Parsifal (CD): Knappertsbusch (1962), Talvela, Hotter, Thomas, Neidlinger, Dalis, Nienstedt, Stolze, London, Janowitz, Silja
Conductor Hans Knappertsbusch
Amfortas George London
Titurel Martti Talvela
Gurnemanz Hans Hotter
Parsifal Jess Thomas
Klingsor Gustav Neidlinger
Kundry Irene Dalis
Altsolo Ursula Boese
Gralsritter Niels Möller
Gralsritter Gerd Nienstedt
Knappe Sona Cervená
Knappe Ursula Boese
Knappe Georg Paskuda
Knappe Gerhard Stolze
Blume Gundula Janowitz
Blume Anja Silja
Blume Else-Margrete Gardelli
Blume Dorothea Siebert
Blume Rita Bartos
Blume Sona Cervená
Chor und Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele
Live recording at the Festspielhaus Bayreuth, 1962
Reviews of Knappertsbusch's Parsifal (1962)
This isn't merely one of Philip's great recordings but also one
of the greatest sets of all time. Every time one returns to it, its inspiration
and distinction seem to have been enhanced. There have been many fine recordings
of this great Eastertide opera, but none has so magnificently managed 
to
capture the power, the spiritual
grandeur, the human frailty and the almost
unbearable beauty of the work as Hans Knappertsbusch. This live recording
has a cast that has few equals. Hotter is superb, fleshing out Gurnemanz
with a depth of insight that has never been surpassed. London's Amfortas captures the frightening sense of impotence and anguish with painful directness
while Thomas's Parsifal grows as the performance progresses and is no mean
achievement. Dalis may lack that final degree of sensuousness, but she
provides a fine interpretation nevertheless. Throughout the work, Knappertsbusch exercises a quite un-equalled control over the proceedings; it's a fine
testament to a great conductor. The Bayreuth acoustic is well reproduced,
and this record is a profound and moving experience.
The
Gramophone Classical Music Guide 2008 
Gramophone gives the recording the gem symbol: "An unrivalled version,
a cornerstone of the catalogue. A real gem!"
Knappertsbusch's Bayreuth recording of Parsifal 1962 on Amazon
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