Search - Richard [Classical] Wagner, Karl Elmendorff, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra :: Wagner: Tannhäuser

Bayreuth 1930 heard as never before.

John Austin | Kangaroo Ground, Australia | 01/07/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For twenty years after its 1930 release, this recording of "Tannhäuser" was the only one available. It derived from a Bayreuth production prepared and conducted by Toscanini. Due to contractual prohibitions, Toscanini could not conduct the recording. Karl Elmendorff was engaged to conduct, and the recording was made in the empty Wagner Theatre, Bayreuth, during August 1930 . No one will welcome this excellent Ward Marston transfer more than those old enough to have owned the set in its original 78 format. It occupied 18 78s. They were heavy and expensive. No regular stylus or needle seemed to be compatible with the grooves, and heavy surface swishing noises were always present, increasing in volume toward the end of each 78 side. Naxos, and Ward Marston have magically disposed of all these problems. Now, the "complete" recording can be obtained at bargain price, heard in aural comfort, and stored in one double slim-line CD case. Other browsers should note that this is the so-called "Paris" version of the opera, slightly abbreviated in this recording. The wonderful acoustics of the Bayreuth theatre ensure that the sound is vivid, well-balanced and robust. The orchestra is obviously well-trained and the chorus is highly effective. Most of the Toscanini chosen soloists are as good as any heard on record. The exception is Sigismund Pilinszky. Possibly wishing to convey that Tannhäuser suffers from a serious Freudian neurotic condition, Pilinsky sings throughout in a laboured, strangulated manner. He is at his best in the "Rome Narration". I hope these comments might prove helpful to those whose fingers hover over the "add to shopping cart" button."

Better than you might think...

Paul E. Harrison | Stuart, FL | 03/31/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Given the original recording was made in 1930, this CD-set of Wagner's Tannhauser is surprisingly good quality. Needless to say, it's not comparable to a modern recording, perhaps being comparable to a mono tape recording using a microphone listening to a record player. Not bad though, the voices and instruments are clear and sharp and relatively undistorted. I've heard MUCH worse than this.The performance is wonderful, some very beautiful singing and the music is played with depth. You should know that this is not a complete performance, acts two and three are abridged, largely because of constraints introduced by the original technologies used, but at the same time this isn't a "sampler" type CD either.It's hard to know whether to recommend this set or not. It's cheap, dirt cheap, and it is a good performance. However, there's no libretto, it's incomplete, and, well, it's not a DDD CD. Oh, go on, at the price..."

A masterpiece not Wagner lover should be without

Anthony Louis | USA | 05/10/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 1930 recording is quite good despite how long ago it was recorded. The sound is ADD and, of course, doesn't compare to modern standards. The female voices, in particular, sometimes suffer distortion. Nonetheless, the set is very listenable and quite enjoyable. Elmendorff is a masterful conductor and the singers are all quite good. This is the 1861 Paris version and, as one reviewer pointed out, it is slightly abridged. Overall, this is a brilliant performance that is quite moving and captures, in my opinion, the spirit of Wagner's intentions for this work. I expect this recording to become one of the staples of my Wagner collection."