Der Ring des Nibelungen
Live recording in stereo from
Festspielhaus Bayreuth
1967
Conductor: Karl Böhm
Chor und Orchester der
Bayreuther Festspiele
Das Rheingold
1967
Wotan Theo Adam
Donner Gerd Nienstedt
Froh Hermin Esser
Loge Wolfgang Windgassen
Alberich Gustav Neidlinger
Mime Erwin Wohlfahrt
Fasolt Martti Talvela
Fafner Kurt Böhme
Fricka Annelies Burmeister
Freia Anja Silja
Erda Vera Soukupova
Woglinde Dorothea Siebert
Wellgunde Helga Dernesch
Floßhilde Ruth Hesse
Walküre
1967
Siegmund James King
Sieglinde Leonie Rysanek
Wotan Theo Adam
Brünnhilde Birgit Nilsson
Hunding Gerd Nienstedt
Fricka Annelies Burmeister
Gerhilde Danica Mastilovic
Ortlinde Helga Dernesch
Waltraute Gertraud Hopf
Schwertleite Sieglinde Wagner
Helmwige Liane Synek
Siegrune Annelies Burmeister
Grimgerde Elisabeth Schärtel
Roßweiße Sona Cervená
Siegfried
1967
Siegfried Wolfgang Windgassen
Mime Erwin Wohlfahrt
Brünnhilde Birgit Nilsson
Wanderer Theo Adam
Alberich Gustav Neidlinger
Fafner Kurt Böhme
Erda Vera Soukupova
Waldvogel Erika Köth
Götterdämmerung
1967
Brünnhilde Birgit Nilsson
Siegfried Wolfgang Windgassen
Hagen Josef Greindl
Alberich Gustav Neidlinger
Gunther Thomas Stewart
Gutrune Ludmilla Dvoráková
Waltraute Martha Mödl
Woglinde Dorothea Siebert
Wellgunde Helga Dernesch
Floßhilde Sieglinde Wagner
1. Norne Marga Höffgen
2. Norne Annelies Burmeister
3. Norne Anja Silja
Philips, 420 325-2 14 CDs ADD
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Review by Charles E. Muntz

Made at the Bayreuth festival in 1967 during Wieland Wagner's second Ring production, this has long been considered one of the finer Rings on record. The legendary Birgit Nilsson, who sings Brünnhilde without any noticeable strain to the very end of Götterdämmerung, spearheads the cast. She is by a very slight margin more dramatically involved for Böhm than she was for Georg Solti in his recordings. But I also think that vocally, her earlier studio reading was a bit more precise. I do not have a preference between the two, but I do know that Nilsson preferred the live reading she gave for Böhm.

Böhm shares several other singers with Solti. James King is noticeably more dramatically alert and involving then he was in his already fine recording of Siegmund. He has a magnificent, experienced partner in Leonie Rysanek, easily the equal of Régine Crespin for Solti. Gustav Neidlinger and Kurt Böhme (Fafner) both gain a bit from the live performance, but it is hardly noticeable most of the time. Neidlinger certainly maintains his reputation as one of the greatest Alberichs of all time.

Josef Greindl was the principal bass at Bayreuth immediately after the Second World War. By the time of this recording his voice had developed an unpleasant nasal quality. He certainly brings a great deal of experience to the part, but Gottlob Frick has a better, blacker voice and is downright terrifying for Solti.

Wolfgang Windgassen as Siegfried sounds significantly less vivid and inspired than he does for Solti, although he is still fine vocally and dramatically.

A much more serious casting problem is to be found in Theo Adam as Wotan. While he is certainly an intelligent singer and does a decent job of projecting character, he leaves much to be desired vocally. His voice is smaller and much less authoritative than the god's should be and it is inclined to be wobbly and abrasive, particularly in Rheingold. He improves as the operas progress, but he is never nearly as satsifying as Hotter is for Solti (even with his vocal problems) or Krauss.

A few other casting flaws to note. Neither Ludmilla Dvoráková (Gutrune) nor Vera Soukupova (Erda) has much understanding or depth of character. Erika Köth as the Woodbird is also a disappointment. Martha Mödl as Waltraute is interesting, but rather unsteady.

However, the Rhinemaidens, Valkyries and the Norns all very fine. Martti Talvela is a treat to have as Fasolt and Annelies Burmeister is a fine Fricka. Thomas Stewart is a standout as Gunther, although not as intelligent and tragic as Fischer-Dieskau is for Solti. The lesser gods are capably taken.

I have mixed feelings about Böhm’s conducting. His speeds are fast-- this Ring is a full hour shorter than Solti's and he manages to keep up a high level of excitement throughout almost the whole performance. But one would frequently like him to slow down. For instance, the Erda-Wotan scene in Rheingold simply does not come off, in part because of his dashing through it, and in part because of the singers. In many of the climaxes, such as the end of Act 2 of Götterdämmerung, Böhm fails to rise to the moment. Instead, he is content to keep up the same level of excitement throughout the entire cycle. This sometimes seems superficial and hectic, although it is far from bad.

All told, Solti has much better orchestral phrasing, power and depth to his recording. And the Bayreuth orchestra, while fine, is no match for the Vienna Philharmonic. The Bayreuth chorus is, however, the equal of the Vienna State Opera Chorus.

As for the recording itself, it is a vast improvement over the Rings recorded at Bayreuth in the 50s. But there is still a terrible lack of detail in the orchestra--partially the result of Bayreuth’s unique acoustics. And the brass is weak. The stereo medium is rarely exploited, a result of the staging itself. All told, the sound is flat and lacks the vividness of Solti. It also lacks many of the special effects Solti has, which is a minor point but one more reason why this probably is not the best choice as a first Ring recording.

It is a very fine one, however, and I know I shall return to it often, particularly the Walküre, which is one of my three favorite readings of the work (Solti and Furtwängler are the others). While I think that Solti is a better choice for a first Ring, this is a marvelous choice for a second or third.




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