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Götterdämmerung
Sopranos who assume the role of Brünnhilde will usually have one opera from the set that fits them better than the rest. More often than not this is Die Walküre since the vocal writing is a little more forgiving (hojotohos notwithstanding.) Gwyneth Jones, however, seems to relish the formidable challenges of the Götterdämmerung Brünnhilde, delivering unparalleled intensity. Given the amount of voice she gives in Act II, I was worried for her stamina in Act III, but she somehow goes into vocal overdrive during the final moments of the Immolation Scene hurling high notes over the massive orchestra with ease. Manfred Jung assumes the role of Siegfried. Although the voice is fresher than it was in the Phillips recording and at times quite pleasing, there is a monochromaticism to both voice and demeanor that makes for some very long monologues. Karl Ridderbusch is a little past his prime but nonetheless brings all of his brooding menace to the role of Hagen. Yvonne Minton is quite welcome in the role of Waltraute, delivering a narrative that is both impressively sung and vivid in its depiction of the end of the gods. The fleet tempos that Pierre Boulez takes in the Phillips release seem relaxed by a few clicks of the metronome in this performance.
Track List
Prologue
1. Welch Licht leuchtet dort?
2. Es ragt die Burg, von Riesen gebaut
3. Zu neuen Taten, teurer Helde
4. O heilige Götter!
5. Rheinfahrt
2. Es ragt die Burg, von Riesen gebaut
3. Zu neuen Taten, teurer Helde
4. O heilige Götter!
5. Rheinfahrt
Act I
6. Nun hör', Hagen, sage mir, Held
7. Jagt er auf Taten wonnig umher
8. Wer ist Gibichs Sohn?
9. Willkommen, Gast, in Gibichs Haus!
10. Deinem Bruder bot ich mich zum Mann
11. Blühenden Lebens labendes Blut
12. Hier sitz' ich zur Wacht
13. Verwandlung
14. Altgewohntes Geräusch raunt meinem Ohr die Ferne
15. Höre mit Sinn, was ich dir sage!
16. Welch' banger Träume Mären
17. Abendlich Dämmern deckt den Himmel
18. Brünnhild'! Ein Freier kam
7. Jagt er auf Taten wonnig umher
8. Wer ist Gibichs Sohn?
9. Willkommen, Gast, in Gibichs Haus!
10. Deinem Bruder bot ich mich zum Mann
11. Blühenden Lebens labendes Blut
12. Hier sitz' ich zur Wacht
13. Verwandlung
14. Altgewohntes Geräusch raunt meinem Ohr die Ferne
15. Höre mit Sinn, was ich dir sage!
16. Welch' banger Träume Mären
17. Abendlich Dämmern deckt den Himmel
18. Brünnhild'! Ein Freier kam
Act II
19. Schläfst du, Hagen, mein Sohn?
20. Ich – und du! Wir erben die Welt
21. Hoiho, Hagen! Müder Mann!
22. Hoiho! Hoihohoho! Ihr Gibichsmannen, machet euch auf!
23. Brünnhild', die hehrste Frau
24. Einen Ring sah ich an deiner Hand
25. Helle Wehr! Heilige Waffe!
26. Welches Unholds List liegt hier verhohlen?
27. Und dort trifft ihn mein Speer!
20. Ich – und du! Wir erben die Welt
21. Hoiho, Hagen! Müder Mann!
22. Hoiho! Hoihohoho! Ihr Gibichsmannen, machet euch auf!
23. Brünnhild', die hehrste Frau
24. Einen Ring sah ich an deiner Hand
25. Helle Wehr! Heilige Waffe!
26. Welches Unholds List liegt hier verhohlen?
27. Und dort trifft ihn mein Speer!
Act III
28. Frau Sonne sendet lichte Strahlen
29. Ein Albe führte mich irr
30. Behalt' ihn, Held, und wahr' ihn wohl
31. Hoiho! Hoiho!
32. Mime hieß ein mürrischer Zwerg
33. In Leid zu dem Wipfel lauscht' ich hinauf
34. Brünnhilde! Heilige Braut!
35. Trauermarsch
36. War das sein Horn?
37. Schweigt eures Jammers jauchzenden Schwall!
38. Starke Scheite schichtet mir dort
39. Fliegt heim, ihr Raben!
29. Ein Albe führte mich irr
30. Behalt' ihn, Held, und wahr' ihn wohl
31. Hoiho! Hoiho!
32. Mime hieß ein mürrischer Zwerg
33. In Leid zu dem Wipfel lauscht' ich hinauf
34. Brünnhilde! Heilige Braut!
35. Trauermarsch
36. War das sein Horn?
37. Schweigt eures Jammers jauchzenden Schwall!
38. Starke Scheite schichtet mir dort
39. Fliegt heim, ihr Raben!
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5.0
Based on 1 review
✓ Top Reviewer
United States
Jones, Boulez triumphant
This is one of the great Gotterdammerung performances, to go up there with Knappertsbusch '51 (Testament), Konwitschny/Covent Garden and Solti's Vienna commercial recording. To get the flies in the ointment out of the way first, Karl Ridderbusch's Hagen sounds quite nappy but tends to coast on his superior vocal endowment. Hannelore Bode's shrewish Gutrune is barely tolerable and the Norns, solidly anchored by Patricia Payne, are a mixed lot.Do not be discouraged! Pierre Boulez sweeps all objections before him in a performance of tremendous sweep. It is definitely on the fast side (110 minutes for Act I) but neither lacking in the joyous froth of Siegfried's Rhine Journey nor the tonal mass of Hagen's machinations. His improvement of the Bayreuth orchestra is not always a finished job (the woodwinds betray him in the Act I interlude) but the brass has crushing weight and unanimity.Boulez has a stalwart ally in Dame Gwyneth Jones. This is one of the few recordings (in spectacular stereo) that captures both the power and the warmth that her glorious instrument possessed. She has all the femininity you'd want in a Brünnhilde, allied with textual acuity and unflagging energy. She propels this performance almost as much as Boulez. After the mature René Kollo as the young Siegfried (in Siegfried), Manfred Jung is disconcertingly boyish, although his generally agreeable timbre—which flags in Act III—is unmarred by the sandpaper that sometimes invades Kollo's sound. Franz Mazura is an unusually magnetic Gunther, flintier and more assertive than is the norm for this role. By 1977, Zoltan Kélémen was the world's preeminent Alberich and he provides a jolt of evil in his Act II cameo. The Rhinemaidens are a strong trio and Yvonne Minton almost steals the opera with her lush, affecting Waltraute, a role that seems to bring out the best in its interpreters.
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