Walter von Stolzing………………René Kollo
Eva………………………………
.Helen Donath
Hans Sachs………………………..Theo Adam
Sixtus Beckmesser……………… .Geraint Evans
Veit Pogner………………………..Karl
Riddersbusch
David………………………………Peter
Schreier
Magdalene…………………………Ruth
Hesse
Choir of the Staatsoper Dresden
Staatskapelle Dresden conducted by Herbert von Karajan
If I were cast-away on a desert island and could only take ten recordings,
then this glorious set would have to be one of them. I remember rushing home
with the five- LP set in the early 1970s and listening non-stop, in rapt
attention, right through their four hours duration. Now, I am not a confirmed
Wagnerite; vast tracts of the music leave me unmoved; but to quote an often-used
phrase in the context of this work, it has great humanity for it deals with
universal emotions and issues. The Victor Gollancz quote, published in the
CD booklet, from Journey Towards Music, sums up my attitude. Gollancz says:
"There is no "too-muchness" about Die Meistersinger, nothing cloying, nothing
overripe: on the contrary, it is forever fresh and happy…I must find
a word to sum it up, this work, for all my anti-Wagnerism, I have never ceased
to love: let me call it heavenly."
Wagner leisurely portrays the citizens of 16th Century Nuremburg - their
warts as well as their finer characteristics. All the major characters have
rounded characters and the events of the simple plot proceed easily and logically
towards the grand climax of the song contest.
The Gramophone critic lavished praise on the album: "An amazing, heartwarming,
glorious achievement! Karajan's interpretation is exceptional only in its
superlative quality; and, under his direction, the Dresden Staatskapelle
is the ideal orchestra for the work. The choirs are magnificent and the recorded
sound is luminous." Desmond Shaw Taylor added: "I don't think I have ever
heard even at Bayreuth, such fresh youthful natural sounding Apprentices
or such brilliant clarity in the street riot at the end of Act II. The
determination that everything shall sound as clear and beautiful as possible
is characteristic of Karajan's approach." These are sentiments I enthusiastically
endorse.
The production team included Ronald Kinloch Anderson and Christopher Parker.
The former had expressed doubts about Karajan's determination to have genuinely
young singers in the principal roles of Walther and Eva (Helen Donath was
very much an eleventh hour choice). But in the event, Kinloch Anderson was
entirely won over: "Karajan's decision to use Donath and Kollo was absolutely
right. For the first time in my experience of the opera (going back 40 years)
Eva and Walther sound really young and make thereby a splendid contrast to
the heavier side of the cast: Sachs, Pogner and the other masters." Yes,
indeed. René Kollo as Walther is magnificent, ardently heroic and
romantic in expression; a very pleasant-timbered, light tenor voice with
impeccable delivery and articulation. Helen Donath (Eva) impresses strongly
too. She is a most pleasant lyric soprano but with a knowing expressive
capability which adds the proper dimension to her role, especially in her
flirtings with Hans Sachs.
The renowned Staatskapelle, Dresden play the opening Prelude with real fervour
and it emerges so fresh and powerful - and how beautifully it segues into
the church choir's singing as Act I opens. Act I is mainly concerned with
Walter's trial song before the Masters who are bemused at his radical performance
- especially the sly spiteful marker, Beckmesser. Karl Riddersbusch makes
a fine dignified, sincere Pogner willing to demonstrate his commitment to
the ideals of the Masters by offering his daughter Eve in marriage to the
winner of the song contest (provided she is willing). Geraint Evans is a
superb Beckmesser. Evans manages to avoid the trap of overbalancing the
character's blacker side and therefore pitching the opera over into satire
and polemic. Evans', in-character, nasally grating delivery, graphically
portrays Beckmesser as the oily and scheming wretch that he is, yet, at the
same time, Evans actually makes us feel sorry for the silly man when he is
duped by Sachs. The exchanges between these two in Act II when Beckmesser
rehearses his song in front of Sachs' cobblers workshop is hilarious; Sachs
hammering at his last with increasing ferocity an frequency for each of
Beckmesser's faults. The riot scene which ensues when David (again spiritedly
sung by Peter Schreirer) attacks Beckmesser seeing him serenading his Magdalene
(Beckmesser thinking she is Eva) is vividly staged with a most enthusiastically
raucous chorus.
But it is Act III that always impresses most. Here is glorious music from
beginning to end. The opening orchestral Prelude is a loving portrait of
the quiet strength of middle-aged Hans Sachs - noble, wise, honourable and
shrewdly self-sacrificing knowing he cannot compete with Walther for the
hand of Eva. Theo Adam cast as Sachs, at Karajan's insistence, entirely proves
himself in a wonderfully rounded portrayal. His monologue "Illusion, everywhere
illusion", is a cynical tirade against man's capacity to damage himself and
others. Yet it turns into a reflection on the peacefulness of the Nuremburg
night and the possibility of a noble outcome to the morrow's song contest
dilemma. Then we have the scene between Sachs and Walther where the knight
is encouraged by the older man to work on his song despite Walther's animosity
towards the Masters. Bechmesser peeping into Sach's shop espies the manuscript
of the song and tries to steal it but Sachs notices him but allows the sly
fellow to go away with it warning him he must know how to sing it. Sachs
recognises and blesses the union of Walther and Eva and promotes David to
journeyman thus enabling him to marry Magdalene. There follows the rapturous
quintet "morning-dream" in which all five bless their good fortune and look
forward to future happiness.
The scene shifts to the meadows where the song contest is to take place.
The well-known grand march of the Masters follows and the lovely, lilting
Dance of the Apprentices. This performance has great theatrical presence.
Beckmesser jumps in with both feet and makes a complete ass of himself and
totally botches the prize song. Then before the angry crowd banishes him,
he accuses Sachs of having set him up and betrayed him. In self-defence Sachs
calls Walther as witness to sing the song as it should be delivered proving
it is a valid entry. This Walther does and the beautiful song blossoms into
full flower building climax on climax with the comments of the crowd boosting
the emotional crescendo. Of course Walther wins the contest and the hand
of Eva but declines accession to the guild of Mastersingers. Sachs gently
admonishes him in his final grand aria in which he defends the noble purpose
of Masters and their great artistic tradition. The opera ends jubilantly
as the people cheer Eva when she puts Walther's wreath on Sachs head who,
in turn, places the gold chain of the guild around a now willing Walther's
neck.
I superficially compared the sound of the LPs to the new CD set. The LPs
sounded very good in their day and I honestly could not detect any great
improvement in quality. Of course, one could argue that the surface noise
of the LPs is absent and there are just 4 CDs as opposed to 10 LP sides.
I must say, however, that the book that came with the original set was very
sumptuous. It contained many illustrations that are not included in the nearly
400-page booklet that comes with the CDs (most of which are devoted to the
libretto). In the LP-set book there were many illustrations of the original
production's sets designed by Max Brückner; plus drawings of some of
the actors in scenes from the opera; and some half dozen pictures of the
leading actors' costumes.
A classic recording indeed, and one to prize.
Reviewer
Ian Lace
Staatskapelle Dresden conducted by Herbert von
Karajan
