110250-51 bk WalkureEC 24/06/2003 12:45 Page 12 Great Opera Recordings ADD 8.110250-51 Also available: 2 CDs WAGNER Die Walküre Acts I and II Lotte Lehmann Marta Fuchs Margarete Klose Lauritz Melchior Hans Hotter Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Bruno Walter 8.110872-75 Berlin State Opera Orchestra Bruno Seidler-Winkler (Recorded in 1935 and 1938) 8.110250-51 12 110250-51 bk WalkureEC 24/06/2003 12:45 Page 2 Great Opera Recordings Producer’s Note The sources for the present transfers were U.S. Victor discs from the 1930s, the most quiet pressings on which these Richard recordings were available. The best portions of the best sides from four “Z”-type shellac pressings were used for Act I, while Act II came from three “Gold” label copies (its earliest form of issue in America). WAGNER The original recordings were quite well engineered for their time, but their reissue history has had mixed (1813-1883) results. A recent, much-acclaimed restoration of Act I was pitched a semitone sharp and did not join several of the sides correctly, while EMI’s transfer of Act II cut music from the original recording in order to squeeze it onto a single CD. For these transfers, I have taken care to pitch each side accurately (the Vienna sides were recorded at a Die Walküre notably lower speed than the Berlin sides), and Act II is presented complete as recorded, with the small cuts in Acts I and II Wotan’s narrative and the Todesverkündingung scene that were present on the original release. Sieglinde . Lotte Lehmann (soprano) Brünnhilde . Marta Fuchs (soprano) Mark Obert-Thorn Brünnhilde (CD 2, track 14) . Ella Flesch (soprano) Fricka . Margarete Klose (mezzo-soprano) Siegmund . Lauritz Melchior (tenor) Wotan . Hans Hotter (baritone) Wotan (CD 2, tracks 14 and 15) . Alfred Jerger (baritone) Hunding . Emanuel List (bass) Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra • Bruno Walter Berlin State Opera Orchestra • Bruno Seidler-Winkler Act I recorded 20th to 22nd June, 1935 in the Musikvereinsaal, Vienna Matrices: 2VH 94-1, 95-2, 96-2, 97-1, 98-3A, 99-2, 100-1, 101-1, 102-2, 103-2, 104-2A 105-2, 106-1A, 107-1, 108-1, 109-1 First issued as HMV DB 2636 through 2643 Act II recorded *19th and **20th September, 1938 in Berlin; ***November, 1938 in Berlin and ****22nd June, 1935 in the Musikvereinsaal, Vienna Matrices: **2RA 3260-3, 3262-2, 3263-2, 3264-2, 3265-2 and 3261-2 (Scene 1); ***3461-1, 3462-2, 3463-1, 3464-2 and 3465-2 (Scene 2); ****2VH 110-2, 111-1 and 112-1 (Scene 3); *2RA 3256-2, 3257-3, 3258-2 and 3259-3 (Scene 4); ****2VH 113-2A and 114-2 (Scene 5) The Naxos historical label aims to make available the greatest recordings in the history of recorded music, in the best First issued as HMV DB 3719 through 3728 and truest sound that contemporary technology can provide. To achieve this aim, Naxos has engaged a number of respected restorers who have the dedication, skill and experience to produce restorations that have set new standards (The brief passages of Wotan and Brünnhilde in the closing scene of Act II in the field of historical recordings. are sung by Alfred Jerger and Ella Flesch) 8.110250-51 2 11 8.110250-51 110250-51 bk WalkureEC 24/06/2003 12:45 Page 10 Scene 3 Scene 5 CD 1 73:41 8 Siegmund tries to calm Sieglinde, who feels guilt at # The scene grows dark with thunderclouds. Act I Act II her conduct. He promises to put an end to her shame by Siegmund looks at Sieglinde, now sleeping peacefully, killing Hunding, whose horn can be heard far off. kisses her and draws his sword, hurrying away to Scene 1 Scene 1 encounter Hunding. Sieglinde wakes and calls in fear 1 Prelude 3:18 # Prelude 1:53 9 Sieglinde urges him to escape, imagining for Siegmund. (Orchestra) (Orchestra) Siegmund’s fate, torn in pieces by Hunding’s dogs. $ Hunding is heard calling for Siegmund, whom he 2 Wes Herd dies auch sei, hier muß ich rasten 8:12 $ Nun zäume dein Roß, reisige Maid! 2:19 0 She hears the sound of Hunding’s horn and falls, knows as Wehwalt. The men meet in combat, but (Wotan, Brünnhilde) fainting. Siegmund sits, supporting her head. Brünnhilde appears, guarding Siegmund with her 3 Einen Unseligen labtest du 4:03 shield. At this point Wotan is seen over Hunding, and (Siegmund, Sieglinde) % Der alte Sturm, die alte Müh’! 