Richard Wagner: Leopold Stokowski [Box set]

Track Listings
Disc: 1

1. "Rienzi": Overture [18 November 1926 & 6 January 1927]

2. "Lohengrin": Prelude to Act I [13 October 1927]

3. "Lohengrin": Prelude to Act III [27 March 1940]

4. "Das Rheingold: Symphonic Synthesis" (Arranged by Leopold Stokowski): Prelude; "Song of the Rheinmaidens" [4 March 1933]

See all 12 tracks on this disc
Disc: 2

1. "Die Walküre": "Magic Fire Music" (orchestral version) [9 April 1939]

2. "Siegfried"; excerpts: "The Wanderer Questions Mime" [10 December 1934]

3. "Siegfried"; excerpts: "Nothung! Nothung!" [Frederick Jagel (tenor), 10 December 1934]

4. "Siegfried"; excerpts: "Forest Murmurs" [10 December 1934]

See all 9 tracks on this disc
Disc: 3

1. "Tannhäuser": Overture and Venusberg Music (Paris version) [23 September 1929, 14 March & 29 April 1930]

2. "Tannhäuser": Overture and Venusberg Music (Paris version) [12 December 1937]

3. "Tannhäuser": Prelude to Act III (Arranged by Leopold Stokowski) [15 January 1936]

4. "Tannhäuser": Overture (Dresden version) [7 November & 5 December 1921]

See all 5 tracks on this disc
Disc: 4

1. "Tristan und Isolde: Symphonic Synthesis" (first version, Arranged by Leopold Stokowski): Prelude to Act I [16 & 23 April 1932]

2. "Tristan und Isolde: Symphonic Synthesis" (first version, Arranged by Leopold Stokowski): "Potion Music" [16 & 23 April 1932]

3. "Tristan und Isolde: Symphonic Synthesis" (first version, Arranged by Leopold Stokowski): "Liebesnacht"; "Liebestod" [16 & 23 April 1932]

4. "Tristan und Isolde: Symphonic Synthesis" (second version, Arranged by Leopold Stokowski): Prelude to Act I [5 April & 7 November 1937]

See all 6 tracks on this disc
Disc: 5

1. "Wesendonck" Lieder: III. "Im Treibhaus" [Helen Traubel (soprano), 22 December 1940]

2. "Wesendonck" Lieder: V. "Träume" [Helen Traubel (soprano), 22 December 1940]

3. "Wesendonck" Lieder: IV. "Schmerzen" [Helen Traubel (soprano), 22 December 1940]

4. "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg": Prelude to Act I [15 January 1936]

See all 8 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
This five-CD set showcases the greatest music of Wagner via Leopold Stokowski's legendary recordings with the Philadelphia Orchestra, originally issued from 1921–40. Conducting overtures, preludes, scenes and his own patented "symphonic syntheses" from Wagner's operas, Stokowski manipulates his famed "Philadelphia Sound" to create theatrical concert epics. Music from "Rienzi," "Tannhäuser," "Lohengrin," "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg," "Tristan und Isolde," "Parsifal" and "Der Ring des Nibelungen" is included, as well as excerpts from the "Wesendonck" Lieder with soprano Helen Traubel. Vastly superseding any previous Wagner/Stokowski set, this historic collection was produced and digitally remastered by Ward Marston, who painstakingly restored the material from the best available vintage 78s.

Packaged in an alluring protective slipcase, the 144-page, hardbound companion book features iconic photos of Stokowski, as well as a wide array of images and artifacts associated with Wagner. The extensive texts — in English, French and German — include an introduction by Pulitzer Prize-winner Tim Page, a detailed producer's note by Ward Marston and an essay by critic Jed Distler "Stokowski's Wagner: Theater of the Mind." Also included are detailed artist biographies from "The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians."

Customer Reviews:

Stokowski In His Element.......2006-06-10

While I am not partial to Wagner or Liszt, the glory of these performances is found in the compositions of Enescu and Smetana. Often dismissed because of his theatricality, here Stokowski shines with brilliance in music so suited to his flamboyant, some would say gushy, nature. The Moldau flows beautifully along its varied course under this capable baton, filled with the vitality of a first-time hearing of this familiar but wonderful standard. Not so well known to all is the Enescu Roumanian Rhapsody. Stokowski imbues such diverse coloration and rhythmic insistance as to mesmerise on each listening. More than an historical document, these recordings could well become your favorite performances of these works. Though recorded before the age of DDD digital techniques, the sound is brilliant, realistic and energizing. Available in both hybrid SACD and standard CD formats. Most highly recommended.

