Tristan & Isolde
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Free Music Notes for Tristan & Isolde
Free Music Review: Amazing!!
Hit: 5 Stars
Not that critics mean everything, but when a respected Wagnerian critic Alan Blythe(who recently passed) ranked this as the fourth best overall Tristan, you know it has its merits. Vinay might not replace memories of Vickers on Karajans Emi release, but as a whole, I find this much more intense and satisfactory-and genuine. Karajan isnt as maniacal about making every note so as beautiful as possible and lets Wagner speak for himself unlike the Karajan beginning in 1957 till death---you know the one----that guy who thought he knew better than the composer.
Ps AB's top five trisoldes
1. KNA\1950
2. Furtwangler\EMI
3. Bohm(DG)
4. Karajan\Bayreuth 1952
Free Music Review: The Best Remastering of this Incredible Performance
Hit: 5 Stars
While many listeners consider Furtwangler or Bohm's Tristan the definitive recordings of the work, I think people who want to listen to Tristan conducted in full with great artists and an even more amazing interpretation must listen to this 1952 Bayreuth recording. Most of the singers were going to be part of the Bayreuth team that Wieland Wagner would train to become the greatest interpreters of these incredibly difficult parts, and Karajan was at the point of his career where he combined virtuosity and energy in his conducting, something that was absent in the recordings of the latter years. It is a most demented performance, and the singers don't fall very much under von Karajan's definitive conducting of the score.
Martha Modl, the soprano in this recording, sings Isolde with a sexual energy and emotional verve that easily eclipses the interpretations of other greats like Flagstad and Nilsson. She conveys the anger of act I with the intensity of a white flame, sings Act II's sexuality and passion with tenderness, and Act III's finale with a rapture easily bringing the house down. Her Tristan is the dark-toned Ramon Vinay. He brings a passion unheard from other Tristans in Bayreuth from the dark quality of his voice, and he partners Modl word for word accurately in the Act II duet, and exudes delirium, pain, passion, and love in his third act monologue. The principals of this performance are backed by Hans Hotter, the world's greatest Wotan, as Kurwenal, and Ira Malaniuk, a Bayreuth staple, as Bragane. The Konig Marke is Ludwig Weber, the great bass who brings an almost melancholy and sympathetic mood to his monologue.
All in all, a great performance, and with its recent transfer on Orfeo's new pressings, I would recommend this as the definitive Tristan.
Free Music Review: A great Tristan sonically improved
Hit: 5 Stars
After reading several reviews that extolled the improvement in sound on this Orfeo release of Karajan's famed 1952 Tristan from Bayreuth, I went ahead and replaced my old pressing on the Myto label. There's no doubt that digital remastering has removed microphone distortion, particularly on high notes, cleaned up surface gritch on the original tapes, and filled out the mid-range--the thin, wiry cellos on the Myto pressing, for example, now sound considerably better. If you are a great fan of this live radio recording, the Orfeo remastering is worth its high price.
But for less than committed fans, the Myto version holds its own. Voices are clear and closely miked. The orchestra sounds distant and underwhelming, but that's true on the master tapes that Orfeo uses. Sometimes remastering can perform miracles. In this case, we get a cleaner, fuller rendition of a servicable original. I love the performance, so I'm happy with my decision; I just thought it would be good to tell prospective new buyers where they stand.
Free Music Review: Much improved sound
Hit: 5 Stars
This performance has been praised often, and rightly so. Modl and Vinay are on fire and superb in every way, the supporting cast is experienced and good. Karajan conducts with fire and imagination (something that can NOT be said of his later EMI recording).
What is special is the sound on this issue. Always probelmatic at best, the sound of this particular performance on these discs is exceptional. Clear mono with no distortions, full sound, and every detail coming across clearly and cleanly. This set comes from the original tapes and have been lovingly remastered. The difference is unbelievable and this set must come in as a number 1 recommendation now. The price is definitely worth it for the improved sound quality.