Wagner: Die Walküre (Acts 1 and 2)

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
In the early 1930s Bruno Walter planned to record the complete Die Walküre in Berlin, exploiting recent refinements in the electrical recording technique. However when the Nazis came to power, Jewish artists, including Walter, were immediately under threat. The location of the recording was shifted to Vienna. In 1935 the whole of Act 1 and parts of Act 2 were taken down. Melchior, the finest Heldentenor of that or any time, and Lehmann managed to sound astonishingly youthful, while Hotter was to become the leading Wotan of the next two decades. Logistical and budgetary problems made it difficult to complete Act 2 and only in 1938 was the rest of it undertaken in Berlin, under the vastly experienced leadership of Bruno Seidler-Winkler.

Tracks:

Carmen: Act 1: Prld - LPO/Sir Georg Solti
La Traviata: Brindisi: Libiamo, Ne'lieti Calici - Luciano Pavarotti/Joan Sutherland/London Opr Chor/Terry Edwards
La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina - Luciano Pavarotti
Lakme: Flower Duet: Dome Epais Le Jasmin - Joan Sutherland/Jane Berbie
Fedora: Amor Ti Vieta - Jussi Bjorling
Carmen: Habanera: L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle - Tatiana Troyanos/John Alldis Chor/John Alldis
Nabucco: Chor Of The Hebrew Slaves: Va Pensiero - Chicago Sym Chor/Margaret Hills
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Dove Sono - Kiri Te Kanawa
Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile - Luciano Pavarotti
Lohengrin: Bridal Chor: Treulich Gefuhrt Ziehet Dahin - Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor/Walter Hagen-Groll
Gianni Schicchi: O Mio Babbino Caro - Renata Tebaldi
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Largo Al Factotum - Leo Nucci
La Wally: Ebben?... Ne Andro Lontana - Angela Gheorghiu
Madama Butterfly: Humming Chor - Wiener Staatsopernchor/Norbert Balatsch
Carmen: Flower Song: La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee - Placido Domingo
Les Contes D'Hoffmann: Barcarolle: Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'Amour - Joan Sutherland/Huguette Tourangeau/Chor De La Radio Suisse Romande, Pro Arte De Lausanne Et Du...
Tosca: E Lucevan Le Stelle - Placido Domingo
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di - Mirella Freni
Les Pecheurs De Perles: C'est Toi... Au Fond Du Temple Saint - Gregory Cross/Gino Quilico

Tracks:

Die Walkure: The Ride Of The Valkyries - Wiener Phil/Solti
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Voi Che Sapete - Cecilia Bartoli
Pagliacci: Recitar!... Vesti La Giubba - Luciano Pavarotti
La Boheme: O Soave Fanciulla - Mirella Freni/Luciano Pavarotti/Roland Panerai
Il Trovatore: Anvil Chor: Vedi! Le Fosche - Chicago Sym Chor/Margaret Hillis
Manon Lescaut: Donna Non Vidi Mai - Jose Carreras
Don Giovanni: La Ci Darem La Mano - Lucia Popp/Tom Krause
Mattinata - Andrea Bocelli
Faust: Soldiers' Chor - Ambrosian Opr Chor/John McCarthy
L'elisir D'amore: Una Furtiva Lagrima - Roberto Alagna
Turandot: Signore, Ascolta! - Montserrat Caballe
Don Giovanni: Champagne Aria: Finch'han Dal Vino - Bryn Terfel
Cosi Fan Tutte: Trio: Soave Sia Il Vento - Renee Fleming/Anne Sofie Von Otter/Michele Pertusi
Il Trovatore: Di Quella Pira - Luciano Pavarotti/Joan Sutherland/London Opr Chor/Terry Edwards
Tosca: Vissi D'arte - Kiri Te Kanawa
Carmen: Toreador Song - Jose Van Dam/Tatiana Troyanos/Norma Burrowes/Jane Berbie/Thomas Allen/Pierre Thau/John Alldis...
Madama Butterfly: Love Duet: Vogliatemi Bene - Mirella Freni/Luciano Pavarotti
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo - Nat PO/Gianandrea Gavazzeni
Rusalka: O Silver Moon - Renee Fleming
La Boheme: Si. Mi Chiamano Mimi - Angela Gheorghiu
Turandot: Nessun Dorma - Luciano Pavarotti/John Alldis Chor/John Alldis

Amazon.com

The labels that are now gathered under the Universal Classics umbrella have a pretty impressive scorecard in the area of classical compilations. We've seen The Greatest Opera Show on Earth, The Yellow Guide: Classical Music, Best of the Millennium, and now there's The No. 1 Opera Album. But that's no surprise, since Universal has some of the finest interpreters in its catalogue to draw from. This two-CD set (at the price of one), for example, brings together the likes of Cecilia Bartoli, Renée Fleming, Luciano Pavarotti, Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Georg Solti, Herbert von Karajan, and many more. Yet the other key to a successful compilation is canny anthologizing, and here again, you have a nice selection to give you a smattering of opera's heavyweights from the Italian, German, and French repertory (there's even a step outside the standard framework with an aria from Dvorák's lovely Rusalka). Ranging from 1959 to 1997, the choices from back catalogue will doubtless be the entry ticket for many into this grandest of the arts. --Sarah Chin

Customer Reviews:

The beautiful gift of opera..........2007-07-17

This 2-CD set is absolutely wonderful! You can close your eyes and feel like you're actually at the opera, listening to those beautiful voices bringing tears to your eyes. Nessun Dorma still stirs up emotions in me, no matter how many times I hear it. Great examples of opera to give someone wanting to get interested in this style of music.

Pretty darn good.......2007-07-04

This CD set has a lot of familiar music on it, so if you're a newbie, you might want to try starting with this. There are some great pieces on the first CD. I usually don't even make it to the second.

The Opera #1 Opera Album.......2007-06-07

The music is wonderful. The production is terrible!! The sound fades in and out and is very scratchy in some places.

Excellent assortment.......2007-05-12

I'm not a big opera fan but I wanted to expose an assorted selection for my kids. This was perfect since it included several recognizable selections.

Great Selections.......2007-03-31

This Cd, has the very best of Opera
covering mainly from the classcal
to the to the romantic periods, a most
memorable selection here is Leo Nucci
in a lagendary performance of Rossini's
"Largo al Factotum" from "Il Barbiere di Seviglia"
also Andrea Bocelli in his performance of Leoncavallo's
memorable "Matinatta" here in an orchestrated version.
Indeed some of opera's most loved arias are in this recording
various conductors, orchestras, and soloists. All in their
very best. Indeed a five-star recording...

World's Very Best Opera for Kids... in English!

Average customer rating:

Outstanding Resource - We LOVE This CD!
Great Intro to Operas
A Sampler of Greatest Hits and Karaoke, Too
World's Very Best Opera for Kids... in English
Great for adults too!

World's Very Best Opera for Kids... in English!

Manufacturer: Children's Group
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Beethoven's Wig, Vol. 2: More Sing-Along Symphonies

ASIN: B0000C5ROP
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

The Barber Of Seville: Largo Al Factotum - Gregory Dahl
Carmen: Habanera - Jean Stilwell
The Marriage Of Figaro: Non Piu Andrai - Allan Monk
The Magic Flute: Papageno's Song - Daniel Lichti
Carmen: The Toreadors Song - Brian Banion
La Boheme: Donde Lieta Usci - Addio Di Mimi - Laura Whalen
The Magic Flute: Der Hoole Rache (The Queen Of The Night's Aria) - Aline Kutan
Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile - Michael Schade
Tales Of Hoffman: The Doll Song - Tracy Dahl
Die Walkure: Ride Of the Valkyries - Laura Whalen
The Marriage Of Figaro: Voi, Che Sapete - Erin Thrall
Madame Butterfly: Un Bel Di Verdremo - Natalie Choquette
Xerxes: Ombra Mai Fu - Daniel Taylor
Rigoletto: Caro Nome - Lambroula Maria Pappas
Habanera - The Budapest Concert Orchestra MAV
Non Piu Andrai - The Budapest Concert Orchestra MAV
Papageno's Song - The Budapest Concert Orchestra MAV
La Donna E Mobile - The Budapest Concert Orchestra MAV
Voi, Che Sapete - The Budapest Concert Orchestra MAV

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Resource - We LOVE This CD!.......2007-07-16

This is a GREAT CD! Both the children and my husband and I love it. We bought it as an introduction to opera for our homeschooled children, and never guessed we'd all enjoy it so much.

