WAGNER: Heroes - McCracken; Goerne; Krause; Haefliger; King

This is a 50-year retrospective (1950–2000) of great Wagner singing on Decca and Deutsche Grammophon featuring twelve extracts from eight operas (including all four operas of the ‘Ring’ cycle) with nine great singers. Wagner’s knowledge of heroes derived from two sources: the myths of ancient Greece and the sagas and poetry of northern Europe. In both traditions, heroes possess god-like attributes which set them apart from non-heroic mortals and reinforce the view that they are superhuman. They often have gods as parents or grandparents. But Wagner humanises his heroes, most notably Siegmund (sung inimitably by Jon Vickers in the legendary Decca recording of ‘Die Walküre’ with Erich Leinsdorf) and the naïve Siegfried (with Wolfgang Windgassen singing both the ‘Siegfried’ and ‘Götterdämmerung’ Siegfrieds). Other great heldentenors represented on this collection include James King and James McCracken. Celebrated bass-baritones are also represented here: Paul Schöffler (singing Wotan’s Farewell from a rare 1950 recording), Ernst Haefliger (as the Dutchman) and most recently, Matthias Goerne (Wolfram). The insightful notes are provided by Wagner scholar Peter Bassett and a photo gallery of the singers is also included.

RICHARD WAGNER
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg:
Morgenlich leuchtend im rosigen Schein

Tannhäuser:
Hör’ an, Wolfram! … Inbrunst im Herzen
James McCracken

Tannhäuser:
Blick’ ich umher
Matthias Goerne

Tannhäuser:
Wie Todesahnung … O du, mein holder Abendstern

Der fliegende Holländer:
Die Frist ist um
Tom Krause

Der fliegende Holländer:
Mit Gewitter und Sturm
Ernst Haefliger

Rienzi:
Allmächt’ger Vater
James King

Das Rheingold:
Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge
David Ward

Siegfried:
Notung! Notung! Neidliches Schwert

Götterdämmerung:
Brünnhilde, heilige Braut!
Wolfgang Windgassen

Die Walküre:
Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond
Jon Vickers

Leb’ wohl, du kühnes, herrliches Kind!
Paul Schöffler

Dietfried Bernet
Ferenc Fricsay
Reginald Goodall
Manfred Honeck
Erich Leinsdorf
Ferdinand Leitner
Leopold Ludwig
Rudolf Moralt
Argeo Quadri