What are your Top 5 Recordings of Parsifal?

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Not all, but most serious contenders (and then some) have been included. Major labels noted; gray-area labels are not. Also not included are recordings that never made it onto CD, be it from a video format or from LP.


Edit: The poll has been reset because of the Boulez-error caught below... and to give Sarge a chance to vote his favorites. 
Thanks for re-voting if you already had.

[ritter]

I've voted for Boulez '70, Kegel, Kubelik, Clemens Krauss, and Knappertsbusch '52 (which in my case actually would be Knappertsbusch '51 on Decca).

Regards,

[Mirror Image]

Shouldn't this be in the 'Polling Station' section of the forum?

[The new erato]

Shouldn't this be in the 'Polling Station' section of the forum?

I wish Jens would poll himself together!

[Mirror Image]

I wish Jens would poll himself together!

[kishnevi]

Kna. 54
Kna. 62
Solti
Kubelik

Leaving the fifth slot open  because I have not heard several of the leading contenders.

But dishonorable mention for Boulez, my least favorite recording.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

I've voted for Boulez '70, Kegel, Kubelik, Clemens Krauss, and Knappertsbusch '52 (which in my case actually would be Knappertsbusch '51 on Decca).

Regards,

You are right; it should be Kna'51 on Decca/Telarc. Poll adjusted to that effect.

[Sergeant Rock]

Karajan DG
Boulez
Barenboim

and two that aren't on the list

Knappertsbusch Bayreuth '51
Knappertsbusch Bayreuth '64 with Jon Vickers


Edit: I didn't see your correction until after I'd voted 

You are right; it should be Kna'51 on Decca/Telarc. Poll adjusted to that effect.

[Todd]

Fluffy '80
Krauss
Boulez
Barenboim
Kna '62

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Karajan DG
Boulez
Barenboim

and two that aren't on the list

Knappertsbusch Bayreuth '51
Knappertsbusch Bayreuth '64 with Jon Vickers


Edit: I didn't see your correction until after I'd voted 

And further, I've added the '64 Kna. If you want to vote for it, it's worth being on the poll. Is there a way I can make you vote again?

[Sergeant Rock]

And further, I've added the '64 Kna. If you want to vote for it, it's worth being on the poll. Is there a way I can make you vote again?

I don't know a way to vote again, or amend a vote.

Sarge

[ritter]

I've just realized that the Boulez that appears on the list is the (bootleg) 1966 recording. Surely you meant the 1970 recording on DG,  Jens?

[SurprisedByBeauty]

I've just realized that the Boulez that appears on the list is the (bootleg) 1966 recording. Surely you meant the 1970 recording on DG,  Jens?

I meant BOTH, but yes, the one I favor is the 1970 of course. OK... RESET.

Gives Sarge a chance to get it right. Sorry for the hassle to those who voted already; I hope you'll vote again!

[Turner]

I´ve only got Barenboim, Karajan & Solti, the first two ones are favourites by far, so voted for them.

Also had a Kna, but didn´t really enjoy it.

[Sergeant Rock]

Gives Sarge a chance to get it right.

Yes, I'll vote again. Thanks.

Karajan DG
Boulez 70 DG
Barenboim
Knappertsbusch '51
Knappertsbusch '64

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Barenboim for one, and of the three Knappertsbusch's I've had ('51, '62, '64) only the '62 Philips remains. Can't beat that superb sound.

One other correction on the poll list: the Kna '51 should read Decca/Teldec, not Telarc.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Barenboim for one, and of the three Knappertsbusch's I've had ('51, '62, '64) only the '62 Philips remains. Can't beat that superb sound.

One other correction on the poll list: the Kna '51 should read Decca/Teldec, not Telarc.

Mistake? What mistake! 

[ritter]

I've submitted my vote again...unchanged (Kna '51, Krauss '53, Boulez, Kegel, Kubelik).

I've been debating whether to choose Knappertsbusch 1951 or 1962...I finally went for the former, given its "historic" value (the reopening of Bayreuth after the war) and for Martha Mödl's Kundry. And I really find Hans Hotter's Gurnemanz in the '62 version insufferable (*runs for cover*)...

[SurprisedByBeauty]

I've submitted my vote again...unchanged (Kna '51, Krauss '53, Boulez, Kegel, Kubelik).

Thanks!

And I really find Hans Hotter's Gurnemanz in the '62 version insufferable (*runs for cover*)...

How dare you. May the Hotterian Gods smite you!!!   

Heck, I dropped Karajan for less a reason. I wonder if my Kna' choice  (I picked Kna'62, Boulez, Kubelik, Barenboim, Thielemann [rather than Kegel, as I initially hinted at]) would still stand, if I listened to it just now and compared it to, say, Jaap van Zweden.

[ritter]

Thanks!
How dare you. May the Hotterian Gods smite you!!!   

Heck, I dropped Karajan for less a reason. I wonder if my Kna' choice  (I picked Kna'62, Boulez, Kubelik, Barenboim, Thielemann [rather than Kegel, as I initially hinted at]) would still stand, if I listened to it just now and compared it to, say, Jaap van Zweden.

I got the Zweden dirt cheap at Dussmann in Berlin, as a memento of a performance of Parsifal at the Deutsche Oepr I had seen the evening before (with Vogt, Herlitzius, Marco-Buhrmester--all wonderful--and Salminen as Gurnemenz--very disppointing--, conducted by Runnicles). I do apprecaite (with some caveats) Vogt's portrayal, I think Dalayman, Struckmann and Holl are all fine, but I find the conductor's approach to the score too solemn and ponderous. Not my kind of Parsifal...

I'm surprised, actually, because I found Zweden's Rheingold from Hong Kong a vastly superior affair, and one which makes me look forward to his recently released Walküre.

Nice to see one vote for the underrated Armin Jordan. A very enjoyable reading of the score, with a sweet-toned Rainer Goldberg, the ever-intelligent Yvonne Minton and a great Gurnemanz in Robert Lloyd. It almost made my list...