These criticisms of sound quality in such a performance are so utter lunacy. I've spent the larger part of my life playing and listening to classical music as well as building musical instruments. If one thing is clear it is this: tone,harmony,counterpoint,melody, and rhythm all are extremely secondary considerations to psychic intensity... which is the entire point of music anyway.
This performance has a rare quality that supercedes any mental or physical aspect of the music itself.
Holy S**t! Or should I say Holy Grail?! If I'm not mistaken, this is a 1938 recording. So beautiful, with the quality so evident in spite of the antiquity of the capture technology. It reminds me of a profound and ancient Bordeaux wine, technically past its peak but still a patriarch of its class.
So sad that this wonderful performance occurred around such a tragic period of history for its country of origin. Just goes to show how the best art is ever transcendant.
absolutely glorious with such nobility in the longer notes. I have not heard a complete performance with Furtwangler, but I like this prelude even more than my other 2 favorites, Karajan and Knappertsbush.
not every conductor can grasp you into that magic world within the beginning several bars... Furtwangler made it happen. Don't know how he did it; maybe itself is a magic.
This is a great performance and I agree that the atmosphere is the most important sound quality. In fact I first heard this music on the ancient 78 disks and was no less spellbound for that. But actually the sound here is much worse than the original 78s, an automatic level control has caused strange changes of loudness and has removed the contrast between loud and quiet rather a lot. It would be good to repost it without the automatic level control.
One of the most nobelest pieces of absolute music ever conceived. Listen to the strings performing the harmonic background during the intro. they have no meter, while the melodic section does. one of the earliest examples of polymetric composition. This gives the music such deep reflective meaning. For the period, I think the Audio quality is incredible! no apologies needed here. the music shines thru. the Brass choir at 5:30 is astounding! I knew Furtwangler's Granddaughter.
Certainly one of the greatest Wagnerian conductors of all time, in many ways the greatest IMO; I wish the sound quality were better. Knappertsbusch, Muck, and Boulez also rule in this opera.
I tend to agree, although I'd say: so-called "sound quality" is one thing, atmosphere another. This has plenty of the latter, which is sound quality indeed.
These criticisms of sound quality in such a performance are so utter lunacy. I've spent the larger part of my life playing and listening to classical music as well as building musical instruments. If one thing is clear it is this: tone,harmony,counterpoint,melody, and rhythm all are extremely secondary considerations to psychic intensity... which is the entire point of music anyway.
This performance has a rare quality that supercedes any mental or physical aspect of the music itself.
VelikyUstyug1 6 months ago
Masterpiece
brunoblood 1 year ago
Holy S**t! Or should I say Holy Grail?! If I'm not mistaken, this is a 1938 recording. So beautiful, with the quality so evident in spite of the antiquity of the capture technology. It reminds me of a profound and ancient Bordeaux wine, technically past its peak but still a patriarch of its class.
So sad that this wonderful performance occurred around such a tragic period of history for its country of origin. Just goes to show how the best art is ever transcendant.
DCSIGNR 1 year ago 2
absolutely glorious with such nobility in the longer notes. I have not heard a complete performance with Furtwangler, but I like this prelude even more than my other 2 favorites, Karajan and Knappertsbush.
tennispro4408 1 year ago 2
not every conductor can grasp you into that magic world within the beginning several bars... Furtwangler made it happen. Don't know how he did it; maybe itself is a magic.
amfortas1978 1 year ago
This is a great performance and I agree that the atmosphere is the most important sound quality. In fact I first heard this music on the ancient 78 disks and was no less spellbound for that. But actually the sound here is much worse than the original 78s, an automatic level control has caused strange changes of loudness and has removed the contrast between loud and quiet rather a lot. It would be good to repost it without the automatic level control.
borinpc 1 year ago
One of the most nobelest pieces of absolute music ever conceived. Listen to the strings performing the harmonic background during the intro. they have no meter, while the melodic section does. one of the earliest examples of polymetric composition. This gives the music such deep reflective meaning. For the period, I think the Audio quality is incredible! no apologies needed here. the music shines thru. the Brass choir at 5:30 is astounding! I knew Furtwangler's Granddaughter.
78timothy 2 years ago 16
well, one of the first examples of polymetric music since the pre-baroque era, anyway...
azoriusherald 2 years ago
@78timothy What do u mean with polymetric composition? I'm a classical music lover but I can't understand some technic language.
vinciano 4 months ago
Certainly one of the greatest Wagnerian conductors of all time, in many ways the greatest IMO; I wish the sound quality were better. Knappertsbusch, Muck, and Boulez also rule in this opera.
billyguns2 2 years ago 4
I tend to agree, although I'd say: so-called "sound quality" is one thing, atmosphere another. This has plenty of the latter, which is sound quality indeed.
xwsftassell 2 years ago 3
@billyguns2 You forget Clems Kraus
moosatious 11 months ago
great! the lord!
thurshus 3 years ago 3