RE: Parsifal

Music Lane

It's all about the music, dude! Sit down, relax and listen to some tunes.

RE: Parsifal

Posted by Chris from Lafayette (A) on April 3, 2015 at 16:18:12

In Reply to: Parsifal posted by TGR on April 3, 2015 at 15:29:18:

Hi, TGR - I don't have nearly the number of Parsifal sets you do, but both my wife and I still love the 1993 Levine/Met DVD with Meier, Jerusalem et al. This is really my idea of what a traditional production ought to embody. The attention to detail in the sets is just overwhelming!

I'm beginning to agree with some opera buffs that the visuals are a necessary part of the opera experience too, and just listening to a soundtrack so-to-speak (on CD, vinyl, SACD, or whatever) misses much of the intended experience which the composer and librettist doubtless had in mind. Of course, sound-only recordings are in many cases the only way we can get to magnificent performances by certain great artists, so what else can we do? ;-) (Not to mention that so many productions that find their way to video are infected by Eurotrash stagings! But Levine's video Parsifal is certainly exceptional IMHO.)

Also, I kind of disagree with you about Gergiev's recording (which I've heard only on Spotify). Even listening via Spotify, I was bowled over by the technical quality of the engineering. And as for the performance, maybe I approached it with a different set of expectations (i.e., I wasn't expecting much), but I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it - the clarity was just amazing. (Of course, that could have been from the SQ too.)

BTW, I also wanted to mention that I got a chance to work very briefly (a couple of times) with Irene Dalis (the Kundry in Kna's '62 performance) after she retired and was working at San Jose State and Opera San Jose. (Don't call it Opera Silicon Valley!) Wonderful lady!

As for your general point as to what makes good listening on Good Friday, I'm kind of partial to Parsifal (of course!), but my Bach choice would be the St. John Passion, rather than the St. Matthew Passion. I just know the St. John quite a bit better than I know the St. Matthew, although (as I've mentioned in a previous post), I believe Schumann preferred the St. John Passion too - for its concentration of the drama (as opposed to the expansion of it in the St. Matthew). In any case, they're both great works - but I do feel that the St. John sometimes gets a bit of a short shrift from some listeners and writers. (My favorite performance is the old Lehel-led version on the Hungaroton label, with Reti, Hamari, et al.) And just in the last week, I've discovered Maximilian Steinberg's magnificent Passion Week works (posting below, under the Gretchaninoff thread), which I'm sure will be part of my Holy Week listening in future years too.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Parsifal - TGR 15:29:18 04/03/15 (14)

RE: Parsifal - Diogenes 07:54:31 04/05/15 (2)

Actually, the *end* of Sigfried is when I wake up. : ) nt - jdaniel@jps.net 10:43:46 04/05/15 (0)

Understandable - TGR 09:47:39 04/05/15 (0)

How is Solti's when it comes to "glow?" - jdaniel@jps.net 19:23:32 04/04/15 (4)

Not hard driven - TGR 09:46:13 04/05/15 (3)

RE: Tangentially . . . - goldenthal 13:31:12 04/19/15 (0)

RE: Not hard driven - JefferyK 13:50:32 04/06/15 (0)

THanks for details. Sounds like the Kubelik is for me. nt - jdaniel@jps.net 10:46:31 04/05/15 (0)

Parsifal: "Amfortas! Die Wunde!" -- Jonas Kaufmann (Met Opera) YT - John Marks 17:16:52 04/03/15 (3)

Yup - it's hard to beat those Jonas Brothers! - Chris from Lafayette 16:31:15 04/04/15 (0)

Kaufman - TGR 16:03:34 04/04/15 (1)

His MET Parsifal is available on Blu-ray and it's really terrific on all counts. (nt) - Russell 13:07:06 04/06/15 (0)

RE: Parsifal - Chris from Lafayette 16:18:12 04/03/15 (1)

RE: Parsifal - TGR 16:02:42 04/04/15 (0)

Follow Ups

RE: Parsifal - Chris from Lafayette 16:18:12 04/03/15 (1)

RE: Parsifal - TGR 16:02:42 04/04/15 (0)

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