Search - Richard [Classical] Wagner, Herbert von Karajan, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra :: Wagner: Die Walküre, Act 3

A tantalizing sample of Karajan's 50's Wagner

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 07/17/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Karajan appeared briefly at Bayreth after its postwar reopening but then bowed out, never to return. There are pirates and airchecks of his Wagner performances, including a Rheingold and Tristan, but to myy knowledge the only official Bayreuth recording was EMI's live Meistersinger, now a classic despite its inadequate mono sound.



This single CD of the last act of Walkure is also a classic, widely circulated in a References issue and now refurbished. There's only so much that can be done with the rather boxy mono, but that is beside the point. Here is postwar Wagner singing at a very high level propelled by Karajan's inspired conducting. Many consider the Fifties to be Karajan's greatest era, and this impassioned performance could be offered as evidence. Varnay makes a great impression as Brunnhilde, Bjoerling less so as Wotan, although he is never less than good. The eight Valkyries have never been bettered.



All in all, one of the indispensable Wagner recordings from that era, which seems golden in retrospect."

This is first rate singing from the 50's!

Gonzalo Tello | LIMA, PERU | 07/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Since i heard this recording from the first time, it makes me shake and tremble to hear those powerful voices over and over...First, the eight valkyries sound gloriouslyat the beginning of the act, in the 'ryde of the valkyries'. Then Varnay and Rysanek just steal the show inmediately. Varnay's voice is sublime, specially when the 'Immolation theme' appears in her desperate try to protect sieglinde from Wotan. Sigurd Bjoerling is as good as George London at his best...him and Varnay and so good together, and the rest we hear is pure extasy. Rysanek is great even Sieglinde doesn'r have much chance to show her abilities as in act 1.



Even the sound is not perfect stereo, the sound is powerful, specially if you listen in a good musis system...or even better, on your Bose speakers for ipod...or with very good noiseless headphones too.



This recording is worth every single minute...!"