BaL 18.06.11 - Wagner: Tristan & Isolde

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Roger Vignoles with a personal recommendation from the available recordings of Wagner's Tristan and Isolde

Available versions:

Domingo, Stemme, ROHO, Pappano
Uhl, Nilsson, VPO, Solti
Vinay, Nilsson, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Böhm
Windgassen, Nillson, Bayreuth Festical Orchestra, Böhm
Suthaus, Flagstad, Philharmonia, Furtwängler
Windgassen, Ligenzda, Orchestra & Chorus of the Württembergische Staatsoper, Kleiber (Carlos)
Kollo, Price, Rundfunkchor Leipzig & Staatskapelle Dresden, Kleiber (Carlos)
Svanholm, Flagstad, Teatro Colón Chorus & Orchestra, Kleiber (Erich)
Treptow, Braun, Orchester und Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper, Kleiber (Erich)
Treptow, Braun, Staatsoper Munchen, Kleiber (Erich)
Vinay, Harshaw, Metropolitan Opera, Stiedry
Vinay, Varney, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Jochum
Vickers, Dernesch, BPO, Karajan
Windgassen, Nilsson, La Scala, Orchestra & Chorus, Karajan
Vinay, Mödl, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Karajan
Lorenz, Grob-Prandi, La Scala, Orchestra & Chorus, De Sabata
Lustig, Grob-Prandl, Vienna State Opera, Cluytens
Treptowm Braun, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Knappertsbusch
Vinay, Traubel, Reiner
Melchior, Flagstad, LPO, Reiner
Svanholm, Varnay, Metropolitan Oper Orchestra, Kempe
Millgram, Fassbaender, Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra, Segerstam
Treleaven, Brewer, BBC SO, Runnicles
Windgassen, Nillson, Orchestra and Chorus of The Florence Opera, Rodzinsky
Windgassen, Nillson, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Sawallisch
Horand, Bäumer, Chor des Mitteldeutschen Rundfunks, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Konwitchny
Vickers, Nilsson, Buenos Aires Teatro Colón Orchestra, Stein
Gruber, Kuhse, Densen, Vinay, Knela, Thebom; Kraus, Philadelphia Grand Opera Company, Smith
Melchior, Flagstad, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus, Bodansky
Larsen-Todsen, Graarud, Helm, Bockelmann, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Elmendorff
Melchior, Flagstad, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus, Leinsdorf
Brilioth, Nillson, Coro e Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma della RAI, Mehta
Jerusalem, Meier, BPO, Barenboim

Gambill, Stemme, Glydebourne Chorus, LPO, Belohlávek (DVD/BluRay)
Smith, Theorin, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Schneider (DVD/BluRay)
Kollo, Meier, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Barenboim (DVD)
Jerusalem, Meier, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Barenboim (DVD)
Storey, Meier, La Scala Orchestra & Chorus, Barenboim (DVD)
Forbis, Charbonnet, SRO, Jordan (DVD)
Heppner, Eaglen, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus, Levine (DVD)
Kollo, Jones, Chor Und Orchester Der Deutschen Oper Berlin, Kout (DVD)
Decker, Derilova, Dessau Philharmonic, Berg (DVD)
Vickers, Nillson, ORTF, Böhm (DVD)
West, Meier, Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Chorus of the Bayerische Staatsoper, Mehta (DVD)
Treleaven, Polaski, Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of the Gran Teatre del Liceu, de Billy

[DracoM]

Sublime and expert recital accompnaist, Mr Vignoles, but.........balance critic for T & I?? Hmm.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

DracoM, I admit I was a little surprised too. But hey, let's not assume he doesn't know his Wagner.

I have Solti, Furtwangler and Pappano, plus a DVD - must check which it is...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Phew! I've updated the list of recordings. I'm beginning to wish Andrew MacGregor would choose some very obscure works for BaL, with only two recordings to choose from.

[verismissimo]

On CD I have Furtwangler with Flagstad and Suthaus, and Bohm with Nilsson and Windgassen, plus Behlohlavek with Stemme and Gambill on DVD. The latter I don't much care for, musically or visually. Not a patch on the two great sound recordings.

Can't imagine I'll want to invest further, but who can tell?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I would say that the Furtwängler - surely one of the greatest recordings ever made - is the one to choose. The sound is very good, though only in mono and the performance is stunning.

[Richard Tarleton]

Sublime and expert recital accompnaist, Mr Vignoles, but.........balance critic for T & I?? Hmm.

Impeccable credentials as it turned out - RV an inspired choice for Tristan. I thought this was BAL at its best, where the presenter really gets inside the work and the various performances, as opposed to merely telling us which version they like - think also David Owen Norris, as opposed to, well, you know who you are, I won't repeat it.

I don't think I'll be adding another version to my collection (Furtwangler, Bohm - I'm afraid the Solti LPs went years ago) - but I found this a riveting and insightful hour.

[gurnemanz]

I don't think I'll be adding another version to my collection (Furtwangler, Bohm - I'm afraid the Solti LPs went years ago) - but I found this a riveting and insightful hour.

I agree. I also have Böhm (+ Kleiber on LP) and cannot really justify adding another one, especially as the Barenboim, however tempting it may be, appears to be not one for the cheapskates amongst us.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wagner-Trist.../dp/B000000SNQ

[Flosshilde]

however tempting it may be, appears to be not one for the cheapskates amongst us.

Andrew did say that it's being re-issued next month in a cheaper format. It won't have the libretto, but if you've got other recordings that hardly matters.

[ostuni]

Yes, I thought Roger Vignoles did an excellent job - we should be wary of assuming that just because a performer is noted for one area of the repertory, they're not also keen/knowledgeable on something entirely different.

The extracts from the Kleiber/Price/Kollo recording really impressed me. And this is already available at a low price, so I feel a purchase coming on...