TANNHÄUSER by Richard Wagner (Audio + Full Score) 

TIMECODES: 0:00 - ACT ONE, OVERTURE (9:47 - A grotto inside Venusberg is revealed. Venus is reclining on her couch, Tannhauser lying beside her with his head in her lap, holding a harp. Numerous creatures begin to dance around them, their intoxication eventually driving them out of control. The three Graces urge the Cupids to stop the orgy, who then rain down a shower of arrows from the rocks (13:10). Order is restored as the Cupids chase away the Nymphs, Fauns, Youths etc. A mist slowly envelopes the stage as we hear the song of the invisible Sirens (15:42). Venus and Tannhauser remain alone on the stage.) 19:29 - SCENE TWO (Tannhauser tells Venus he has grown tired of all the delicacies in Venus' paradise land, and longs to live as a mortal man again. Venus takes this a little personally, and tells him to sing his song in praise of her (22:57). He does, but not without a "craving for pain".) 24:45 - (Venus gets more frustrated, telling him to sing again. He does (25:38) but again, expresses sadness in the second half (26:25) as he wishes to see again the "clear blue skies" and the "fresh green of meadows"...ending with "Oh Queen! Let me go!" (26:55)) 27:09 - (Venus is not happy. She tries to make Tannhauser follow her into a grotto (28:12), where she will unload even more seductions for him.) 30:48 - (Tannhauser breaks into song again, ending with the same line "O Queen! Let me go!"). 32:24 - (Venus cries in despair, calling Tannhauser a traitor and cursing him. He will never find grace in the real world, she says. Eventually Tannhauser invokes the name of Mary, and Venus and the Venusberg disappear...) 35:47 - SCENE THREE (Tannhauser finds himself in a beautiful green valley. A shepherd boy is heard singing in the background. Pilgrims to Rome pass by (37:34). Tannhauser: "Glory be to Thee, Almighty God!" (40:03) He will not rest until the burden of his sins will be lifted.) 42:31 - SCENE FOUR (The Landgrave arrives with his minstrels and hunting party. They recognize Tannhauser and ask where he has been (44:44). Tannhauser, affected by the sight just beforehand, avoids answering and makes clear he does not want to join them. Wolfram mentions Elisabeth (47:19), who has become more and more depressed ever since Tannhauser left and stopped singing with them. Tannhauser agrees to return (51:46).) 54:34 - ACT TWO, INTRODUCTION 56:23 - SCENE ONE (Elisabeth enters the Singers' Hall in Wartburg.) 59:10 - SCENE TWO (Elisabeth greets Tannhauser. They both rejoice in seeing each other. Tannhauser was her favourite of the singers, after all (1:02:53) . She asks where he has disappeared to for so long, but Tannhauser only says that it feels like a distant memory, but he remembers feeling trapped and helpless.) 1:07:58 - SCENE THREE (The Landgrave tells Elisabeth the nobles of his land are coming to see the upcoming singing festival.) 1:11:38 - SCENE FOUR (The guests get ready for the show. The Landgrave challenges the singers to sing a song on the "essence of true love" (1:19:05). Whoever wins shall be bestowed whatever prize they wish by Elisabeth. Each of the singers puts a piece of paper with their names into a golden bowl (1:24:05). A name is chosen at random; Wolfram is the first to sing. Tannhauser, meanwhile, is daydreaming.) 1:25:21 - (Wolfram sings.) 1:29:49 - (The guests praise Wolfram's song. But Tannhauser quickly gets up, scolds Wolfram for his misrepresentation of love, saying that he himself is the "true being of love.") 1:31:22 - (Walther is next, who reprimands Tannhauser for his audacity. But Tannhauser only reinforces his position.) 1:34:36 - (Biterolf has even harsher words for Tannhauser. But Tannhauser merely antagonizes him too. As they get ready to fight, the Landgrave attempts to settle down the situation (1:36:40). Wolfram implores Heaven to banish all sinful thoughts from the crowd. But Tannhauser instead gets up and sings his song in praise of Venus...(1:37:51).) 1:38:36 - (The crowd is in uproar as they learn that Tannhauser has been in the Venusberg. As they approach Tannhauser with their swords drawn (1:39:00), Elisabeth steps in to shield Tannhauser from them (1:39:26). While she, Tannhauser's lover, has been hurt the most by Tannhauser's admission, have they not forgotten about eternal salvation? After all, that is what the Son of God came down to Earth and suffered for. Tannhauser should atone for his sins, not be judged and cut down by other men.) 1:45:05 - (Tannhauser: "Woe is me, unhappy mortal!" The crowd sings in praise of Heaven's command. 1:51:25 - (The Landgrave tells Tannhauser, in order to achieve eternal salvation, he must set off to Rome with the Pilgrims to atone for his sins (1:53:34). Tannhauser accepts.) 1:59:11 - ACT THREE, PRELUDE (Tannhauser's Pilgrimage) 2:07:11 - SCENE ONE (It is now autumn in the valley outside the Wartburg hall. The pilgrims are expected to arrive soon. Elisabeth is seeing praying to the Virgin to pardon Tannhauser of his sin. while Wolfram watches.) 2:10:13 - (The pilgrims are heard as they descend into the valley. Elisabeth looks for Tannhauser, but does not find him. 2:13:45 - "He will return no more!" She returns to her prayer. Wolfram offers to walk her back to the Wartburg (2:20:18), but Elisabeth declines, also indicating that she alone must walk her path till her dying day.) 2:23:01 - SCENE TWO (Wolfram sits down to improvise on his harp, singing a song about the evening star which penetrates the growing darkness in the valley.) 2:27:49 - SCENE THREE (Tannhauser is seen entering from the side, apparently in a state of delirium. Wolfram does not recognize him at first, but Tannhauser recognizes Wolfram. He asks him for directions to the Venusberg (2:29:45). Wolfram, horrified, asks Tannhauser whether he actually went to Rome. Tannhauser begs Wolfram not to talk about it, but eventually comes round to tell the tale...) 2:32:00 - (Tannhauser says that, although he went on the pilgrimage with every intention to repent for his sins, when he finally arrived in Rome and confessed his sins to the Pope, the Pope answered that Tannhauser would never know salvation, just as the staff in his hand would never sprout new leaves (2:38:48). Devastated by this, and sickened by the sweet singing of the pilgrims, he decided to escape and seek pleasure again. Wolfram now watches as Tannhauser calls out to Venus so that she may appear to him again. (2:41:33)) 2:42:18 - (A fine mist descends on the valley. The figures of Nymphs can be faintly seen. Venus appears (2:43:46), reminding Tannhauser of how she told him he will eventually come running back to her! Wolfram tries to stop Tannhauser, but he believes he is a lost cause. Eventually Wolfram mentions Elisabeth ("An angel prayed for you upon earth, soon she will soar above you, blessing;") (2:45:18). As Tannhauser repeats the name, Venus and the mist dissapear.) 2:46:13 - (A funeral procession is heard. Wolfram takes Tannhauser to Elisabeth's bier. Tannhauser: "Holy Elisabeth, pray for me!" (2:47:35). He dies.) 2:47:49 - (The younger pilgrims enter, holding a priests' staff covered with fresh green leaves: "The sinner need no more despair, for God shall cleanse him of his stain. High over all the Lord doth reign no man doth call on Him in vain." Everybody rejoices.)

