Composer: Richard Wagner
Performer: Wolfgang Windgassen, Hilde Konetzni, Martha Mödl, Ferdinand Frantz, Gottlob Frick, Elsa Cavelti
Orchestra: Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma della RAI
Conductor: Wilhelm Furtwängler
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Warner
Release: 1990
Size: 710 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Die Walküre
Act 1
01. Vorspiel
02. Scene 1: “Wes Herd dies auch sei” (Siegmund)
03. Scene 1: “Sies Haus und dies Weib” (Siegmund)
04. Scene 1: “Einen Unseligen labtest du” (Siegmund, Sieglinde)
05. Scene 2: “Müde am Herd fand ich den Mann” (Sieglinde)
06. Scene 2: “Durch Wald und Wiese” (Siegmund, Hunding, Sieglinde)
07. Scene 2: “Friedmund darf ich nicht heißen” (Siegmund)
08. Scene 2: “Ein starkes Jagen auf uns” (Siegmund)
09. Scene 2: “Die so leidig Los dir beschied” (Hunding, Sieglinde, Siegmund)
10. Scene 2: “Ich weiss ein wildes Geschlecht” (Hunding)
11. Scene 3: “Ein Schwert verheiß mir der Vater” (Siegmund)
12. Scene 3: “Schläfst du, Gast?” (Sieglinde, Siegmund)
13. Scene 3: “Der Manner Sippe saß hier im Saal” (Sieglinde)
14. Scene 3: “Dich selige Frau” (Siegmund, Sieglinde)
15. Scene 3: “Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond” (Siegmund)
16. Scene 3: “Du bist der Lenz” (Sieglinde)
17. Scene 3: “O süßeste Wonne! Seligstes Weib!” (Siegmund)
18. Scene 3: “Im Bach erblickt’ ich” (Sieglinde, Siegmund)
19. Scene 3: “Siegmund heiß’ ich und Siegmund bin ich!” (Siegmund, Sieglinde)
20. Scene 3: “Siegmund, den Walsung” (Siegmund, Sieglinde)
Act 2
21. Vorspiel – “Nun zaume dein Roß, reisige Maid!” (Wotan)
22. Scene 1: “Hojotoho! Hojotoho!” (Brünnhilde)
23. Scene 1: “Der alte Sturm, die alte Müh’!” (Wotan)
24. Scene 1: “Wie loncht und laub du dich stellst” (Wotan, Fricka)
25. Scene 1: “Heut – hast du’s erlebt!” (Wotan, Fricka)
26. Scene 1: “So ist es denn aus mit den weigen Göttern” (Fricka)
27. Scene 1: “Nichts lerntest du” (Wotan, Fricka)
28. Scene 1: “Was verlangst du?” (Wotan, Fricka)
29. Scene 1: “Heiaha! Heiaha! Hojotoho!” (Brünnhilde, Fricka, Wotan)
30. Scene 2: “Schlimm, fürcht’ ich, schloß der Streit” (Brünnhilde, Wotan)
31. Scene 2: “Als junger Liebe Lust mir verblich” (Wotan)
32. Scene 2: “Von dem Ende wollt’ ich” (Wotan, Brünnhilde)
33. Scene 2: “Ein andres ist’s, achte es wohl” (Wotan)
34. Scene 2: “Nun einer könnte” (Wotan)
35. Scene 2: “Doch der Wälsung, Siegmund” (Brünnhilde, Wotan)
36. Scene 2: “So nimmst du von Siegmund den Sieg?” (Brünnhilde)
37. Scene 2: “So nimm meinen Segen, Niblungen-Sohn!” (Brünnhilde, Wotan)
38. Scene 2: “Weh’! Nimm reuig zurück das Wort!” (Brünnhilde, Wotan)
39. Scene 2: “So sah ich Siegvater nie” (Brünnhilde, Wotan)
40. Scene 3: “Raste nun hier, gönne dir Ruh!” (Wotan)
41. Scene 3: “Hinweg! Hinweg! Flieh die Entweihte!” (Siegmund, Sieglinde)
42. Scene 3: “Wo bist du, Siegmund?” (Siegmund, Sieglinde)
43. Scene 4: “Siegmund! Sieh auf mich!” (Brünnhilde)
44. Scene 4: “Der dir nun folgt” (Siegmund, Brünnhilde)
45. Scene 4: “So grüße mir Walhall” (Brünnhilde)
46. Scene 4: “Weh! Weh! Süßestes Weib” (Siegmund)
47. Scene 4: “Zwei Leben lachen dir hier” (Brünnhilde, Siegmund)
48. Scene 5: “Zauberfest bezähmt ein Schlaf” (Siegmund, Sieglinde)
49. Scene 5: “Der dort mich ruft” (Siegmund)
50. Scene 5: “Wehwalt! Wehwalt!” (Hunding, Siegmund, Sieglinde, Brünnhilde, Wotan)
Act 3
51. Scene 1: Walkürenritt. “Hojotoho! Hojotoho!” (Gerhilde, Helmwige, Waltraute, Schwertleite, Ortlinde, Siegrune, Grimgerde, Roßwieße)
52. Scene 1: “Schützt mich und helft in höchster Not!” (Brünnhilde, Die acht Walküren)
53. Scene 1: “Hört mich in Eile” (Brünnhilde, Die acht Walküren)
