Monday, March 3, 2014

RECORDING OF THE MONTH- March 2014: DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG by WAGNER

So, it has been a while. Nigh unto a year. Life happens.

What has inspired me to awake from hibernation is one of my favourite operas of all time. It is met by most with misunderstanding and ridicule, for it is just about the longest lasting piece in the entire operatic repertoire lasting around four and a half hours (right up there with goliath works like Siegfried, Götterdämmerung, and the full five act version of Don Carlos). The opera is Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

Meistersinger was originally conceived as a comic appendage to Wagner's earlier work, Tannhäuser, just as Greek tragedies were often followed by a satyr play. Wagner's first prose draft (for the libretto is his own) was written in Marienbad in July of 1845. As historical background information, Wagner used Gottfried Gervinus's Geschichte der poetischen National-Literatur der Deutschen of 1835-42. It is assumed that he used also other relevant volumes in his Dresden library such as Über den altdeutschen Meistergesang by Jacob Grimm, Friedrich Furchau's life of Sachs, and most likely the J. G. Büsching's edition of Hans Sachs's plays. More prose drafts were written up, probably around the time of November 1861, for the Schott publishing company. At this point, Wagner found J. C. Wagenseil's Nürnberg Chronical of 1697, which proved to be a rich source of information relating to the ancient crafts and guilds of Nürnberg. By late January 1862 the poem of Meistersinger was finished and he began composition by March or April. The work was not completed until October 1867.

The premiere, which was immensely successful, was given at the Königliches hof- und National- Theater in München and conducted by Hans von Bülow, a mutual friend of Wagner's and Liszt's, who was married to Lizt's daughter Cosima. Two years earlier Cosima had bore Wagner's child and eventually left von Bülow for Wagner. But even after such a personal offense, von Bülow continued to be a champion of Wagner's music, conducting it regularly.

The work went on to be performed in medium sized houses like Dessau, Karlsruhe, Dresden, Mannheim, and Weimar. It was seen in the Berlin and Vienna Court Operas in 1870, in England in 1882, the Metropolitan in 1886, and Bayreuth in 1888.

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is about the free imperial city of Nürnberg in the 16th century and the Master Singer guild. While on the surface it seems like a simple, 2-dimensional comedy, the work, while different from most of Wagner's output, is incredibly profound. It deals with the role of music in society, Schopenhauer philosophies of art, music and dreams, and the folly of mankind and the human condition.

One must mention some of the negative criticism that Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg continues to get.  Like all of Wagner's music, the Third Reich tarnished its reputation. It is true that some of the music from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg was used often in Nazi propaganda. On that note, many scholars and would-be "intellectuals" claim that the character of Sixtus Beckmesser is an antisemitic statement by Wagner in the form of making the character a Jewish stereotype. This is not the case. Just like all of Wagner's antisemitic sentiments, you can always find it if you are looking hard enough for it. His music makes no statements about the Jewish people. Stop looking. Beckmesser is a caricature of the music critic Eduard Hanslik. Hanslik was Jewish, however that is NOT why Wagner disliked him. Wagner disliked Hanslik because he was the biggest opponent of Wagner's music at the time. His reviews were almost entirely negative and Wagner's ego didn't deal with that very well. Beckmesser is more a criticism on academic pedantism in general than a Jewish stereotype. Scholars like Dieter Borchmeyer point out similarities to the figure of Malvolio in Sakespear's Twelfth Night. 

This opera is the most human of all of Wagner's works. It is a glorious affirmation of humanity and the value of art. It is a parable about tempering the inspiration of genius with the rules of form.

I love this piece. It has all the grandeur and sensual chromaticism of Wagner, but the score is filled with hope and energy and JOY!

The recording that I am reviewing is not necessarily what I would call the BEST recording… but I sure do like it.



The 1956 Bayreuther Festspiel production conducted by André Cuytens.

Hans Sachs - Hans Hotter
Veit Pogner - Josef Greindl
Kunz Vogelgesang - Josef Traxel
Konrad Nachtigall - Egmont Koch
Sixtus Beckmesser - Karl Schmitt-Walter
Fritz Kothner - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Balthasar Zorn - Heinz-Günther Zimmermann
Ulrich Eißlinger - Erich Bänke
Augustin Moser - Josef Janko
Hermann Ortel - Hans Hibietinek
Hans Schwarz - Alexander Fenyves
Hans Foltz - Eugen Fuchs
Walther von Stolzing - Wolfgang Windgassen
Eva - Gré Brouwenstijn
Magdalene - Georgine von Milinkovic
David - Gerhard Stolze
Ein Nachtwächter - Alfons Herwig

Chor und Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele


It is nearly impossible, when thinking about this performance, not to start the review by acknowledging the absolute luxury casting of a young Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau in the second string role of Fritz Kothner. In this case, to say Kothner nearly steals the show, in no way implies a bad performance. As Kothner he calls the roll with a dignity and poetic colouring that reminds one that Wagner wrote this libretto as one big poetic prose. He brings to life the role of Fritz Kothner as the fastidious keeper of the seal that he is, and his recital of the Tabalatur is done with his usual wit and nuance. With his subtle turns of phrase he perfectly evokes all the singing styles Wagner was using, and therein subtly parodying. It does remind us, however, that he never sang the role in this opera that seems as though could have been written for him personally, Sixtus Beckmesser. I have dreams at night about the erudite, elitist portrayal that this artist could have given to the role of Beckmesser, the pedantic, bitter, town clerk and score keeper of the Master Singers.

