Flagstad and Furtwangler - Gotterdammerung, part 2

From Wagner's Opera Gotterdammerung
Brunnhilde's Immolation

[@Johnny1206]

No one will ever match Flagstad in the german repertoire! Her voice is glorious, sublime, unique and beautiful!

[@wilhelmvongloeden]

Thanks to recordings like this we know that Flagstad was far more than a legend. She dwarfs any singer from our time. What weight, what intensity, what a trumpet of a voice!

[@Piacevole]

Ooh, I'm proud to be a Norwegian when I hear this. Wagner just sound so right with Flagstad. And she's in terrific shape in this recording, and the sound is great too.

[@scargo1013]

THE voice of all time. Thank you so much!!!

[@GABYCONSTANZA]

just love it, just love it. I was told by many that voice could be heard over the orchestra outside. amazing lady...thank u for posting

[@GirlFromNippon]

Bravo ~ !!! The BEST Brunnhilde's Immolation ever ! THIS recorded at Kingsway Hall in London, on 26 March, 1948, is believed to have been the best "Brunnhilde's Immolation" ever ! :) Even here in Japan, many professional reviewers say that this is one of the greats - the first, and probably the last. The singing style of Flagstad in this one is simply SUPERB ! And the beauty and the strength of her voice at the time of this recording is extraordinary ! :D But what makes THIS "Brunnhilde's Immolation" one of the best ones ever recorded is.... the very last 4.30 minutes of this whole Nibelung Saga which was perfectly performed ! And the way the orchestra speeded up at one point and slowed down at some point with an increase and a decrease in volume made at perfect timing was astounding !! Arigatoh(Thank you) SO MUCH for sharing !

[@DimitrisLian]

Dear violinthief - and Aventao - thank you so much for this, and for the information. I didn't know of the 1952 recording. But if you want to listen to the greatest ever Flagstad/Furtwangler Immolation Scene, forget all studio recordings and go back to the live Gotterdammerung from Covent Garden in 1937! The complete opera does not exist unfortunatelly, but this patr does. Perfection, with a Flagstad at her absolute prime!!!

[@VivaRenata]

@gery666 I was not aware that Nilsson actually acknowledged this (where?) but of course she was right. Nilsson was a fantastic interpreter of Strauss but in the Wagnerian repertoire I maintain that she was only a "light-weight" compared to Flagstad. And this opinion comes from a Swede, where according to tradition we are supposed to be very predjudiced against anything Norwegian.

[@Matthewcoakley08]

She and Nilsson are my favorites. Oh to hear them again.

[@rcdnphy]

Piacevole, I am from Dublin, Ireland founded by the Danes. Place me back in time,I want to marry Kirsten Flagstad

[@falcoluminoso]

Il Crepuscolo degli Dei è un'opera sublime degna di essere immortale Grazie Wagner falcoluminoso

[@Manya1759]

Amazing!

[@francescaemc2]

I'd like to meet the person who dislikes this!!!!!! as Albert Einstein said, "Unlike genius, stupidity is infinite."

[@orovalleydude]

Violinthief: Thanks for posting, astounding!! Rattywotin notes the transition from Flagstad to Nilsson; my voice teacher and I have often spoken of the transition from Traubel to Farrell, both great voices.

[@beunt]

Wow, this is over my words, I discover the Immolation scene anew. I would have appreciated a little more frenzy when Brünnhilde jumps into the pyre, anyway but Flagstad is awesome and Furtwangler is a magician. I must find this record, thank for sharing it !

[@violinthief]

Both the 1948 and 1952 Flagstad/Furtwangler Immolations are with the Philharmonia Orchestra. In fact, this recording is the first time Furtwangler conducted the Philharmonia. There is a blog posting somewhere by one of the Philharmonia musicians which cites this recording session as the musical high point of his life. You'll get no argument with me on Furtwangler/VPO - their Lohengrin Prelude and Siegfried's Funeral March are unsurpassable.

[@sorobji]

How you can hear that Nilsson was the heiress of this magnificent voice.

[@dadasopher]

magnificent

[@francescaemc2]

Grazie mille!!!!

[@jordipanadesribera6890]

WUNDERVOLL !!

[@violinthief]

Aventao - this is not the 1952 recording. This recording features a younger Flagstad, still in her prime. I prefer the orchestral playing in the 1952, but the singing is better here.

[@EinFremderAusElea]

Um zu verstehen wie gut Furtwängler ist, muß man sich "Waldweben" und "Siegfrieds Tod" anhören, obwohl, das Finale hier, nachdem sie alle stumm geworden sind, mag vielleicht auch Zeugnis geben.

[@violinthief]

Your wish is granted - you are wrong in this case. There are two studio versions with Flagstad/Furtwangler. This was recorded in March, 1948. This Flagstad is much closer to her prime than in the 1952 recording.

[@maxlorenz24]

I took the liberty of publishing a video response: the historic live performance from Teatro La Scala. The sound is not as good at the present one, particularly on the bass, but the "live" emotion is there...

[@Pathetikos]

Ja, du hast recht. Bei der Flagstad vermisse ich immer die Charakteristik. In dieser Hinsicht und manchmal auch vom vokalen Standpunkt her bevorzuge ich die Gwyneth Jones (Ihr "Ewig war ich, ewig bin ich" und "Fliegt heim, ihr Raben!" ist unübertrefflich.) Jedenfalls, bin ich mit dir über Flagstads "Interpretationslosigkeit" völlig einig. Sie singt alles - Isolde, Kundry, Wesendonck-Lieder, Brünnhilde - gleich, mit gleicher glänzender Stimme und Technik, aber ohne in den Charakter einzudringen.

[@arbiterveritatis1063]

I considered Varnay the great Gotterdammerung Brunhilde. That being said, this perfomance is just as good; really,better. Less exaggerated and with better vocal "equipment."

[@Sarah-sn1ix]

Nobody cares