WAGNER: GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG (DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN)

Wilhelm Furtwängler

Released on 1/1/90 by Nar Classical
Main artists: Wilhelm Furtwängler
Genre: Opera

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When Rome Radio taped this Götterdämmerung in 1953, it was the culmination of a cycle of Wagner's complete Der Ring des Nibelungen made under the direction of Wilhelm Furtwängler. Recorded in monaural sound, one act at a time every two to four days between October 26 and November 27, the project was intended for later radio broadcast and not commercial release. The year before, EMI had re-signed the great German conductor and part of its plan was to record a complete Ring in the studio in newly invented stereo sound. Unfortunately, Furtwängler died in November 1954, just weeks after recording a studio Die Walküre in Vienna, and his stereo Ring was left unfulfilled.
Despite this, it took EMI an amazing 20 years to release Furtwängler's Rome Ring. Part of the reason for the delay was that several of the singers were signed to another label, and part of the reason was that EMI thought a monaural cycle couldn't compete with stereo cycles. Finally, in 1972, EMI released the Rome Ring -- and found it sold nearly as well as the stereo competition. Nor, apparently, did the label learn its lesson: though it was releasing compact discs in the mid-'80s, EMI didn't get around to releasing the Rome Ring on CD until 1991.
What, then, do we have in this performance of Götterdämmerung? Taped before a reverent Roman audience on November 20, 24, and 27, we have a Götterdämmerung that could fairly be said to be among the greatest of them all. The cast was arguably the best possible for its time: Ludwig Suthaus is an intrepid Siegfried and Martha Mödl is a deeply affecting Brünnhilde, while Josef Greindl is evil incarnate in Hagen, Sena Jurinac is womanly weakness made flesh as Gutrune, and Alfred Poell is male gullibility given voice as Gunther. The Rome Radio Orchestra, of course, was not to the Wagnerian manner born and bred, but it is a game ensemble and it is clearly thrilled to be performing such exciting music.
And above it all, guiding, shaping, and infusing the whole performance with his extraordinarily inspired conducting, is Wilhelm Furtwängler. Deeply immersed in the music, drama, and philosophy behind the Ring, and the conductor's understanding of the whole gesamtkunstwerk is unparalleled. More importantly, Furtwängler's incredible ability to imbue every line with unbearable intensity while keeping the entire structure driving inexorably forward toward an apocalyptic climax results in performances of overwhelming musical, emotional, and spiritual impact. Listening straight through from start to finish for the entire four-plus hours of this Götterdämmerung is enough to render anyone thoroughly exhausted. Listening straight through from start to finish for the entire 14-plus hours of the Rome Ring is enough to render anyone deaf, dumb, and blind. Despite the obviously antique sound, this is a great Götterdämmerung -- part of one of the greatest Ring cycles ever recorded.

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WAGNER: GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG (DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN)

Wilhelm Furtwängler

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Götterdämmerung, WWV 86D, IRW 20, Prolog: "Welch Licht leuchtet dort?" (Die erste Norn, Die zweite Norn, Die dritte Norn)

Orchestra della Rai di Roma, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Margarete Klose, Hilde Rössl-Majdan, Sena Jurinac