Kirsten Flagstad - Talking About Music with John Amis and John Culshaw

[@Zva26]

Flagstad's voice was a vocal wonder of the world. How fortunate that so many of her recordings have been digitally remastered and given a "new sonic life". Her only real successor was Birgit Nilsson. Together, the two of them constitute the greatest Wagnerian singing of the Twentieth Century.

[@wilsonwatt9283]

@Nicholas Ennos What a completely rude and stupid comment by someone who apparently knows and cares nothing about opera

[@direfranchement]

Nilsson was not her successor. Flagstad had no successor.

[@meltzerboy]

@@direfranchement Some would say Nilsson had no predecessor.

[@direfranchement]

@@meltzerboy That’s something very different. Impossible to know whether she had a predecessor. Easy to ascertain that she was not Flagstad’s successor.

[@captainamerica-qw1gl]

Successor, yes, but not quite her equal in roles they shared.

[@Tenortalker]

She was treated with such cruelty after WW2. One of the greatest artistes ever - she deserved much better, but her memory has far outlasted those who accused her. Kirsten Flagstad triumphed over her foes.

[@mashtali1]

as a non-English speaker, her English is incredible.

[@mckavitt13]

Tears at the end. Can we ever pay enough tribute, homage to this marvellous singer & human being?

[@lochness11]

mckavitt13. A lovely comment

[@VivaRenata]

No! There was Flagstad and then there was (and is) everyone else!

[@mckavitt13]

@@lochness11 Thank you, my friend.

[@ladyrotha5420]

What a delight! Back to an era of excellence, high culture and Light. 🕯

[@kenwallach5718]

Somehow I alway think of the fjords and mountains of Norway when I hear her singing. She had almost an echo in her voice that was unique.

[@g_vezz]

The greatest of all...

[@dubbelhenke854]

Yes. She is.

[@peterwilson5336]

Wonderful wonderful wonderful, thank you for sharing this !

[@noshirm6285]

Gorgeous, gorgeous voice. What a singer!

[@Rosannasfriend]

That was amazing to listen to. The ending definitely made me sad.

[@mckavitt13]

Rosannasfriend Almost all endings, even happy ones, make one sad... by their nature, definition perhaps.

[@karlakor]

There does exist another English-language interview with Flagstad. At the Eastman School of Music is a recording, on several vinyl discs, of a radio broadcast of Die Valkure, which includes an intermission interview with Flagstad. Actually, she does all of the talking, and it is in English,. This recording of the opera now exists on KZbin, but it does not include the interview.

[@randysills4418]

karlakor There is also a radio broadcast in 1937 where she sang "Silent Night." Before the carol, she speaks to her American friends. I think that it is still available.

[@mckavitt13]

karlakor A shame.

[@darklord220]

A basket of thanks for posting this

[@incipaige7201]

Unbelievable voice unbelievable singer. This sound is only possible by the human instrument trained perfectly! Love it!

[@lochness11]

An absolutely fascinating programme about the great Flagstad, including her recorded advice to aspiring Wagnerian singers. A big thankyou for this important historical upload. This broadcast is going straight into My Favourites.

[@randysills4418]

Years ago, I found a recording in New York which had a live performance of The Wesendonk Leider from a live performance given in Norway in 1951. It had some additional speaking by Flagstad than what is here, I think. The Wesendonk Leider was a disappointment. Obviously, whoever was in charge of the taperecorder didn't have any idea how to set the microphones to a suitable level for that huge voice. The BBC did a tribute to Flagstad December 7, 1972, ten years after her passing. In that program, there are additional portions where Flagstad speaks in English. She started with a very small voice of good quality, sang very correctly and the voice grew and GREW!!! There will never be such a great Wagnerian Soprano again. She did ONLY exercises with her first teacher for two years, did repertoire concurrently by herself, and young voice students don't study that way anymore. They try bigger songs and arias too soon!

[@stevebartley8902]

Oh the Sibelius. Glorious.

[@allenjones3130]

The late John Culshaw was one of the most gifted recording producers of all time.

[@Bravilor]

And might have contributed to Jussi Björling's death.

[@thomasmiles340]

Thank you for this wonderful program. Strange that Culshaw doesn't mention that her first complete opera recording for Decca was Gluck's Alceste. Cheers.

[@mckavitt13]

Flagstad disliked her family name being pronounced à la Germanic, that is as “Flagstadt”, as we hear it here in the first sentence of this otherwise commendable, nay precious, documentary. Many thanks. 👏👏👏

[@randysills4418]

John Culshaw is a little off on a few dates, according to his book "Ring Resounding." He actually met Flagstad in March of 1956, when she recorded some songs of Schubert and Schumann. Negotiations with Decca/London Records started in late 1955. Her last commercial recording was in London the first week of 1959. It was the "Songs From Norway" album.

[@randysills4418]

She had actually retired on December 12, 1953 which was forty years to the day of her debut.

[@MrSkylark1]

FLAGSTAD was the GREATEST WAGNERIAN SOPRANO

[@randysills4418]

Absolutely!

[@RWBHere]

There is a longer version of this recording of Flagstad speaking, at: /watch?v=3PjMukkeG9s

[@Felipe.Taboada.]

22:08 siegmund sieh auf mich

[@liloruf2838]

22:00

[@FCOLAXCDG]

❤️🇱🇨

[@paylmoffat3409]

I can’t fund any of her Greig recordings

[@randysills4418]

There are quite a few on KZbin

[@Felipe.Taboada.]

search on youtube this video title ''''''Kirsten Flagstad: Haugtussa Op . 67 by Grieg'''''''

[@Bravilor]

They have since long been completed. No need for further funding.

[@paylmoffat3409]

Would it be fair to say Flagstad was to Wagner as Callas and Tebaldi were to Belcanto

[@Felipe.Taboada.]

yes but the beauty of her voice is uncomparable.

[@sictransitgloriamundi1329]

Tebaldi did nothing to bel canto actually! Still a great voice.

[@ransomcoates546]

She hated people pronouncing her surname as if it were German.

[@AntW11]

This is very poignant

[@voraciousreader3341]

Wagnerian operas and singers leave me completely cold, and this hasn’t helped. In the supposedly wonderful Furtwängler recording, I think she sounds horrible, and her highest notes last a millisecond, just awful.

[@elsalohengrin7777]

You have know any knowledge at all!! And what you than anyway here and comment

[@liloruf2838]

If you have no ears and no heart, you understandably won't understand music.