Wagner: Parsifal CD review – Elder brings a measured approach but a glorious final act

Cleveman/Dalayman/Tomlinson/Roth/Hallé/Elder
(Hallé, four CDs)It has taken almost four years for Mark Elder’s account of Wagner’s final music drama to find its way on to disc. Elder conducted this Parsifal at the 2013 Proms, as part of that season’s Wagner bicentenary celebrations. The performance was generally extremely well received – his conducting and the Hallé’s playing were particularly admired. Yet what may be overwhelmingly convincing in