Flagstad

[Michel]

Always liked her, but good god isn't this beautiful?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgpesiHWTbQ

[jochanaan]

You'll get no argument from me! I wonder who the orchestra and conductor were...

[Salome]

Awesome !
One of the greatest singers of the 20th Century .
Thanks Michel.

[marvinbrown]

You'll get no argument from me! I wonder who the orchestra and conductor were...

  Thanks Michel for posting that, I love Flagstad she is my quintessential Isolde. I am not sure what the orchestra and conductor are. However jochanaan if you are looking for a historical recording I have the following mind-blowing performance of Flagstad as Isolde in the 1930s, she brought the house down...unforgettable!!! You might want to check it out.




   marvin

[PSmith08]

My favorite Flagstad record is the Immolation Scene with Wilhelm Furtwängler on the EMI bleeding chunks set. The La Scala performances are just too lacking in SQ, but the studio finale is wonderful. There's also the premiere (again with Furtwängler) of the Strauss Vier letzte Lieder, the usual Tristan cuts, and the Immolation Scene out on Testament. If you can overcome the dim sonics, then you'll find the recording most excellent.

[jochanaan]

  Thanks Michel for posting that, I love Flagstad she is my quintessential Isolde. I am not sure what the orchestra and conductor are. However jochanaan if you are looking for a historical recording I have the following mind-blowing performance of Flagstad as Isolde in the 1930s, she brought the house down...unforgettable!!! You might want to check it out.

*eyes glaze over* Flagstad.  Melchior.  Reiner.  Must have--must have...

[Larry Rinkel]

If you think Flagstad in Wagner is great (and she is), just wait until you hear Frida Leider.

[Great Gable]

I'm just working my way through this...

I hadn't heard Tristan before and have only got to the end of scene two but wow! Scene two act two is breathtakingly beautiful.

[marvinbrown]

I'm just working my way through this...

I hadn't heard Tristan before and have only got to the end of scene two but wow! Scene two act two is breathtakingly beautiful.

  Great Gable, I believe and someone correct me here if I am mistaken that that recording has been digitally remastered and is part of the EMI Great Recordings of the Century series.

  marvin

[Great Gable]

  Great Gable, I believe and someone correct me here if I am mistaken that that recording has been digitally remastered and is part of the EMI Great Recordings of the Century series.

  marvin

Yes and no. There are two issues of this recording on EMI. One is in the Great Recordings series but this version isn't. I believe the only difference is that this version doesn't come with the libretto and is considerably cheaper as a result - I paid £9 - which is a bargain in anyone's book. I think the sound quality is the same but don't quote me. This version states "remastered at Abbey Road by Simon Gibson" and was released in 2004. It certainly sounds good.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wagner-Tristan-Isolde-Richard/dp/B00005MIZN/ref=sr_1_5/203-7810774-1775126?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1194566253&sr=1-5
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wagner-Tristan-Isolde-Richard/dp/B0001E8C14/ref=sr_1_3/203-7810774-1775126?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1194566253&sr=1-3

[marvinbrown]

Yes and no. There are two issues of this recording on EMI. One is in the Great Recordings series but this version isn't. I believe the only difference is that this version doesn't come with the libretto and is considerably cheaper as a result - I paid £9 - which is a bargain in anyone's book. I think the sound quality is the same but don't quote me. This version states "remastered at Abbey Road by Simon Gibson" and was released in 2004. It certainly sounds good.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wagner-Tristan-Isolde-Richard/dp/B00005MIZN/ref=sr_1_5/203-7810774-1775126?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1194566253&sr=1-5
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wagner-Tristan-Isolde-Richard/dp/B0001E8C14/ref=sr_1_3/203-7810774-1775126?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1194566253&sr=1-3

  I stand corrected then.

  marvin

[wagnernn]

Flagstad sings Kindertotenlieder very well.Her performance is better than the ones of many mezzo soprano.

[Xenophanes]

If you think Flagstad in Wagner is great (and she is), just wait until you hear Frida Leider.

I have only one recording of Frida Leider on an LP anthology.  It's  an awe-inspiring performance of Ho-jo-to-ho.  What a voice! I don't know much about her.

But Flagstad was great all right.

[val]

To me she was the greatest soprano I heard in Wagner operas. Her recordings with Melchior in the 20s and 30s, her Ring with Max Lorenz and Furtwängler in the Scala, 1950, and, although she may suffer some vocal difficulties, her sublime presence in Tristan and Isolde conducted by Furtwängler.

I only see a soprano that could be considered a rival to Flagstad in that repertory: Astrid Varnay.

[Valentino]

My children's great grandmother is KF's second cousin. No kidding, and my youngest son is LOUD.