One of the greatest operas ever written.

my favorite tannhäuser recording.

Wagner was born to change music history.

How has this only received 47 views in 2 years!?

Estou agora, dia 28 de junho de 2023, às 10:52 hs, ouvindo essa grandiosa obra de Richard Wagner !!!!

Though he only plays the minor role of Walther, I love Gerhard Stolze in this production! He has that very distinctive voice that makes him a delightfully devilish Mime in "Siegfried," but it's nice to hear that voice applied for a more righteous and pious character. I could tell it was Stolze before even looking at the cast list; he's a very unmistakeable singer, and does a phenomenal job for his small role in Scene Four of the first act.

This recording follows Wagner's score by having Elisabeth sing along with Tannhauser and the others from 1:47:22. Most recordings do not. This includes Melchoir and Lorenz, where Elisabeth does not sing, allowing Tannhauser to stand out more. Solti (with Kollo) also includes Elisabeth's vocals at this point.

42:31 My favourite operatic scene

My very favorite part 1:11:38

Wagner is a God

One of my favorite parts is not in the timestamp: 49:14 the "arietta" of Wolfram in the first act. Such a beautiful, almost Italian-like melody.

My favorite recording of Tannhaüser has to be the 1988 Placido Domingo one, but this definitely my favorite recording of the Dresden version. I think the overture on this recording is just a smidgen too fast, but that's just my opinion 😅

Das Hauptthema wurde geschickt in einem russischen Kriegsfilm "WHITE TIGER - DIE GROSSE PANZERSCHLACH" verwendet, um die lauernde Präsenz des feindlichen Panzers zu beschreiben...

This version is quite fast in some places isn't it? I think the final chorus works really well (where other versions can sound lethargic and without enough momentum), but for example these guests really are in a hurry for their entrance

1:37:07 1:43:43 2:14:36

25:38 1:37:51

23:02

2:38:38

2:32:00

God save 2:41:15

The Paris version is an abomination.. Island of Dr Moreau splicing of totally alien styles..

1:59:17

2:12:17