See more: 2 CD Set
Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (Excerpts) - Hotter, Varnay, Windgassen, Rysanek, Vickers, Gorr; Knappertsbusch. Bayreuth, 1958
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 - Hotter, Varnay, Windgassen, Rysanek, Vickers, Gorr; Knappertsbusch. Bayreuth, 1958 "Pin It")
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Pros:
- The genius of Knappertsbusch's Ring Cycle is that he never got stuck on finding the definitive interpretation. Every year he would return to Bayreuth with a new take, new tempi and a sense of in-the-moment discovery. His approach is particularly text-driven, and he extracts from the orchestra something more important than dynamics and articulation - intention. The result is an orchestration that comes close to realizing Wagner's vision of a true Greek chorus.
- After many years perfecting the role of Brünnhilde, Astrid Varnay has hit her stride and tackles the part with abandon and profound insight.
- Hans Hotter is strong as the Rheingold Wotan, but the demands of the Cycle catch up with him in Walküre and Siegfried. Still, he remains committed and paints a balanced picture of a flawed man caught up in his own ambition.
- Leonie Rysanek and Jon Vickers set the stage ablaze as Siegmund and Sieglinde.
- This compilation is over 2-hours of some of my favorite excerpts. Some of the selections aren't exactly stand-alone pieces which makes for some abrubt fade-outs, but I think you will enjoy it.
Cons:
- None to mention.
In Mono
OD 12045-2
