Search - Richard Wagner, Joseph Keilberth, Wolfgang Windgassen :: Wagner: Siegfried

What was Culshaw thinking?

Howard G Brown | Port St. Lucie, FL USA | 05/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"RING RESOUNDING, Culshaw's book on the making of the Decca RING, came with the Big Box I bought back in the 70's. In it he mentions the various Bayreuth RINGS, and 'sadly' concluded none were worth releasing as commercial recordings. At one point he dissed the Green Hill for using trombones instead of steer horns in Gotterdammerung.



True, Neo Bayreuth was never about the bells and whistles, and I fear it is the bells and whistles that nearly undo the Solti/Culshaw RING.



This recording of a live performance fror 1955 is another matter entirely. The singers are at the peak of their powers -- especially Hotter and Windgassen -- and Astrid Varney IS the woman within the Valkyrie. That final scene with her nephew (let's face it, this is incest) blazes with more heat than the ring of fire that Siegried storms through to arouse her from slumber.



I intend to get this entire RING as it is released; I have already ordered DIE WALKURE. The sound is sensational. It reminds me of the Reiner/CSO Strauss benchmarks recorded about the same time.



If Joseph Keilberth was a 'Kappelmeister' we could use a dozen such craftsmen today! All concened are alert, alive and on form for him."

A Siegfried for the Ages

Philip Chase | Florida, USA | 05/14/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I do not mean to gush but I must confess I was so taken with this release in genuine Decca-engineered stereo of a 1955 Bayreuth performance, I have listened to it once a week in the past 5 weeks that I have owned it. Only two other recordings of Siegfried have so enchanted me and they were the Solti and the Goodall. Varnay, Windgassen, Hotter, and Kuen are in their prime, Keilberth turns in a perfectly led performance capturing the drama and grandeur of the music without indulging in other excesses enjoyed by certain conductors. In view of Windgassen's performance, it seems ludicrous that Culshaw and Solti went to extreme lengths (which in the end proved futile) not to have Windgassen as their first choice for Siegfried. And what can I say about Kuen? His exemplary Mime (so well sung) is a welcome relief from Stolze's overly-whiny contribution to the Solti set. Mind you I don't really mean to bad-mouth the Solti wich for over 40 years has been my Siegfried of choice, but the impact of this Keilberth performance is bound to win many fans for all these performers who, alas, have either retired or passed away. Varnay was a magnificent artist and should be better known today. Thanks to the Testament label we can now experience these artists of the past in glorious stereo sound."

Part 3 of the Definitive Ring

Ralph J. Steinberg | New York, NY United States | 01/29/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have never understood why Siegfried is the stepchild of Ring operas. This score, despite the dark moments involving the schemings of Mime, Alberich, the menace of Fafner and the ambivalent abdication of Wotan, is a joyous, spirited work which celebrates the dawn of a new, uncorrupted world, even though that illusion is shattered in Goetterdaemmerung, largely because Siegfried's freedom from Wotan and his dealings is also illusory. But for the while, we can rejoice in the promise of youth and love. And there is humor, albeit of a rather ironic nature, in the encounters between Siegfried and his pathetically villanous foster-father Miime. Siegfried certainly earns its nickname as the Ring's Scherzo.

Conductor Joseph Keilberth delivers the most exhuberant reading I have ever heard of this score. At first, I found his jarring, as though it did not fit with the character of Rheingold and Walkure, but as he works his way to Act 3 and Wotan's resigned encounter with Erda, the underlying gloom is there, alright, just momentarily supplanted by the courageous young Volsung who has forged his father's sword, gained his identity, and is off to experience the one emotion he has never received from anyone, love. It is impossible to speak of all the great details and character of Keilberth's performance save to say that it tops every other in drive, sensitivity (the Forest Murmurs have to be heard to be believed in their extreme sensitivity)and profundity. This is for me the very peak of great Wagner conducting.

The cast is probasbly the best ever assembled for this work. Windgassen completely surpasses himself; he is more tender and vulnerable than almost any other Siegfried (Max Lorenz is his equal, but no better, and Windgassen makes Melchior sound like a noisy bellower), but in addition, HE REALLY IS A HELDENTENOR HERE! He rings with heroic might in "Nothung! Nothung! Neidliches Schwert!" in Act 1, his musings in Acts 2 and 3 are the very height of gentleness (No Nazi, this Siegfried!) and he is freah and ardent in the great Awakening Scene. For sure, he has never equalled his sheer potency in this role. I am sure he will be at least as great in Goetterdaemmerung.

Hans Hotter completes his role of Wotan, under the guise of Wanderer. He is wise, humorous, resigned in his encounter with Erda in Act 3, but then suddenly reveals Wotan's self-delusions when he reacts aggressively to Siegfried, only to be rudely dismissed when his power is shattered. No other Wotan has ever reached these heights, and Hotter remains THE Wotan of all time, even beating such immortals as Schorr, Schipper, Bockelmann, and Sigurd Bjoerling.

Paul Kuen is really deliciously maliciuos as Mime, especially in his oily, poisonous attempt to kill Siegfried in Act 2; for once, there is no reason to pity this character, he is just SO nasty and slimy. Neidlinger's Alberich, by comparison, has dignity and just grievances against his counterpart Wotan ("Licht-Alberich", after all!). Greindl is frightening as Fafner, giant-turned-dragon, but dies with regret at having murdered his brother Fasolt and now suffering the same fate. Hollweg is an enchanting Forest Bird, almost sounding like a boy treble, as specified by Wagner. Von Illosvay is even more impressive as Erda here than in Rheingold, majestically implacable and outraged at Wotan's hypocrisy.

And then, there is Astrid Varnay.

Flagstad, Nilsson, Moedl, Leider, move over! ASTRID RULES!

Has there ever been as radiant a "Heil dir, Sonne!" as Varnay's? NO! She is perfection itself. From proud goddess to a woman fearful of human emotions to ardent lover, she is right there at every moment. How she could have been so unappreicated in America is appalling to me. She is truly the great Hochdramatische!

The sound is if anything even more impressive than in the previous two operss. Culshaw should be resurrected and hung byt he you-=know-whats for keeping this from the public ofr so many years.

No doubt about it, BAYREUTH, KEILBERTH, WINDGASSEN, HOTTER AND VARNAY RULE FOREVER!"