All the tunes are ones you will probably recognize - but hearing the words that go with the music and hearing them in *English* is so helpful! It has been really fun to find out what these songs are really about.

My kids and I often catch ourselves singing opera through the day now, which is really neat. It has helped build their understanding of music in many different ways, and has improved my oldest daughter's voice ability as she strives to keep up with the professional singers on the CD.

The music is beautiful, the words are lovely and give meaning, and this whole CD is just exceptionally good entertainment!

Great Intro to Operas.......2006-10-16

THE WORLD"S VERY BEST OPERA FOR KIDS is a collection of fourteen of the best loved arias in the world. The whole family will enjoy this CD, which is a unique version of these famous arias in that these are all sung in English so your child (and you) can appreciate and imagine the story that it illustrates. It is a wonderful introduction to opera and will have the whole family humming the memorable melodies, which are sung by some of the best of famous voices. You will be inspired to read the storylines of the operas to your children for a wonderful educational and delightful family hour. The CD includes an insert with the words so you can sing along

A Sampler of Greatest Hits and Karaoke, Too.......2006-04-05

It really doesn't get much better than this CD. The primary benefit of the music is that it is a terrific selection of funny and touching arias from the classical genre. I am an opera lover and bought this for myself to memorize the words in English, as prompts when I listen to the pieces untranslated. I started listening to the CD while I was driving, and within a week had bought about a dozen CDs to distribute to family members and friends, with kids (and without). Everyone loves it. And at the end of the CD are several tracks of just the music, so you can sing along, which is a hoot. Your friends and colleagues, who hear you barking along to beats, will think you have taken leave of your senses. The lyrics (in English) are in the liner notes. I would suggest not reading the liner notes while driving.

Second CD benefit. The time you spend listening to this will be the equivalent of an afternoon at the beach or a walk in the mountains. The calming factor is amazing.

World's Very Best Opera for Kids... in English.......2006-01-30

I listen to this with my 3 year old and we both enjoy it. I am not an operatic expert and to my lay ears the performances here sound great, and my daughter likes hearing the words to some of her favorite music ("Play the Torreadores again Mommy!") Its a nice break from some more traditional kids songs that we listen to.

Great for adults too!.......2005-08-15

I never had an interest in opera until I made a trip to Italy and dined in an opera cafe. I appreciate it even more thanks to this CD. Now that I can hear the lyrics in english and read a synopsis of the story, I appreciate and enjoy opera even more.

Twilight of the Gods: The Essential Wagner Collection

Average customer rating:

Wonderful collection and price!
Awesome collection!
Helicopters? Marines?
A great addition to my music collection
Quintessential Wagner

Twilight of the Gods: The Essential Wagner Collection

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Wagner: Overture & Preludes
The Best Of Wagner
Wagner: The "Ring" Without Words
Wagner without Words
25 Thunderous Classics

ASIN: B000009ON7
Release Date: 1998-08-11

Tracks:

The Valkyries: Ride Of The Valkyries
Twilight Of The Gods: Siegfried's Funeral March
Lohengrin: Prelude to Act III
The Flying Dutchman: Overture
The Flying Dutchman: Sailors' Chorus
The Rheingold: Journey Down To Nibelheim
The Mastersingers Of Nuremberg: Overture
Tannhauser: Overture
Tannhauser: Entry Of The Guests
Tannhauser: Tannhauser's Pilgrimage
Siegfried: Act III Orchestral Interlude
Twilight Of The Gods: Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Twilight Of The Gods: Finale
The Rheingold: Entry Of The Gods Into Valhalla

Tracks:

Lohengrin: Prelude To Act I
Lohengrin: Bridal Chorus
Parsifal: Prelude to Act I
Parsifal: Good Friday Music
Parsifal: Transformation Scene
Tannhauser: Venusberg Music
Tannhauser: Pilgrims Chorus
The Mastersingers Of Nuremburg: Prelude To Act III
The Rheingold: Vision Of Valhalla (Scene II Introduction)
Siegfried Idyll
Siegfried: Brunnhildes Awakening
Tristan And Isolde: Prelude To Act III
Tristan And Isolde: Death Of Isolde

Amazon.com

If you like your Wagner served up in bleeding chunks or if you're simply in a hurry to hear the tunes, then this compilation is for you. The performances, drawn from the Polygram (mainly Deutsche Grammophon) back catalog, are for the most part authoritative. They feature the likes of Herbert von Karajan, with the Berlin Philharmonic, and Karl Böhm, with the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra (and chorus), in extracts from recordings of complete operas, and conductors Giuseppe Sinopoli, Otto Gerdes, and Antal Doráti in some of the more familiar overtures and preludes. Singing, without which it is impossible to get the full flavor of Wagner's work, is skirted whenever possible: this is an unapologetic tribute to Wagner the orchestral genius. At times the salesmanship is a little overblown--the glitzy packaging includes a cover shot of the helicopters from Apocalypse Now--and the sound, some of it from very good originals, seems to have been juiced with a little added digital reverb, resulting in an overall glassiness. The gaps between tracks are minimized, disco style, so there's no dead air, and the whole thing has an Entertainment Tonight feel to it. Were he around, Wagner would have screamed bloody murder, then happily taken his cut of the action. For today's on-the-go listener, this may well be the most practical way to enjoy Wagner's music, but we won't be happy until it motivates at least one newcomer to seek out a recording of a complete opera. Anyone who does that will find out what "apocalypse" really means. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful collection and price!.......2007-05-11

I found this to be a nice collection of favorites, especially to keep in the car and listen to. It is a variety of well known compilations. Although not encompassing, it is perfect as a review for driving, relaxing, and enjoyment. Plus, the price is right!

Awesome collection!.......2007-01-10

This is a great collection of some of Wagner's most memorable songs for those of you who do not want to buy the whole opera's for some of his works.

Helicopters? Marines?.......2006-12-05

Do those infotainment marketing mavens ever get it right? Talk about Hollywood disconnect! Not only are the helicopters irrelevant, but to quote from the gushy drivel on the jacket, "The gripping power of Richard Wagner's music was demonstrated with spectacular effect in...Apocalpse Now, when the "Ride of the Valkyries' became synonymous with the chilling journey of Marine 'Huey' helicopters into battle..."

Marine? Marine? Them Hueys in the movie was ARMY Air Cav, slick! "First of the ninth--air mobile." If you're going to dally down that primrose path, at least get it right.

Better yet, drop the choppers. Most people who listen to Wagner probably realize that quality of an artistic work has a mystically inverse relationship to the number of helicopters contained in it.

As for the music, it is good, but the operatic equivalent of sound bites, which may be just right for people who are new to Wagner or just can't take very much of him. Hmm...perfect for a helicopter ride, perhaps?

A great addition to my music collection.......2006-07-20

This CD takes the place of all my other Wagner music. VERY well done. Somehow I didn't realize that there were two cds in the package--what a pleasant surprise! Of the two cds, I like the first one best, but they are both good. I listen to this cd daily on my way to work. Stirring! I am so glad that I purchased this. Some purists might have a problem with the fact that some of the selections are not there in their entirety. I have no problem with that though. I recommend this to anyone who loves Wagner.

