Parzival

By: Wolfram von Eschenbach

Narrated by: Leighton Pugh

The greatest of all the medieval romances about the Holy Grail, Parzival was written in the early 13th century. The narrative describes the quest of the Arthurian knight Parzival for the Holy Grail. His journey is filled with incident, from tournaments and sieges to chivalrous deeds and displays of true love. The poem influenced several later works, most notably Richard Wagner’s opera of the same name and Umberto Eco’s Baudolino. The text used in this recording is Cyril Edwards’ modern prose translation.

Public Domain (P)2021 Naxos AudioBooks UK Ltd.

fabulous and culturally important

This fanciful tale is a must read key to any modern fantasy that invokes tbe Grail, or knighthood.

Nicely done!

I am not a scholar, just a huge fan of this beautiful and meaningful story. As stated, in another review, the story is very complicated given all the knights, ladies and lands…it is difficult to follow, and if one has no background to this tale and with only one listen, it will have your head spinning with confusion. In order to really get the most from this story, you should have some type of genealogy, a list of the knights and ladies, and perhaps a map of the lands. And, it needs to be listened to multiple times. The language is very accessible and the reading is easy on the ear.

I am glad that I tried this rendition. As a student of this story, I will try a different translation and reader, and will leave that review as well. Enjoy!

Before Hearing the Story, Read the Introduction

You'll find the entire introduction included in the print sample of Cyril Edwards’ translation on Amazon, and a good thing, too. Beyond tracing the development of the Arthurian tradition and placing Wolfram’s poem within that tradition, he offers a helpful roadmap through this rather tangled Germanic wildwood.

Given the date of authorship (1200-1210?), I expected something akin to Chretien de Troye's romances. But as Edwards observes, the French poet, “is, if you like, Romanesque, clean-lined and restrained, while Wolfram is exuberant and Gothic”. Even Wolfram’s contemporaries thought this one a bit much. Be that as it may, it is also extremely enjoyable.

As always with audiobooks, the narrator has a lot to do with that enjoyment. Leighton Pugh’s performance gets off to a rocky start, due either to a technical issue with the first few minutes of the recording or a hesitancy on Pugh’s part as he settles into the rhythm of Edwards’ prose. After that, everything runs smoothly.

Spectacular!

A true epic and a skillful narration. Highly recommended for anyone interested in medieval narratives.

The Most Visionary of Arthurian Legends

At its worst, the text itself is bogged down by the usual tedium of medieval literature: forgettable battles, uninspired dialogue, litanies of place and personal names etc. But, at its best, the text feels magical - like a hallucinatory revelation sprung from an Arthurian unconscious. To my taste, the wonder of those fleeting, visionary moments makes it worthwhile to traverse the surrounding tedium.

An absolute masterpiece, in spite of everything.