Search - Varney; Neidlinger; Windgassen; :: Hans Knappertsbusch Conducts Richard Wagner's Der Ring Des Nibelungen (Bayreuth 1956)

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Baker Sefton Peeples | Santa Cruz, CA United States | 09/07/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one unbelieable "ring," which was for so long hidden from CD buyers. This is all described in a detailed essay, included as the CD notes, which is quite beneficial, because though this performance is stunning and powerful, it has some drawbacks. Nevertheless, it is indispensible for all Wagner lovers and fanatics.
The 1956 recording is not bad for its time, though the sound is a bit rough and edgy, with the strings more prominent than any other section of the orchestra. This is in part a fault of the bayreuth pit, but the orchestra is still fine, led under the great wagnerian conductor, Hans Knappertsbusch, a bayreuth regular. From the very opening of rheingold, he promises us a fabulously musical ring. Though it is slow, there is a power rarely found in other recordings and the drama is never hindered, which is in part by his wary accompaniment, and by his cast, which is extremely dramatic.
Gustav Neidlinger is the unbeatable Alberich. enough said. Paul Kuen is a great mime and is so convncing in both rheingold and siegfired that one almost pities him as he always gets treated badly. The real treats though, are Hans Hotter and Astrid Varnay. I've never felt a more heartfelt closing scene of walkure, easily the best part of that opera done here, and wotan's narrative is anything but boring, thank goodness. Wolfgang Windgassen plays an ardent Siegmund and youthful and fearless Siegfried. He lustily sings the forging song and sounds appropriately scared when he awakens brunnhilde. He sounds perfectly naive and unaware of what he does in gotterdammerung, which brings up Josef Greindl, who plays fasolt, hunding, and hagen. Now, he does have his usual mannerisms of scooping notes and using an unbelievably loud delivery, but it seems to be justified since he plays the scum of the world roles in the ring. The only one that is really affected is Hagen, for this difficult part is hard to combine character with singing. Often, his characterization affects his singing. However, we get to see how evil Hagen really is. His calling of the vassals, however brutal, is bloodthirsty and is terribly exciting. Not for all tastes, but Wieland wagner loved him and he's much better than many others who attempt the role. Gre Brouwenstijn plays freia, sieglinde, and gutrune, and she's consitently brilliant, even in the two smaller roles. Her brother is played by Hermann Uhde, another bayreuth regular, who delivers his usual excellence. He and windgassen make the blood brotherhood scene a height point of gotterdammerung and it really gets crazy in the second act, when siegfried, unaware of, breaks the oath. This is where Varnay shines, even though she's great in walkure and siegfried. Her second act is like a volcanic eruption, always seeming to have more stored up. The immolation scene is hard to beat. By the way, it was flagstad, another great brunnhilde who coached her earlier in her career, and she carries that same air of greatness and interpretative genius to this part.
On the conducting...its hard to say that there wasn't anything written by wagner that hans knappertsbusch couldn't conduct well, and this certainly applies here. I can't say there's been a more interesting enactment of the more "boring" parts of wagner, which can happen in narratives. Knappertsbusch may have been lazy, but he still gets magnificent results out of his singers and orchestra, which adds a lot to the success of this ring. I don't think it would be nearly as good if it were conducted by a lesser conductor.
Overall, I find this preferable to even solti's ring, which i find overrated, though not bad. the principles here are in much better shape, esp. hotter, who sounds not to good later on, and varnay is much more consistently on pitch than birgit nilsson, as well as windgassen, who seems to have a bigger voice here than later. Greindl is even better than gottlob frick, who's voice weridly seems thin and unfocused. Of course, this doesn't mean its without flaws, it is a live performance, but overall, this is such rewarding listening and a great experience rarely matched.d"

A very good Ring but not indispensable

J. Chiu | Washington, DC | 07/10/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a fine Ring allowing for the vintage -- but the cream of the Bayreuth Rings on disc remains that of Clemens Krauss featuring many of the same singers (Varnay is certainly caught in finer voice in 53) -- the conducting is consistently more alert, the recording more transparent and true to life, and the vocalism fresher by all significant principal singers.While you can't really compare cycles of this period with those of the modern stereo era, I certainly think a truer picture of the Ring is present here than in the synthetic Rings (such as Karajan's precious box of chocolates). In modern digital Rings, no one has displaced the Janowski in either sound or naturalness of approach."

A reference!

Dalziel | 07/22/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a superb 'Der Ring des Nibelungen'. The cast is outstanding: Wolfang Windgassen as Siegmund AND Siegfried sounds fresh and heroic.
Astrid Varnay as Bruennhilde is marvelous. At the same level like Birgit Nilson or Kirsten Flagstad.
Hans Hotter as Wotan is still a reference.
Gustav Neidlinger as Alberich is just perfect.
The other cast is also very good.The conducting of Knappertsbusch is gentle and slow. It takes some time to be familiar with it, but after that I prefer it against the pompous and sometimes brutish style of other conductors especially Solti.Because of the live atmosphere it sounds vital and fresh.
I always prefer live recordings from Bayreuth, they sound naturally against the synthetical studio recordings.
But remember: This is still a mono recording. If you want a stereo one get the Boulez 'Ring'.I know other recordings of the 'Ring': Karajan, Boulez, Solti, Levine and Barenboim, but Knappertsbusch is now my first choice."