I like her Vier letzte lieder with WF.
At the end of her carrer she did som pretty horrible psalms which were played on radio all the time when I was growing up. It is a pity that there are so very few pre war-recordings, when she saved the Met and such.

[marvinbrown]

  Not for nothing but I have a confession to make.  After listening to two different recordings of Flagstad as Isolde, I am having problems accepting any other soprano in that role.  My situation is quite drastic.  I have had the Nilsson Bohm Tristan und Isolde in my amazon.co.uk shopping basket for the past couple of weeks and I just can't get myself to click that proceed to checkout button!   That recording is praised as one of the greatest on record and its from Bayreuth.  Believe me,  I am well aware that there is nothing quite like hearing Wagner at Bayreuth and yet I just can't get myself to want to listen to any other Isolde but Flagstad.  Flagstad's voice is unmistakable, so much depth, passion and pain and not to mention the power and perfect execution of the role of Isolde, how, oh somebody please tell me, how can I tolerate any other soprano in that role?  What could Nilsson possibly contribute to the role of Isolde to trump Flagstad?

(The Bohm Tristan und Isolde is still in my shopping cart and shall remain there until further notice!)


  marvin 

[Lady Chatterley]

My children's great grandmother is KF's second cousin. No kidding, and my youngest son is LOUD.

I like her Vier letzte lieder with WF.
At the end of her carrer she did som pretty horrible psalms which were played on radio all the time when I was growing up. It is a pity that there are so very few pre war-recordings, when she saved the Met and such.

An American singer,Dorothy Kirsten was also related to Miss Flagstad.

[PerfectWagnerite]

   oh somebody please tell me, how can I tolerate any other soprano in that role?  What could Nilsson possibly contribute to the role of Isolde to trump Flagstad?

Oh come on, their is no right or wrong way to sing Isolde. I always though Flagstad is a bit too matronly for the role (on the Furtwangler recording anyway). In the '30s recording with Melchior and Reiner she sounds marvelous, and the recording is stunningly good.

I also really like Margaret Price on the Carlos Kleiber recording. A stunning Verdian soprano, not quite a spinto but extremely lyrical and when balanced correctly like in the Carlos Kleiber recording sounds like the sexy princess that Isolde is supposed to be.

[marvinbrown]

Oh come on, their is no right or wrong way to sing Isolde. I always though Flagstad is a bit too matronly for the role (on the Furtwangler recording anyway). In the '30s recording with Melchior and Reiner she sounds marvelous, and the recording is stunningly good.

I also really like Margaret Price on the Carlos Kleiber recording. A stunning Verdian soprano, not quite a spinto but extremely lyrical and when balanced correctly like in the Carlos Kleiber recording sounds like the sexy princess that Isolde is supposed to be.

  PW I have the 30s recording with Melchoir and Reiner and I find  Flagstad is remarkably marvelous- nothing matronly about her performance in that recording.  She has not restrained herself in any way, the shear intensity of her voice and the way she sings that role with so much unrestrained emotion and power make her my quintessential Isolde.  I also have the Furtwangler (EMI Great Recordings of the Century) recording and that I will admit is more polished and perhaps the criticism of "matronly", and here I take that to mean "restrained", would apply here. But, it is a splendid performance nevertheless and the supporting cast is as ideal as you are ever going to get!  Perhaps I should go ahead and purchase the Bohm recording with Nilsson regardless. If it is as BRILLIANT as they say it is then there must be something unique there as well.  Though more unique than Flagstad remains to be seen (or heard as the case may be).

   Finally I am surprised to hear that MARGARET PRICE attempted that role  !  I think I'll stick with Nilsson as a possible alternative to Flagstad for the time being.

  marvin       

[PerfectWagnerite]

  PW I have the 30s recording with Melchoir and Reiner and I find  Flagstad is remarkably marvelous- nothing matronly about her performance in that recording.  She has not restrained herself in any way, the shear intensity of her voice and the way she sings that role with so much unrestrained emotion and power make her my quintessential Isolde.  I also have the Furtwangler (EMI Great Recordings of the Century) recording and that I will admit is more polished and perhaps the criticism of "matronly", and here I take that to mean "restrained", would apply here. But, it is a splendid performance nevertheless and the supporting cast is as ideal as you are ever going to get!  Perhaps I should go ahead and purchase the Bohm recording with Nilsson regardless. If it is as BRILLIANT as they say it is then there must be something unique there as well.  Though more unique than Flagstad remains to be seen (or heard as the case may be).

   Finally I am surprised to hear that MARGARET PRICE attempted that role  !  I think I'll stick with Nilsson as a possible alternative to Flagstad for the time being.

  marvin       

By "matronly" I mean too mature, sounds like Tristan's aunt or mother, well in the '50s recording anyway. With Reiner she wounds wonderful.

You don't know about this CD?



C'mon, stop pulling my leg.