Quintessential Wagner.......2006-05-15

Okay, so I like Wagner. I LOVE "Ride Of The Valkyries". Do I want to go out and buy every single stinkin thing Wagner did? No. If you are a die-hard Wagner fan you probably will not think much of this collection.

But if you like Wagner and appreciate "Ride Of The Valkyries", and maybe require it in just a little more substance than what is included in "Apocolypse Now Redux", then this is what you want. The extra tracks are bonuses and are quite good. Meets my needs, presentation great, performance excellent. I recommend it for anyone that needs a Wagner fix.

Pavarotti's Opera Made Easy-My Favourite Opera For Children

Average customer rating:

Opera for Children
Great Opera for Children
My six-year old liked it!
Fun, accessible opera for you and your child to enjoy

Pavarotti's Opera Made Easy-My Favourite Opera For Children

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Sutherland, Joan | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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World's Very Best Opera for Kids... in English!
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The Classical Child at the Opera
Children's Favorites
David Bowie Narrates Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf"

ASIN: B00000424Y
Release Date: 1994-08-23

Tracks:

Carmen: Children's March
Carmen: Toreador Song
Carmen: Toreador Chorus
The Barber Of Seville: Largo Al Factotum
Faust: Soldiers' Chorus
Il travatore: Anvil Chorus
Madame Butterfly: Humming Chorus
Die Walkure: The Ride Of The Valkyries
The Tales Of Hoffman: The Doll Song
Aida: Triumphal Choruses And March
The Magic Flute: Papageno's Song: A Birdcatcher Am I
The Magic Flute: Papagena! Papagena! Papagena!
The Magic Flute: Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa
Hansel And Gretel: Brother, Come Dance With Me
Hansel And Gretel: I Am The Little Sandman
Hansel And Gretel: Children's Prayer
Hansel And Gretel: Song Of The Gingerbread Children
Hansel And Gretel: Ral-la-la-la, Ral-la-la-la

Customer Reviews:

Opera for Children.......2005-10-14

This is an excellent CD to introduce children to some of the more familiar operas. I would highly recommend this CD for children and also for adults who want to become familiar with opera.

Great Opera for Children.......2005-05-01

This CD is an excellent compilation of opera for children and adults alike. The operas that are represented on this disc are: Carmen, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Faust, Il Trovatore, Madama Butterfly, Die Walkure, Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Aida, Die Zauberflote, and Hansel und Gretel. People love the Children's March, as well as the Toreador Chorus, from the opera Carmen. The well known Toreador Song is performed on this CD by great bass- baritone Jose van Dam. Children who watch Bugs Bunny will recognize "Largo al factotum" from Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Sherrill Milnes performs the role of Figaro expertly, and his falsetto is evident in Figaro's famous patter aria. Great choruses, like the Soldier's Chorus from Faust, the Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore, the Triumphal Chorus from Aida, and the Humming Chorus from Madama Butterfly make appearences on this CD. The Doll Song from Les Contes d'Hoffmann is performed by soprano Joan Sutherland. She uses her voice to rise up and down, like a mechanical doll. My favorite German baritone, Hermann prey, performs Papageno's entrance aria from Die Zauberflote, as well was the duet with Papagena. Choruses from Hansel und Gretel round the CD.

My six-year old liked it!.......2001-04-02

My six year-old son enjoyed hearing this CD. We like to sing together, so we found many of the pieces quite alot. But to be honest, when we discovered the more recently released CD, The Classical Child AT the Opera, he went wild because all the pieces have been translateded into English, so it's much more enjoyable for us to sing along. So I would recommend it, but check out the other one as well -- your kids will be glad you did. All the best, Steven

Fun, accessible opera for you and your child to enjoy.......1999-11-05

I bought this CD for my then 3 year old son. He loved it then because it was the "Bugs Bunny" music he was familiar with from the cartoons. He listened to it for awhile then we put it away. After he turned 4, he said to me one day -- let's listen to opera, and now we listen to this CD every day. This music gets his blood going; he struts around his room when he listens to this. And, he is in every respect a typical boy who likes Pokemon and the Back Street Boys. So, I consider this CD successful in introducing opera to a youngster.

Average customer rating:

A "Die Walkure" for the AGES from a "RING for the AGES"
A Memorable Performance!
Nostalgic Pleasure
AN EPIC RING - PART II
I'm Overwhelmed!

Wagner: Die Walküre

Manufacturer: Testament UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Wagner: Siegfried
Wagner: Das Rheingold
Wagner: Götterdämmerung
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Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs

ASIN: B000FILUMY
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Tracks:

Die Walkure: Prelude (Vorspiel) (Act One)
Wes Herd dies auch sei (Act One, Scene One)
Kuhlende Labung gab mir
Mud am Herd fand ich den Mann (Act One, Scene Two)
Friedmund darf ich nicht heissen
Aus dem Wald trieb es mich fort
Ich weiss ein wildes Geschlect (Hunding)
Ein Schwert werhiess mir der Vater (Siegmund) (Act One, Scene Three)
Schlafst du, Gast? (Sieglinde/Siegmund)
Wintersturme wichen dem wonnermond (Siegmund)
Du bist der Lenz
Wehwalt heisst du furwahr? (Sielinde/Siegmund)

Tracks:

Prelude (Vorspiel) (Act Two)
Nun zaume dein Ross (Wotan/Brunnhilde) (Act Two , Scene One)
Der alte Sturm (Wotan/Frica)
So ist es denn aus mit den weigen Gottern (Frica)
Nichts lerntest du
Was verlangst du? (Wotan/Fricka/Brunnhilde)
Schlimm, furcht' ich, schloss der Streit (Brunnhilde/Wotan) (Act Two, Scene Two)
Was keinem in Worten ich kunde
Ein andres ist's (Wotan/Brunnhilde)
O sag/, kunde (Brunnhilde/Wotan)
Raste nun hier (Act Two, Scene Three)
Hinweg! Hinweg ! (Siegmund/Sieglinde)

Tracks:

Siegmund ! Sieh' auf mich! (Act Two, Scene Four)
Hehr bist du, und heilig gewaht'ich
So wenig achtest du ewige Wonne? (Brunnhilde/Siegmund)
Zauberfest bezahmt ein Schlaf(Siegmund)(Act Two, Scene Five)
Kehrte der Vater nur heim ! (Sieglinde/Hunding/Siegmund/Brunnhilde/Wotan)

Tracks:

Prelude - Hojotoho! Hojotoho! (Die acht Walkuren)
Schuzt mich und helft (Brunnhilde/Die acht Walkuren) (Act Three, Scene One)
Nicht sehre dich Sorge um mich (Sieglinde/Brunnhilde/Waltraute/ortlinde/Die acht Walkuren
Steh, Brunnhild'! (Wotan/Die acht Walkuren/Brunnhilde)
Wo is Brunnhild' (Wotan/Die acht Walkuren) (Act Three, Scene Two)
Hier bin ich, Vater (Brunnhilde/Wotan)
Wehe ! Weh'! Schwester (Die acht Walkuren/Brunnhilde/Wotan)
War es so schmahlich (Act Three, Scene Three)
Nicht weise bin ich
So tatest du
Du zeugtest ein edles Geschlect (Brunnhilde/Wotan)
Leb wohl, du kuhnes, herrliches Kind !
Denn einer nur freie die Braut
Loge, hor! Lausche hieher ! (Wotan)

