As Andy mentions above this performance is not quite complete, the surviving transcription discs either missing music or adversely affected by radio transmission problems. In all fairness though 85% of an over four hour opera is here. Act Two is missing the first ten minutes so we miss out on most of Alberich's part (though not listed in the cast list above I think it's Otakar Kraus in the two lines we do hear.) I don't think Kempe made any cuts since all the music presented here is complete.The singers are very solid, if not always memorable. Harshaw is dependability itself, rather like the Linda Watson of her day. She also has a good trill when she needs it. Svanholm is in excellent shape. He not only nails the top C in Act Three, but the impossible one in Act Two! Rothmuller is a very good Gunther, one who sings the optional higher Gs just before the trio in Act Two. Hoffmann is a dour Hagen, Konetzni an average Gutrune who leaves out her scream and top C-flat in Act Three. The Norns are impressively sung as are the Rhinedaughters led by some young soprano named Joan Sutherland. Her diction, by the way, is excellent. Von Ilosvay is a wonderfully solemn Waltraute with her baritonal low notes.Mostly the sound is listenable except for the patch of about 4-5 minutes during Hagen's watch that are drowned out by loud static. There are a few editing errors where some lines get repeated, but for the most part this is an enjoyable listen.

Margaret Harshaw was on the voice factulty at Indiana University when I was a student. I heard her do Kundry and Brunhilda at IU. Recently, the Met on satellite broadcast the TRISTAN she did in’58. There was an abriviated version of Walkure with Harshaw that is excellent. It’s probably in domain and someone should put it out on CD. I did not know Madame Harshaw but I saw her all the time on campus. The day Svanholm died, someone who knew Harshaw told me that she was devastated by the news. Don’t let Margaret Harshaw be forgotten. Grab one of her live performances.