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Die Walküre - Excerpts
This recording presents a tantalizing glimpse of some artists who despite their brilliance, never gained entry to the elite group of singers who dominated the recording studios in the 1960s. Anita Välkki, as Brünnhilde, at first comes across a little monochromatic, but she warms up as the evening proceeds culminating in an impassioned plea to Wotan to spare her the humiliation of being at the mercy of any normal man who may happen upon her. Ernst Kozub was steps away from being the Siegfried on Solti’s legendary Ring Cycle. Sadly, this never came to pass. He is heard to brilliant effect in a few brief excerpts from Act I of Die Walküre. Claire Watson offers a tantalizing glimpse of her Sieglinde and is particularly radiant during her “O hehrste Wunder” outburst in Act III. The real revelation is the Wotan of Forbes Robinson. Robinson’s career never really made it past the confines of the English channel, but he managed to make himself indispensable in many bass roles at Covent Garden. My sense was that the tessitura of Wotan could possibly stretch him too far, but he proved me wrong, delivering a Wotan that has a profundo quality as well as complete vocal security. Georg Solti paces the performance well, creating moments that are sensitive and transparent as well as intense and impassioned. The assortment of Valkyries assembled for this performance is likely one of the most glittering ever captured on recording, including Marie Collier, Gwyneth Jones and Josephine Veasey., although there is some initial static at the beginning of the Act III portion.
Track List
Act I
1. Ein Schwert verhieß mir der Vater
2. Und Friedmund darfst du froh dich nicht nennen?
2. Und Friedmund darfst du froh dich nicht nennen?
Act III
3. Nicht sehre dich Sorge um mich
4. Fort denn eile, nach Osten gewandt!
5. Wo ist Brünnhild', wo die Verbrecherin?
6. Hier bin ich, Vater: gebiete die Strafe!
7. War es so schmählich
8. So tatest du, was so gern zu tun ich begehrt
4. Fort denn eile, nach Osten gewandt!
5. Wo ist Brünnhild', wo die Verbrecherin?
6. Hier bin ich, Vater: gebiete die Strafe!
7. War es so schmählich
8. So tatest du, was so gern zu tun ich begehrt
9. Du zeugtest ein edles Geschlecht
10. Soll fesselnder Schlaf fest mich binden
11. Leb' wohl, du kühnes, herrliches Kind!
12. Loge, hör'! Lausche hieher!
10. Soll fesselnder Schlaf fest mich binden
11. Leb' wohl, du kühnes, herrliches Kind!
12. Loge, hör'! Lausche hieher!
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4.5
Based on 4 reviews
✓ Top Reviewer
United States
Update to the Review Below
The entire Act Three of this performance is now on YouTube on the Mark Hood channel. It was performed as the second half of a concert that began with Act One of the same opera. This was a try-out for a new Die Walkure at Covent Garden that took place three days later. Forbes Robinson sang in place of David Ward who was attending a wedding in Scotland. The Valkyries are truly a splendid ensemble!
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✓ Top Reviewer
United States
Excellent Performance, Very Good Sound!
For the record (if you'll pardon the pun), these excerpts include two short selections from Act One (part of Siegmund's "Ein Schwert verhiess mir der Vater" and the last four minutes of the act) and most of Act Three from Sieglinde's first line to the end. They do not include the opening of Act Three and with this group of singers as the Valkyries that's a real disappointment. What we do hear is presented in very good sound with some occasional radio static. One wonders what was performed in the concert that night. I'm guessing the last scene of Act One and the entire Act Three.Kozub and Watson are very good as is Valkki, a vocally rich and imaginative Brunnhilde. Forbes Robinson is a strong Wotan with a beautiful voice. He sang Claggart in the world premiere of Billy Budd and was one of those singers who was always good and so tend to be taken for granted. I'm happy to have this souvenir of him in this role. Solti leads a dynamic performance.I wish this concert was complete, but I'm grateful to have these excerpts.
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✓ Top Reviewer
United Kingdom
Solti
Wow! Excerpts from a Prom performance. Shame there isn’t more of Kozub, Watson and Välkki. Forbes Robinson as Wotan delivers a moving Farewell to his daughter. I know he isn’t to everyone’s taste, but my word, Solti could be so exciting in this repertoire. The little we hear of act 1 shows that. Wow!
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✓ Top Reviewer
United States
Another classic night from the Solti era
Paired with the girlish freshness of Claire Watson's Sieglinde, Ernst Kozub is a stalwart, virile Siegmund who should have been better known in the part. Unfortunately, he is heard only in two shortish excerpts. The bulk of the CD is devoted to the post-Ride of the Valkyries music of Act III and it says a lot about Georg Solti's ear for talent that the Valkyrie fleet includes Gwyneth Jones, Marie Collier and Josephine Veasey. But the real surprise is Forbes Robinson as Wotan, in his glory as both tormented father and king of the gods. Were a complete Robinson-as-Wotan performance to surface, some serious reappraisal of Sixties Wagnerians would have to be done. Similar things could said for Anita Valkki's astute and tireless Brünnhilde, a major assumption overshadowed by Birgit Nilsson's ubiquity in the role, As it is, this is another testimony to the golden age of Wagner at the Garden under the Solti regime.
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