4:44 Scene 4 Siegmund’s sword breaks against Wotan’s spear. (Wotan, Fricka) Brünnhilde withdraws in fear and Hunding kills Scene 2 ! Brünnhilde emerges from the cave, leading her Siegmund. At this Brünnhilde takes Sieglinde onto her 4 Müd am Herd fand ich den Mann 4:30 ^ So ist es denn aus mit den ewigen Göttern 2:58 horse, and tells Siegmund that he will die, his body to horse and rides away with her. (Fricka) be taken by her to Valhalla, to be with gods and heroes, 5 Friedmund darf ich nicht heißen 6:33 and with his father Wotan and his daughters. % At the command of Wotan Hunding falls dead. In (Sieglinde, Hunding, Siegmund) anger Wotan storms out, ready to deal with Brünnhilde. @ Siegmund will not leave Sieglinde, but Brünnhilde 6 Ein trauriges Kind rief mich zum Trutz 3:17 tells him that he will be killed by Hunding. This he Keith Anderson (Siegmund) refuses to believe, but she tells him that his sword is now powerless. He inveighs against the maker of the 7 Ich weiss ein wildes Geschlecht 5:22 sword and makes to kill Sieglinde, but Brünnhilde stops (Hunding) him, promising to change the outcome of the battle, as she goes. Scene 3 8 Ein Schwert verhieß mir der Vater 6:59 9 Der Männer Sippe saß hier im Saal 5:29 (Siegmund, Sieglinde) 0 Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond 2:57 (Siegmund) ! Du bist der Lenz 7:41 @ Siegmund heiß ich und Siegmund bin ich! 3:27 (Sieglinde, Siegmund) 8.110250-51 10 3 8.110250-51 110250-51 bk WalkureEC 24/06/2003 12:45 Page 4 CD 2 70:22 @ Siegmund tells her his real name and that of his 2 She insists that he stop trying to protect Siegmund, father. To prove his identity he grasps the sword, which that he cast aside Brünnhilde and undo the magic power Act II (concluded) he names Nothung (Need) and pulls it out from the tree. of the sword. With the sword as a bridal gift, he wants to take her Scene 1 (concluded) Scene 3 away at once, but she now reveals her own name and 3 Wotan is forced to agree to the death of Siegmund, 1 Nichts lerntest du, wollt’ ich dich lehren 6:09 8 Raste nun hier, gönne dir Ruh! 4:03 tells him that she is his twin sister. Siegmund takes her to protect Fricka’s honour, as Brünnhilde is heard (Wotan, Fricka) in his arms in delight. returning. 9 Hinweg! Hinweg! Flieh die Entweihte! 4:14 2 Was verlangst du? 2:28 Act II Scene 2 (Wotan, Fricka, Brünnhilde) 0 Horch, o horch! Das is Hundings Horn! 4:26 (Siegmund, Sieglinde) Scene 1 4 Brünnhilde asks Wotan what he wants her to do. 3 Deiner ew’gen Gattin heilige Ehre 2:40 (Fricka) Scene 4 # Motifs of the sword, love and rapture are heard in 5 He complains of his powerlessness and ! Siegmund! Sieh auf mich! 8:25 the Prelude. predicament. Brünnhilde seeks to know the cause of his Scene 2 sorrow. 4 Schlimm, fürcht’ ich, schloß der Streit 1:18 @ Du sahest der Walküre sehrenden Blick 8:04 $ Wotan, standing on a rocky outcrop, commands his (Brünnhilde, Siegmund) daughter Brünnhilde to ensure Siegmund’s victory over 6 Wotan tells her how he had wanted power and love 5 O heilige Schmach! 3:16 Hunding. As she goes, Brünnhilde tells Wotan of the and how Alberich, wanting only power, had made the Scene 5 approach of his wife, Fricka. ring. Wotan had stolen it and used it to pay those who 6 Als junger Liebe Lust mir verblich 8:41 # Zauberfest bezähmt ein Schlaf 4:38 built Valhalla. Erda had warned him not to keep the (Siegmund, Sieglinde) % Fricka is angry. Hunding has sought her help as the ring, and foretold the end of the gods. He had followed 7 So nimm meinen Segen, Niblungen-Sohn! 7:27 guardian of marriage and this she has promised him, her deep into the earth and compelled her, by magic, to (Brünnhilde, Wotan) $ Wehwalt! Wehwalt! 2:48 with vengeance on the Volsungs. Wotan proposes that give him her knowledge. She bore him nine daughters, (Hunding, Siegmund, Sieglinde, Brünnhilde, the Volsungs, Siegmund and Sieglinde, should be the Valkyries, who bring together the bodies of fallen Wotan) allowed their way, even if they are brother and sister, a heroes to defend Valhalla. Erda, however, had foreseen happier union than that of Sieglinde and Hunding. danger, if Alberich were to recover the ring. Wotan, % Geh hin, Knecht! Knie vor Fricka 1:47 bound by his oath, cannot take the ring back himself, (Wotan) ^ Fricka denounces Wotan, accusing him of setting but needs the help of a free hero, who, in spite of the all divine laws at nothing after begetting the Volsungs. gods, can recover the ring for him. Nevertheless he has The Valkyries that he had begotten were bad enough, proved impotent, as Fricka has shown, with Siegmund but the Volsungs are mere mortals.