In the early ’40s, under Abendroth, we have a lively performance featuring the other great Sachs, Paul Schoeffler, in his absolute prime. Most of the other principals, including the underrecorded Hilde Scheppan as Eva, sound fine as well. This is also in good sound. If you find it hard to enjoy Schorr’s Sachs in compromised sound and with performance cuts, then here’s a chance to enjoy uncut the entire work with a fine Sachs, Paul Schoeffler, in his absolute prime, who also dominates with almost as lively and beautiful an interpretation as anything you hear in Schorr. Enjoying Sachs’s music in this way, uncut and in good sound, places this set in a class of its own. Where I find this one wanting — and some may demur — is in Ludwig Suthaus’s Walther. It is clear that Suthaus is still in his youthful prime, but I find the role a bad fit. However fresh his instrument, too much of the high-lying music emerges in an effortful manner, and heard through two or more playings, this can sometimes cast a pall over continued enjoyment of the performance as a whole — for me, anyway. Another aspect that sometimes bothers me a bit less, although I deeply respect and can readily understand those who might find it much more troubling, is the period and country in which this performance takes place: Nazi Germany. For some, this aspect can make people’s blood run cold. And I can’t say I’m ready to blame them. Ultimately, though, it is tenor inadequacies that relegate this to being merely a strong entry rather than one of the very best.
Geoffrey Riggs