William Cochran, Helga Dernesch, Hans Sotin New Philharmonia Orchestra Otto Klemperer Rehearsed by Reginald Goodall, this slow, dark-hued, un-Romantic, un-sentimental, un-optimistic reading of what is normally the Ring's most chipper act is a fascinating study. Assuring the darkness is a non-radiant Sieglinde, and I mean this objectively. Helga Dernesch always was a troublesomely short-topped soprano and by the time this was recorded her voice was genuinely dark, more mezzo than soprano. Her concern for Siegmund from the beginning is tinged with the unending gloom of her life, and when she recounts the story of her wedding, the stranger with the sword, etc. ("Der manner sippe"), her rising excitement never transcends this darkness. William Cochran was a good Siegmund; he's very much inside the role, his voice rings out heroically, and while he's clearly thrilled to have bumped into his wife/sister, he continues to sound as inevitably doomed as he sounds in the first half of the act. Hans Sotin is a young-sounding Hunding, and the fact that he takes his time subtly and uninflectedly threatening his guest makes him all the more menacing. Otto Klemperer is oddly considerate of his singers: he holds the orchestra down for much of Sieglinde's early music; in moments of real stress--the two "Walses" for example--the tempos quicken so as not to push Cochran beyond his limits; and Siegmund's difficult final phrase is taken rapidly as well. But in general, this is a down-tempo Act 1 (it takes just under 72 minutes). There is nice detail to be heard from the orchestra, but the playing isn't particularly good, with brass flubs throughout and occasionally ragged string ensemble work. But you cannot deny the power of the climactic sword-pulling, which overwhelms. The sound, nearly 30 years old, is gorgeous--big, honest stereo. This recording is for those curious about Die Walküre almost from a clinical point of view; we can only shudder at the thought of how relentlessly dismal an entire Klemperer set would have been. In other words, this recording is very subjective and very interesting--and not for everyone. (Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com)