Search - Richard [Classical] Wagner, Arturo Toscanini, NBC Symphony Orchestra :: Wagner: Götterdämmerung/Siegfried [Excerpts]

"Bleeding Chunks" of Wagner From a Great Conductor

Tom Moran | New York, NY United States | 01/28/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's a shame that Arturo Toscanini was never able to record a complete Ring Cycle, but this CD provides us with generous snippets (what they call in the trade "bleeding chunks") of two of the Ring operas, Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.Helen Traubel and Lauritz Melchior are two of the greatest Wagnerian singers (only Freida Leider and Kirsten Flagstad can compare to Traubel in this era, and Melchior has always been in a class by himself), and they cause sparks to fly in their duet from Siegfried (from a 1941 NBC broadcast). The NBC Orchestra (created by David Sarnoff especially for Toscanini in 1937 -- can you imagine the head of a broadcast network doing something similar today?), gives impressive performances of the Forest Murmurs from Siegfried and Siegfried's Death and Funeral March from Gotterdammerung.Traubel is electric in the final Immolation Scene from Gotterdammerung, and Toscanini conducts throughout both with his trademark intensity and with a lyricism that you seldom find in Wagner conductors.As I've said, it's a real shame that we don't have a complete Toscanini Ring Cycle, but this is as close as we're going to get, so this CD is highly recommended. As a Wagner/Ring Cycle starter kit, this is surpassed only by the Bruno Walter Act I of Die Walkure, also featuring Melchior. I would grab this CD."

Great recordings, well restored

Robert E. Nylund | 02/24/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am very familiar with these recordings, from their earlier LP and CD issues. This issue is the best sounding of all. The interpretations are without parallel in their sheer dynamism and unanimity and the voices of Traubel and Melchior are heard at their best. I am particularly pleased with the quality of the release of the Immolation Scene recording, plagued by various defects in earlier issues, as described by the producer of these records, Charles O'Connell, in his book, "The Other Side of the Record". Here it seems we have for the first time the original masters, without the subsequent doctoring and re-recording which plagued the earlier issues of this recording. As a result the recording lives up to its reputation at last, sounding truly impressive in spite of its 1940 vintage, using the primiitive portable recording machines of the time. Here the voice of Helen Traubel, one of the great vocal instruments of the 20th Century, is heard to full advantage, and the sound of the NBC Symphony in Carnegie Hall is more realistic than it ever sounded in later records."

Powerful and committed

Ray Barnes | Surrey, British Columbia Canada | 07/29/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have not heard this particular re-release but am very familiar with the earliest issues on LP and CD of these recordings. It almost goes without saying that the original pressings on vinyl had very poor sound quality - one critic used the term execrable, and one could hardly be more uncomplimentary than that - but the first CD transfers had some of the background hissing and popping removed. The interpretations have a level of incisiveness and unaminity of orchestral attack that have never been equalled to this day, even though they were recorded as I recall in 1940 or 1941. Some might find the very incisive final chords to the Siegfried's Rhine Journey, which employs the concert ending, rather too hard. On the other hand, the end of the Immolation Music still has crushing power, with plenty of percussion, in spite of the unfavourable recording conditions. The Forest Murmurs excerpt is warm and almost Italiante in feeling. Toscanini takes great care during the Zu neuen Thaten excerpt to play Brunnhilde's music with some affection, and when the dialogue goes to Siegfried there is a sudden heroic stridency of tempo. I have not heard this music played quite this way by any other conductor, but it works. Vocally there is nothing to complain about either. This has to be heard to be fully appreciated. Recommended."