I can't recommend this recording due to the erratic sound quality. The vorspiel starts out in a wash of distortion, sounding like something recorded in the 30's. Afterwards, the sound clears up but the volume drops dramatically for a few minutes during Siegmund and Sieglinde's crucial opening dialogue. This is pretty much the story throughout the opera. The sound will be fine (or at least acceptable) for a stretch, then suddenly will drop out to be replaced with a sonic patch having a completely different volume level and/or greater amount of distortion (leaving some of the music omitted btw). I also purchased this cycle's Das Rheingold which also has its share of sonic problems, but not nearly as severe as this.

Here we arrive at the first day of Wagner's epic Ring with an excellent performance of Die Walkure. The big attraction here is Ingrid Bjoner's Brunnhilde, not widely represented elsewhere. As Andy says, she is perhaps slightly past her vocal prime as her voice can be unsteady, but her top notes remain unimpaired. Her opening "Hojotoho" is very exciting. She knows the routine of the role well and might be more memorable if one could hear her better; during the "Todesverkundigung" she must have been upstage and is largely off-mike (though still audible).The other singers are all famous for their roles and live up to their reputations. Rysanek lets out three of her terrific screams and sings a bit wildly as was her wont. King sings with ringing tone and full involvement. Adam's voice will never be to everyone's taste, but he knows the role extremely well by this point in his career and his diction is superb. Ruza Baldani is a splendid Fricka and Kurt Moll a frightening, yet beautiful, Hunding. The Valkyries in the last act are very good with an especially good Helmwige and Schwertleite - too bad we're not told who they are.Sawallisch keeps a move on, but follows his singers when appropriate (especially Rysanek). Again, the sound is listenable (from house tapes, I suspect), but I wish there had been another mic upstage. The brief dropouts are only during orchestral moments.

If you don't mind hissy (if otherwise very present) broadcast stereo, this WALKÜRE finds all of its protagonists at or near peak form. True, Ingrid Bjoner is clearly a veteran Brünnhilde but is as good as any other at the time. The Walsungs are represented by the classic pair of James King, both sensitive and virile, and Leonie Rysanek in full cry. If you haven't warmed to Theo Adam's Wotan yet, this beautifully vocalized and brilliantly inflicted performance might change your heart. Kurt Moll is, as ever, an imposing Hunding of multiple dimensions and Ruza Baldani is an Italianate Fricka. Wolfgang Sawallisch's conducting is of the fast-and-intense school, more inclined to get on with the action than to brood. There are some brief dropouts in the tape, none of any significance.