Much has already been written about Boulez's Ring since it premiered in 1975. This Walküre is from 2 seasons after the premiere, and it is very organic and dynamic in performance. I was personally dismayed when first hearing, due to the lightness and transparency of seeming weightlessness which kept me from engaging very deeply. A connection to this particular cycle and an effort to really listen carefully and with awareness has brought dividends in understanding. It seems more personal with an urgency in expression to the drama, making this one of the most volatile performances I have heard. Sometimes, the fleetness of tempi can manifest in a possibility of drama being skipped (the opening storm is frighteningly present in the way that other more ponderous versions do not reveal, and the climax of it really feels true to life) yet the compressed expression still keeps a feeling of the dramatic tension moving forward at all costs. The opening exchanges between Siegmund and Sieglinde are more sketched in than I would find ideal, as the spaces between are also important needing more depth to really register. But that is not the point here. Forward movement is. Many moments in the orchestra textures have string unison speaking in a profound way, yet with a transparency which does not include any depth. While at the same time, so much of the expression is articulated from a hyperactive brass section. This is where the drama settles, and dramatic force for the characters resides. I truly enjoyed this performance aside from the observations above, and am very grateful to have this opera and the rest of the Ring in really good sound to consider and reconsider as time goes one. I liked the intensity of Helena Döse's voice and her expression more than the actual tone. Yet she swept me away with the force of her conviction. Robert Schunk has a beautiful voice and intensity to his tone which reminds me of earlier artists including Gunter Treptow. A bright, lyrical tone with enough depth to catch the various moods of the story, yet attuned to the dramatic view of the story. I like more depth to the tone and gravity of character, yet really enjoyed what Schunk brought to his deep comprehension of the role. Eva Randova brought her bright and focused voice to the remonstrations of Fricka, and felt she really did everything her character needed for demanding balance of her powers of the goddess of marriage. Matti Salminen created depth in a brief character appearance as Hunding, beautifully and intriguingly sung. It is truly wonderful to hear such gorgeous tones while deeply investigating character at the same moment. The basic tonal qualities of McIntyre's voice has been a challenge for my perceptions over many years. I don't know of many artists whom I vary in response to their work as much as he. The thickness of tone and sometimes foggy articulation of phrasing can distance me from appreciating his strengths, which are considerable. His interpretation stands as one of the most personally invested of all. Sometimes, as in the beginning of the great monologue of Act 2 he is hyper articulated, with so many levels of volume, diction and intent, at a rapid pace set by Boulez, that the vocal line seems indecipherable to these ears, and a question of what is really needing to be communicated for myself as a listener.How to get the specifics of emotion to be experienced from the dramatic moment, is the question.. "Freier als ich, der Gott"! in the Abschied is a good example of hyper emotionalizing the moment to where it feels the authenticity is blown out. The potential depths are obliterated by over emphasizing and therefore reads in a distracting and unconvincing way. This end of the first part of the farewell has an orchestral passage of great beauty and emotional content which truly seals the intensity and overwhelming loss at the same time - which is the glory of this score. Yet here, Boulez follows McIntyre's over done phrasing to echo in orchestral terms and even more thunderous climax (here the brass pushing past thrilling to punishing in volume, imo), to obliterate the moment, not share, define or support it. Aside from these considerations which are only of moments in a traversal of this monumental work, do not lower my total response to this every engaging and dramatic rendition of the opera. It still is one of the best, especially for it's moment to moment dramatic response. Gwyneth Jones transverses a first essay as Brünnhilde with empathy and true warmth for the character. It is a joy to list to how steady her tone is, the pinpoint sculpting of her phrases and interactions at every level with each character. The Todesverkündigen scene is outstanding, with the moving from icy pronouncement to passionate support totally thrilling. In act 3 there is some severe off pitch singing which does give some pause, yet understandable in the excitement. Still, a great performance!