Search - Wagner, Melchior, Lehmann :: Die Walkure (Act 1) 1935

The best Walküre recording of all time

Erik Aleksander Moe | Oslo, Norway | 08/04/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"WOW. I really must say that. After hearing Lauritz Melchior and Lotte Lehmann's recording of act 1 of Die Walküre, I was convinced about all the talk of the greatness of Melchior's Siegmund. He sounded so heroic and tender that I felt to tears nearly every monologue he sang. The Wälse crys, 'Schmecktest du ihn mir zu', 'Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond', 'Siegmund heiss ich und Siegmund bin ich' was sung with so much feeling that I was convinced that Melchior WAS Siegmund. I must say that I was equally impressed with Lehmann's Sieglinde. Her tone and feel of this sweet character was stunning. 'Du bist der Lenz' and 'Schläfst du Gast' are just two highlights. Even though you can't say that there is any highlights on the CD. The whole CD is one big highlight.Emanuel List was the most terrifyingly and darkly sung Hunding I have ever heard. And last but not least there is Bruno Walter. One of the greatest conductors of the 20th century. He balances this difficult score and the singing masterfully.The sound is extremely remarkable for a recording made in 1935. All the singing and the orchestra is very well balanced in the sound.This is for anybody who likes die Walküre and wants to experience the greatest performance of act 1 ever recorded."