Richard Wagner: Bayreuth Festival 1927

On this CD:

1. Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold), opera, WWV 86a Einzug der Götter in Walhall
Composed by Richard Wagner

2. Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold), opera, WWV 86a Gesang der Rheintöchter
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Maria Nezadal, Charlotte Muller

3. Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), opera, WWV 86b Walkürenszene
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Maria Nezadal, Henriette Gottlieb, Ingeborg Holmgren, Charlotte Muller

4. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Waldweben
Composed by Richard Wagner

5. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Vorspiel zum 3. Aufzug
Composed by Richard Wagner

6. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Siegfried durchschreitet das Feuer
Composed by Richard Wagner

7. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111 Verwandlungsmusik und Grals-Szene (1. Teil)
Composed by Richard Wagner

Conducted by Karl Muck

8. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111 Grals-Szene (2. Teil)
Composed by Richard Wagner

Conducted by Karl Muck

9. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111 Blumenmädchen-Szene
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Anny Helm, Maria Nezadal, Ingeborg Holmgren, Charlotte Muller, Hilde Sinnek
Conducted by Karl Muck

10. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111 Vorspiel zum 3. Aufzug
Composed by Richard Wagner

Conducted by Siegfried Wagner

11. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111 So ward es uns verhießen
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Alexander Kipnis, Fritz Wolff
Conducted by Siegfried Wagner

Customer Reviews:

For Wagner Fans, an Essential Purchase.......2003-05-27

These performances were recorded in 1927 at the legendary Festspielhaus in Bayreuth, which was built by Wagner himself for the sole purpose of performing his operas under ideal conditions. Ever since 1876, when the Ring Cycle was first performed there, Wagner fans from The Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia to Adolf Hitler have climbed the green hill to listen to Wagner's operas.

This CD contains some tracks that are widely available elsewhere (I'm thinking specifically of the excerpts from "Parsifal" conducted by Karl Muck), but I've never heard them sound as good as they do here. It's hard to believe that these tracks were recorded in 1927. They sound spectacular -- and I've heard them in at least four separate releases (from Pearl, Centaur, VAI and Naxos) besides this one.

So while this CD might not be for the Wagnerian newbie, or for people who prefer what a friend of mine calls the "sterile perfection" of a digital recording, if you're a fan of historical performances and are passionate about Wagner, this CD is an essential purchase.

interesting historical artifact.......2002-03-09

This CD contains 11 opera excerpts, 2 from Das Rheingold, 1 from Die Walkure, 3 from Siegfried, and 5 from Parsifal. Considering the time period of these recordings, they don't sound too bad, technically speaking. The Ring tracks suffer from extremely poor orchestral intonation (the Bayreuth orchestra sounds like a mediocre community group under the direction of Franz von Hoesslin). The performances in the Parsifal selections are much more accurate. The singing is especially strong and clearly recorded. This CD might be of interest to serious listeners who want a historical perspective.

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