Parsifal - Prelude (Richard Wagner) Grand Symphony Orchestra, 1st Prize of the Conservatoire, Pari

Описание

Parsifal - Prelude (Richard Wagner) - Grand Symphony Orchestra, 1st Prize of the Conservatoire, Paris
Conducted by Francis Popy

Recorded by the International Talking Machine Company, (Odeon) Paris, 1907
This Issue: Odeon No. 66991 / 66992
Matrix: xP/3349 / xP3326

"Parsifal" (WWVIII) is the last opera by German composer Richard Wagner which was first performed at the Bayreuth festival in 1882, the year before his death. The title "Parsifal" is theorized and believed to be of Persian origin and meaning "Poor Fool". Wagner himself defined his opera rather more as a sacred work than the former and the music itself is characterized by a slow and beautiful sense of ceremony, solemnity and truth.
The complex story of the opera was set in Medieval Spain.

The orchestra that plays this piece is one of the oldest permanent orchestras established in France, here conducted by Francis Popy (1874-1928) a French-born musician and prolific composer of the "Belle Epoque" who spent much of his career in the military as a regimental musician.

I believe this recording is possibly amongst the earliest of recordings of the Parsifal Prelude, (A courageous experiment and effort by Odeon for 1907) as for many years Wagner's copyright disallowed the work to be performed outside of the Bayreuth festival. I think this adds to its interest and also for comparison with other recorded versions today.

Recorded and processed by myself from an original vintage 78 with the generous cooperation of Mechsounds.