# Five Desert-Island Wagner recordings



## Ulfilas (Mar 5, 2020)

In an interesting discussion about his latest book "Wagnerism" (highly recommended, one of my top 5 Wagner books!), Alex Ross gets this final question:

*I would like to put you on the spot, if I may, and ask what five Wagner recordings you would like best to be stranded on a desert island with?*

_This is surprisingly easy! I would name:

1. The Ring of the Nibelung, Joseph Keilberth conducting, Bayreuth 1955 (Testament)

2. The Ring of the Nibelung, Patrice Chéreau directing, Pierre Boulez conducting, Bayreuth 1979-80 (DG DVD)

3. Tristan und Isolde, Wilhelm Furtwängler conducting (EMI, also can be downloaded from Pristine Classical).

4. Parsifal, Hans Knappertsbusch conducting, Bayreuth 1962 (Philips)

5. Lohengrin, Rudolf Kempe conducting (EMI)_

It's probably been done before, but opinions change as time goes on.

I'll try to be honest with these picks, these are the ones I would actually pack in my suitcase!

1. Der Ring des Nibelungen, James Levine conducting (DG)

2. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Rafael Kubelik conducting (Arts)

3. Parsifal, Daniel Barenboim conducting (Teldec)

4. Tristan und Isolde, Reginald Goodall conducting (Decca)

5. Lohengrin, Joseph Keilberth conducting, Bayreuth 1953 (Naxos Historical)


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## WildThing (Feb 21, 2017)

I can't argue with Ross's selections too much, he picked some tremendous recordings, truly iconic. I'd also probably go with the Keilberth Ring, the Furtwängler T&I, the '62 Knappertsbusch Parsifal and Kempe's Lohengrin. Then I suppose I'd toss in Kubelik's Meistersinger because I couldn't be without a complete Meistersinger, as much as I hate the thought of having to give up Bruno Walter in Act I of Die Walküre with Melchoir and Lehmann or Karl Muck's excerpts from Parsifal (with the authentic bells!).


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)




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## Clairvoyance Enough (Jul 25, 2014)

Kleiber's Tristan.

Solti's Rheingold. This is the only version that gets the opening with the rhinemaidens right to me, but it was the first one I heard so maybe I am biased.

Karajan's Walkure because it has the most tender version of Wintersturme. I would miss Barenboim's because it has the scariest Wotan, and Levine's because I love its rendition of Brunnhilde comforting Wotan after the argument with Fricka. 

Janowski's Siegfried by far has the best Nothung song and Magic Fire imo, but I like Karajan's Forest Murmurs the best... coinflip.

I'm not as familiar with Gotterdammerung, so I can't make a real choice there. Ditto for Meistersinger and Parsifal, but I do like Karajan for both from what I have heard. If forced to pick a fifth right now I'd take Parsifal. 

I switch recordings every 10 or 20 minutes when I listen to Wagner, so this would be a crummy exercise if it were real. Also, while I respect the classic older recordings with dated sound quality, I can't even imagine choosing one of those for life when so much of the pleasure in Wagner is his rich orchestration.


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

I don't have 5, because I'm not enough of a Wagner aficionado just yet. But this one would be among them:


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## Ulfilas (Mar 5, 2020)

Clairvoyance Enough said:


> Kleiber's Tristan.
> 
> Solti's Rheingold. This is the only version that gets the opening with the rhinemaidens right to me, but it was the first one I heard so maybe I am biased.
> 
> ...


Yes it's difficult. I like Janowski's Siegfried too (the first one).

An off-beat choice maybe, but I think Simone Young in Hamburg nails the opening of Rheingold, such buoyant rhythmic energy, Wolfgang Koch's fantastic Alberich, and a wonderfully harmonious group of Rhinemaidens. Overall I think it's a very strong recording.

Kleiber's Tristan is also on my shortlist, along with Böhm.

I'd suggest having a listen to the Levine Götterdämmerung, it's the best part of his ring, and Goldberg is at his best (he makes some convincingly heroic sounds where needed).


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## Guest002 (Feb 19, 2020)

MatthewWeflen said:


> I don't have 5, because I'm not enough of a Wagner aficionado just yet. But this one would be among them:


I wish I could take that music seriously. 

I'm afraid all I hear in my head is 'I killed the wabbit'! (About 2:40 in!)

It might be a generational thing!


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

So far, I have only managed to "process" 2 operas by Wagner, the Ring Cycle and Tristan und Isolde. I would take Solti for the Ring and Kleiber for the Tristan.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

I'm not one to sit through many of his operas though I can occasionally do so with Meistersinger. I do enjoy the Wesendonck songs and selections from time to time -- both sung and orchestrated. Here are some favorites.

Stokowski Houston Symphony *Wagner sytheses*; I especially like the Japanese SACD that mates them to orchestrated Chopin.








Who sings Wagner better? The greatest voice of the 20th century in my opinion. Her *Wesendonck songs* appear below mated to heartbreaking songs on the death of children.








*Meistersinger* with Fish Dish, Domingo and Jochum.








One of the most thrilling experiences I know -- the great Gottlob Frick singing *Tannhauser* selections.








Honorable mention: Bruno Walter, Lotte Lehmann and Lauritz Melchior singing *Die Walkure Act 1* on EMI -- easily the best opera of the Ring cycle.

My only regret: no listing from the wonderful Wolfgang Windgassen, my favorite Wagnerian heldentenor.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

Die Walkure, Act 3 - Lehmann/Melchior/Walter

Tristan und Isolde - Flagstad/Suthaus/Furtwängler

Ring cycle - Furtwängler 1950 La Scala

Parsifal - Knappertsbusch 1951

Die Meistersinger - Knappertsbusch 1951


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

AbsolutelyBaching said:


> I wish I could take that music seriously.
> 
> I'm afraid all I hear in my head is 'I killed the wabbit'! (About 2:40 in!)
> 
> It might be a generational thing!


