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- Wagner/Siegfried - VPO/Solti
Wagner/Siegfried - VPO/Solti
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Richard Wagner
Siegfried
Wolfgang Windgassen, Birgit Nilsson, Hans Hotter, Gerhard Stolze, Gustav Neidlinger, Kurt Böhme, Marga Höffgen, Joan Sutherland
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Georg Solti
After taking a huge risk in recording 'Das Rheingold', Decca took another step into the unknown by skipping the most popular opera of 'The Ring' and going straight to another gamble and record 'Siegfried'. As there wasn't another version of 'Siegfried' available at the time, they had to cast the opera carefully. Here they ran into a couple of problems. Windgassen was not their first choice but another and younger sounding tenor who, because he could never say 'No' to any offer of singing never found time to learn the title role. Finally, Decca gave up on him and asked Windgassen who, being a total professional, did not take umbridge about being an 'also ran', and agreed to record the role. The second problem was in casting the Wanderer. By desiring the voice of Hotter, Decca knew they were in for criticism. Hotter was a little past his best and some critics would demand to know why Decca didn't choose a more youthful Wotan. However, if Hotter was dropped, many others would demand to know why they hadn't used one of the great Wotans of his time before his voice gave out. Anyway - enough history! This is still a remarkable recording with a stunning cast. Stolze, who was ill and sang part of his role from a wheel chair, was accused of over acting but, personally, I find him utterly riveting. Nilsson is... well, Nilsson. The sound used for Böhme's Fafner is so effective that the singer was quite worried about how nasty he sounded. When reminded that he was a Dragon, Böhme smiled and said, 'But couldn't I be a nice dragon?'. A huge bonus of the disc is Joan Sutherland as the Woodbird though, as a critic said at the time, because of her poor diction, how on earth Siegfried found his way to the rock will always be a mystery. All in all, this is still a highly recommended and beautifully recorded opera. BTW, don't expect gentle taps on an anvil for the forging scene!
Recorded: 1962
Booklet contains a commentary in English and a libretto in German/English
Decca RING 9/13
Stereo 5 LP's
Records manufactured in the UK in 1963
Regrettably the original box is missing.
Condition:
Vinyl - Clean and unmarked.
Sleeves - Clean and unmarked but with some discolouration.
Book - Clean, unmarked and intact - some discolouration.
Outer Sleeves - Clean and unmarked - some light discolouration.
Postage
Europe: £9.00
Rest of World: £15.00
Greece: £3.30
Owing to their weight, the postal charge for LP's is expensive.
Our records have always been handled with care and stored correctly. However as we are disposing of our entire record collection, time precludes us playing every single item to check whether there are any faults that are not apparent from a purely visual check. To avoid any dispute buyers should be aware that they buy our vinyl with the above proviso in mind.
Siegfried
Wolfgang Windgassen, Birgit Nilsson, Hans Hotter, Gerhard Stolze, Gustav Neidlinger, Kurt Böhme, Marga Höffgen, Joan Sutherland
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Georg Solti
After taking a huge risk in recording 'Das Rheingold', Decca took another step into the unknown by skipping the most popular opera of 'The Ring' and going straight to another gamble and record 'Siegfried'. As there wasn't another version of 'Siegfried' available at the time, they had to cast the opera carefully. Here they ran into a couple of problems. Windgassen was not their first choice but another and younger sounding tenor who, because he could never say 'No' to any offer of singing never found time to learn the title role. Finally, Decca gave up on him and asked Windgassen who, being a total professional, did not take umbridge about being an 'also ran', and agreed to record the role. The second problem was in casting the Wanderer. By desiring the voice of Hotter, Decca knew they were in for criticism. Hotter was a little past his best and some critics would demand to know why Decca didn't choose a more youthful Wotan. However, if Hotter was dropped, many others would demand to know why they hadn't used one of the great Wotans of his time before his voice gave out. Anyway - enough history! This is still a remarkable recording with a stunning cast. Stolze, who was ill and sang part of his role from a wheel chair, was accused of over acting but, personally, I find him utterly riveting. Nilsson is... well, Nilsson. The sound used for Böhme's Fafner is so effective that the singer was quite worried about how nasty he sounded. When reminded that he was a Dragon, Böhme smiled and said, 'But couldn't I be a nice dragon?'. A huge bonus of the disc is Joan Sutherland as the Woodbird though, as a critic said at the time, because of her poor diction, how on earth Siegfried found his way to the rock will always be a mystery. All in all, this is still a highly recommended and beautifully recorded opera. BTW, don't expect gentle taps on an anvil for the forging scene!
Recorded: 1962
Booklet contains a commentary in English and a libretto in German/English
Decca RING 9/13
Stereo 5 LP's
Records manufactured in the UK in 1963
Regrettably the original box is missing.
Condition:
Vinyl - Clean and unmarked.
Sleeves - Clean and unmarked but with some discolouration.
Book - Clean, unmarked and intact - some discolouration.
Outer Sleeves - Clean and unmarked - some light discolouration.
Postage
Europe: £9.00
Rest of World: £15.00
Greece: £3.30
Owing to their weight, the postal charge for LP's is expensive.
Our records have always been handled with care and stored correctly. However as we are disposing of our entire record collection, time precludes us playing every single item to check whether there are any faults that are not apparent from a purely visual check. To avoid any dispute buyers should be aware that they buy our vinyl with the above proviso in mind.
1 available