Wagner - Tristan and Isolde (Nilsson/Windgassen/Sawallisch/Bayreuth 1957)

I was never entirely satisfied with the Bohm recording of Tristan und Isolde. Windgassen wasn't nearly at his best and Nilsson was a little too tiresome. Bohm's conducting and the supported cast was the best thing about it.I began searching for an older recording with Windgassen and Nilsson. I discovered this Bayreuth performance from 1957 conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch. This was exactly what I was looking for. Both of them are in exceptional voice and perform much better than in the Bohm Bayreuth performance.Nilsson is more youthful here and seems to be much more spontaneous, which I found very welcome. Windgassen was in his 50's best (as in the great Ring recordings from the decade with Krauss, Keilberth and Knappertsbusch).The supported cast is almost as good as in the Bohm performance. Hans Hotter as Kurwenal is really exceptional, Grace Hofmann is really great as Brangane. Arnold van Mill is quite good as the king, but nothing like the great Martti Talvela for Bohm.Then there is the great conducting by Wolfgang Sawallisch. His really exciting and energetic conducting is something that I really didn't expect, and it was very welcome. He made the opera really come alive.When hearing this the first time it was as if I hadn't listened to Nilsson and Windgassen before in the title roles. Everything seemed so fresh.This simply incredible performance is wholeheartedly recommend as a second or third recording after the Furtwangler (IMHO the best performance ever recorded) recording and possibly the Pappano (with Domingo as a magnificent Tristan) recording.