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111128-31 bk Meisters EU 4/3/06 10:49 AM Page 16 WAGNER Also available: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg PE NAP RTS K BU S S N C A H H 19 ng 50-51 Recordi Paul Schoeffler • Hilde Gueden Gunther Treptow • Karl Dönch 8.110308-10 Vienna State Opera Chorus Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Hans Knappertsbusch 8.111128-31 16 111128-31 bk Meisters EU 4/3/06 10:49 AM Page 2 Great Opera Recordings Mark Obert-Thorn Mark Obert-Thorn is one of the world’s most respected transfer artist/engineers. He has worked for a number of Richard specialist labels, including Pearl, Biddulph, Romophone and Music & Arts. Three of his transfers have been nominated for Gramophone Awards. A pianist by training, his passions are music, history and working on projects. WAGNER He has found a way to combine all three in the transfer of historical recordings. (1813-1883) Obert-Thorn describes himself as a ‘moderate interventionist’ rather than a ‘purist’ or ‘re-processor,’ unlike those who apply significant additions and make major changes to the acoustical qualities of old recordings. His philosophy is that a good transfer should not call attention to itself, but rather allow the performances to be heard Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg with the greatest clarity. There is no over-reverberant ‘cathedral sound’ in an Obert-Thorn restoration, nor is there the tinny bass and Comic Opera in Three Acts piercing mid-range of many ‘authorised’ commercial issues. He works with the cleanest available 78s, and consistently achieves better results than restoration engineers working with the metal parts from the archives of the Hans Sachs, cobbler . Paul Schoeffler (bass-baritone) modern corporate owners of the original recordings. His transfers preserve the original tone of the old recordings, Veit Pogner, goldsmith . Otto Edelmann (bass) maximising the details in critical upper mid-range and lower frequencies to achieve a musical integrity that is Kunz Vogelgesang, furrier . Hugo Meyer-Welfing (tenor) absent from many other commercially released restorations. Konrad Nachtigall, tinsmith . Wilhelm Felden (bass) Sixtus Beckmesser, town clerk . Karl Dönch (baritone) Fritz Kothner, baker . Alfred Poell (baritone) Balthasar Zorn, pewterer . Erich Majkut (tenor) Ulrich Eisslinger, grocer . William Wergnick (tenor) Augustin Moser, tailor . Hermann Gallos (tenor) Hermann Ortel, soapmaker . Harald Pröglhöf (bass) Hans Schwarz, stocking-weaver . Franz Bierbach (bass) Hans Foltz, coppersmith . Ljubomir Pantscheff (bass) Walther von Stolzing, a young Franconian knight . Gunther Treptow (tenor) David, Sachs’ apprentice . Anton Dermota (tenor) Eva, Pogner’s daughter . Hilde Gueden (soprano) Magdalena, her nurse . Else Schürhoff (soprano) A Night Watchman . Harald Pröglhöf (bass) Vienna State Opera Chorus Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Hans Knappertsbusch Recorded 2nd-9th September, 1950 (Act 2) and 11th-22nd September, 1951 (Acts 1 and 3) in the Musikvereinsaal, Vienna The Naxos historical label aims to make available the greatest recordings in the history of recorded music, in the best First issued on Decca LXT 2646/7 (Act 1), 2560/1 (Act 2) and 2648/9 (Act 3) 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 Reissue Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn in the field of historical recordings. 8.111128-31 215 8.111128-31 111128-31 bk Meisters EU 4/3/06 10:49 AM Page 14 CD 4 Pogner thanks him, while Beckmesser is agitated at the CD 1 71:34 CD 2 73:28 difficulties of the new poem and seeks Sachs’ support. Act III (continued) The oldest is to begin, and the apprentices lead Act I 71:34 Act I (concluded) 13:14 Beckmesser to the mound from which he is to perform. 1 Sachs calls for the baptism of the new song, He stumbles at first, and there are unflattering 1 Prelude 8:51 1 Fanget an! 5:37 promoting David from apprentice to journeyman. comments from the bystanders as to his eligibility as a (Orchestra) (Walther, the Masters, Beckmesser, Sachs) bridegroom. 2 Eva prays for the song’s success, joined by Scene 1 2 Halt! Meister! Nicht so geeilt! 7:37 Walther, while Sachs muses on his own renunciation of 9 Beckmesser embarks on his contest song, which is 2 Da zu dir der Heiland kam 3:45 (Sachs, Beckmesser, Nachtigall, Kothner, Pogner, Eva, in favour of the young lovers. so clumsy as to bring only laughter from the assembly. (Congregation) the other Masters) He angrily blames Sachs, before rushing away. 3 They leave all together for the celebration. 