Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg

Heppner is, well Heppner. And that's pretty great, in my book. Clearly of the Melchior school, and much better than in the disappointing (at least to me) Met Tristan telecast.

Solti, I think, was more exciting (which is what you go to Solti for, after all) in the earlier recording.

Now, here's the deal. I like the Sawallisch recording better. He is more from the "kappelmeister" school, and less of the "Uebermaessiger Stern", if that means anything to you. Heppner is a little freer of spirit, if that makes any sense. And Studer is more interesting than Mattila. I also prefer Weikl here to van Dam. I simply feel its a little late in the game for van Dam. Of course, that's a personal opinion. Isn't that what all music is?

As for the Karajan recordings. I am awed by Karajan's talent. I love his Ring Cycle (except Rheingold). But I think he over refines "Meistersinger" and the undervoiced, overmiked and way over-recorded Kollo is always, at least for me, objectionable. Heppner is much to be preferred, in either recording.

And perhaps one of the recording companies will discover the fabulous American, ROBERT DEAN SMITH, put him in front of a microphone, give him a great conductor and allow him to put to disc the greatest Walther (and Lohengrin and Parsifal and Siegmund) of this generation. Hopefully, soon.


One of the Best Meistersinger around!!   January 4, 2004
 14 out of 18 found this review helpful

DON'T listen to this cdsullivan. He/She is totally inconsistent in his/her recommendation of Meistersingers. Here, she praises the Kubelik, to quote "he pulls off so well you don't notice what speed they are: you only notice the music." AND "Walther, often the weak link, is here turned into one of the greatest strengths of the opera by Sandor Konya, a little-recorded Hungarian tenor. He sings here with a youthful ardency that is enormously compelling, and his voice is a radiant outpouring of liquid gold, quite able to match the voice of his Eva in tonal beauty."

But she also wrote a "So you like to buy a Meistersingers guide" in which, she herself said of the Kubelik, "It is sunk by the unacceptable Walther, the orchestra's overbright, string-dominated sound, and Kubelik's at times sluggish tempi."

First she says the tempi is good and Konya is wonderful. Then she turns around and lambasts the tempi & Konya. What kind of reviewer is that.

On the other hand, here she gives the Solti 3 stars, but there she says "Solti's second set ('Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg'), from live Chicago concerts, is more musical but less idiomatic. Every member of the cast offers some of the most solid, beautiful vocalization anywhere in the Meistersinger discography...This will be first choice for many."

Again, totally inconsistent reviews!!

Let me give you a more objective viewpoint. The recording was made from live performances in Chicago's Orchestra Hall in Sep 1995. In the concert performance, the orchestra, soloists and chorus were situated next to each other with little separation. As a result, when Decca's engineers recorded the concert, they would not "separate" the three elements. The result you get is relatively closedly miked soloists, very upfront choral singing (unlike most modern sets where the chorus is placed backwards" and also upfront orchestral playing "Culshaw-style" (though perhaps a little less upfront than "Culshaw-style". Basically everything is upfront and the soloists, orchestra and chorus sound like they are next to each other (and in fact they are). Whether you like it or not is a matter of taste. But the digital sound is full, vivid and gorgeous. The choral singing is superb - the precision is breathtaking and astonishing. The soloists vocalize very beautifully but not very dramatically. If they had addded more "drama" into their vocalization, this would have been even a better set. Having said that, everyone of the singers sing very beautifully and there's not a weak link in terms of vocal beauty. Solti's conducting is "flowing" rather than "punchy". The orchestra plays magnificently, but like the soloists the playing is beautiful with a certain lack of "drama" in their playing (the CSO is afterall a symphony orchestra not an opera orchestra).

If you listen to, for examples, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra or Convent Garden Orchestra or Orchestre de l'Opera-Bastille, you will realize that these opera orchestras play somewhat differently - with more "drama". Listen to Solti's La Traviata (Convent Garden) or Solti's Die Frau Ohne Schatten (Vienna Philharmonic) or Chung's Samson Et Dalila or Chung's Otello, and you will get the point. For that matter listen to Solti's Lohengrin, Tannhauser, Parsifal (all played by the Vienna philharmonic), and you feel the difference immediately.

The conclusion is this: This is a gorgeous performance by first-class solosists, orchestra and chorus beautifully caught by Decca's engineers. The dramatic side is downplayed somewhat (not totally). But it works!!! I love this recording. Whoever said that Meistersingers can only be performed very dramatically?? The fun with listening to opera is to hear different ways of playing it. Would this work as a top recommendation? Definitely.