Description:

This set features nearly 80 minutes of excerpts from the 1957 Bayreuth Ring Cycle and showcases why Hans Knappertsbusch holds such a cult status among Wagnerians. His brilliance does not lie in flawless conducting technique—mishaps are frequent—but in the intricate and specific details he draws from the orchestra and singers. His interpretation is highly rhetorical, with each musical gesture reinforcing the drama in new and revelatory ways. Remarkably, even at his famously slow tempos, he maintains forward momentum, always telling the story. Astrid Varnay proves to be the ideal Brünnhilde for this approach, singing with power and stamina while embracing the subtleties Knappertsbusch brings out in the score. Her synergy with him allows her to imbue even the smallest gestures with dramatic weight. Wolfgang Windgassen may not match that nuance, but his Siegfried wins points for freshness of tone and guileless energy. Hans Hotter offers a Wotan that spans decades in emotional scope. The rest of the cast is nothing short of legendary, particularly Gré Brouwenstijn as Sieglinde and Josef Greindl as Hagen, with Jean Madeira's Erda and Waltraute shedding new light on those roles. There are no drawbacks to mention.

In Mono

OD 11941-1