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CD Review
Richard Wagner
Volume Two
- Overture to Rienzi
- Act III Prélude to Lohengrin
- Faust Overture
- Prélude to Die Meistersinger
- Siegfried Idyll
- Siegfried's Rhine Journey from Götterdämmerung
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Lorin Maazel
RCA 74321-68717-2 70:49
Only two works here are actually entities unto themselves – Siegfried Idyll and the Faust Overture – with the others being associated with a Wagner opera. But clearly this is not one of those so-called "bleeding chunk" recordings, common among orchestral Wagner recordings. Maazel has selected an attractive program in his second volume here and gives vital and incisive readings that are full of color and power, rich in atmosphere and detail. His Berlin players perform with their usual virtuosity and sensitivity in music they know about as well as any ensemble.
The Faust Overture has plenty of dark atmosphere and vivid color, and is perhaps the most successful performance on the disc. That's saying a lot since everything here is well played and incisively read. To point out just a few more highlights, the Meistersinger Prélude comes across with spirit and much color as well, and the gentleness and beauty of the Siegfried Idyll is rendered with such feeling and intelligence by Maazel and the Berliners. The verdict on this disc must be that it is one of the finest such issues of Wagner's music in recent years.
RCA provides brilliant, rich sound, competitive with the best offered by anyone today. The notes by Thomas S. Grey are informative, as well. If you like a mix of orchestral Wagner, this disc will certainly have great appeal.
Copyright © 2001, Robert Cummings
