Richard Wagner, Das Rheingold
Michael Volle, baritone (Wotan),
Christian van Horn, bass baritone
(Donner)
Benjamin Bruns, tenor (Froh)
Burkhard Ulrich, tenor (Loge)
Elisabeth Kulman, mezzo soprano
(Fricka)
Annette Dasch, soprano (Freia)
Janina Baechle, mezzo soprano (Erda)
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen
Rundfunks
Conducted by Simon Rattle
BR Klassik 900133 (2 CDs)
Richard Wagner, Das Rheingold
Matthias Goerne, baritone (Wotan)
Oleksandr Pushniak,
bass baritone (Donner)
Charles Reid,
tenor (Froh)
Kim Begley,
tenor (Loge)
Michelle DeYoung,
mezzo soprano (Fricka)
Anna Samuil,
soprano (Freia)
Deborah Humble,
soprano (Erda)
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Jaap van Zweden
Naxos Blu-Ray Audio NBD 0049 (also
available in CD)
These performances of the opening drama of Wagner’s Ring both originate in concert
performances. The Rattle production was recorded over two days at the
Hwerkulessaal in Munich (April 24-25, 2014), while van Zweden and the Hong Kong
Philharmonic were recorded at the Hong Kong Cultural Center Concert Hall (January
22 and 24, 2015). The van Zweden Rheingold
is the beginning of a complete Ring
for Naxos, but I am not aware of similar plans from BR Klassik for Simon Rattle
and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks.
Concert performances have some, but by no means all, of the
immediacy and power of a live recording. At the same time, though, they provide
a more controlled environment for acoustic fine-tuning and post-production
editing, particularly important for the Naxos issue, which is (to the best of
my knowledge) the first Wagner music drama to be recorded in Blu-Ray audio.
Both recordings have excellent sound quality – although the Blu-Ray disc
version of van Zweden’s performance seems to have been recorded at rather a low
volume.
The Hong Kong Philharmonic is not known as a Wagner
orchestra, but it clearly has aspirations in that direction. The current Ring project is the first cycle
undertaken by a Chinese orchestra. Jaap van Zweden, who is simultaneously music
director at the Hong Kong Philharmonic and at the Dallas Symphony, is a good
choice for the podium. He is an excellent Bruckner conductor and his concert
performance of Parsifal with the
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic (on Challenge Classics) was well received, and
deservedly so. The Symphonieorchester des Baterischen Rundfunks operates of
course at a different level of visibility, particularly with Sir Simon Rattle at the helm. Wagner,
however, is relatively under-represented in Rattle’s repertoire and
discography, with his first Ring
conducted at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence from 2007 – 2009 (and subsequently
released on Blu-Ray).
Of the two conductors Rattle has much more fluidity,
particularly with the strings. Van Zweden is flatter and communicates less
energy and momentum. The contrast is particularly clear in the closing minutes
of the Prelude, which Van Zweden conducts like the prelude to Das Rheingold, whereas
Rattle shapes it as the prelude to the entire Ring cycle. Throughout the
performance Rattle is more effective at foregrounding the forward-looking
references in the score.
The Hong Kong Philharmonic is most effective in the more
intimate, chamber-like sections, but falls somewhat short when drama is called
for – such as, for example, the journeys to and from Nibelheim – not helped by
occasional disjointedness in, e.g., the scene with the giants. Rattle, in
contrast, is at the monumental end of the spectrum. I think that this works
well for him in Das Rheingold, which
is not easy to bring off (as a single uninterrupted block of music of well over
two hours, without any of the cycle’s signature episodes). Interestingly, van
Zweden is 10 minutes or so longer than Rattle.
Of the two casts the finest single vocal performance comes
from Matthias Goerne as Wotan. As a highly experienced lieder singer his
enunciation and articulation are of course excellent, and he has the vocal
presence to sing Wotan successfully. We will have to wait until Die Walküre to
see how Goerne copes with the real depths of the character, but all the
indications are very promising. Michael Volle’s Wotan for Simon Rattle is
definitely lighter and overall less impressive, but still dramatically
satisfying.
In fact, there are no real weak links in the chain in either
performance. Highlights from van Zweden’s cast include Kim Begley’s Loge and
Michelle de Young’s Fricka. The first is sung without the tendency to
caricature that some singers feel necessary in Loge, while Fricka is less
petulant than she often appears. Burkhard Ulrich and Elisabeth Kulman sing the
same roles well for Rattle. Peter Sidhom’s Alberich (in the Hong Kong cast) has
fine moments, but the performance is marred by exaggeration at crucial moments
(e.g. both of Alberich’s curses). I found Rattle’s Alberich (Tomasz Konieczny)
more balanced. Rattle’s Erda (Janina Baechle) has a fine tone, but sounds a
little too light for the weight of her message. The various giants and gods are
all well sung, with Kwangchul Youn’s Fasolt (for van Zweden) particularly
standing out.
Both of these sets have their merits. There is some very
fine singing from van Zweden’s cast, particularly Matthias Goerne, while Rattle
and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks take the orchestral
honors. The Hong Kong performance has the advantage of being recorded on
Blu-Ray audio and offers a surround sound option (DTS-HD 5.1). I don’t think
that either will force its way to the front of a very large field, but each is
certainly worth listening to, and I look forward to the next installments of
van Zweden’s cycle with the Hong Kong Philharmonic.
