# Thielemann's Recorded Wagner - Is the Emperor Wearing Clothes?



## Oreb (Aug 8, 2013)

I ask because after having spent a bit of time this year with his Bayreuth and Vienna Rings and the Domingo Parsifal I am struggling to hear anything more than a competent conductor.

I don't by any means hate these recordings - and there are certain parts that he does very well (despite having sadly limited vocal talents at his disposal) like the annunciation of death and both Grail scenes.

But I hear none of the insight - revelation - that Barenboim, for example, achieves, or Gergiev or even Levine (to name three still active musicians).

Is he simply the latest in a long-line of over-praised artists with the backing of strong publicity hacks? Or am I missing something?

Edit: I should emphasise that I'm talking about his Wagner specifically - the object of much praise. I think his Rosenkavalier, for example, is marvellous.


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## Yashin (Jul 22, 2011)

May be some truth in that. The record company's love branding and hype...so if they keep putting the words Wagner and Thielemann together people will believe that he is a great Wagnarian conductor. They have done this for years with the 3 tenors...who can forget 'Pavarotti, the King of the high C's'!!!

Rather than have another Thielemann Ring I would have preferred a Welser-Most Ring...instead we only got act 1 of Die Walkure

It's interesting to listen to how different conductors and orchestras do a particular scene. I find Thielemann's opening on Die Walkure a bit weak and comparing it to the new Gerigiev or Janowski a very poor third.

He's had 2 cracks at it on cd, albeit live...give another talented conductor a go!!!


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## gellio (Nov 7, 2013)

Thielemann's Vienna Ring is nicely conducted. That is the only thing good about it.


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## mountmccabe (May 1, 2013)

I really found a lot in his Der fliegende Hollander from Bayreuth, though I suppose that has not seen a proper release.


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