My kids love that short. I do hear it and smirk, but I can shake it off and appreciate the music on its own.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Ring - Goodall, ENO
Ring - Keilberth, Bayreuth 1955
Tristan - Karajan, Bayreuth 1952
Meistersinger - Solti, CSO (Decca)
Parsifal - Knappertsbusch, Bayreuth 1962


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

MatthewWeflen said:


> My kids love that short. I do hear it and smirk, but I can shake it off and appreciate the music on its own.


I love it too! ' What do you expect in opera a happy ending?' :lol:


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Controversial!xxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

wkasimer said:


> Ring - Goodall, ENO
> Ring - Keilberth, Bayreuth 1955
> Tristan - Karajan, Bayreuth 1952
> Meistersinger - Solti, CSO (Decca)
> Parsifal - Knappertsbusch, Bayreuth 1962


Hey!! Another Solti CSO guy!!!


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

larold said:


> *Meistersinger* with Fish Dish, Domingo and Jochum.
> View attachment 144363


Nice to see some appreciation for Jochum's Meistersinger. My set arrived today and I am listening right now. I like it a lot.

Who is "Fish Dish"?


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

SixFootScowl said:


> Nice to see some appreciation for Jochum's Meistersinger. My set arrived today and I am listening right now. I like it a lot.
> 
> Who is "Fish Dish"?


Fischer- Deskau


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

I find the nicknames people give performers rather funny. "Fish-Dish" has to be the funniest I've heard yet! :lol:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Itullian said:


> Fischer- Deskau


I wonder if he appreciated that? Maybe it was posthumus, so he will never know.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)




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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

If this were the voting thread, so far Jochum and Kubelik Meistersingers are neck-to-neck at 2 and 2 votes each. I haven't listened to Kubelik enough to place it in my Meistersinger list but it is in the top three along with Sawallisch and Jochum. I also like Varvsio, but it is a step below those three.

This is a fun thread and it is tempting to put up a favorite for each Wagner opera, but I think the OP made it five because I don't think the site lets more than five images in a single post.


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

This is hard! I'm so glad I don't have to make this choice for real!














































OK there, don't take it too seriously now. : )


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

SixFootScowl said:


> If this were the voting thread, so far Jochum and Kubelik Meistersingers are neck-to-neck at 2 and 2 votes each.


Which Jochum? 1949 or the commercial DG? For me, the latter is a complete non-starter.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Sorry my mistake.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

My post #14 was in response to post #3 in case anyone was wondering why I randomly said that. I thought it would appear immediately after 3 but apparently not!:lol:


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

I don't know if the Ring cycle counts as one unit, or four - in any case, Solti's "Ring"cycle is certainly included....then I'd include
Reiner conducts Wagner disc
Toscanini's Tristan P and L-D. Plus Lohengrin preludes
Solti/CSO Wagner overtures and preludes..

Other strong contenders:
The aforementioned Stokowski/Houston excerpts
Barenboim's CSO disc with Parsifal excerpts
Fennell/Eastman Wind Ensemble - Elsa's Procession from Lohengrin (short, but just magnificent!!)


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

adriesba said:


> This is hard! I'm so glad I don't have to make this choice for real!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Probably my choices too with the possible exception of Holländer.


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

Barbebleu said:


> Probably my choices too with the possible exception of Holländer.


Oh, cool! What would your fifth choice be?


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## jmtocali (Feb 15, 2014)

My choices:
Parsifal, Kna 1962
Meistersinger, Solti, CSO
Tristan, Bohm
Ring Cycle, Barenboim at Bayreuth
And the surprise... Der Fliegende Holländer, Steinberg, the excellent recording by Naxos


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## Ulfilas (Mar 5, 2020)

jmtocali said:


> My choices:
> Parsifal, Kna 1962
> Meistersinger, Solti, CSO
> Tristan, Bohm
> ...


I think I already surprised everyone at some point by voting for Levine's Fliegende Holländer on Sony Classical...


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## vtpoet (Jan 17, 2019)

Since I don't ever listen to Wagner, (every so often I try but he does nothing for me) I would have to respectfully request that I be able to listen to the entirety of his oeuvre before being abandoned to my island and one coconut tree.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

wkasimer said:


> Which Jochum? 1949 or the commercial DG? For me, the latter is a complete non-starter.


Commercial DG as depicted in posts *#3* and *#9*.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

adriesba said:


> Oh, cool! What would your fifth choice be?


Parsifal - Knappertsbusch, Bayreuth '64, probably!:lol:


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## gvn (Dec 14, 2019)

1. The "Dream Ring" with Schorr, Flagstad, Melchior cond. Bodanzky, Leinsdorf, and Furtwängler (Immortal Performances)

2. Parsifal with Hotter, Windgassen, Dalis cond. Knappertsbusch, Bayreuth 1963 (though if you'd allow me to take Acts I & III from 1963 but Act II from 1952, thus substituting Mödl for Dalis, I'd be happier still)

3. Meistersinger with Greindl, Windgassen, Grümmer, cond. Knappertsbusch, Bayreuth 1960

4. The Ring with Hotter, Mödl, Windgassen, cond. Keilberth, Bayreuth 1953

5. Meistersinger with Nissen, Noort, Reining, cond. Toscanini, Salzburg 1937

And if I were allowed some food on the desert island as well, I'd be very grateful. But perhaps that would be too much to ask. First things must come first....


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