Wagner by Arrangement: Volume Three, Operatic Highlights
Necessity being the mother of invention, the English conductor Ben Woodward has arranged the full-symphonic textures of some of Wagner’s operas for eighteen-part chamber orchestra to bring them within range of the forces available to Regents Opera in London – arrangements which should, indeed, put them with the reach of smaller companies everywhere. This new ‘room-sized Wagner’ enhances the sense of scale of the originals with a striking degree of clarity.
Catharine Woodward, soprano: Brünnhilde (Tracks 1,3,4), Isolde (Track 5)
Keel Watson, bass-baritone: Wotan (Track 1)
Philip Modinos, tenor: Siegfried (Tracks 2,3)
Holden Madagame, tenor: Mime (Track 2)
Edwin Kaye, bass: Hagen (Track 4)
Regents Opera Ensemble
Ben Woodward, conductor
Listen To This Recording:
- Act II, Vorspiel: ‘Nun zäume dein Ross…. Hojotoho’
- Act III, Scene 1: Siegfried’s Forging Song: ‘Nothung nennt sich das neidliche Schwert‘
- Act III, Conclusion: ‘Ewig war ich’
- Act III, Immolation Scene: ‘Starke scheite schichtet mir dort’
- Act III, Isoldes Liebestod: ‘Mild und leise’
Die Walküre (1854–56)
Siegfried (1856–71)
Götterdämmerung (1871–74)
Tristan und Isolde (1857–59)
FIRST RECORDINGS
Opera Now :
‘The Wagner by Arrangement series provides us with a fascinating approach to Wagner, born of necessity. […]. Allow me to dispel the idea that this is just a curiosity, as it is actually very good. Conductor Ben Woodward has skilfully reworked the score for an orchestra of 18 players and it does not come across as an emaciated sound at all – he has redistributed wind parts, and obviously cut back all round. But the blend is generally full; even a few brass players still make a lot of noise and perhaps it is only the slightly lesser sheen on strings that gives the game away. The singing is solid, with one stand out, the soprano Catharine Woodward, who tackles Brünnhilde and Isolde with aplomb. Her tone is pleasingly even, her top thrilling and she surmounts every trill and interval; her accurately sung opening cries of ‘hojotoho!’ Would put many a more famous soprano to shame, as would her radiant top C at the end of the Siegfried duet with tenor Philip Modinos.’
—Francis Muzzu, Opera Now
Klassisk Musikk :
‘Dette er en viktig plate. […]
Et lite orkester vinner mye i lydmessig klarhet, i tillegg til intimiteten i menneskelig interaksjon (eller himmelsk, siden det er guder som står på scenen). […]
Den vokale stjernen i oppsetningen er imidlertid Catharine Woodward (tilfeldigvis, dirigentens kone), som leverer sterke fremførelser av Brünnhilde og Isolde. Hun får god støtte av Regents Opera Ensemble og sin ektemann, nydelig innspilt.’
English translation:
‘This is an important recording. […]
A small orchestra gains much in sonic clarity, as well as the intimacy of human interaction (or celestial, since there are gods on stage). […]
The vocal star of the production, however, is Catharine Woodward (coincidentally, the conductor’s wife), who delivers a powerful performance of Brünnhilde and Isolde. She is well supported by the Regent’s Opera Ensemble and her husband, beautifully recorded.’
—Guy Rickards, Klassisk Musikk