54. Scene 1: “Nicht sehre dich Sorge um mich” (Sieglinde, Brünnhilde, Die acht Walküren)
55. Scene 1: “Fort den eile” (Brünnhilde)
56. Scene 1: “O hehrstes Wunder!” (Sieglinde, Wotan, Die acht Walküren, Brünnhilde)
57. Scene 2: “Wo ist Brünnhild’, wo die Verbrecherin?” (Wotan, Die acht Walküren)
58. Scene 2: “Weichherziges Weibergezücht” (Wotan)
59. Scene 2: “Hier bin ich, Vater, gebiete die Strafe!” (Brünnhilde, Die acht Walküren)
60. Scene 2: “Nichtsend’ ich dich mehr aus Walhall” (Wotan, Die Walküren, Brünnhilde)
61. Scene 2: “Hörtet ihr nicht, was ich verhängt” (Wotan, Die acht Walküren)
62. Scene 3: “War es so schmählich, was ich verbach” (Brünnhilde, Wotan)
63. Scene 3: “Nicht weise bin ich” (Brünnhilde, Wotan)
64. Scene 3: “Der diese Liebe mir ins Herz gelegt” (Brünnhilde, Wotan)
65. Scene 3: “Deinen leichten Sinn laß dich denn leiten” (Wotan)
66. Scene 3: “Wohl taugte dir nicht” (Brünnhilde, Wotan)
67. Scene 3: “Du zeugtest ein edles Geschlecht” (Brünnhilde, Wotan)
68. Scene 3: “In festen Schlaf” (Brünnhilde, Wotan)
69. Scene 3: “Leb wohl, du kühnes, herrliches Kind!” (Wotan)
70. Scene 3: “Der Augen leuchtendes Paar” (Wotan)
71. Scene 3: “Loge, hör! Lausche hieher!” (Wotan)
72. Scene 3: Feuerzauber
The 1953 Rome Radio recording of Das Ring der Nibelungen from which this Die Walküre is taken was not Wilhelm Furtwängler’s first recorded Ring cycle. Parts of the great German conductor’s 1937 London Ring were recorded and issued later as pirates, and all of his 1950 La Scala Ring was recorded and likewise later released as pirates. This Rome Ring, too, was recorded, and though it was later broadcast on the radio, it was only much later released on LP by EMI in 1972. Part of the delay was caused by Decca’s refusal to surrender the rights to several of its singers who appeared in the cycle, and part of the delay was caused by EMI’s belief that in comparison to the sonic splendors of the Solti/Decca and Karajan/DG Ring recordings, its aging monaural recording would seem old and dowdy.
It was wrong. Despite antique sound and a minimal advertising budget, Furtwängler’s Rome Ring sold very well in its time — and it continues to sell well on CD since EMI released it in 1991. It’s easy to understand why. For one thing, it has on the podium Wilhelm Furtwängler, then, now, and always, the greatest twentieth century conductor of nineteenth century Austro-Germanic orchestral repertoire. Furtwängler’s understanding of Wagner’s music is complete, and his ability to express its magnificence unmatched. For another thing, it was taped one act at a time every two to four days between October 26 and November 27, 1953, thereby allowing the singers the time to recuperate between bouts. This Walküre was recorded on October 29 and November 3 and 6, and every singer sounds thoroughly strong and fresh. Thus, Ferdinand Frantz’s commanding Wotan and Martha Mödl’s appealing Brünnhilde don’t sound exhausted by Act III — as well they might in a live performance in a theater.
But perhaps the greatest quality of this Walküre, and by extension, this Ring, is the enthusiasm the Rome orchestra brings to their parts. A first-rate radio orchestra, the Italians had never played this music before and their energy is unstoppable. While German or Austrian players steeped in the Wagnerian idiom would certainly have responded with greater assurance to the music, the Italians under Furtwängler create the constantly flowing torrent of sound Wagner demands, and when coupled with the German’s wonderfully idiomatic singing, the result is an intense and powerful performance. Despite the limitations of the sound, this Walküre, like the Ring from which it is taken, is arguably the finest ever recorded.