Composer: Richard Wagner
Performer: Peter Sonn, Bianca Reim, Sabine Puhlmann, Christian Gerhaher, Wilhelm Schwinghammer, Bettina Pieck, Martin Snell, Michael McCown, Isabelle Vosskuhler, Marina Prudenskaja, Robert Dean Smith, Nina Stemme, Albert Dohmen, Roksolana Chraniuk, Berlin Radio Choir
Orchestra: Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Marek Janowski
Number of DIscs: 3
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Pentatone
Catalogue: PTC5186405
Release: 2013
Size: 2.38 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Tannhäuser
CD 01
Act I
01. Scene 1: Overture – Naht euch dem Strande (Chorus)
02. Scene 2: Geliebter, sag, wo weilt dein Sinn? (Venus, Tannhauser)
03. Scene 2: Dir tone Lob! (Tannhauser, Venus)
04. Scene 2: Geliebter, komm! (Venus, Chorus)
05. Scene 2: Stets soll nur dir, nur dir mein Lied ertonen (Tannhauser)
06. Scene 2: Zieh hin, Wahnsinniger (Venus, Tannhauser)
07. Scene 3: Frau Holda kam aus dem Berg hervor (Hirt)
08. Scene 3: Zu dir wall’ ich, mein Jesus Christ (Chorus, Hirt, Tannhauser)
09. Scene 4: Wer ist der dort im brunstigen Gebete? (Landgraf, Walther, Biterolf, Wolfram, Heinrich, Reinmar, Tannhauser)
10. Scene 4: Als du in kuhnem Sange uns bestrittest (Wolfram, Walther, Heinrich, Biterolf, Reinmar, Landgraf, Tannhauser)
CD 02
Act II
01. Scene 1: Dich, teure Halle (Elisabeth)
02. Scene 2: Dort ist sie; nahe dich ihr ungestort! (Wolfram, Tannhauser, Elisabeth)
03. Scene 2: Den Gott der Liebe sollst du preisen (Tannhauser, Elisabeth, Wolfram)
04. Scene 3: Dich treff ‘ich hier in dieser Halle (Landgraf, Elisabeth)
05. Scene 4: Freudig begrussen wir die edle Halle (Chorus)
06. Scene 4: Gar viel und schon ward hier in dieser Halle (Landgraf)
07. Scene 4: Blick’ ich umher in diesem edlen Kreise (Wolfram, Chorus)
08. Scene 4: Auch ich darf mich so glucklich nennen (Tannhauser, Walther, Chorus)
09. Scene 4: O Walther, der du also sangest (Tannhauser, Biterolf, Chorus, Landgraf, Wolfram)
10. Scene 4: Dir, Gottin der Liebe, soll mein Lied ertonen (Tannhauser, Walther, Heinrich, Wolfram, Biterolf, Reinmar, Landgraf, Chorus, Edelknaben, Elisabeth)
11. Scene 4: Was hor’ ich? (Walther, Biterolf, Reinmar, Heinrich, Wolfram, Landgraf, Chorus, Elisabeth)
12. Scene 4: Der Unglucksel’ge (Elisabeth)
13. Scene 4: Weh! Weh mir Unglucksel’gem! (Tannhauser, Walther, Heinrich, Wolfram, Biterolf, Reinmar, Landgraf, Chorus)
14. Scene 4: Ein furchtbares Verbrechen ward begangen (Landgraf)
15. Scene 4: Versammelt sind aus meinen Landen (Landgraf, Walther, Heinrich, Wolfram, Biterolf, Reinmar, Chorus)
CD 03
Act III
01. Prelude
02. Scene 1: Wohl wusst’ ich hier sie im Gebet (Wolfram, Elisabeth)
03. Scene 1: Begluckt darf nun dich, o Heimat (Chorus, Elisabeth)
04. Scene 1: Allmacht’ge Jungfrau, hor mein Flehen! (Elisabeth, Wolfram)
05. Scene 2: Wie Todesahnung (Wolfram)
06. Scene 2: O du, mein holder Abendstern (Wolfram)
07. Scene 3: Ich horte Harfenschlag (Tannhauser, Wolfram)
08. Scene 3: Hor an! Inbrunst im Herzen (Tannhauser)
09. Scene 3: Nach Rom gelangt’ ich so zur heil’gen Stelle (Tannhauser)
10. Scene 3: Da sank ich in Vernichtung dumpf darnieder (Tannhauser, Wolfram)
11. Scene 3: Willkommen, ungetreuer Mann! (Venus, Tannhauser, Wolfram, Chorus)
12. Scene 3: Heil! Heil! Der Gnade Wunder Heil! (Chorus, Walther, Heinrich, Wolfram, Biterolf, Reinmar, Landgraf)
This is the 6th instalment of PentaTone’s successful Wagner Edition. It is the first time in the recording history that a label records all major Wagner opera’s with the same orchestra, choir and conductor. This makes the PentaTone Wagner Edition a great collector’s item. After this release follows Der Ring des Nibelungen. The 4 opera’s of the “The Ring” will all be released in the course of 2013, The WAGNER YEAR (Celebrating the 200th anniversary of his birth in 1813)
All operas are recorded live in the Philharmonie in Berlin. The first five recordings were awarded with “Editor’s Choice” (Gramophone), Recording of the Month and Opera Choice of the Month (BBC Music Magazine), CD of the week (Sunday Times).
Continuing his extraordinary SACD series of Richard Wagner’s music dramas for PentaTone, Marek Janowski presents Tannhäuser in the original Dresden version, with a dynamic cast, choir, and orchestra that give the performance their all. Like the previous recordings in this project, issued in celebration of the bicentennial of Wagner’s birth, the performance is live and the sound quality is exceptional in capturing both the exciting playing of the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra and the dramatic power of the singers onstage. The standouts are Robert Dean Smith as Tannhäuser, Marina Prudenskaja as Venus, and the exceptional Nina Stemme as Elisabeth, leading a cast that is strong and evenly matched to the roles. The mutichannel format fairly accurately re-creates their movements and positions, so there’s little confusion about the direction of the vocals or trailing off. (The voice of the Shepherd, sung beautifully by Bianca Reim, is remote by design but perfectly audible.) The choir is rich and vibrant, particularly in the Pilgrims Chorus, and the Berlin orchestra has great presence and burnished sonorities; many listeners will prize this recording for its playing, perhaps even more than for the singing. Taken as a whole, this is a highly desirable recording of Tannhäuser that Wagner buffs should consider adding to their collections. Highly recommended.