Search - Wagner, Elming, Hale :: Die Walkure

Distinguished "alternative" Wagner, deplorably underrated

billmacv | Upstate New York | 06/05/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Christoph von Dohnanyi's superlative Cleveland Orchestra had embarked on a magnificent showcase -- Wagner's Ring Cycle -- when indifferent reviews lead to poor sales and then to Decca/London's cancelling the cycle halfway through. It's a tragic mistake, because in this Wagner you can hear Schubert and Mendelssohn and Weber as much as Bruckner and Strauss and Berg; the clarity and nuance are welcome, the pace forward looking without being headstrong. Orchestrally, this version is special, but vocally it's not to be dismissed, either. Gabriele Schnaut disciplines her ample though often unruly instrument, and it does the soul good to hear a LOUD Brunnhilde again (after Behrens and Evans, etc.). Both Hale as Wotan and Elming as Siegmund show great promise, though the former may be a mite callow for this dramatically demanding role. Marc delivers a voluptuous Sieglinde, a role that suits her better than, say, her overparted Elektra, and Silja (the conductor's wife), a resourceful vocal actress, is Fricka. (There were complaints that she wasn't youthful enough; I don't remember hearing them when Flagstad tackled the role at the end of her life.) All in all, it's at least a good a cast as has been assembled since Solti's ring from the 1960s. It's to be regretted that Dohnanyi's Siegfried and Gotterdammerung will not be committed to disc."

A mistakenly dismissed, sonically opulent Walkure.

billmacv | 10/14/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Christoph von Dohnanyi's Cleveland Orchestra has never gleamed more luminously than in this showpiece recording (sadly, Die Walkure will be the final segment of the Cleveland Ring; bad sales caused Decca to scuttle it halfway through). Throughout, the conductor -- a "come scritto" stickler -- coaxes transparent textures and magically balanced orchestral strands from his players. It's a refreshing change from the big, bean-soup Wagner so long in favor, and a valid interpretation. True, there have been better casts, but this one is not half bad (and at least as good as any that has been assembled since the mid-1960s): Gabriele Schnaut at least delivers some vocal heft for her Brunnhilde, a quality that's been sadly lacking since Nilsson left the stage. Silja (Dohnanyi's wife) is a great singing actress; her Frica is memorable. Hale, Emling and Marc aquit themselves well. Snap up Dohnanyi's Rheingold and Walkure: their true value will be recognized someday soon, and its decision to cancel this Ring will redound as one of Decca/London's most grotesque goofs."

This is a major recording.

Helen Mitford | 03/10/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I agree with those who think Decca have been so foolish as to cancel this Ring half way through. What do they want? This is a major recording of the piece, with a strong cast of individual singers who appear to be singing at their best with a conductor who is giving us his well thought out, well schooled interpretation of the piece. A large scale, overall view of the work, of the type I never thought to hear in these days.I ask again: What did Decca expect? Christoph von Dohnanyi is not some operatic flash in the pan whizz kid, [I certainly wouldn't buy his recordings if he were] but a mature musician with a larger following than Decca realises. This Ring would have been a best seller given time. I think maybe OPERA is getting TOO popular and that recording companies have unrealistic expectations."