Wagner: Die Meistersinger Von N?rnberg
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Music CD Cover
Performer: Otto EdelmannComposer: Richard Wagner
Conductor: Herbert von Karajan
Orchestra: Bayreuther Festspiele Orchester & Chorus
Performer: Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Performer: Erich Majkut
Performer: Gerhard Unger
Performer: Hans Hopf
Performer: Arnold Van Mill
Performer: Erich Kinz
Performer: Erich Kunz
Performer: Frederick Dalberg
Performer: Friedrich Dalverg
Performer: Gerhard Stolze
Performer: Hans Berg
Performer: Heinrich Pflanzl
Performer: Heinz Borst
Performer: Heinz Tandler
Performer: Josef Janko
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1990-06-27
Music Label: Angel Records
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- Prelude - Orch Festspiele Bayreuth 1951/Herbert Von Karajan
- Act 1, Scene 1: Da zu dir der Heiland kam - Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951
- Act 1, Scene 1: Verweilt!-Ein Wort! - Hans Hopf/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf/Ira Malaniuk
- Act 1, Scene 1: Da bin ich! - Gerhard Unger/Hans Hopf/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf/Ira Malaniuk
- Act 1, Scene 2: David, was stehst? - Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951/Gerhard Unger/Hans Hopf
- Act 1, Scene 2: Mein Herr! der Singer Meister-Schlag - Gerhard Unger/Hans Hopf
- Act 1, Scene 2: Der Meister Ton und Weissen - Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951/Gerhard Unger/Hans Hopf
- Act 1, Scene 2: Damit, Her Ritter, ist's so bewandt! - Gerhard Unger/Hans Hopf
- Act 1, Scene 2: Aller End'ist Doch David der Allergescheit'st'! - Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951/Gerhard Unger
- Act 1, Scene 3: Seid meiner Treue wohl versehen - Friedrich Dalberg/Erich Kunz/Hans Hopf
- Act 1, Scene 3: Gott grub Euch, Meister! - Otto Edelmann/Erich Majkut/Erich Kunz/Hans Berg/Heinrich Pflanzl/Friedrich Dalberg
- Act 1, Scene 3: Das schone Fest, Johannistag - Friedrich Dalberg/Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951/Erich Majkut/Otto Edelmann...
- Act 1, Scene 3: Vielleicht schon ginget thr zu weit - Heinrich Pflanzl/Erich Kunz/Erich Majkut/Hans Berg/Friedrich Dalberg
- Act 1, Scene 3: Dacht' ich mir's doch! - Erich Kunz/Heinrich Pflanzl/Friedrich Dalberg/Hans Berg/Otto Edelmann
- Act 1, Scene 3: Am stillen Herd in Winterzeit - Hans Hopf/Otto Edelmann/Erich Kunz/Heinrich Pflanzl/Erich Majkut/Hans Berg
- Act 1, Scene 3: Nun, Meister, wenn's gefallt - Heinrich Pflanzl/c/Erich Kunz
- Act 1, Scene 3: Fanget an! - Erich Kunz/Hans Hopf
- Act 1, Scene 3: Seid lhr nun fertig? - Erich Kunz/Hans Hopf/Friedrich Dalberg/Heinrich Pflanzl
- Act 1, Scene 3: Halt! Meister! Nicht so geeilt! - Erich Kunz/Erich Kunz/Hans Berg/Heinrich Pflanzl/Friedrich Dalberg/Friedrich Dalberg...
