Krauss: Wagner – Parsifal (4 CD box set, APE)

Performer: Anna Tassopulos, Erika Zimmermann, Gene Tobin, George London, Gerda Wismar, et al.
Orchestra: Bayreuth Festival Orchestra
Conductor: Clemens Krauss
Composer: Richard Wagner
Audio CD
SPARS Code: A-D
Number of Discs: 4
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Archipel
Size: 777 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Disc: 1
01. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Vorspiel
02. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. He! Ho! Waldhüter ihr
03. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Seht dort, die wilde Reiterin!
04. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Recht so! – Habt Dank! – Ein wenig Rast
05. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Nicht Dank! – Haha! Was wird es helfen
06. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. O wunden-wundervoller heiliger Speer!
07. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Titurel, der fomme Held
08. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Weh! Weh! – Ho! Ho! – Auf!
09. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Nun sag! Nichts weißt du

Disc: 2
01. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Vom Bade kehrt der König heim
02. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Verwandlungsmusik
03. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Nun achte wohl und laß mich seh’n
04. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Mein Sohn Amfortas, bist du am Amt?
05. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Wehvolles Erbe, dem ich verfallen
06. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Enthüllet den Gral!
07. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Wein und Brot des letzten Mahles
08. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 1. Was stehst du noch da?

Disc: 3
01. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 2. Die Zeit ist da
02. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 2. Ach! – Ach! – Tiefe Nacht!
03. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 2. Ho! Ihr Wächter! Ho! Ritter!
04. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 2. Hier war das Tosen! Hier! Hier!
05. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 2. Komm, komm, holder Knabe!
06. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 2. Parsifal! – Weile!
07. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 2. Dies alles – hab’ ich nur geträumt?
08. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 2. Ich sah das Kind an seiner Mutter Brust
09. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 2. Wehe! Wehe! Was tat ich?
10. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 2. Amfortas! – Die Wunde!
11. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 2. Grausamer! Fühlst du im Herzen
12. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 2. Vergeh, unseliges Weib!

Disc: 4
01. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. Vorspiel
02. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. Von dorther kam das Stöhnen
03. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. Wer nahet dort dem heil’gen Quell
04. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. Heil mir, daß ich dich wiederfinde!
05. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. So sag, zu wem den Weg du suchtest?
06. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. O Herr! War es ein Fluch
07. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. Nicht so! Die heil’ge Quelle selbst
08. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. Gesegnet sei, du Reiner, durch das Reine
09. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. Wie dünkt mich doch die Aue heut so schön!
10. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. Du siehst, das ist nicht so
11. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. Mittag. Die Stund’ ist da
12. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. Geleiten wir im bergenden Schrein
13. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. Ja, Wehe! Wehe! Weh’ über mich
14. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. Nur eine Waffe taugt
15. Parsifal, opera, WWV 111: Act 3. Höchsten Heiles Wunder!

A miracle!!! KNA

First off, I must admit that I wasnt quite prepared for how great this Parsifal is. I have long been, as my other reviews will attest, a firm believer that the KNA 62 is the best Parsifal on disc. I am not going to say this is better, yet, but there is no reason why it shouldnt be with the exception of the variable sound(which is still fine on all levels-though not perfect for those new to historical recordings). And i should have expected something considering there is no finer conductor of this opera than KNA(and maybe of Wagner as a whole-check out KNA’s 1950 Trisolde and 56 ring cycle—-ooooooohhh aaaaahhhhh—–
The first thing that hits you(and never lets go) is the interpretation of Gurnemanz by Josef Griendl. It may be the best on disc-and if not-only Hotters betters it. Gurnemanz might be my favourite Wagner\opera character. Therefore I always am looking for the best interps and consequently, for me, a Parsifal lives and dies with this character. Griendl is, hands down at least equal to the best-with a voice that is in perfect form from beginning to end, perfectly dominating when need be, and perfectly forgiving when called for. I cant say enough about his performance. I am left utterly without words.
Martha Modl is good as Kundry-a little different, but still evocative, unique, and perfectly seductive when appropriate. Wolfgang Windgassen is a fine Parsifal. Hans Hotter is, of course, a great Amfortas, second to only London on the 62 Kna(which is the finest Amfortas ever recorded)
Klingsor is played by a perfectly vindictive Gustav Niedlinger and a young Theo Adam plays Titurel(really the only qualm in the entire performance-he is fine of voice but too light here compared to the real deep basses I have come to expect for this role.)
Lastly, this interp varies considerably from the 62 Phillips. It is funny how in many reviews people talk about his idiosyncratic tempos, though each party suggests the other is the odd one. This tempos are much more at length and slow than his 62(in my experience, slower is usually misidentified as adding depth though usually it instills only boredom or a lack of understanding or revealing thematic lines and content. However, this might be the finest example of slower tempos adding that depth. This is a successful example of what conductors like Levine attempt to accomplish(though miserably fail) and proves, to me at least, that Levines problems arent length but something else entirely-I mean this is probably similar in overall time yet worlds more compelliing to be his DVD\CD.
For overall versions, I would still have to recommend this KNA62 because of its superior sound as the first choice. But for those who are seeking different versions, this is one of the most compelling performances in all Wagner.
on oct 11 I have decided that this 54kna is the best vocally while the 62kna is the best musically. There. I said it.