Beecham had a way with comedy, a lightness of touch that suffused the entire work. Die Meistersinger is no exception. Hotter is in youthful, sure voice, singing a really beautiful Flieder monologue and then combining with Grummer to give us an exquisite Sachs/Eva scene. She is magical, floating "Dem Meistergericht" with silken tone. Anders sounds like Walther to the life (a pity the third act was either not recorded or lost). Shacklock is a delightful Magdalena, giving us a real trill in her first scene and full of fun. Dickie is an expert David and Weber a great Pogner. Kusche is in much fresher voice here than he would be later on.There are some crackly moments here and there and the first part of the Eva/Walther scene in Act One is missing, but lovers of the opera or the conductor should have this.

Wonderful Beechanm Performance in good sound for its time. Shame Act 3 was never recorded but what we have is outstanding. Grummer is a great Eva. Also exc value for money as always

Once you get accustomed to the sound-quality, which is scratchy and variable in volume, the is a beautiful, rewarding performance of MEISTERSINGER (acts 1 and 2), and historically a very important one because it's the only available recording of Peter Anders as Walther. Anders was a very smart, tender, lyric lieder singer like Fritz Wunderlich, but unlike Wunderlich he was also capable of Wagner. As Andy's review says, he brings sensitivity, nuance, and sweetness of tone to his role, as if he were singing Mozart. Yes, the Pogner is Ludwig Weber--clearly recognizable, and outstanding, although the volume fades during his monologue, but that's the recording, not his fault.Murray Dickie as David, and Benno Kusche as Beckmesser are both excellent. Benno Kusche really fits the role, with his harsh, gravelly timbre and dramatic sliminess. Eliz Grummer, sounds much more pert, fresh, and young than she did later in 1957 and 1960.Hans Hotter delivers soulful interpretation of the slow, thoughtful parts, but he staggers and takes several unauthorized catch-breaths during the long, legato phrases of the "Jerum" song. So I can't give him unreserved approval. That's why I'm only rating this performance four stars rather than five. He had similar problems in 1949 and 1956.The real hero here is Thomas Beecham. As always, he's brisk and lively, with Mozartean lightnes-of-touch, but also intimate, and thoughtful. And precise, accurate. Really ideal for this opera.

What a wonderful surprise this is! The only other recording of Meistersinger with Hotter as Sachs (for he was a great Pogner for Keilberth)I know of is the 1949 one he made with Jochum, and that's a disappointment. Hotter sounds uncomfortable there, and he even flubs a verse in \""Jerum\"" (which he definitely doesn't do here). Indeed, he didn't like the role of Sachs, which he felt wasn't placed right for his voice, and abandoned it in 1956. Here, in contrast, he delivers a clear, heartfelt performance full of character, his breath control certainly aided by Beecham's brisker tempi. And I certainly take exception to the above remarks about Peter Anders' \""monochromatic\"" singing. He's one of the real revelations here, and indeed I didn't know he had recorded Walter. Anders is most famous for his wartime live recording of Martha (available in great sound on Berlin records), and he was killed in an automobile accident only two years after this Meistersinger. His Walter is ardent and effortless--one of the best I've ever heard. What a pity we don't have his third act! Grummer is here even more radiant than in her famous studio recording for Kempe. Kusche is always consistent (this is the fourth of his Bechmesser's I have!) and \""kein Besser.\"" It's a pity that the Pogner isn't listed (Greindl?) for he is top rate. Finally, Beecham turns out to be the perfect conductor for this opera. There's a sense of forward movement and fun which is only matched by Kempe. The sound is variable from one noisy matrix to another, but on the whole the dynamic range is surprisingly good so that the overture comes off very well and neither Anders' nor Grummer's high notes are clipped. It doesn't sound like a radio feed, but rather as though the 78 rpm matrix device (and why weren't they using tape by 1951?) was placed near the front of the stage (and close to the tympani, which are quite loud!). There is about a one minute gap right after the overture and chorale so that the beginning of Walter's entrance is missing. The rest is complete, but there is such a dramatic improvement in sound about half way through \""Jerum!\"" that I suspect another gap was filled in with a couple of minutes from the Jocum performance mentioned above. The old sound soon returns, however, and we certainly have a ghost of how Sir Thomas conducted the mob scene at the end of the act. This set is a great way to round out the famous Act 3 pre-war recording by Bohm, which has recently been reissued in really spectacular sound. Anyway, I really loved this great find, and despite the sound problems it's highly recommended!

I think that the Pogner is Ludwig Weber.I agree, a marvelous performance.