| Meistersinger von Nürnberg |
Studio recording in stereo |
November 24 - December 4, 1970 |
| Conductor: Herbert von Karajan |
| Hans Sachs | | Theo Adam |
| Veit Pogner | | Karl Ridderbusch |
| Kunz Vogelgesang | | Eberhard Büchner |
| Konrad Nachtigall | | Horst Lunow |
| Sixtus Beckmesser | | Geraint Evans |
| Fritz Kothner | | Zoltán Kelemen |
| Balthasar Zorn | | Hans Joachim Rotzsch |
| Ulrich Eißlinger | | Peter Bindszus |
| Augustin Moser | | Horst Hiestermann |
| Hermann Ortel | | Hermann Christian Polster |
| Hans Schwarz | | Heinz Reeh |
| Hans Foltz | | Siegfried Vogel |
| Walther von Stolzing | | René Kollo |
| Eva | | Helen Donath |
| Magdalene | | Ruth Hesse |
| David | | Peter Schreier |
| Ein Nachtwächter | | Kurt Moll |
Staatskapelle Dresden
Chor der Dresdener Staatsoper
Chor des Leipziger Rundfunks |
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| EMI, CDS 7 49683 2 |
4 CDs |
ADD |
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Review by Constantijn Blondel
I'll come to the point quickly: This recording will always have a special
place in my heart, whether I buy other Meistersingers or not. It features
some of my favorite singers and has gorgeous playing under a conductor
who understood Wagner in his own special way. The cast is headed by Theo
Adam's Sachs. Admittedly, he is a bit wobbly, but it never disturbed me
since I'm used to his being wobbly whatsoever. He sings a sensitive and
poetical Sachs, using the same world-wiseness he uses with so much effect
as Wotan.
The second star prize in the cast must go to René Kollo (who is becoming
my favorite Wagnerian tenor by now) as Walther. His vocal power, combined
with the lyrical softness that he always has to his command, makes a
Walther who is not only singing gorgeously, but who is also sufficiently
'knightly'. His is a beautifully and sensitively sung and intelligently
acted performance.
Sir Geraint Evans is making a lot of the Beckmesser part. I heard some
criticism about the fact that he portrays Beckmesser not as a noble master,
but as a caricature. I do not agree with this...it is quite well-known
that Beckmesser was (at least initially) a caricature for Eduard Hanslick.
Evans sings the character in a way that often makes me laugh and he
succeeds in making the part multi-dimensional, since the caricature is
purely comical and not malicious.
Another point of discussion (at least in what I read about it) is Helen
Donath as Eva. There are commentators who say that she has to be sung as
an intelligent girl with lots of character and power and stuff...but my
dear friends...She's blonde! IMHO she stems directly from the line of
sweet dumb blondes Elisabeth-Elsa-Freia. She's no Brunnhilde, nor is she
an Isolde, nor even a Senta. Helen Donath sings lovely and makes most of
the 'blonde' image...I like it tremendously!
The principals are complemented by Peter Schreier's David. He makes a lot
of the role and his voice is beautiful as ever. If you like his Loge and
Mime for Janowski, you'll probably like his David as well. I still find
it amazing that a singer who is most known for his Lieder and his Bach
can make such a great character tenor.
The prize for beautiful singing must go to the two basses: Karl
Ridderbusch sings a deeply sympathetic Pogner and Kurt Moll as the
Nightwatchman.
Herbert von Karajan is always a point of discussion among Wagnerians,
but I think there can be no doubt about the fact that he conducts a
beautifully consistent score which positively blossoms like a spring
day, shines like midsummer afternoon, and glows like a cool summer
night after a long hot day. His conducting is picked up well by the
Dresden orchestra, famous for its 'golden tone'. The transparancy in
the recording makes that one can hear most of the orchestra groups
play in their fantastic way. The orchestra is of course somewhat
'lightweight' but personally I've always liked that in Wagner.
It's a pity that the set is very much full-price, but it's worth
having for every serious Wagnerian who bears a warm heart to
Meistersinger. |
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