Wagner for Philistines

There are some who abhor the very notion of discs of exerts, highlights or chunks and, for the most part, I am one of them - certainly, I can think of little that would tempt me to buy a disc of collected Mozart arias or, worse, overtures. Yet, somehow, when it comes to Wagner, things are different, I love discs of chunks and, in common with most music I love, I have far too many.

Actually, though there are several distinct subspecies of the Wagner highlights disc. The first is just that - a disc (or more frequently two) containing highlights from a given Ring cycle - what might perhaps, be termed a sampler disc. This was my introduction Wagner in this way. I happened across as copy of highlights from Goodall's ENO Ring. I'd been curious about this (as I've posted elsewhere, opera in English holds a number of attractions for me) and at just £2 it seemed silly to say no.

So, how does it stack up (sorry, no website, not even Chandos, has a picture, but it is easily found on Amazon et al). The selection is okay, the bit just before the rainbow bridge, Wotan's farewell, the forrest murmurs, Hagen's watch, the funeral march and the immolation (and one or two other moment). However, given it's strength, in some ways it's remarkable that I bought another disc. The virtue of being in English is not quite the blessing it might be - perhaps it's my familiarity with the German text, because too often it sounds like it is in German. However, musically it has a lot going for it and I almost invariably find it annoying when the all to brief exerts fade out again.


Indeed, I might well not have bought another disc, but for this place. On one of the Wagner threads (or possibly the What are you listening to) Graham mentioned the Szell/Cleveland set. At first I thought this might be Ring (certainly such a thing would have been very interested). However the prospect of chunks from this team (one of the most successful conductor/orchestra collaborations there has been) was more than enough to get me interested (the more so since it was at budget price).



The selection is pretty well chosen - entry of the gods to Walhall, ride of the Valkyries, Wotan's farewell, the forrest murmurs, Siegfried's Rheinfart, the funeral music and immolation, this is then followed by the prelude to Meistersinger and then the Tristan prelude and liebstod. And what a wonderful disc it is. I don't know whether it's that the orchestra's discipline under Szell is especially suited to this music or that his reading just has a rightness, but whatever it may be, this is the disc to convince anyone who is skeptical of such collections.


This was followed by a classics for pleasure issue that in some ways (for me at least) was an even more wonderful find was this disc from Mackerras and the LPO. This neatly illustrates the 3rd category since it is neither 'sampler' disc in the manner of Goodall, nor an orchestral chunks as Szell, but rather what might be termed exerts. Mackerras gives us 5 tracks from Gotterdammerung Dawn - Brunnhilde and Siegfried's entrance - the Rhine journey - the funeral march and the immolation. What sets this apart is that he and the LPO are joined by Rita Hunter (Brunnhilde from Goodall's Ring) and Alberto Remedios. Recorded in 1972 - so predating the Goodall recordings by a couple of years and anyway in German. Of course, given Mackerras's fondness for brisker tempi this could hardly be more different, but it is deeply satisfying and makes me hope against hope that somewhere in the BBC's archive lurks his ENO Ring and that one day it will be released..... The disc also contains the Siegfried Idyll from Edward Downes.




I hadn't planned to buy any more Wagner chunks disc, but then one of the initial releases of the LPO's own label caught my eye - a selection from Klaus Tennstedt, and coupled with rave reviews (and a slight bias I have towards orchestral labels) I decided to give it a go. I'm very glad I did. For the most part well programmed; the Meistersinger prelude - the Rienzi overture - from Gotterdammerung, dawn, the Rhine journey and the funeral music - the ride of the Valkyries - the overture and venusberg music from Tannhauser (this last is my only complaint - the Valkyries, followed as it is by applause - should have closed the disc - regardless of what the concert may have done, fortunately, one my ipod it does). However this is a great disc and show cases Tennsted's skill as a Wagnerian. Perhaps more from the Ring would be nice - then again, it's also nice to hear the Tannhauser.