- Act 2, Scene 1: Johannistag! Johannistag! - Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951/Gerhard Unger/Ira Malaniuk/Otto Edelmann
- Act 2, Scene 2: Lab seh'n, ob Meister! - Friedrich Dalberg/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf/Ira Malaniuk
- Act 2, Scene 3: Zeig her!-'s ist gut - Otto Edelmann/Gerhard Unger
- Act 2, Scene 3: Was duftet doch der Flieder. - Otto Edelmann
- Act 2, Scene 4: Gut'n Abend, Meister! - Elizabeth Schwarzkopf/Otto Edelmann/Ira Malaniuk
- Act 2, Scene 4: Hilf Gott! wo Bliebst du nur so spat? - Ira Malaniuk/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf/Friedrich Dalberg
- Act 2, Scene 5: Da ist er! - Ira Malaniuk/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf/Hans Hopf
- Act 2, Scene 5: Geliebter, spare den Zorn! - Ira Malaniuk/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf
- Act 2, Scene 5: Uble Dinge, die ich da merk' - Otto Edelmann/Hans Hopf/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf
- Act 2, Scene 6: Tu's nicht! Doch horch! - Otto Edelmann/Hans Hopf/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf
- Act 2, Scene 6: Jerum! Jerum! - Otto Edelmann
- Act 2, Scene 6: Das Fenster geht auf - Otto Edelmann/Erich Kunz/Hans Hopf/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf
- Act 2, Scene 6: Den Tag seh'ich erscheinen - Otto Edelmann/Erich Kunz
- Act 2, Scene 6: Mit den Schuhen ward ich fertig schier! - Otto Edelmann/Erich Kunz/Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951/Gerhard Unger/Friedrich Dalberg
- Prelude - Orch Fe
- Act 3 Scene 1: Gliech Meister! Hier! - Gerhard Unger
- Act 3 Scene 1: Am Jordan Sankt Johannes stand - Gerhard Unger/Otto Edelmann
- Act 3 Scene 1: Wahn! Wahn! Uberall Wahn! - Otto Edelmann
- Act 3 Scene 2: Grub Gott, mein Junker! - Otto Edelmann
- Act 3 Scene 2: Mein Freund! in holder Jugendzeit - Otto Edelmann
- Act 3 Scene 2: Morgendlich leuchtend in rosigem Schein - Otto Edelmann/Hans Hopf
- Act 3 Scene 3: Ein Werbelied! von Sachs?-ist's wahr? - Otto Edelmann/Erich Kunz
- Act 3 Scene 3: Das Gedicht? Hier lieb ich's - Otto Edelmann/Erich Kunz
- Act 3 Scene 4: Sieh, Evchen! - Otto Edelmann/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf/Hans Hopf
- Act 3 Scene 4: Hat man mit dem Schuhwerk nicht seine Not! - Otto Edelmann/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf
- Act 3 Scene 4: Ein Kind war hier geboren - Otto Edelmann
- Act 3 Scene 4: Die selige Morgentraum-Deutweise.../Selig, wie die Sonne - Otto Edelmann/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf/Hans Hopf/Ira Malaniuk
- Act 3 Scene 5: Sankt Crispin, lobet ihn! - Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951
- Act 3 Scene 5: Ihr tanzt? Was werden die Meistern und Volk beliebt - Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951/Gerhard Unger
- Act 3 Scene 5: Silentium! Silentium!.../Wach auf, es nahet gen den Tag - Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951
- Act 3 Scene 5: Euch macht ihr's leicht, mir macht ihr's schwer - Otto Edelmann/Erich Kunz/Friedrich Dalberg
- Act 3 Scene 5: Nun denn, wenn's Meistern und Volk beliebt/Morgan icht leuchte in rosigem Schein - Otto Edelmann/Erich Kunz/Heinrich Pflanzl/Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951/Hans Berg/Erich Majkut...l
- Act 3 Scene 5: Das Lied, furwahr, ist nicht von mir - Otto Edelmann/Chor Festspiele Bayreuth 1951
- Act 3 Scene 5: Morgendlich leuchtend im rosigem Schein - Hans Hopf/Otto Edelmann/Friedrich Dalberg/Elizabeth Schwarzkopf
- Act 3 Scene 5: Verachtet mir die Meister nicht - Otto Edelmann
Free Music Notes for Wagner: Die Meistersinger Von N?rnberg
Free Music Review: Karajan conducts "Die Meistersinger" at the reborn Bayreuth Festival
Hit: 5 Stars
SOURCE: This is an assembled production built up by Walter Legge from portions of a rehearsal on July 27 and live performances in the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth on August 5, 16, 19, 21 and 24, 1951. It was originally issued by Columbia Records on 68 sides (34 disks) at 78 rpm, making it the largest production ever issued in that format.
SOUND: This is one of producer Walter Legge's first attempts to crack the problem of recording the unique sound of Bayreuth. There are undoubtedly faults, as pointed out by prior reviewers. For those who insist on hearing the worst, it should be noted that the new tape recording technology of the era was not quite up to such a huge project as this one, so there are a few occasions of overloading, fade away and discernible joins. Nevertheless, the overall effect is not as bad as all this would seem to suggest. Considering that it is a first attempt, the mono sound is acceptable and capable of pleasing any listener who is more interested in the performance than the sound technology.
CAST: Hans Sachs*, cobbler - Otto Edelmann; Walther von Stolzing, knight - Hans Hopf; Eva Pogner - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf; Sixtus Beckmesser*, town clerk - Erich Kunz; Veit Pogner*, goldsmith and Eva's father - Frederick Dalberg; David, apprentice cobbler - Gerhard Unger; Magdalena, Eva's nurse - Ira Malaniuk; Fritz Kothner*, baker - Heinrich Pflanzl; Kunz Vogelgesang*, furrier - Erich Majkut; Konrad Nachtigall*, tinsmith - Hans Berg; Balthasar Zorn*, pewterer - Josef Janko; Ulrich Eisslinger*, grocer - Karl Mikorey; Augustin Moser*, tailor - Gerhard Stolze; Herrmann Ortel*, soap maker - Heinz Tandler; Hans Schwarz*, stocking weaver - Heinz Borst; Hans Foltz*, coppersmith - Arnold van Mill; Nightwatchman - Werner Faulhaber. (* Member of the Guild of Master Singers) CONDUCTOR: Herbert von Karajan with the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra and Chorus.
