A tribute to one of America's most distinguished sopranos whose peculiar career covered an immense terrain, but she sure had the amplitude for Wagner. Bernstein is at his most inspired as well in music which was not generally his predilection.

Feel the heat rising from the stage as Rysanek and London come face to face, with Sawallisch doing his best to keep the temperature under control.

A studio recording which is difficult to equal, with Grümmer finally given her due, Ludwig as demoniac as one could wish, F-D easily capturing the hesitations of his role and even Thomas rising to unexpected heights. Kempe more than justifies his reputation.

Why DGG never issued this version and thought they could do better with Domingo and F-D is one of the mysteries of the recording industry. An ideal cast supported by an ideal orchestra and a conductor whose early retirement due to illness can only be regretted make this a major event.

The start of the post-War new Bayreuth, Kna doing his thing without in the least understanding or approving what was happening onstage. Somehow he provided the perfect ballast for Wieland Wagner's stripped-down vision, with a cast that takes involvement tonew heights.

These ear-openers show that it is possible to be profound without coming to a total standstill, and the voices are often far more solid than those encountered today. Furt is unique even though some pretend that his post-War performances came nowhere near equalling those before the War - this is pretty hot as is. Krauss lightens the entire texture without trivializing Wagner so that the movement is constant.

Remember the scandal because of "der schwarze Venus", which certainly did nothing to hold back Bumbry's career? You can now hear what all the fuss was about, before she became one of the world's most boring major singers. The uproar certainly allows us to focus on a performance worthy of preservation.

An early relic of the historic Flagstad-Melchior partnership, under the fiery baton of the young Reiner, balanced against a legacy from the world and War-weary German with a Flagstad still capable of almost any miracle except a high C. Both are essential.

One of those magical performances, fortunately captured (even in execrable sound) because you wish you had been there. Everyone is "on", so that you will hear Melchior in the longest "Wälse" cries ever perpetrated without sounding vulgar, Lehmann thrilling beyond one's wildest dreams, Schorr in a state of grace. And don't forget Marjorie Lawrence of the short-lived career who started out singing Brunnhilde in French.

Grümmer in her greatest role, unsurpassed Streich and worthy colleagues, all sustained by Furtwängler in performance at Salzburg. You want atmosphere, well it's here in full, especially during the Wolf's Glen Scene.

The excitement of two major talents in Wolf's Italian compilation is barely offset by the lesser talent of Werba, but the spontaneity makes this a more living monument than the otherwise excellent version on EMI with Schwarzkopf and F-D accompanied by the otherwise superior Gerald Moore.

Schwarzkopf's sophistication is here much more at home than in the Italian songs, and the care taken by all three participants does not prevent inspiration shining through at every moment.