Wagner: Parsifal / Karajan, Waechter, Hotter, Franc, et al

On this CD:

1. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Vienna State Opera Orchestra with Walter Berry, Tugomir Franc, Hans Hotter, Elisabeth Hongen, Christa Ludwig, Fritz Uhl
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan

Tracks:

Parsifal: Erster Akt: Vorspiel - Prelude - Herbert Von Karajan
Parsifal: 'He! Ho! Waldhuter ihr' - Kurt Equiluz
Parsifal: 'Er naht, sie bringen ihn getragen' - Hans Hotter
Parsifal: 'He, du da! Was liegst du dort' - Kurt Equiluz
Parsifal: 'Ja, wann oft lange sie uns fern blieb' - Kurt Equiluz
Parsifal: 'Titurel, der fromme held' - Hans Hotter
Parsifal: 'Vor allem nun: der speer kehr uns zuruck' - Kurt Equiluz
Parsifal: 'Weh, Hoho, Weh! Wer ist der fremde' - Kurt Equiluz
Parsifal: 'Nun sag', nichts weisst da' - Elisabeth Hongen

Tracks:

Act I: Von Bade kehrt der Konig heim - Elisabeth Hongen
Act I: Zum letzten Liebesmahle gerustet Tag fur Tag - Chorus
Act I: Mein Sohn Amfortas, bist du am Amt - Eberhard Waechter
Act I: Wehvolles Erbe, dem ich verfallen - Eberhard Waecgter
Act I: Durch Mitleid wissend - Tugomir Franc
Act I: Wein und Brot des letzten Mahles - Kurt Equiluz
Act I: Was stehst du noch da - Chorus

Tracks:

Act II: Worspiel - Prelude - Herbert Von Karajan
Act II: Die Zeit ist da - Walter Berry
Act II: Ach, ach! Tiefe Nach - Christa Ludwig
Act II: Furchtbare Not - Christa Ludwig
Act II: Ho! Ihr Wachter, Ho! Ritter! - Walter Berry
Act II: Hier, hier war das Tosen - Gundula Janowitz
Act II: Ilh schonen Kinder - Gundula Janowitz
Act II: Eid duftet ihr hold - Gundula Janowitz
Act II: Parsifal! Weile - Elisabeth Hongen
Act II: Ich sah das Kinda an seiner Mutter Brust - Elisabeth Hongen
Act II: Wehe, was tat ich - Elisabeth Hongen
Act II: Amfortas, die Wunde - Fritz Uhl
Act II: Gelboter Held, entflieh dem Wahn - R. Wagner
Act II: Den ich ersehnt - Elisabeth Hongen
Act II: Vergeh, unsel'ges Weib! - Walter Berry

Tracks:

Act III: Vorspiel - Prelude - Herbert Von Karajan
Act III: Von dorther kam das Stohnen - Hans Hotter
Act III: Dienen - dienen - Hans Hotter
Act III: Heil dir mein Gast - Hans Hotter
Act III: Heil mir, dab ich dich wiederfinde - Hans Hotter
Act III: O Gnade, hochstes Heil - Hans Hotter
Act III: Und ich, ich bin's - Hans Hotter
Act III: Werd' heute zu Amfortas ich geleitet - Hans Hotter
Act III: Wie dunkt mich doch die Aue heut so schon - Hans Hotter
Act III: Mittag, die Stund ist da - Hans Hotter
Act III: Ja, wehe, weh uber mich - Knights
Act III: Enthullet den Gral - Fritz Uhl

Customer Reviews:

a good Parsifal.......2000-11-28

I generally concur with earlier commentaries on this recording, but would like to add it has been recently re-released on only 3 CDs on the Opera d'Oro label in the lowest price range - around $15 - and Amazonians who have been hesitating should snap this one up. I prefer the studio recording that Karajan made for DGG - especially in terms of sound quality - but this performance is well worth having too.

A disappointing reissue of the 1961 live recording.......1999-12-11

Great performance, dreadful recording. This is the first "official" issue of Karajan's famous production of "Parsifal" for the Staatsoper in Vienna, which has previously appeared on minor "pirate" labels. The box even bears a stamp of approval from the Staatsoper. Unfortunately, the reissue does not correct any of the defects of early issues.

Presumably because the original tape is incomplete, part of the first act has been spliced in from an entirely different performance with a different cast. But this is less of a problem than the strange balance in the recording, with the singers closely miked while the orchestra it seems was only recorded with one, badly placed, microphone. The result is a balance tipped in favour of the singers (which many might prefer to Karajan's usual practise of placing the orchestra in the foreground of his studio recordings) while some of the instruments, notably in the woodwind section, are almost inaudible. It is a pity that Karajan, who reportedly had over one hundred lighting rehearsals for this famous production, did not devote any time to ensuring that a good recording was made for posterity.

The strangest aspect of this production was that the role of Kundry (apparently on Karajan's decision) was split between two singers. In the first and last acts, and for the first scene of the second act, the wild-woman was sung by Elizabeth Höngen. When Kundry was transformed into the beautiful seductress, however, she appeared in the form of Christa Ludwig -- whose performance of the long scene in which she fails to seduce the young hero, is one of the greatest interpretations on record and alone worth the price of this set.

A good solid performance.......1999-10-27

BMG is now reissuing not only a good deal of its operas that used to grace the LP-laden shelves of music stores back in the 60s and 70s but also little heard "live" performances. From the latter series come two with Herbert von Karajan at the helm. Although I usually object to the audiences noises that usually accompany such offerings, it is not a problem here. A complete (74321 61950 2) is not exactly an operaphile's first choice--a good deal of it is frankly very boring--and indeed many do not consider it an opera at all (neither did Wagner). At any rate, the audience (if not the footfalls of the cast) is very quiet during this 1961 performance at the Vienna State Opera. And with such luminaries as Eberhard Waechter, Hans Hotter, and Walter Berry in the cast, one can forgive the dated mono sound. Fritz Uhl sings the title role with somewhat less dramatic distinction than did Windgassen but he is fine on his own terms. A Very Good Choice for those who love Wagner, this opera, or the conductor. I will play this album mostly for the cast. On 4 CDs it takes a good deal of concentrated listening and there is no libretto provided.

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