[ooheadsoo]

I need a pre '45 recording of Walkure for a paper I'm considering writing. The older the better, actually. I picked up the Naxos '38 from reading several posts by resident gurus, but it won't be here for a few days and time is short. Are there any other goodies but oldies that are readily available? I do have to have "something" to work with, comparing it to either the '62 Leinsdorf/LSO (yay) or the '73 Bohm/Bayreuth (boo) (haven't decided which, will probably depend on which will give me the greater contrast, performance wise, so a "good" or "perfect" performance is not necessarily even desireable. Or if there's a cheap modern Walkure I can use along with the '62 or '73 or to replace either of those altogether, that would be appreciated, too.

 

[bigshot]

The Walter first act is what all other performances are measured against. Nothing will compare with that.

See ya
Steve

 

[PSmith08]

Frankly, I am rather fond of Bohm's Bayreuth recording, even preferring it to Leinsdorf for a whole host of reasons. However, Barenboim's early 1990s recording, more notable for Kupfer's odd staging than Barenboim's excellent pit work, is good.

If you are looking for contrast, Furtwangler's La Scala Walkure from 1950 is an excellent recording, though lacking in sound quality. Solti also recorded act 3 in '57 with Flagstad as Brunnhilde.

Just some options.

 

[ooheadsoo]

Thanks for the recommendations, you two.

I ended up doing a brief 10 page paper on walter 1935 vs leinsdorf 1962 vs bohm 1965 primarily because I already had the leinsdorf and the bohm. Didn't do much with it but I did dig up a few interesting connections between the conductors. Don't have a grade yet, but my TA came up and complimented me on having a good paper. PM me if you feel like taking a peek, but it's seriously not a very important paper.

Cheers to you guys.

 

[Bunnyears]

Congrats on the good word! I guess you are only a short step away from multiple copies of everything like so many of us.

 

[ooheadsoo]

Oh, I try so hard not to! I used to be an avid collector of all things...that...I felt like collecting...but I learned quickly enough, and thousands of squandered dollars later, that I have neither the room nor money for that to be feasible. And, frankly, I don't have the time to listen to or watch 7 or 14 versions of Brandenburgs. These days, I try to audition everything on amazon before purchase, and then, I'll only buy a cd unheard if it's like $2

Well, I did say "try," didn't I?

Thanks, Bunnyears.