[Woodduck]

I can't decide between the 52 Furtwängler and the 66 Böhm. I guess if I had to choose it'd be Furty, but happily I don't have to pick only one.

Two essential recordings, almost polar opposites in many ways, complementary in their virtues and faults, with virtues predominating. They were the major recordings available back in the '60s (the Solti wasn't in the same class), and the ones I grew up on, along with the love duet recorded by Leider and Melchior (another library essential).

As I look over these "favorite Wagner recordings" threads I can't help being impressed by the fact that even younger people tend to choose recordings made in the 1960s or earlier. I guess that tells us something about Wagner performance.

 

[SixFootScowl]

Right now I am just getting into Tristan und Isolde, so have limited listening experience. I like Bohm, Pappano, and Barenboim, but am sure there are quite a few others that are quite good.

 

[DavidA]

Until Pristine XR does one of the Flagstad Isoldes from 1936-41 period, I am joining my fellow wagner lemmings here with 52 Furtwangler studio version. Hard to believe how great this version sounds now, there is no restraint by Kirsten here compared to her live versions and if the voice has diminished it is surely by only the smallest margins. Furtwangler is glorious and masterful topping all the orchestral efforts of 1936-41 period, other wordly sound at times fully revealed by Andrew Rose

I listened carefully to 52 Karajan again, but despite some passionate singing and music making both come up short to the 52 Furtwangler, perhaps my perceptions are changing some last couple years since I am big fan of 52 Karajan.

If I am super critical and picky I could say that Suthaus/Flagstad are much older sounding couple, not the youthful romantics you may have pictured in your imagination, a trivial point when such greatness is before us

It has been said that Suthaus looked like PG Wodehouse's Jeeves. Some say he sang a bit like him too!

 

[Itullian]

Furtwangler and Bohm, because Bohm has 1 act per disc.
I hate interrupted acts.
Recently I purchased the Orfeo Tristan conducted by Knappertbusch
and has inched past the Karajan '52.

 

[SixFootScowl]

I voted for Barenboim, but really like Bernstein a lot too (mainly for Behrens thought). I don't have many of the recordings. Besides those two I have Bohm, Kleiber, and Pappano. Pappano is probably my least favorite of these.

 

[LeoPiano]

I can't remember when I voted on this poll, but my preferences haven't really changed anyway. I voted Bohm so Furtwangler and Bohm would be closer in votes because I believe both have merit. I think my other choices would be the two Karajans and the Reiner from '36 with Flagstad and Melchior.

 

[Barbebleu]

I can't remember when I voted on this poll, but my preferences haven't really changed anyway. I voted Bohm so Furtwangler and Bohm would be closer in votes because I believe both have merit. I think my other choices would be the two Karajans and the Reiner from '36 with Flagstad and Melchior.

My thoughts precisely. I think I voted Böhm but I can't remember but my choice hasn't really altered.