DOCUMENTATION: Libretto in German.
COMMENTARY: The Bayreuth Festival was reborn from the catastrophe of the war years in 1951. Its former director, Winifred Wagner, the composer's English-born daughter-in-law and dear friend of Adolf Hitler, was still very much alive but she had been firmly removed from any authority at the Festival because of her loudly proclaimed political affiliations. Her sons Wieland and Wolfgang were in charge of the officially de-Nazified Festival and of its nearly empty treasury. It is a famous part of opera lore that the bothers coped with both problems by presenting semi-abstract productions with next-to-bare stages, few props and simple (not to mention cheap) costumes, all bathed in elaborate lighting plots. Those things were certainly true of that year's "Tristan und Isolde" as produced by Wieland Wagner.
But Wolfgang's 1951 "Die Meistersinger von Nuernberg" was still very much a traditional production. Contemporary photographs show St. Katherine's Church in the first act to have been realistic and almost oppressively massive. Hans Sach's shop in the second act was set on stage right at the side of a broodingly authentic-looking Sixteenth Century cityscape. The interior of his house in the first part of act three was dimly-lit and gloomily realistic. Only the final set gave a hint of things to come, for Nuremberg was reduced to a bare stage with risers on each side and across the back, with what appear to be cut-outs of the skyline placed flat against a sky scrim. Costumes and props were resolutely realistic and clunky throughout. All that would change in the next "Meistersinger" production when Wieland got his hands on it ... but not yet.
Less articulated in opera lore is the fact that the new production style was not terribly significant then and much less so now. What was important was that the post-war period was a time of immensely skilled older conductors (as well as that youngish whippersnapper Karajan) and brilliantly talented singers. Consider the cast list: Edelmann, Kunz, Unger, Malaniuk, Stolze, and yes, even Hopf are names to conjure with. And Schwarzkopf is pure magic.
In the nature of things, the titanic egos of the Wagner brothers and Karajan led to conflicts. Not long after this recording was made, Karajan withdrew in the course of a feud over something or other, so the revival of the "Meistersinger" production in 1952 was led by Hans Knappertsbusch (who would feud with the brothers and depart in 1953.) The Knappertsbusch-led performance of "Die Meistersinger" of July 30, 1952 has also become available on CD, perhaps a little more happily recorded than this one. The cast is much the same, with the absence of Kunz, the substitution of della Casa for Schwarzkopf and the addition of brilliant newcomers Theo Adam and Gustav Neidlinger in small parts. The contrast of the two versions is enlightening. Knappertsbusch was the ultimate traditionalist, while Karajan was already beginning to reshape music in his own image.
This is a famous--if artificially assembled--performance from a famous production. There are occasional rough spots, as is to be expected in a live performance. The overall performance is fine. Even Hopf, who had the voice and the strength to be great but not the understanding or the will, is bearable. In fact, he is noticeably better here under taskmaster Karajan than he would be in the following year under the less insistent Knappertsbusch. Schwarzkopf is wonderful. (Her only equal as Eva was the luminous but shamefully under-recorded Elisabeth Gruemmer.)
Good performance, great conductor, stellar cast. It's not perfect, for no "Meistersinger" recording is ever likely to be, but it is certainly worth five stars.
NOTE ON ANOTHER VERSION: This set set unavailable at the moment. As I write this, I see that Amazon UK has a perfectly acceptable version from Naxos, although without a libretto. That version, of course, is freely available here in Vancouver's classical record stores.
Wagner: Die Meistersinger Von N?rnberg Poster
After World War II, the allied powers contemplated suppression of all Wagnerian performance in Germany. However, wiser heads prevailed, and in 1951 the Festspielhaus at Bayreuth reopened under the management of Wagner's grandsons. As noisy as a stage recording can be, with limited fidelity from the dawn of the LP era, this set still conveys the enthusiasm accompanying the newly reopened festival. Casting is uneven, but the recording retains interest for the connoisseur because of the energetic conducting of Herbert von Karajan, the ravishing performance of the young Elisabeth Schwarzkopf as Eva, and the authoritative resonant Sachs of Otto Edelman that shows the great tradition of the Bayreuth singers of the first part of the century. --Christian C. RixClassical Music CDs
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