n favourite conductors for Wagner

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

I'm on a Wagner kick.

I like Böhm, Barenboim, Solti, Janowski and Young.

What about you?

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Solti, Karajan, Kleiber, Knappertsbusch. Although Karajan tends to rush things, which works to its advantage when it comes to a speedy work like Meistersinger, but in Parsifal he ruins many wonderful moments by going at the tempo of speed of light.

[mc ukrneal]

Solti, Karajan, Kleiber, Knappertsbusch. Although Karajan tends to rush things, which works to its advantage when it comes to a speedy work like Meistersinger, but in Parsifal he ruins many wonderful moments by going at the tempo of speed of light.

I've never heard this complaint. It's been years since I've listened to this, but I always thought the main knock on his Parsifal involved the choice of singers, not the execution, per se.

[Sergeant Rock]

If I had to choose just one, it would be Karajan. Otherwise:

Der Fliegende Holländer Klemperer
Tannhäuser Solti
Lohengrin Bychkov or Kempe
Tristan und Isolde Karajan
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg Kubelik
Der Ring des Nibelungen Karajan
Parsifal Karajan


Sarge

[Jaakko Keskinen]

I've never heard this complaint. It's been years since I've listened to this, but I always thought the main knock on his Parsifal involved the choice of singers, not the execution, per se.

The singer problem is certainly there as well, at least during the particularly unimpressive version of the final choir of "Höchstes Heiles Wunder". Solti does it much better.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Solti is my favorite Wagner conductor.

Best Holländer: Karajan
Best Tannhäuser: Solti
Best Lohengrin: Kempe
Best Ring: Solti
Best Tristan/s: Kleiber, Solti and Furtwangler
Best Meistersinger: Karajan
Best Parsifal/s Solti, Knappertsbusch

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Solti, Karajan, Kleiber, Knappertsbusch. Although Karajan tends to rush things, which works to its advantage when it comes to a speedy work like Meistersinger, but in Parsifal he ruins many wonderful moments by going at the tempo of speed of light.

Heh, have you heard Boulez's Parsifal?

I might have added Boulez as another favourite for Wagner but I feel his other repertoire is more consistently good.

[GioCar]

I used to put Solti above all but now I'm not so sure...
Karajan possibly is now my all-around favorite, together with C. Kleiber (Tristan). I also do like very much Bernstein's Tristan, and I'm just wondering how amazing could have been a Ring conducted by him.
Among the younger/living generation, Barenboim (especially for a wonderful Tannhäuser) and Daniele Gatti. Of the latter I recently saw a transparent, illuminating Meistersinger.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

copper
silver
gold

[david johnson]

copper
silver
gold

chuckle...

[Heck148]

I'm on a Wagner kick. I like Böhm, Barenboim, Solti, Janowski and Young. What about you?

Reiner, Solti, Toscanini...Barenboim is good, too.

[ritter]

This won't be a surprise to most, but Boulez is high on my list (saw his Ring live at Bayreuth as a teenager, and since then this is the approach to Wagner I enjoy the most).

Of the historical ones, Clemens Krauss is admirable IMHO, and I do hold Karajan in high esteem in this repertoire (pethaps not so much in his last decade or so, but the DG Ring is superb).

Karl Böhm was the nec plus ultra for me years ago, but nowadays my admiration for him in this repertoire has diminished (slightly). Sinopoli is interesting in the stuff by him I've lsitened to. And, of course, Kubelik.

Among the living, Barenboim can be fantastic, and Kirill Petrenko's Ring (also in Bayreuth) was absolutely extraordinary. I'm not really a fan of Christian Thielemann, I must confess.

[Todd]

All Ks and Bs:

Krauss
Karajan
Bohm
Kempe
Keilberth
Kubelik
Barenboim

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

This won't be a surprise to most, but Boulez is high on my list (saw his Ring live at Bayreuth as a teenager, and since then this is the approach to Wagner I enjoy the most).

Of the historical ones, Clemens Krauss is admirable IMHO, and I do hold Karajan in high esteem in this repertoire (pethaps not so much in his last decade or so, but the DG Ring is superb).

Karl Böhm was the nec plus ultra for me years ago, but nowadays my admiration for him in this repertoire has diminished (slightly). Sinopoli is interesting in the stuff by him I've lsitened to. And, of course, Kubelik.

Among the living, Barenboim can be fantastic, and Kirill Petrenko's Ring (also in Bayreuth) was absolutely extraordinary. I'm not really a fan of Christian Thielemann, I must confess.

I heard Petrenko's Ring on the radio a few years ago, speedy in the really good way! I loved it. Also never really been s huge fan of Thielemann......his interpretations somehow feel like he just can't be bothered making good music.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Btw is Janowski just not popular or do people not know him?

[Mirror Image]

Karajan is my favorite Wagnerian. I do like Bohm a lot as well.