Amazon.com

"Best" is an overused word, and particularly difficult to apply to performances of operas as huge and multifaceted as Wagner's. There are now dozens of Walküres available on CD, and most have much to recommend them. This one, part of a live Bayreuth Ring recorded in real stereo by the Decca recording crew in 1955 but never before released, is just about ideal: all of the singers, absolute golden-age-of-Wagner-singing performers, are in their prime. Ramon Vinay's baritonal Siegmend is both powerful and sympathetic; Gré Brouwenstijn's Sieglinde is wonderfully womanly, though occasionally troubled by a prominent vibrato; Josef Greindl's Hunding is a character to fear. Hans Hotter's Wotan is flawless---his sadness and tenderness are as vividly expressed as his rage and, thanks to the always- alert and dramatically intelligent leadership of Joseph Keilberth, his confrontation with the imperious Fricka of Georgine von Milinkovic has the ring of absolute honesty. Astrid Varnay's Brünnhilde is here caught at its best--utterly secure at all registers, girlish and impetuous but loving, a true powerhouse. The Valkyries are a noisy but accurate bunch. The Bayreuth Orchestra plays as if possessed---the trilling flutes in the "Ride," wonderfully captured by the engineers, add to the thrill. The "best"? Well, absolutely remarkable. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

A "Die Walkure" for the AGES from a "RING for the AGES".......2007-06-19

This recording of Wagner's "Die Walkure" recorded live at Bayreuth in 1955 is a TRUE masterpiece, a testament to the heights that can be reached when "everyone works together" for the sake of the "art" itself, not self-aggrandisement (which we have today, generally). Every aspect of this recording pales every other! It immediately, and solidly, goes to the top of the list of "Die Walkure" choices on disc (possible exception: Leinsdorf/Nilsson/Vickers). As do the remaining three operas, also recorded at the same time, by the same cast, that make up the "Ring".

Going back over the decades of my life, I remember when you only had one choice for a "Ring"...Solti/Decca, and that was it.

Then, there came the von Karajan, and then the Bohm/Bayreuth. Then, there seemed to be a mini-explosion of "Rings" over the following years, so many that it became/becomes staggering to think about!

Two statements:
1) If you are NEW to Wagner's "Ring" do not become confused with all the choices out there. There are really only two live recordings you need consider...the Krauss/Bayreuth, and this one, Keilberth/Bayreuth, and one studio recording to think about, the Solti/Decca set. You may think this excessive, but you NEED all three of these recordings. Period.
2) If you are FAMILIAR with Wagner's "Ring", then, assumably, you want the Best recording of it. I will assume you already have the Solti set, as most people do. The Krauss set you may or may not have. It is a stunner. And, now, the Keilberth....the most awesome recording, in many ways, you will ever experience.

Think: 1955, live, Bayreuth, the Best Wagnerians of their age, assembled together at the behest of Wagner's grandsons, in Wagner's theater, and the best part....recorded in STEREO! By Decca, of all people, before the Solti studio Ring was ever thought about! Why Decca sat on these magnificent recordings just blows my mind.

Luckily for us, Testament acquired the rights to release these timeless recordings, and we now, after 52 years, can marvel at and enjoy these magnificent performances of four of the greatest musical masterpieces ever written, combining to make up the most monumental work ever written for the stage! Enjoy this (set) of Masterpiece Recordings! ~operabruin

A Memorable Performance!.......2007-02-05

Rarely does a release live up to its hype, but the Testament release of the 1955 Ring from Bayreuth is one that does. This CD is jam-packed with incredible performances from one of the best casts assembled in the post-war era. Ramon Vinay gives a magnificent performance as Siegmund--and I really like his rich baritonal timbre. (In fact, he began and ended his career as a baritone.) He sings with intelligence, sensitivity and passion. Gre Brouwenstijn gives an surprisingly (for her) ardent account of Sieglinde and Josef Griendl is a wonderfully malevolent Hunding.
The two stars of the show are clearly Hans Hotter as Wotan and Astrid Varnay as Brunnehilde. Hotter was probably the leading heldenbaritone of the 20th century, and there really is no one better as Wotan. Others may have richer and fuller voices, but few are as good singing actors as was Hotter. Varnay is a revelation. If Birgit Nilsson was said to have a voice like burnished steel, Varnay, (who was one of Nillson's closest friends in the business), has a darker, richer instrument that gives her portrayal more "humanity", if one can use that word about a god's daughter! (She's also incredible on the "Siegfried" CD and don't miss her Tristan und Isolde with Ramon Vinay.) Known to many of my generation only through her later "character" mezzo roles, she is enjoying a renaissance now through these incredible releases from the mid-50s, the height of her career.
Joseph Keilberth conducts with drive and energy, and he gets ample support from the Bayreuth orchestra. The sound quality is remarkable for that time, (and in stereo, no less), and although the price is a bit steep, if one buys it from one of the dealers that sell on Amazon one can save quite a bit.
It may not be the "best" Ring cycle, but it's right up there and a wonderful opportunity to hear some of the last 50 years' top Wagnerian artists in their prime.

Nostalgic Pleasure.......2007-01-21

It is almost a dream come true. Imagine Krauss' or Kna in stereo sound, the celebrated 53 or 56 versions, Imagine Solti but the singers all in their prime, especially Hotter. This is a dream come true. And to make things even better, everyone seems to be singing and playing their heart out. I have to admit, Krauss is a great interpreter orchestrally, as is Solti, but in terms of singing, this goes to the top of my list and I must say overalll is now at the top. Along with Siegfried, which is even better than this, this should be the greatest ring ever released, either in stereo or not. Though only issue is the price, which is absurd, how could they charge 100 dollars for three opera and 46 for a preliminary evening, that is 346 for the entire cycle which is just about out of everyone's price range-especially when you can now get Krauss at 45, Solti at 150, etc, etc, it is a hard sell to convince someone that it is that much better. I cant say it is 200 dollars better than Solti and it is not 300 better than Krauss---but for those, like me, always searching for something new in the ring, this is like discovering the holy grail.

AN EPIC RING - PART II.......2007-01-10

This WALKURE is a must just to hear Hans Hotter and Astrid Varnay in their prime and in very good early stereo. In the Solti WALKURE one must admit Hotter was past his prime. I love his sound as Wotan and especially his attention to musical as well as textual details. HE IS WOTAN and at his peak and prime here. Astrid Varnay is right there with him all the way. They make Acts Two and Three so very special and sublime. Varnay to my ears is an ideal Brunnhilde sound. In my humble opinion she is second to only Helen Traubel as a beautiful sounding and singing Brunnhilde. The rest of the cast is right there with these two TITANS. Only, Gre Brouwenstijn, the Sieglinde with her tight vibrato could be bettered. There are several other stronger Sieglindes then her (i.e. Nilsson, Crespin, Borkh, Rysanek to name a few.) Some others have expressed a little concern over the conducting. After a second and third listening I don't wholeheartedly agree. When he has to Keilberth turns up the tension especially in Acts II and III. I look forward to Gotterdammerung and Varnay's Brunnhilde.

