Halle Die Walküre

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Apologies to all - for Die Walkure must be at the extreme other end of the spectrum from the 'unsung'. But just as Wagner once expressed (in a letter) indignation that a particular mountain was bigger than himself, I'm sure he would also consider himself a perfect exception to the general rule that the proper subject matter of the UC forum should be the undeservedly unsung.

My afternoon is being devoted to the new Halle recording based on performances in Manchester in July 2011. Utterly b*****y glorious thus far, and now up for a breather after Act 1.

What might be of interest to others is that I received my copy through MusicWeb International (it seems to come direct from Wyastone Estate, and not from the good Len in Coventry) and at a price below all advertised prices elsewhere. And it arrives well in advance of its official 'release date' in the UK. All hats off and thrown high in the air to Mark Elder, the soloists and the Halle forces. And, of course, to MusicWeb!

[Alan Howe]

I'm going to disagree, I'm afraid. The problem's the cast, and especially Susan Bullock. Frankly, it is pure torture to listen to a soprano with such limited means in this repertoire - she simply doesn't have the voice for Brünnhilde, resorting to dreadful shrieking when singing full-out. I bought Elder's excellent Götterdämmerung, but will be giving this new release a very wide berth. Apologies!

Instead, consider buying the unsung set conducted by Leinsdorf in the 60s. What you get is vintage Decca recording and a cast to die for, including the great Birgit Nilsson as Brünnhilde. And, although it seems to be deleted, you can pick up a new copy at Amazon for £11.46 plus £1.26 p & p. Now that's a bargain - and you get Wagner singing of a standard that's all but died out today.

[petershott@btinternet.com]

I'm not in the least rattled by your response, Alan. Good natured gents as we are, we shall have to agree to disagree!

For me there is an overwhelming 'rightness' about the Halle's account of Die Walkure. I won't identify the offenders, but 'rightness' is a quality that can't be attributed to other, far more 'glitzy' and 'big-name studded', recordings of this music drama. True, Susan Bullock is not Birgit Nilsson. But then, with respect to the latter, neither is Birgit Nilsson Susan Bullock. The latter brings her own special musical qualities to the role, and I think it is not on at all to charge her with 'dreadful shrieking'. I won't, but easily could, provide you with a list of veritable shriekers! The great achievement of the set is the conducting of Mark Elder. Simply wonderful.

I do, without qualification, agree with you wholeheartedly about that Leinsdorf set. Everyone should have that recording on their shelves, and listen to it every couple of years to remind themselves of what Wagner singing and conducting is about. And it is whatever is the opposite of scandalous that it is currently available so cheaply. I spent far more years ago to buy the LP set and then the CD remastering. We can't complain about inflation here! And how fervently I wished to knock together the heads of those recording company mavericks who in the early 1960s undertook their wheeling and dealing and decided to push Leinsdorf to one side to make way for Solti. True, in those days most of us had to drop spare pocket money into the piggy bank, and when enough was saved up take it down to the local record shop to get our precious bits of plastic. Records were bought with perhaps greater discrimination than today. But, irritatingly, the assumption of record companies then was that only one set of Wagner, or Berlioz, or whoever could be supported by the market. I'm sure that in this case sales of the Solti Wagner recordings would not have suffered at all from the presence of a complete Leinsdorf Ring on the market. The earlier 1940s Leinsdorf recordings from the Met and elsewhere, and with a set of truly great singers, make the mind boggle at the thought of what a set of more modern stereo recordings might have been like.

But I shall shut up before being charged with being an old fogey!

[Alan Howe]

<<The great achievement of the set is the conducting of Mark Elder. Simply wonderful.>>

He's a fine conductor. Unfortunately, for this listener at least, his cast simply isn't up to the same standard.