# Recommend a Siegfried please!



## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

So I've been listening to the first two installments of Valery Gergiev's Ring, and unfortunately he doesn't have a full cycle released. Before I start on a full cycle, I want to listen to the last two operas. I know the highly recommended cycles. But just for Siegfried (and if you care to recommend a Götterdämmerung go for it!) what do you suggest to ensure my first listen is a good experience?

Audio only please


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

The problem is recommending one that doesn't come as part of a complete Ring. How do you feel about historical recordings? Does it have to be one in modern sound?

N.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Yes thanks for mentioning sound. I definitely need good clear sound. Doesn't have to be audiophile level though.

You can recommend one that's part of a full cycle, that's no problem. I just meant when making a suggestion consider the merits of the individual opera. Sorry for the confusion!


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Barenboim with Siegfried Jerusalem would probably be my choice, but others here may prefer Wolfgang Windgassen.

N.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

A beautifully recorded, studio version, beautifully packaged by the old EMI.
Very cheap right now.
Snap it up quick. :tiphat:


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## Faustian (Feb 8, 2015)

The Conte said:


> Barenboim with Siegfried Jerusalem would probably be my choice, but others here may prefer Wolfgang Windgassen.
> 
> N.


The thing is, I don't believe there is a full recording of the Siegfried from that set which is currently available in audio form (the DVD would be the only option).

I haven't heard the Haitink, but another acceptable alternative if you want to hear Jerusalem would be this recording under Levine:









I think the most important factor in whatever recording you choose is that you find a singer for the title role that can at least do the part some justice. The recording under Solti with Windgassen and Nilsson might be the best pairing of a Siegfried and Brunnhilde you will find in excellent sound at a reasonable price, but Jerusalem and Behrens aren't bad.


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## howlingfantods (Jul 27, 2015)

Just get the Bohm cycle. Can be picked up for 25 bucks used, 40 bucks new, or best of all, you could pick up that Wagner: The Great Operas box set with all 10 of his mature operas for between $40 to $50 by shopping around.









That set includes the Bohm Ring cycle, the Bohm Tristan (one of my two favorite recordings along with the Furtwangler), along with a full set of all of Wagner's other operas in nothing worse than decent performances. The Sawallisch recordings also in the box from the early 60s are also quite good, especially the Lohengrin. At around a dollar a disk, it's hard to do better than this set, especially considering the quality of performances.

The Bohm is one of the great cycles--still one of the top couple of cycles in my estimation, along with the Krauss 1953 and the Furtwangler 1950 also clustered around the top, and the Bohm is in significantly better sound. His Rheingold and Walkure are also significantly better than the Gergiev that you've picked up and would be an interesting contrast for you.


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## Faustian (Feb 8, 2015)

Of course if you go with Böhm's Götterdämmerung keep in mind that it cuts Gutrune's solo scene that begins the last scene of the opera, which is a very big drawback for me and reason I wouldn't recommend it for someone's first listen.
.


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## howlingfantods (Jul 27, 2015)

Faustian said:


> Of course if you go with Böhm's Götterdämmerung keep in mind that it cuts Gutrune's solo scene that begins the last scene of the opera, which is a very big drawback for me and reason I wouldn't recommend it for someone's first listen.
> .


I don't believe that's true in any of the generally available issues from Phillips or Decca of his recording. I've probably purchased it in four or five different forms now and all have included that scene. Wieland Wagner infamously did cut the scene in the 1965 performance, but after the howls of outrage, they restored the scene pretty damned fast. I believe the commercially released performances are from the 1967 cycle.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

For me the Bohm cycle is just too monochrome. The recording doesn't show very good microphone placement either. Also in her awakening Nilsson sings with unsteady pitch. Of course, being asleep all those years obviously affected her! She recovers to her usual glories but you can't love her - at least not me, although the voice itself is stupendous.
The Janowski set produces a very good Siegfried, well conducted and sung. But Karajan's conducting tips it for me. The final duet (I usually cut to Act 3) is amazing. I know some have criticised Jess Thomas' Siegfried as too lightweight but at least he sounds like a young man, which is more than can be said for Windgassen, who was at the end of his career with Bohm and Solti. Actually the best sung Siegfried (in modern recordings) appears to be Kollo for Janowski. Caught when his voice was at its peak!


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## Faustian (Feb 8, 2015)

Even on a good day Kollo is a pretty sub par Siegfried.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Faustian said:


> Even on a good day Kollo is a pretty sub par Siegfried.


Just better than the rest on this showing!


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Itullian said:


> A beautifully recorded, studio version, beautifully packaged by the old EMI.
> Very cheap right now.
> Snap it up quick. :tiphat:[/QUOTE
> 
> I did just that! There was one new one left so I went for it. Unlike Solti and the other usual suspects, Haitink's full cycle isn't available on Apple Music. I'm letting myself take a breather from the Ring until that arrives. Once it's here on Wednesday or Thursday then I'll manically listen through Siegfried and Gotterdammerung!


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Sonata said:


> Itullian said:
> 
> 
> > A beautifully recorded, studio version, beautifully packaged by the old EMI.
> ...


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

For now at a very reasonable price new, 21.00, in fantastic modern digital sound,
with an excellent cast, I recommend the Bayreuth Barenboim.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Itullian said:


> For now at a very reasonable price new, 21.00, in fantastic modern digital sound,
> with an excellent cast, I recommend the Bayreuth Barenboim.


I think this one is available on Apple music (unlike the Haitink Siegfired) so I think I'll look that up. thank you!


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Sonata said:


> I think this one is available on Apple music (unlike the Haitink Siegfired) so I think I'll look that up. thank you!


The Haitink is available too, but only in a bargain version.
The other original version extremely expensive.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Actually . Bohm made the cut in other performances of that Ring , but restored it for the Philips recording which was actually released . 
Even the greatest conductors can make errors in judgment !


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

I'll be starting the final disc of Siegfried on my commute home from work today. I am 9 albums in to the Ring with 5 more to go . Soon I'll have scaled that epic opera-lovers summit!

A big thanks to Itulian on the info on my Haitink Siegfried. A great set. I think I may cobble together a Ring one conducter per opera. It's hard not to want physical copies even though I enjoy Amazon music. Or maybe I'll get the other installments in Haitink's Ring to start with. Who knows yet, I think I'll start shopping for another installment in October or November.


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## Steatopygous (Jul 5, 2015)

STefan Vinke, who was Siegfried in the Melbourne Ring in 2013 was astoundingly good for someone so little known. Now, according to Opera Australia artistic director Lyndon Terracini, he is the "greatest Siegfried alive". Maybe this should be served with a little salt, but remember the name. In fact I see he sang the role at Bayreuth this month, though I haven't seen any reviews.


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