It’s
become almost customary to refer to famous opera recordings
by the conductor, as in ‘Toscanini’s Otello’ or ‘Furtwängler’s Tristan’,
and this new Parsifal may well fall into that custom.
It’s not that the singers are second best – perish the thought – but
operas on a huge scale, like this one, need such careful
phrasing and tempo management, to say nothing of orchestral
and vocal balance and control, that the conductor really
can be the make-or-break of ultimate success. Thielemann
has many detractors – and I have not always been convinced,
as in his Schumann Second Symphony for DG – but there’s no
doubt that his superb conducting is one of the main sources
of pleasure here.
In
one sense I felt I knew what to expect, as I’ve always taken
great pleasure from one of his better DG discs from the 1990s,
a selection of Wagner chunks, of which two were the Parsifal Act
1 Prelude and an orchestral version of the Good Friday
Music. These were recorded with a glowing Philadelphia
Orchestra and the pacing was suitably leisurely. Here we
have a just-as-glowing VPO but the tempo has picked up and
the inner voices of the texture are just that bit sharper
and more defined. In the Prelude, as throughout, the wind
voicing and colouring is a joy and the rich carpet of string
sonority enhances the ethereal atmosphere.
Whatever
you feel about the questionable philosophy at the core of
the opera – and at least one opera guide describes it as ‘morally
repugnant’ – you quickly find yourself sucked into Wagner’s
voluptuous musical sound-world, which very often reaches
a state of stasis-like contemplation where silence is as
telling as sound. This is Thielemann’s great contribution
here, controlling the ebb and flow of tension and release,
not afraid to move proceedings on with lightness and even
force where required. He so obviously comes from the Karajan
tradition but has learnt from other sources (Boulez?) that
not everything in this piece has to resemble a religious
experience, whatever Wagner thought.
The
casting is certainly of international stature, but don’t
expect the sort of depth of quality you find on the classic
Knappertsbusch Bayreuth recordings. Domingo is supremely
intelligent, as is Meier, and they both show what artistry
they are capable of, as they did in last year’s Proms Walküre.
The fact can’t be ignored that neither sounds young enough
for their respective parts, but on disc this is less of a
problem than on DVD. Both have performed and recorded these
parts before, particularly Meier, who sounds obviously fresher
on the 1991 Barenboim studio recording, but here she brings
even greater insight to the text. Listen to the way she phrases ‘Nein,
Parsifal, du tör’ger Reiner!’ during the long Act 2 seduction
scene with Parsifal, a model of dramatic cogency, though
in the cruelly high tessitura she is no match for Martha
Mödl on the 1953 Knappertsbusch set (Naxos). Domingo paces
himself well, drawing on his considerable reserves for the
later, heavier scenes of Acts 2 and 3. He may not be the ‘pure,
young fool’ of the 39 year-old Windgassen on Naxos, but his
experience and musical intellect reveal many subtleties and
his contribution is deeply satisfying.
The
other roles are also well cast without erasing memories of
earlier portrayals. I particularly like Struckmann’s neurotic
Amfortas, even if he does sometimes gain a rough edge to
the voice when pushed. Selig’s dark-hued Gurnemanz is another
commanding characterisation, while Bankl’s Amfortas is suitably
villainous without descending into whining caricature as
can sometimes happen. The various choruses of Squires, Knights
and Flower Maidens contribute strongly, always alert to the
subtle shifts in Thielemann’s ultra-flexible tempos.
The
recording is good rather than great, but the orchestra is
warmly captured and voices emerge with clarity and presence.
Given the fairly static nature of the work, stage noise is
never too intrusive and ‘patching’ from the three nights
is not obvious. This new set has been given a generally warm
welcome which I would echo, and it is certainly worth it
to bask in Thielemann and the VPO’s sumptuous orchestral
radiance. It is retailing at full price, so it is still worth
pointing out that both classic Knappertsbusch sets are substantially
cheaper, as are Boulez (DG) and Goodall (EMI), so these alternatives
should still be investigated given the relatively lucky history
of this opera on disc.
Tony Haywood
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Amfortas – Falk
Struckmann (bass-baritone) 