I'm Overwhelmed!.......2006-12-22

A few days after purchasing the great "Rheingold" in this series, I bought this Walkure. I am so glad that I did! I must have been listening to this opera for over 44 years,but I have never heard a better one, perhaps not even one as good as this. Keilberth continues his glorious conducting that began in "Rheingold", sensitive at every point, energetic but always inward-looking,capturing the mystery as well as the high emotion of the score. His First Act Prelude, for example, is paced at exactly the right tempo to suggest a raging thunderstorm. The whole act is shrouded in darkness,only to have light intrude when Nothung becomes visible to Siegmund. The great Wotan monologue in Act 2 is so suspenseful that I doubt that anyone could call this section of the opera dull; on the contrary, as in any good "Walkure", this should emerge as the turning point of the whole drama, which it does here. Wotan's Farewell and the Magic Fire Music never were more deeply moving than here. Vinay's Siegmund is simply glorious, a real Heldentenor voice, sensitively sung. Brouwenstijn's Sieglinde sounds a bit like Lotte Lehmann's in its intensity. Greindl's Hunding is not just menacing,he's outright dangerous! A primitive man who could erupt in physical violence at any moment! I look forward to his Hagen. Milinkovic's Fricka is divinely outraged here, as in "Rheingold", the Valkyries are not only exhuberant,but superbly disciplined. But even above this high level lie the real stars, Varnay's Brunnhilde and Hotter's Wotan. Varnay is at her most brilliant and secure self here, and Hotter ranges from deep despair to uncontrollable wrath, with the most secure singing ever heard from him during this period of his career. The recorded sound is as superb as in the "Rheingold", but there are two instances of pitch fluctuation (end of Act 1 and in Act 3, at Wotan's (In festem Schlaf"). Curiously, Varnay's "Soll fessendem Schlaf" loses the stereo effect and is heard in mono, but quickly reverts to stereo at the beginning of the Farewell. I suppose those were to be expected in an early, live stereo recording. For me,these are minor caveats. No doubt about it, this is THE Walkure and bodes the same for this Ring as a whole. Forget the expense and just get it! I can hardly wait for the rest!
I'd like to add a few words about Astrid Varnay's performance. She delivers the most spellbinding "Todesverkuendigung" Scene ever. She begins absolutely majestically and implacably, stern and impersonal in her delivery of Siegmund's fate, then gradually undergoes the most convincing transformation to a compassionate and ultimately rebellious daughter that I have ever experienced. The same goes for Hotter, turning from optimism over his plan succeeding to utter dismay and finally despair when Fricka pulls out the rug from under him. I cannot fathom the sheer stupidity of John Culshaw in vetoing the issue of this Ring.

Average customer rating:

A well-kept secret
Essential Wagner
Excellent Wagner from a surprising source ... or maybe not!
Go For Boult
Memorable and dramatic- A must have for Wagner fans

Wagner: Overtures & Preludes

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Wagner: Tristan und Isolde/Parsifal/Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg/Lohengrin/Tannhäuser
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Wagner: The "Ring" Without Words

ASIN: B000002S08
Release Date: 1992-09-29

Tracks:

Tannher: Overture
Tannher: Grand March
Der Fliegende Holler: Overture
Tristan und Isolde: Prelude to Act 1
Tristan und Isolde: Prelude to Act 3
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Overture
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Prelude to Act 3
Lohengrin: Prelude to Act 1

Tracks:

Lohengrin: Prelude to Act 3
Parsifal: Prelude to Act 1
Parsifal: Act 1 Transformation scene
Parsifal: Prelude to Act 3
Parsifal: Good Friday Music
Das Rheingold: Entrance of the Gods
Die Walkure: Ride of the Walkyries
Siegfried: Forest murmurs
Gotterdammerung: Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Gotterdammerung: Siegfried's Funeral March

Customer Reviews:

A well-kept secret.......2007-05-18

Everyone wants to have a crack at the "bleeding chunks" eventually, and while I love the flashier Stoky and Furtwangler approach, I wouldn't want to be without the Boult. He's a great Wagnerian, strange as it may seem. Who could blame him for not wanting to go down in history merely as the finest Holstian? As long as this stays in print, Ormandy will still be considered the least sexy conductor. (I heard CBS researchers found an Ormandy fan once!)

Essential Wagner.......2006-06-17

As a child, this set was my first experience of Wagner's music, and it made quite an impression on me. However, as I grew older and began to collect the full operas I felt I could surely do better than Adrian Boult and the British for a collection of the preludes, overtures, and orchestral music from the operas. I was wrong. I have yet to here any recordings that can match the power and intensity as demonstrated in these discs from Boult and the LSO (and LPO). The Meistersinger prelude alone is worth the price, and the only version of the prelude to Tristan which outdoes the one here is Bohm's live 1966 Tristan. The Solti, Karajan, and Klemperer highlight discs have their moments (and truthfully, I do prefer Solti and Karajan for the "Ring" highlights), but their contributions are greatest in the full operas, and overall, they simply can't muster the power and intensity that Boult brings to these preludes, overtures, etc.

Even if you have other compilations of Wagner's music in "bleeding chunks", I can assure you they don't come close to this one; and with two discs (the second containing mostly music from Parsifal and the "Ring") at 14 bucks, there is absolutely no excuse not to have this essential recording. So go ahead and buy this disc, never buy another Wagner compilation again, and with the money you save get started on the more important task at hand: the full operas.

Excellent Wagner from a surprising source ... or maybe not!.......2004-09-27

Does Sir Adrian Boult conjure up of images of Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughn Williams, but not Wagner? You're not alone! Nevertheless, this is a double CD set not to be missed! Many years ago, I was listening to a classical radio music station in NYC that was playing the music of Wagner. The performance was so good, that I wouldn't leave the radio until I found out the name of the conductor. When the announcer said the conductor was Sir Adrian Boult, I was quite surprised. I had recordings of English music from Sir Adrian on Angel/EMI, but I never associated that conductor with Wagner. Having been blessed with a friend who had knowledge of classical music way beyond his years, I gave him a call to find out more about the recording. He told me that, Boult had solid expertise in the area of Germanic music, but, in England, had been overshadowed in that repertoire by Otto Klemperer. He told me not to be surprised about Boult's very fine Wagner, it was an excellent recording to purchase and, indeed, search out Sir Adrian's wonderful performance of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony (now available on Vanguard). Fast-forward many years and I find myself browsing through Amazon for a recording of Wagner's Overtures and Preludes. Like everyone else I know, I foolishly jettisoned my LPs in the 1990s and have been "back-filling" ever since. Well, I was able to obtain this splendid set for less than $7 per CD! There are a total of 18 selections covering most of Wagner's operas including five excerpts from the Ring Cycle. The performances are excellent coming from no less than three British orchestras, and the sound is top-shelf EMI. Sir Adrian's pacing is measured and his vision is broad and sensitive, highlighting the beauty and grandeur --rather than just the fire-- of this glorious music. I heartily recommend this two-CD set, and at this price, I think it's a steal.

Go For Boult.......2003-07-08

Sir Adrian Boult is best known for his recordings of the British repertoire, and his performances, particularly of Holst's "The Planets" and Elgar's Symphonies and Orchestral Works, are legendary. But Boult was also an excellent conductor of Beethoven, Brahms and Wagner, and this 2-CD set collects the Overtures and Preludes of the latter German titan. These stereo recordings from the early to mid-1970s with the New Philharmonia Orchestra, and London Philharmonic and Symphony Orchestras are truly first rate. EMI's set compares nicely in terms of price, quality and musical offerings with competing sets by DG (Bohm, Kubelik, et al) and Sony (Ormandy & Szell). You might have reservations about getting German music conducted by a Brit, but you really can't go wrong with Boult.

Memorable and dramatic- A must have for Wagner fans.......2000-03-20

I bought this cd for the following reasons: 1 I'm a Wagner fan, 2 the cover looks exquisite and 3 I wanted to hear a "prelude" since it sounds fancy and never heard one. The result is great cd. The Tannhauser overture, Tristan and Isolde prelude and Lohengrin Prelude to act 3 are all very excellent. Excerpts from the Ring of the Nibelunge aren't as good as I had anticipated but are still enjoyable. The music speaks the tales of Wagner's operas. Just hear it, as slow and irksome as they maybe, these preludes make you feel the tragic love of Tristan and Isolde, the epic odyssey of Lohengrin and the holy, heavenly spirit in Parsifal as he discovers the Holy Grail. Buy this CD and you won't regret it. Except that one bit from Gotterdammerung, Siegfried's Funeral March. It does'nt quite have the feel of grand disaster as it did in John Boorman's film Excalibur. If you're hoping to find that version(which is better) stick with the Classics Go To The Movies Vol 2 cd. But all the other pieces on this CD are excellent. Go and buy this CD- now !

Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sir Georg Solti

Average customer rating:

"Leb wohl, Siegmund, seligster Held!"
Easily the best investment I've ever made!!!
Possibly the greatest recording of the century
Wonderful recording - GLARING TECHNICAL ISSUE
LORD OF THE RINGS

Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sir Georg Solti
Sir Georg Solti , Wiener Philharmoniker , Vienna State Opera Choir , Kirsten Flagstad , Paul Kuen , George London , Jean Madeira , Ira Malaniuk , Gustav Neidlinger , and Hetty Plumacher
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen
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Tristan Und Isolde
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde

ASIN: B0000042H4
Release Date: 1997-10-14

Tracks:

Das Rheingold: Erste Szene: Vorspiel - Prelude
Das Rheingold: Erste Szene: Weila! Waga! Woge, du Welle!
Das Rheingold: Erste Szene: Garstig glatter glitschriger Glimmer!
Das Rheingold: Erste Szene: Wallala! Lalaleia!
Das Rheingold: Erste Szene: Lugt, Schwestern!
Das Rheingold: Erste Szene: Der Welt Erbe gewann' ich zu eigen durch dich?
Das Rheingold: Zweite Szene: Wotan! Gernahl! Erwache!
Das Rheingold: Zweite Szene: Sanft schloss Schlaf dein Aug'
Das Rheingold: Zweite Szene: Zu mir, Freia! Meide sie, Frecher!
Das Rheingold: Zweite Szene: Endlich Loge!
Das Rheingold: Zweite Szene: Immer ist Undank Loges Lohn!
Das Rheingold: Zweite Szene: Ein Runenzauber zwingt das Gold zum Reif
Das Rheingold: Zweite Szene: Hor', Wotan, der Harrenden Wort!
Das Rheingold: Zweite Szene: Was sinnt nun Wotan so wild?
Das Rheingold: Zweite Szene: Auf, Loge, hinab mit mir! - Dritte Szene: Hehe! hehe! hieher!

Tracks:

Die Walkure: Dritte Szene: Schau, du Schelm!
Die Walkure: Dritte Szene: Nibelheim hier: durch bleiche Nebel was blitzen dort
Die Walkure: Dritte Szene: Nehmt euch in acht! Alberich naht - Sein harren wir hier
Die Walkure: Dritte Szene: Vergeh, frevelnder Gauch! - Was sagt der? - Sei doch bei Sinnen!
Die Walkure: Dritte Szene: Ohe! Hahaha! Ohe! Hahaha! Schreckliche Schlange
Die Walkure: Vierte Szene: Da, Vetter, sitze du fest!
Die Walkure: Vierte Szene: Gezahlt hab' ich, nun lasst mich zieh'n!
Die Walkure: Vierte Szene: Bin ich nun frei? Wirklich frei?
Die Walkure: Vierte Szene: Fasolt und Fafner nahen von fern
Die Walkure: Vierte Szene: Gepflanzt sind die Pfahle
Die Walkure: Vierte Szene: Weiche, Wotan, weiche!
Die Walkure: Vierte Szene: Hort, ihr Riesen! Zuruck, und harret!...Halt, du Gieriger!
Die Walkure: Vierte Szene: Schwules Gedunst...Zur Burg fuhrt die Brucke
Die Walkure: Vierte Szene: Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge
Die Walkure: Vierte Szene: Rheingold! Rheingold! Reines Gold! Wie lauter und hell

Tracks:

Die Walkure: Erster Aufzug: Prelude
Die Walkure: Erster Aufzug, Erste Szene: Wes Herd dies auch sei
Die Walkure: Erster Aufzug, Erste Szene: Kuhlende Labung gab mir der Queil!
Die Walkure: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Mud am Herd fand ich den Mann
Die Walkure: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Friedmund darf ich nicht heissen
Die Walkure: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Aus dem Wald trieb es mich fort
Die Walkure: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Ich weiss ein wildes Geschlecht
Die Walkure: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Ein Schwert verhiess mir der Vater
Die Walkure: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Schlafst du, Gast?
Die Walkure: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Wintersturme wichen dem Wonnemond
Die Walkure: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Du bist der Lenz, nach dem ich verlangte
Die Walkure: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Wehwalt heisst du furwahr? - Siegmund heiss ich

Tracks:

Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug: Prelude
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Nun zaume dein Ross, reisige Maid
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Der alte Sturm, die alte Muh'!
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Erste Szene: So ist es denn aus mit den ewigen Gottern
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Nichts lerntest du
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Was verlangst du?
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Schlimm, fucht ich, schloss der Streit
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Was keinem in Worten ich kunde
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Ein andres ist's: achte es wohl
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: O sag, kunde, was soll nun dein Kind?
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Raste nun hier, gonne dir Ruh!
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Hinweg! Hinweg! Flieh die Entweihte!

Tracks:

Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Vierte Szene: Siegmund! Sieh auf mich!
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Vierte Szene: Hehr bist du, und heilig
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Vierte Szene: So wenig achtest du ewige Wonne?
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Funfte Szene: Zauberfest bezahmt ein Schlaf der Holden Schmerz und Harm
Die Walkure: Zweiter Aufzug, Funfte Szene: Kehrte der Vater nur heim!

Tracks:

Die Walkure: Dritter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Vorspiel - Hojotoho! Hojotoho! Heiaha! Heiaha!
Die Walkure: Dritter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Schutzt mich und helft in hochster Not!
Die Walkure: Dritter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Nicht sehre dich Sorge um mich
Die Walkure: Dritter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Steh, Brunnhild'!
Die Walkure: Dritter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Wo ist Brunnhild', wo die Verbrecherin?
Die Walkure: Dritter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Hier bin ich Vater: gebiete die Strafe!
Die Walkure: Dritter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Wehe! Weh! Schwester, ach Schwester!
Die Walkure: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: War es so schmahlich, was ich verbrach
Die Walkure: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Nicht weise bin ich, doch wusst' ich das eine
Die Walkure: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: So tatest du, was so gern zu tun ich begehrt
Die Walkure: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Du zeugtest ein edles Geschlecht
Die Walkure: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Leb wohl, du kuhnes, herrliches Kind!
Die Walkure: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Denn einer nur freie die Braut
Die Walkure: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Loge, hor! Lausche hierher!

Tracks:

Siegfried: Erster Aufzug: Vorspiel
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Erste Szene: Zwangvolle Plage! Mueh ohne Zweck!
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Erste Szene: Hoiho! Hoiho! Hau ein! Hau ein!
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Erste Szene: Da hast du die Stucken, schandlicher Stumper
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Erste Szene: Ais zullendes Kind zog ich dich auf
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Erste Szene: Vieles lehrtest du, Mime
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Erste Szene: Einst lag wimmernd ein Weib
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Erste Szene: Und diese Stucken sollst du mir schmieden
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Erste Szene: Da sturmt er hin!
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Heil dir, weiser Schmied!
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Hier sitz' ich am Herd und setze mein Haupt
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Was zu wissen dir frommt, solltest du fragen
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Die Stucken! Das Schwert! O weh! Mir schwindelt!
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Verfluchtes Licht!
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Heda! Du Fauler!

