isolde is Furtwangler on EMI Great Recordings of the Century. 

  There will never be an Isolde quite like Flagstaad, she defines that role in much the same way as Callas defines the role of Norma!

  As great as the Bohm recording is I find the pace much too fast, it's a white hot recording, but much too fast to allow the music to breathe.  This prevents me from entering into that all important  hypnotic trance, essential for Tristan und Isolde.

  Own both if you wish................. I do,............................. but please please own FURTWANGLER!

  marvin

Thank you all for the opinions, very helpful! You are very enthusiastic for the Furtwangler! I can tell that it would be amazing - I have heard much praise of it else where as well! May I ask, what is the EMI remastering like?
Thank you again everyone!