This performance marks the farewell of one of the greatest Wagnerians the world has ever known, Lauritz Melchior. At age 70, he can't quite compete with the power and flexibility of his earlier recordings, but he still holds his own and would give many Heldentenors in their prime a run for their money. What surprises most is how musically unsteady he seems at times, despite decades of experience with the role. The recording is in excellent stereo sound.