My next foray into chunks was genuinely accidental - I picked up this box of Furtwangler's live recordings. I didn't buy it for the Wagner (and I don't think they're the highlight of the box - that would probably be the stunning Brucker 8, there is also a wonderful Tchaik 6, some good Beethoven, especially the Leonora III overture and an almost unrivaled Schubert 8th). However, the Wagner was a fine bonus. We get an interesting selection: the Tannhauser prelude - the Tristan prelude and liebstod - the funeral march from Gotterdammerung - the Good Friday music from Parsifal. Actually, the disc provides a good introduction to Furtwangler's Wagner - his ability to wring the emotion from every bar as only he could is on display here. That said, I do not think this rivals Szell or Tennstedt (nor for me, though possibly others will differ, Mackerras). But it also shows Furtwangler could do lighter as well - the wonderful Meistersinger prelude doesn't always sound like 'typical' Furtwangler Wanger.




As if that wasn't enough, there is one more disc, and a very special one at that. I have mentioned elsewhere my enthusiasm for Donald Runnicles (which probably runs second only to that for Mackerras) and, in particular his Wagner. My introduction was a very fine Lohengrin he gave at the Edinburgh festival of 2003 (which I didn't hear until later on the radio). After having once again been impressed by his conducting at this summer's festival, I decided I should start picking up some of his discs in earnest and his selection with the Dresden Staatskapelle seemed a prime candidate. But, shame, shame, shame on Teldec it has been deleted (which is why the link posted is the Amazon.de - it's marketplace is where I tracked my copy down and the only place I have seen it - hurry). WHY! I have no idea. However, now that Warner is ceasing entirely as a maker of new recordings and devoting itself entirely to reissues, perhaps it will reemerge - we can only hope since it is quite arguably the finest such disc I have heard. The selection is entirely from the Ring (or Ring related). We get the Valkyries - Wotan's farewell - the forrest murmurs - Siegfried's Rhine journey - the funeral march and immolation. This is followed by the Siegfried Idyll. Graham and I have agreed (I think) on the Kleiber thread that there is something extraordinary about the way this orchestra plays Wagner - the tones and textures they are capable of. That alone is reason enough to pick up this disc, since the playing is as fine as might be expected. However, there is another better reason - and the reason why I so admire Runnicles. Normally, with a work I know, I have a rough idea what I expect to hear. However, the very best performers (e.g. Kleiber in Tristan - or Mackerras in his recent Beethoven cycle) are able to draw the music out in ways you didn't necessarily see before. I don't know quite how he does it, especially with the Valkyries - but to take a piece this famous and make it sound this fresh and new (and yet still the ride of the Valkyries) is quite something. The beauty of the forrest murmurs is also unrivaled. There is a wonderful impact to the funeral march. Interestingly, after the weight of the immolation (which only makes me want to hear a full Runnicles Ring all the more), the Idyll doesn't feel out of place - indeed it makes of a nice post script - I wonder if the way he plays out the Ring chunks is influenced by what decisions have already been made with regard to the CD order? Either way, it works wonderfully. My only reservation? I would like some music from Rheingold - in so many ways the first 5 tracks are wonderful tour of the Ring, and yet feel incomplete - perhaps it would have been better with the Rhine music - the entry into Walhall and no Idyll (but that too is a wonderful performance). On any good disc of chunks you will always want more! Either way, this is a disc well worth having.




And that's it, well, pretty well, There are a few other bits (I have Runnicles again doing the prelude and liebstod, but since that's coupled mainly with Strauss I shall ignore it, I also have Boult doing the Meistersinger prelude and a whole disc from Knappertsbusch which was part of a box set that still sits on my to be listened to shelf). I think I ought to leave it at that - then again, I heard Abbado's disc (mainly Parsifal) which was stunning, so maybe...... perhaps there are glaring omissions from this list (certainly I know of a disc from Ben Heppner where Runnicles is conducting - so that's probably only a matter of time)....


regards, Tam