Tracks:

Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Bist du es, Kind?
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Fuhltest du nie im finstren Wald
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Her mit den Stucken, fort mit dem Stumper!
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Notung! Notung! Neidliches Schwert!
Siegfried: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Hoho! Hoho! Hahei!
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug: Vorspiel
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Erste Szene: In Wald und Nacht
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Zur Neidhohle fuhr ich bei Nacht
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Mit mir nicht, hadre mit Mime
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Fafner! Fafner! Erwache, Wurm!
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Nun, Alberich, das schlug fehl
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Wir sind zur Stelle!
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Dass der mein Vater nicht ist

Tracks:

Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Aber wie sah meine Mutter wohl aus?
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Meine Mutter, ein Menschenweib!
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Haha! Da hatte mein Lied mir was Liebes erblasen!
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Wer bist du, kuhner Knabe, der das Herz mir traf?
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Zur Kunde taugt kein Toter
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Wohin schleichst du eilig und schlau
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Was ihr mir nutzt, weiss ich nicht
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Wilkommen, Siegfried!
Siegfried: Zweiter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Da lieg auch du, dunkler Wurm!
Siegfried: Dritter Aufzug: Vorspiel
Siegfried: Dritter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Wache, Wala! Wala! Erwach
Siegfried: Dritter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Stark ruft das Lied

Tracks:

Siegfried: Dritter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Dir Unweisen ruf' ich ins Ohr
Siegfried: Dritter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Mein Voglein schwebte mir fort!
Siegfried: Dritter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Wohin, Knabe, heisst dich dein Weg?
Siegfried: Dritter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Kenntest du mich, kuhner Spross
Siegfried: Dritter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Mit zerfochtner Waffe wich mir der Feige?
Siegfried: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Selige Ode auf sonniger Hoh!
Siegfried: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Das ist kein Mann!
Siegfried: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Heil dir, Sonne! Heil dir, Licht!
Siegfried: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: O Siegfried! Siegfried! Seliger Held!
Siegfried: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Dort seh' ich Grane
Siegfried: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Ewig war ich, ewig bin ich

Tracks:

Gotterdammerung: Prolog: Welch Licht leuchtet dort
Gotterdammerung: Prolog: Treu beratner Vertrage Runen
Gotterdammerung: Prolog: Es ragt die Burg, von Riesen gebaut
Gotterdammerung: Prolog: Zu neuen Taten, teurer Helde
Gotterdammerung: Prolog: Willst du mir Minne schenken
Gotterdammerung: Prolog: O heilige Gotter!
Gotterdammerung: Prolog: Siegfrieds Rheinfahrt
Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Erste Szene: Nun hor, Hagen
Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Erste Szene: Wen ratst du nun zu frein
Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Erste Szene: Jagt er auf Taten wonnig umher
Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Wer ist Gibichs Sohn?
Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Begrusse froh, o Held
Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Willkommen, Gast, in Gibichs Haus!

Tracks:

Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Deinem Bruder bot ich mich zum Mann
Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Bluhenden Lebens labendes Blut
Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Frisch auf die Fahrt!
Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Hier sitz' ich zur Wacht
Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Altgewohntes Gerausch
Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene:Hore mit Sinn, was ich dir sage!
Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Welch banger Traume Maren
Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Was leckt so wutend
Gotterdammerung: Erster Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Brunnhild'! Ein Freier kam

Tracks:

Gotterdammerung: Zweiter Aufzug: Vorspiel
Gotterdammerung: Zweiter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Schlafst du, Hagen, mein Sohn?
Gotterdammerung: Zweiter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Hoiho, Hagen! Muder Mann!
Gotterdammerung: Zweiter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Heiss mich willkommen, Gibichskind!
Gotterdammerung: Zweiter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Hoiho! Hoihohoho!
Gotterdammerung: Zweiter Aufzug, Vierte Szene: Heil dir, Gunther!
Gotterdammerung: Zweiter Aufzug, Vierte Szene: Gegrusst sei, teurer Held
Gotterdammerung: Zweiter Aufzug, Vierte Szene: Einen Ring sah ich an deiner Hand
Gotterdammerung: Zweiter Aufzug, Vierte Szene: Heil'ge Gotter, himmlische Lenker!
Gotterdammerung: Zweiter Aufzug, Vierte Szene: Helle Wehr! Heilige Waffe!
Gotterdammerung: Zweiter Aufzug, Vierte Szene: Gunther, wehr deinem Weibe
Gotterdammerung: Zweiter Aufzug, Funfte Szene: Welches Unholds List liegt hier verhohlen?
Gotterdammerung: Zweiter Aufzug, Funfte Szene: Vertraue mir, betrogne Frau!
Gotterdammerung: Zweiter Aufzug, Funfte Szene: Auf, Gunther, edler Gibichung!

Tracks:

Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug: Vorspiel
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Frau Sonne sendet lichte Strahlen
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Ein Albe fuhrte mich irr
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Was leid' ich doch das karge Lob?
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Erste Szene: Siegfried! Siegfried! Siegfried!
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Hoiho!
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Trink, Guenther, trink!
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Mime hiess ein murrischer Zwerg
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: In Leid zu dem Wipfel lauscht' ich hinauf
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Brunnhilde, heilige Braut!
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Zweite Szene: Trauermusik beim Tode Siegfrieds
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: War das sein Horn?
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Hoiho! Hoiho!
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Nicht klage wider mich!
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Schweigt eures Jammers
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Starke Scheite schichtet mir dort
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Mein Erbe nun nehm' ich zu eigen
Gotterdammerung: Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene: Fliegt heim, ihr Raben!

Amazon.com essential recording

Modern storage media (CD/DVD) offer both high fidelity and great reliability in the playback of music. Yet only a bit more than a generation ago, the possibilities inherent in the long-playing record inspired John Culshaw, a young producer for Decca, to attempt the most ambitious recording project ever contemplated up to that time--a complete studio recording of the Ring. Though other Rings were issued after this landmark enterprise, none have equaled the Decca Ring in popularity. There are those who prefer live performances, or who feel that the sound and theatrical effects in this recording are overdone; nonetheless this remains the benchmark Ring, as shown by its seemingly endless rerelease schedule. The Ring effort was high profile at the time and helped nail down Sir Georg Solti's status as a "superstar" conductor and authoritative interpreter of the Wagnerian repertory. Another key contributor to the success of the project was the uniform excellence in the casting. Definitive performances given include Neidlinger's nietzschean Alberich, Stolze's whining Mime, Boehme's rumbling Fafnir, along with Nilsson in her prime-more a force of nature than a human voice. The care lavished on the capture of the music was unmatched at the time of the recording, and still leaves this as one of the best sounding Rings even today, when the oldest part (Rheingold) has reached its 40th anniversary. --Christian C. Rix

Customer Reviews:

"Leb wohl, Siegmund, seligster Held!".......2007-05-15

Okay, so we have the Solti, Bohm, Karajan, Levine, Janowski, Goodall, and Sawallisch Rings on the market (I haven't listened to the other Ring recordings yet, sorry to say). And all of these leave me to one conclusion: the many differences lead me to believe that all of these ring sets have their own authenticities and setbacks. And here they are:

TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes

CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.

Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.

Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.

Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: everything is slower than adagio moderato. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.

Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".

Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.

Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.

ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.

Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.

Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.

Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act One Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.

Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Bohm's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are found in this Ring. I can hear harps in Flight of the Valkyries! The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.

Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.

Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.

SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).

Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.

Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".

Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.

Levine: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's Ring.

Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.

-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.

Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).

Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."

Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.

Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).

-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm. Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Two exceptions, though: Robert Schunk doesn't sound heroic enough, and Jessye Norman for Levine's Ring doesn't sound young and innocent enough.

-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.

Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.

Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.

Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.

Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. I don't know Levine should've chose Kollo when he recorded his Ring.

-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").

Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.

Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.

Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.

Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.

-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.

Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.

Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.

Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent mime. He is equal to Schreier when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.

Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.

-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on in the Ring.

Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Still, it's satisfactory, and his "Ihrem ende eilen sie zu" gives great foreshadowing.

Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.

Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is the most eccentric out of all of them, and that's a fact. Much of his singing involves imagination, peril, vengeance, and deviousness. Belcourt depends only on imagination and deviousness, Stolze only vengeance and deviousness, and Windgassen only peril. His odd conversations with Alberich and the gods/goddesses are classic.

Levine: Siegfried Jerusalem doesn't seem like a good choice for Loge. He's better off playing Siegmund or Siegfried, but not a demi-god.

Sawallisch: Robert Tear is on par with Stolze and Schreier. Sometimes he takes things too low, but all is forgiven with his management of character development.

-Everyone Else
Uh-huh, what can I say? Everyone else does a good job in all Ring recordings (maybe not in Swarowsky's version). Matti Salminen is the perfect Hagen (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch), while Kirsten Flagstad is the most brilliant Fricka (Solti). The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm and Goodall. The only flawed Erda is Anne Collins (Goodall), maybe too light and too heavy at times. All in all, no one here is graded C or lower.

CONCLUSION: I have yet to listen to Barenboim's Bayreuth presentation and the essential mono recordings (Furtwangler, Krauss), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the calculated Janowski, the relaxed Levine, and the serious Sawallisch Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.

Karl Bohm: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

Herbert von Karajan: Der Ring des Nibelungen / Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic

Reginall Goodall: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)

Marek Janowski: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

James Levine: Der Ring Des Nibelungen

Wolfgang Sawallisch: Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sawallisch, Bayerischer Staatsoper

Easily the best investment I've ever made!!!.......2006-09-07

Solti is a true Wagnerian!!! There is truly no one better! In every single Wagner recording under his baton (under the fantastic engineering of the Decca label), there is a power, intensity, and ethereal quality that rings true from first note to last. This studio recording of the Ring Cycle is probably his strongest effort. Virtually every nuance that Wagner desired is apparent, from echoes, to characterizations, to instruments used (the steer-horns in Gotterdammerung). All of his singers are nothing short of the best, especially Hotter, Windgassen, and Nilsson (all of whom are sadly not around any longer). They do everything they can to help Solti bring Wagner's deepest conceptions to life. It's a shame that this performance wasn't filmed. The only thing missing is the visual aspect, but that's a very minute matter, when dealing with a top-notch recording like this one. It pulls the listener in, like he's there, experiencing the story with the likes of Wotan, Siegmund, Siegfried, and Brunnhilde. The package is also an excellent bonus, full of very informative liner notes, as well as set designs and beautiful drawings by the great Arthur Rackham. I paid $120 for this box set, brand new, but I would've gladly paid double that, if necessary. I don't know what I would do without this recording. (If you're feeling dangerous, as I have, try listening to the whole thing, with a nice comfortable set of headphones, with only the occasional bathroom breaks and eating/drinking to stay alive. If you can endure such an intense task, you will not regret it, but make sure you follow every word. Everything counts.) 100 stars!!!

Possibly the greatest recording of the century.......2006-08-17

Ever since the reopening of the Bayreuth Festival in 1951, the operatic world has been blessed with many Ring recordings that are brimming with life and searing in interpretation. The work is certainly the most ambitious and fascinating musical epic ever set on paper, and due to its intricate music and magnificent and poetic text, it has influenced the way music making has been done ever since the Master presented it to the world in 1876. Now, 130 years after that first Ring cycle, the market abounds with hordes of Ring recordings raging from magnificent to deplorable, and with the cost of having to contain such a grand epic in recordable media for the listener to enjoy at home, the pricetags for these Rings are always going to be astounding.

A Ring cycle in the recording studio, of course, is no longer a foreseeable possibility today. The recent Tristan by EMI alone took a good month in the recoring studio, and with the increasingly high wages in the musician's union and the expensive fees needed to pay competent and artistic Wagnerian singers, another Ring in the studio would probably be a Herculean task at best. And, to add to that, the world is sorely lackiing of hochdramatische sopranos, true heldentenors, and great bass-baritones to sing the parts of the cycle's most difficult roles--Brunnhilde, Siegfried, and Wotan. The dearth of these species of voices, plus the scarcity of conductors who can masterfully lead an orchestra into playing one of the most complicated scores ever written in the true Wagnerian style, makes these matters more complicated. In my opinion, only Christian Thielemann can possibly execute this vision effectively today. Due to this, in order to be able to experience this monumental opus, you must turn to the recordings of the past to sample the greatness of Richard Wagner.

I personally feel that the greatest Rings come from the postwar Wieland Wagner Bayreuth festivals. Under his leadership, a calibre of Wagner singing was formed and has been unmatched ever since his premature death from lung cancer. With a team that consisted of chorus master Wilhelm Pitz, singers Astrid Varnay, Hans Hotter, Wolfgang Windgassen, Ramon Vinay, Gustav Neidlinger, Gre Brouwenstijn, Martha Modl, and later Birgit Nilsson, Martti Talvela, James King, Leonie Rysanek, and other singers who owned these roles in the Theatre on the Green Hill, plus a plethora of conductors that consisted of Herbert von Karajan, Hans Knappertsbusch, Clemens Krauss, Joseph Keilberth, and Rudolf Kempe (all conductors who by some divine intervention all had last names beginning with "K"), Wieland Wagner unveiled a new and fresh way of Wagner interpretation along with a team of singers and musicians who made this great music sing.

Some people though, would much prefer the music in the undisturbed, almost pristine conditions achieved by the recording studio. While there are several Der Ring des Nibelungen that have come out of recording halls following this one, none of them have matched it in popularity. And there is a reason for that of course. Solti leads the Wiener Philharmoniker in a recording that brings the theatrical values of Wagner's operas to the comfort of the living room without the stage noises and other distractions that some listeners seem to detest. In addition to that, the care put into immortalizing this Ring in recording media has made it one of the most "real"-sounding performances on disc. Here, you get the steerhorns and tuned anvils and metal bars that Wagner personally requested to be put into the score, in addition to other sound effects that would be impossible to realize in the theater. You can hear the violent thunder in the opening of Act III of Siegfried and the closing scene of Rheingold. I could go on about all these little details, but I leave that for you to witness yourself.

That said about its realistic audio qualities, I would like to discuss the merits of Solti's conducting. It is true that while Solti had a heavy hand in this recording in comparison with conductors such as Karajan, Krauss, Bohm, and Boulez who exuded transparency in their readings, he brings everything in the score to life. He understands Wagner's score well, and his reading is closer to Knappertsbusch on a good day, a method that harkens the traditional way of conducting Wagner. He also has good judgment as to where tempi changes must be made, as can be heard from the closing scene of Das Rheingold. The orchestration during Donner's "Heda Hedo!" is simply ravishing, and the tempi that Solti uses and adjusts to sounds dramatically right. Wagner himself would have been proud. His understanding of the more complex and post-Tristan scores of Siegfried and Gotterdammerung are still unparalleled today. From the Mime Wanderer riddle scene to the Forging song to the Wotan Erda confrontation and the glorious love duet that ends the opera, Solti gets all the orchestral nuances perfectly. His Siegfried is so alive, that any recording after that can be considered below par. But if there was ever one recording that deserved the praise this Ring receives, it has to be Solti's Gotterdammerung. From the haziness of the Norn scene to the Dawn love duet and the Gibichung hall music, and the Waltraute Brunnhilde dialogue, I think Solti captures this Act perfectly. Act 2 is done well too, with Gottlob Frick's menacing Hagen and Neidlinger's definitive Alberich creating a most sinister mood accompanied by Solti's masterly conducting. The revenge trio that caps the act is perfectly executed by the Vienna Philharmonic, and I think that if it were not for the presence of Knappertsbusch's recent Testament release with Varnay and Uhde, this would also probably be the best Act II on disc. Then