Search - Flagstad, Melchior :: Arias & Duets

Beautiful remastering

Philip May | Houston, Texas | 01/24/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For those who value the artistry of Flagstad and Melchior, this CD is a must buy. The four Wagner excerpts are the same recordings that appear on the RCA CD's featuring Flagstad (7915-2-RG) and Melchior (7914-2-RG), but the remastering here is absolutely beautiful. These recordings, made between 1938 and 1941, capture the two singers at their peaks. One thing worth mentioning is Flagstad pulling double duty during the love duet - in addition to Isolde, she also sings the offstage aria by Brangane. The item not on the RCA discs is also wonderful - a 1940 Fidelio with Flagstad singing Leonore with the Metropolitan Opera and Bruno Walter. It is the only "live" cut on the disc. It is very exciting to hear as well. The Met Orchestra is worthy of Flagstad - there is some brilliant horn playing here! This CD should satisfy anyone from a Wagner neophyte to the Flagstad freak! The label here is Grammofono 2000. Never heard of it, but so far I'm impressed with their work."

Melchior, Flagstad, the Engineers and ?Edwin McArthur

Greg Ellis | Canberra, Australia | 03/15/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is actually the second copy I've bought - this one being a gift for a friend - and there will be more in time as I join Philip May in spreading the word about this disc.There is not one much needs to add to Philip's pithy review of this quite exceptional disc except perhaps to admit to some ignorance. Yes, one expects greatness with Melchior and Flagstad, who are both - as Philip notes - brought magnificently into living presence by the superb sonic engineering (the other obvious star of this production), however, I really hadn't heard of the conductor for a few of the tracks, Edwin McArthur. Listening to Melchior's effortless and heroic singing and the sublime beauty and power of Flagstad one is apt to think that any conductor might do! But to get an idea of the superb touch of McArthur compare the aching, almost unbearable (if I can use that oddly negative term) welling towards the climax in the first part of "O sink herneider" and compare it to any other famous recording by other conductors (including the many with stellar singers - even these two separately). I have compared it with the over a dozen different versions and none can match the emotional intensity (the negative of this, of course, is that the comparison has put me off several versions of Tristan and Isolde in my collection!). Excuse the indulgence, but in a collection of several thousand CDs, this is an easy choice as my favourite... A six-starrer if ever there was one!So buy two, one to keep and one for a friend!RegardsGreg Ellis END"