Wagner: Die Walküre: Final Scene; Friedrich Schorr, Kirsten Flagstad (1936)

Gaetano Merola, Orchestra of the San Francisco Opera
(Recorded 8th November, 1936, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco)
Wotan - Friedrich Schorr
Brünnhilde - Kirsten Flagstad
===============
0:00:00 - "War es so schmählich, was ich verbrach"
0:05:59 - "So tatest du, was so gern zu tun ich begehrt"
0:09:53 - "Leb' wohl, du kühnes, herrliches Kind!"
0:13:57 - "Der Augen leuchtendes Paar"
0:20:08 - "Loge, hör'! Lausche hieher!"
===============
"Die Walküre" ("The Valkyrie") is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner, with a German libretto by the composer. It is the second of the four works that form the cycle "Der Ring des Nibelungen" ("The Ring of the Nibelung"). It was first performed at the Royal Court and National Theatre in Munich on 26th June, 1870.

[@babylonian.captivity]

I have no words. "Der diese Lieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeebe mir..." The tears flow. Flagstad's voice contains the sun in it.

[@relax2234]

Flagstad is so great, her golden full tone. Schorr is also unbelievable. Klemperer said, that Schorr was the best Holländer.

[@remomazzetti8757]

Great singing which is to be expected from these extraordinary artists, but the conducting is pedestrian, and the entire excerpt is pitched nearly a half step too high.

[@pierremarchais6522]

There is no performance of Die Walküre in San Francisco on the 8th of nov. 1936. There were only 2 performances of Walküre on the 13th and the 22nd of nov. 1936. We know the second act which was broadcasted on the 13th. I should be interested to know the right origine of this present recoring because the sound is excellent and the artists are very good.

[@matthewbarker4663]

Too quiet to be a stage peformance, and the dry acoustic does no favours to either of the singers - especially Schorr. Heavily cut as well. A quick search online shows this to be a radio broadcast of an abridged act III. Details are: November 8, 1936 Die Walkure Act 3 abridged extracts (18 mins) with Flagstad and Schorr c. Merola broadcast as part of the Magic Key programme

[@jonathanreel3711]

To me, Schorr sounds more like a Tristan or even a Lohengrin than a bass-baritone Wotan along the lines of London or Hotter. Still, he’s magnificent, and Flagstad is an amazing vocal athlete-innig vertrauauauauauauausut trozt ich deine.Gebot (!)

[@gerhardrohne2261]

Schorr has this high regard from certain quarters. but a match for Wilhelm Roder or Rudolf Bockelmann?

[@BaroneVitellioScarpia1]

Wilhelm Rode is clearly the best among these three.