Kirsten Flagstad & Set Svanholm "Siegmund, sieh auf mich" Die Walküre

Kirsten Flagstad & Set Svanholm sing
"Siegmund, sieh auf mich" from
Die Walküre by Richard Wagner
Wiener Philharmoniker
Georg Solti, conductor
Wien 1957

[@randysills4418]

Fabulous Flagstad! An amazing example of astonishing breath support, interpretation, and masterful singing despite her 62 years! If we only had ONE soprano as good as she is here alive and singing Wagner now, we would be SO blessed! How fortunate that she left EMI/RCA and made the almost four years of recordings with London/Decca! John Culshaw was so wise to make the recordings: as great documents of the time and as great gifts for posterity!

[@randysills4418]

Thank you for posting! Flagstad was incredible...even at 62!

[@tenorschofield]

Danke maestro Ulrich!!!, this is a great duet with two great singers as Flagstad and Svanholm; a must for anyone who is interested in wagnerian repertorie!!!BRAVO!!! (will call you by skype,okey?) Saludos,John

[@roideschats8799]

Flagstad et Svanholm ! ...nous sommes bénis ! ...voilà des musiciens ! ...Flagstad me transperce l'âme comme un glaive à chaque fois qu'elle commence à chanter... c'est tout... Svanholm est avec Lorenz mon ténor wagnérien préféré...

[@Zva26]

With so many of today's singers burning out so fast, it's incredible to me that Kirsten Flagstad was able to retain her vocal ability at the age of 62, which was her age at the time of this recording. She was equaled (but not surpassed) only by Birgit Nilsson.

[@mannail888]

Flagstad has never ever been equaled by anyone else in her pacticular repertiore.

[@randysills4418]

Larry Mitchell Sorry Larry. Nilsson did not equal her. She came close, but never quite made the equal status...

[@Zva26]

@Randy: When one is speaking of Wagnerian sopranos on the level of Flagstad and Nilsson, I think it's almost futile to make comparisons. Both towered over all the others. The voices were different. Flagstad had a huge and warm sound that was overwhelming in its richness. Nilsson had a laser voice that could reduce an orchestra to a string ensemble. Nilsson had a soaring and powewrful top top B and C (her Turandot demonstrated this more than any Wagner opera), but Flagstad's middle and lower notes were positively gorgeous. I'd hate to have to choose between them. We were so fortunate to have them. I doubt whether they will ever be surpassed. I also love Nilsson in Strauss' Elektra, Salome, (Flagstad never undertook them) but I loved Flagstad in Fidelio and Alceste. These ladies from the frozen North have both left legacies that will always the the standards by which others will be judged. Another Flagstad? Another Nilsson? Forget it! Both are living on their own galaxies.

[@mannail888]

Girls, girls, chill out.

[@cantorgasma]

I wish there were a recording of this scene available with her and Melchior. Svanholm is perfectly swell, but, but, but...

[@randysills4418]

Theodore Rusoff There are live performances of Flagstad and Melchior available. One was from Boston 1940 of this opera complete. Look it up on the computer. One company that had re-issued this is in Canada and one in France. I suggest that you go with the French outfit....better pressing...

[@GamleMich]

Try a Complete recording of Die Walküre on Guild (GHCD 2215/7). This is a mix of different performaces at The Met under Erich Leinsdorf (1940).

[@GamleMich]

Or this on KZbin from 1939:kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zqfcm4h5bcShrJI

[@user-yy1fx1tp5q]

I believe the conductor here is Karl Boehm, Solti no way

[@Zva26]

Sorry to correct you, but this scene was recorded by London/Decca to fill out the fourth side of the complete Walkure, Act III with Flagstad. Was recorded in May, 1957, and Solti is the conductor.

[@randysills4418]

Karl Bohm conducted an EMI recording in June of 1949 of this same scene with Flagstad and Svanholm and The Philharmonia Orchestra of London.

[@xxsaruman82xx87]

@@randysills4418 Which, incidentally, is much better, both musically and vocally.

[@SingerGeneLeonard]

I wonder who the Wotan & Sieglinda was in this recording??

[@randysills4418]

This was not part of a complete Die Walkure recording but was recorded to fill up the fourth side of two discs that were for Act 3 of Die Walkure also recorded in May of 1957...

[@gregorymartin7526]

Svanholm is perfectly dreadful, compared to a Vickers or Melchior Ugh

[@BritinIsrael]

+Gregory Martin Never a truer word said! Give me Vickers anytime!