An interesting idea,
to pit the erotically charged second
act of Tristan against Brünnhilde’s
highly-strung valediction forming the
close of the Ring cycle. Previously
McGlinn and John Horton Murray had
recorded scenes from Lohengrin
and Siegfried for this company,
a disc that I found ‘a mixed bag’. Something
similar here, but generally that bit
more successful. Naxos include all texts
and English only translation, as well
as synopsis.
This increased success
seems to stem from a greater identification
on the part of orchestra and conductor
although interestingly the series of
sessions for the two discs overlapped.
Maybe the value of this disc comes from
the inclusion of the 1862 concert ending
for the love duet, ‘created against
the possibility of concert use’ as McGlinn
neatly puts it in his notes. It is published
in the ongoing Schott Complete Wagner
Edition.
Tristan Act
2 begins disappointingly - this is hardly
the explosion of sexual energy that
the score demands (at the opening of
track 4, as Isolde dismisses Brangäne’s
doubts, the orchestra is similarly restrained
in its response). Yet as the distant
horns sound, here they do actually sound
like hunting horns. Isolde (Margaret
Jane Wray) is young-sounding and therefore
refreshing. More, she sounds impulsive,
propelled on in her actions by love,
not logic.
Tristan’s entry is
powerful enough from the singer (John
Horton). Again it is the orchestra that
lets the moment down, with scrappy strings
and giving a generally restrained impression.
Strange to hear the singer involved
with their roles and the orchestra going
through the motions for much of the
time, a fault that reaches its climax
at the crucial ‘O ew’ge Nacht’ (track
19), where the dramatic build-uyp is
effective scuppered.
Brangäne in her
off-stage reminder (track 17) is distanced
but echoey - presumably this was to
enhance the spookiness of the moment,
but it has the reverse effect. For the
rest, Nancy Multsby (closely associated
with Chicago’s Lyric Opera) is powerful
enough. She calls on an almost Erda-isch
quality at times.
So to the Concert Ending
(track 19). So strange to slip into
the ‘Verklärung’ at this point
(and to hear Tristan himself adding
counter-melodies in music that is so
closely associated with Isolde alone).
The strange thing is that it works (actually
when you come to think of Wagner’s genius
for elision, perhaps it is not so surprising
after all …).
Wagner was big on farewells,
and here is Brünnhilde saying goodbye
to life in spectacular fashion, taking
her horse, Grane (this is Wagner, everything
has a name), with her. Wray’s voice
seems to take on a more piercing quality
here, but there remains the over-riding
impression of a run-through. More of
a sense of depth of interpretation from
all parties would be welcome. A prime
example comes at the very end of track
21, when Brünnhilde projects something
of tenderness at the words ‘die treueste
Liebe’ (‘his truest love’); the ensuing
‘trog keiner wie er’ (‘none deceived
as he!’) counts for little, however,
the orchestra half-hearted, the singer
hardly much more so.
The lyric impulse is
undeniably present throughout, yet there
is little (or none, if I’m being honest)
of the sense of grandeur that the close
of a phenomenon demands. And the Ring
cycle is a phenomenon, of that there
is no doubt. The most heinous crime
is the massive sag in tension at the
beginning of the final track (Naxos
labels the final five minutes ‘Apotheosis’),
immediately after Brünnhilde sings
‘Selig grüsst dich dein Weib!’
(‘Your wife greets you!’). Evidently
Siegfried isn’t too thrilled to see
her.
Worth it for the concert
ending, then, but as a Wagner experience
this disc leaves much to be desired.
Comparison with the Great and Good of
Wagner interpretation is not called
for here.
Colin Clarke
see also
review by Robert Farr
Margaret Jane Wray (soprano, Isolde and Brünnhilde);
Nancy Maultsby (mezzo, Brangäne); John Horton
(tenor, Tristan) 