This precious document, recorded in pristine sound, offers a rare and invaluable glimpse into Wagnerian performance tradition in the early 20th century—just 55 years after Wagner's death. It's entirely possible that members of the audience considered him a contemporary composer. Karl Böhm leads with a keen sense of structure and romantic flexibility, drawing remarkable precision from the strings of the Dresden Staatskapelle, who play with an Italianate portamento style that has since all but disappeared. The cast is strong throughout, with Hans-Hermann Nissen standing out in particular. His Hans Sachs is shaped with rich tone and a deep connection to the text, making for a performance of great stature and subtlety.