In Reply to: Follow-up on Furtwangler's Tristan und Isolde posted by George S. Roland on October 25, 2016 at 07:36:31:
Only you can decide, but I would be tempted to see if you can find the combination of least expensive/most pristine version (non digitally messed with of course)-I have seen good copies of the Angel set for under $10, and I have picked up two copies of it for free. If you love the interpretation you can then seek out the rarer items. If you want to spend a bit more, I have seen the EMI and the RCA online for $25.
Tristan is the rare Wagner opera I don't love, although I love parts of it. But Furtwangler, of whom I am NOT a complete fan, has a sense of line in this opera that is compelling, and the Philharmonia, early in their career, play wonderfully for him. I have others - Kleiber doesn't have a great Tristan or Isolde, Fischer-Dieskau was clearly at the end of his career (he is spectacular on the Furtwangler), and the early digital sound is questionable. I would like to hear the Karajan, with Vickers - mixed reviews, but what a voice Vickers had. I have the Bohm as well, but I just can't get motivated to give it a spin, since I find Bohm such a mediocre conductor (I think his Ring is quite poor). I also have the Pappano, but I find Domingo's voice to be all wrong for Wagner (and I have his Meistersinger and Tannhauser as well, so I have heard a lot of it. Last, I also have the Solti, which I acquired as a completist, wanting to have all of Solti's Wagner on LP, and I haven't listened to that yet either.
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Follow Ups
- RE: Follow-up on Furtwangler's Tristan und Isolde - TGR 16:45:06 10/25/16 (0)