Today is the completion of the 2nd Act of Die Walkure, once again directed by Wilhelm Furtwangler at La SCALA in Milan in 1950 (August 14th to be exact).
This is by far the most intimate of sections I have listened to yet; and for what it's worth, my favorite. According to the synopsis this is a conversations between a husband and wife over whether or not their son should die because he married their daughter. First off, what is it with ancient mythical gods and incest? Is it like the conversation about Superman and Louis Lane in Malrats? You know the one, kyptonite condom. Anyway, social taboos aside, the first side is soft, and conversationsal, you would beleive that it is a husband and wife who have been togeather of ages (literally). Whenever the discussion becomes more lively a bar or two of the famed ride is played, showing that the ride is far from just a short clip of a long opera pulled for mass apeal; it seems to be the cornerstone on which Wagner produced his epic. Throughout the first and second side the vocals become more relaxed, more legatto, which if not careful wraps the listener into the full depth of emotion the speaker experinces. I'm not saying that my mind didn't wander from time to time, it just happend less often.
Tomorrow completes Die Walkure with the third act, and is sure to bring the famed ride.
No comments:
Post a Comment