3 Verweilt! – Ein Wort! 8:42 Act II 60:14 0 Sachs disclaims the poem and asks if anyone (Walther, Eva, Magdalene, David) Scene 5 present can sing the song as it should be sung and win Scene 1 the title of Mastersinger. Scene 2 3 Johannistag! Johannistag! 3:52 4 The scene is now an open meadow by a stream, 4 David, was stehst? 16:12 (Apprentices, David, Magdalene, Sachs) with a raised platform for the Mastersingers and guests. ! Walther steps forward and sings the prize song and (Apprentices, David, Walther) The guildsmen enter, first the shoemakers, then the is crowned with the garland by Eva, while Pogner offers Scene 2 town musicians, the journeymen, tailors and bakers. him the golden chain of a Mastersinger. Walther, Scene 3 4 Lass seh’n, ob Meister Sachs zu Haus? 6:27 however, disclaims this honour, desiring happiness 5 Seid meiner Treue wohl versehen 4:38 (Pogner, Eva, Magdalene, Sachs, David) 5 The apprentices, with David, dance around the alone. (Pogner, Beckmesser, Walther, Sachs, girls, to the sound of the town pipers. Finally the Vogelgesang, Nachtigall) Scene 3 Mastersingers march in, followed by Pogner and Eva. @ Sachs wisely advises him not to spurn the art of the 5 Was duftet doch der Flieder 5:49 Mastersingers, who have preserved true German art, 6 Zu einer Freiung und Zunftberatung 2:55 (Sachs) 6 The apprentices call for silence, now all have taken inherited from court traditions, and will protect it from (Kothner, Pogner, Vogelgesang, Ortel, Zorn, their places. danger. Nachtigall, Moser, an Apprentice, David, Sachs, Scene 4 Beckmesser, Eisslinger, Foltz, Schwartz) 6 Gut’n Abend, Meister! 11:09 7 Sachs steps forward and all join in singing the # All join in praise of German art. Eva takes the (Eva, Sachs, Magdalene) chorale Wach’auf! garland from Walther and bestows it on Sachs, who in 7 Das schöne Fest, Johannistag 5:24 turn bestows the golden chain on Walther. All pay (Pogner) Scene 5 8 Sachs addresses the company, thanking them and tribute to Hans Sachs. 7 Da ist er! 5:22 urging the Mastersingers to bear in mind the importance 8 Das heisst ein Wort! 10:34 (Eva, Magdalene, Walther) of the prize offered by Pogner, the hand of his daughter. Keith Anderson (The Masters, Apprentices, Sachs, Pogner, Beckmesser) 8 Hört, ihr Leut’ und lasst euch sagen 3:24 (Night-Watchman, Sachs, Walther, Eva) 9 Am stillen Herd in Winterszeit 7:31 (Walther, Sachs, Beckmesser, Kothner, 9 Jerum! Jerum! 12:59 Vogelgesang, Nachtigall) (Sachs, Beckmesser, Walther, Eva) 0 Was euch zum Liede Richt’ und Schnur 3:03 0 Den Tag seh’ ich erscheinen 5:32 (Kothner, Walther, Beckmesser) (Beckmesser, Sachs) 8.111128-31 14 3 8.111128-31 111128-31 bk Meisters EU 4/3/06 10:49 AM Page 4 ! Darf ich mich Meister nennen 5:41 CD 4 52:03 CD 3 Scene 3 (Beckmesser, Sachs, Neighbours, David, Magdalene, Apprentices, Journeymen, Masters, Act III (continued) 52:03 Act III 6 Beckmesser appears outside the shop, which he Women, Pogner, Walther) quickly enters, limping and suffering from the beating 1 Ein Kind ward hier geboren 3:56 1 The Prelude includes motifs from Sachs’ chorale David had given him the night before. Uneasily he (Sachs) ‘Wach’auf!’ and from the Cobbler’s Song. limps round the room, recalling the events of the night, CD 3 68:27 and eventually sees the paper on which Sachs has 2 Selig, wie die Sonne 3:57 Scene 1 written Walther’s words, apparently Sachs’ own contest Act III 68:27 (Eva, Sachs, Walther, David, Magdalene) song. Hearing Sachs approach, he puts the paper in his 2 The scene is in Sachs’ workshop. The cobbler sits pocket, but then produces it as evidence of Sachs’ 1 Prelude 6:39 3 Nun Junker! Kommt! 2:09 reading. David slips in with a basket of flowers, from treachery in intending to compete himself. Sachs denies (Orchestra) (Sachs) the bottom of which he takes a sausage and a cake. the charge and tells Beckmesser he may use the poem, if Sachs noisily turns a page of his book and David starts he wants, assuring him that he will not reveal the true Scene 1 Scene 5 up, assuring his master that he has delivered authorship. Beckmesser hurries away, prepared to learn 2 Gleich, Meister! Hier! 7:57 4 Sankt Crispin, lobet ihn! 3:09 Beckmesser’s shoes and begs forgiveness for his the puzzling words of the poem and, in gratitude, (David, Sachs) (The Shoemakers, the Tailors, the Bakers) behaviour of the night before, explaining the cause. promising to vote for Sachs as Marker. Sachs is quietly Sachs asks him to sing his St John’s Day chorale, which satisfied with the outcome, musing on the malice 3 Wahn! Wahn! 7:09 5 Herr Je! Herr Je! 3:27 he does well enough, adding his congratulations to Beckmesser has shown and his just reward. (Sachs) [Dance of the Apprentices] Sachs on the latter’s name-day and urging him to defeat (Apprentices, David) Beckmesser in the contest and win the hand of Eva.