Wagner - Der fliegende Holländer - Stewart, Jones - Böhm, Bayreuth 19712CD - ADD - German - 1'36
Deutsche Grammophon 000289 477 5673 6, release 2007
Performer: Gwyneth Jones, Harald Ek, Hermin Esser, Karl Ridderbusch, Sieglinde Wagner, et al.
Orchestra: Bayreuth Festival Orchestra
Conductor: Karl Böhm
Here is the reissue of yet another version of this work. It has much to commend it. First of all there is that sense of dedication heard in all the live recordings made at Bayreuth; it is in fact the third of four versions recorded there officially, not to mention many 'unofficial' sets deriving from Bavarian Radio broadcasts. Then there's the energetic, vivid, theatrical direction of Bohm, always the most direct of Wagnerians, bringing out all the visceral excitement of the score, even more so than Nelsson on the most recent Philips set from the same source. Bohm's version doesn't have the epic quality of Klemperer's magisterial account (EMI) that Deryck Cooke preferred in his original review, and which I admired on its recent reissue. There's room for both readings. By the way, Bohm conducts the single-act version, which has for long been adopted at Bayreuth.
In Ridderbusch, this DG version boasts one of the most impressive Dalands on disc; absolutely steady and warm in timbre but quite as colourful with the text as others. Esser, not the most pleasing of tenors, catches the agony of Erik and follows Wagner's injunction in not singing his role in a conventional way. Choir and orchestra are all one has come to expect from this source—listen to the start of the final scene (or Act 3 if you prefer it). The recording has the benefit of Bayreuth's excellent acoustics, which were here caught to perfection. Klemperer would still be my choice at mid-price—but he takes three CDs to Bohm's two. If you want the most economic version, I would certainly prefer this to the recently reissued Karajan (EMI). Alan Blyth, GRAMOPHONE (8/1993) Review of reissue DG 437 710
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