It is forgivable, however, that he was not singing Beckmesser in this 1956 production because of their casting of the great Karl Schmitt-Walter in the role. Schmitt-Walter is the link here to the past generation of singers. He sang this role many, many times in Bayreuth and elsewhere in Germany and Austria, and while there are other documentations of his performances that may be better (particularly vocally), he uses his intelligence and dramatic intention to the fullest to give this character an adequately comic, yet understated persona, which is a nice change from the usual caricature that was customary at that time. His high lyric baritone, with his expertly deployed laser beam tone and, at times, almost Schoenbergian 'Sprechstimme', allows him the flexibility and freedom to colour this fascinating role in a reading that stands up with the likes of Erich Kunz, Hermann Prey, Thomas Hemsley, and more recently Thomas Allen.

David is a surprise casting of Gerhard Stolze, known for his portrayal of Mime in Siegfried. He sings the role of David with a pleasantly surprising youthful exuberance and we get a chance to see that this actor and his metallic vocal colour can be used with discretion and beauty. Milinkovic's Magdalena is pleasantly sung and acted throughout, but without much individuality or spark.

Josef Greindl sang Pogner regularly, and his understanding of the character shows. His singing lacks a bit of stability at times, but he delivers where it counts. His decree in act one (Das schöne Fest) really is done with an impression of authority and gravitas, and his relationship with Eva is very real and heartwarming.

Gré Brouwenstijn tends to divide people's opinions. Her voice lacks the "shimmer" one might want in Eva. She doesn't sing the role with the beauty of the always exquisite Elisabeth Grümmer, or the elegance of young Schwarzkopf, but she is an intelligent singer and while she has some trouble in act three (particularly in the quintet), her characterization makes up for it. Her Eva is innocent and gentle, with a hint of pep at times, and in her more sincere moments, verges on ethereal. All in all, I think she is great. Not Grümmer or Janowitz, but a commendable performance.

Wolfgang Windgassen is equally questioned by many reviewers. I am a fan of Windgassen. He didn't sing the role of Walther very often, probably because (as we hear at times in this performance) the role sits a bit high in his voice (for it is a terribly high role for most Heldentenöre). But overall his voice sounds full and fresh and he sings Walther with a lyrical skill and elegance one doesn't get to hear as much of in his Tristan or his Tannhäuser. While he does have moments where he seems to struggle with Walther's demanding tessitura, he still sings it better than the majority of performances one hears. He has the delicate balance of knight and poet weighed perfectly. In his first act aria, "Am stillen Herd", he plays with the text in a way that makes one believe that, yes, he may just be making these songs up on the spot.

No question, the true hero of this production is Hans Hotter's Sachs. Just about the largest role in the entirety of the operatic repertoire, he sang the role relatively frequently, but is only on a small number of recordings. Why he was not on Kempe's studio recording of this opera, I will never know, but of the few documentations we have, this is certainly his best. One could not ask for a better Sachs. He sings it with a warmth and stability, all the while taking huge risks that absolutely pay off. His Sachs is truly human. It is among the most intimate renderings of the role I have ever heard. His Act II monologue is beautifully introspective and his "Wahn, wahn!" aria of Act III is a picture of an infinitely wise and sensitive observer of human folly. He covers the gamut in this behemoth role from warm and fatherly, to almost sensual, and he does it with a sharp intellect and a personal quality that touches anyone who listens with adequately open ears. While there have been some excellent Sachs interpreters, i.e. Stewart, Edelmann, Schöffler, Adam, etc., there is no other Hans Sachs that I would call quintessential. Hotter's deep understanding of the text puts him on a level that is absolutely unrivaled. His final monologue is the perfect example of this.

This recording is, no doubt, about the singers and actors. Even the big Meistersinger guild meeting scene in act one, is done in a perfectly uncouth manner that reminds us, these are everyday tradesmen, that participate in the art of song in their free time. The conductor however, adds very little musically.

André Cuytens, a Belgian conductor, specializing in French music, methinks should stick to French music. He did, actually, conduct quite frequently at Bayreuth, and his reading of this score is fine. He gives the singers space and support, when they need it in their special moments, and I suppose he moves the music along in a broad "German" manner. But his performance is unmemorable. Except maybe those moments that suffer from severe lapses in ensemble - namely the end of Act II. With that said, he doesn't have the romanticism of Böhm, the beauty of Karajan, the grandeur of Kubelik… but he doesn't distract from the performance either. He gives what is ultimately a respectable recording.

Looking back on this recording, I ask myself, could it be that the success of this opera about song (which is to say the intimate marriage of text and music) is that so many of the singers here (Hotter, Schmitt-Walter, D. F.-D.) are specialists in song? Is it possible that their inherent understanding of song and text gives them an upper hand in an opera that is all about that very musical phenomenon? Something to think about…

This disc has pretty questionable sound. Live mono from '56, it is riddled with white noise, cracks, odd tape breaks, and even some occasional pitch-waver. But that doesn't bother me particularly, I am used to listening through these things. Some people may not be able to look past it as easily.

It probably shouldn't be your first or only recording of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. For that I may recommend the 1970 Karajan set on EMI. Not my favourite, but it is excellent sound and a solid performance from beginning to end. If you can find it, I would absolutely recommend the 1967 Kubelik recording on Calig with Thomas Stewart, Franz Crass, Thomas Hemsley, the highly underrated Sándor Kónya, Brigitte Fassbaender, and the exceptional Gundula Janowitz, or even the 1956 Rudolf Kempe set with Frantz, Frick, Schock, Grümmer, and a very young Hermann Prey as einen Nachtwächter.

But if you are a fan of this work or a collector, this is an essential recording. It is worth it just to hear Fischer-Dieskau and Hans Hotter in these roles.

-Christopher Michael Kelley

No comments:

Post a Comment