Putting the music aside for one moment, consider the pinpoint precision of its visuals: we see the sumptuous gold decorations of Dresden's restored Semperoper; the golden polish (plus the odd scratch) on the orchestra's strings...Thielemann easily keeps Liszt's symphonic epic afloat, applying firm structural control, plenty of Romantic warmth, and just enough reticence to make the music exciting and dignified.

Thielemann's principal virtues are purity, energy and the ability to hold together what can prove an unwieldy structure. Wagner's thrilling Faust Overture, originally conceived as part of a projected symphony, is played with warmth and vigour...Camerawork is mostly expert and unobtrusive (first-rate picture quality) and Thielemann is good to watch, his beat always clear, his gestures impassioned and precise.