Wagner Weekend - The Ride of the Valkyries

Average customer rating:

Wagner's best music
Stoki's greatest recordings ever.
Magnificent performances of Wagner masterpieces.

Wagner Weekend - The Ride of the Valkyries

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000041T7
Release Date: 1989-09-20

Tracks:

The Ride Of The Valkyries
Dawn And Siegried's Rhine Journey
Siegfried's Death And Funeral Music
Entrance Of The Gods Into Valhalla
Forest Murmurs
Prelude

Customer Reviews:

Wagner's best music.......2007-05-25

This is real music by a real genius. One wonders how he and other classical composers could envision all of the instruments interacting together to produce the desired outcome.

Stoki's greatest recordings ever........2004-04-05

These orchestral works from the Ring and Die Meistersinger are some of the most thrilling interpretations on record. Stokowski was very passionate about Wagner and it is obvious. The writer usually does not agree with the conductor's style but admits that he was blown away here. Conducting the London Symphony, Stoki forces the "Stokowski Sound" out of the flood gates immediately. The color of the recordings is amazing yet it never gets excessive. The "Ride of the Valkyries", "Rhine Journey", "Funeral March", and "Entrance Into Valhalla" are equally impressive for all of the above reasons. The crown jewel of this CD however, is the "Forrest Murmurs." Combining all of the emotions and ideas associated with the opera (wonder, mysteriousness, joy, and triumph) is a monumental task. Stokowski and the LSO pull it off in dramatic fassion. It has never been bested. The live performance of the prelude to Die Meistersinger is electric and has adrenaline that is common with such recordings but it is very interesting to know why. Stokowski and the orchestra performed the overture without fully rehersing it! During rehersal, they began and after a few bars of music Stokowski stopped the orchestra and said, "We don't need to do this. You all know it!" He was right.

Magnificent performances of Wagner masterpieces........2000-09-19

Like many people, I find most of Wagner's operas somewhat difficult to listen to from start to finish. But each of Wagner's operas contains sections that are simply gorgeous. This CD collects five such pieces from his "Ring" cycle. Each is magnificently conducted by Leopold Stokowski who, in my view, was the greatest Wagner conductor -- and, possibly, the greatest all-around conductor -- of the 20th century. If you think you don't like Wagner's music, please try this CD. I think it will convert you.

Average customer rating:

FlashBack!!!
My first classical CD!
Terrific
Most up beat collection of classical music I've ever heard

Cartoon Classics

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ASIN: B000003F3O
Release Date: 1992-02-11

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'Saturday Morning TV Theme': Comedian's Gallop
'Fantasia': Dance Of The Hours
'Once Upon A Dream': The Sleeping Beauty Waltz - Tchaikovsky
'The Rabbit Of Seville': The Barber Of Seville: Overture-Conclusion
'The Rabbit Of Seville': The Barber Of Seville: Largo al Factotum
'Fantasia': The Sorcerer's Apprentice
'What's Opera, Doc?': Tannhauser: Pilgrims' Chorus
'Fantasia': Toccata And Fugue In D Minor, BWV 565 - Bach
'The Band Master': William Tell: Overture-Conclusion
'Baton Bunny': Morning, Noon And Night In Vienna: Overture
'What's Opera, Doc?': Ride Of The Valkyries
'Rhapsody Rabbit': Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 - Liszt

Customer Reviews:

FlashBack!!!.......2006-07-01

For all you boomers who grew up with Bugs Bunny, this is a must have ... You can tell immediately which cartoon the music comes from ... What a fabulous trip !!!

My first classical CD!.......2005-04-07

This was my first classical CD and a very wise investment it was! This CD is rich and overflowing with timeless classics such as "The Comedians Gallop", "Ride of the Valkeries", "Sleeping Beauty Waltz", and many, many others. There's so much classical music on here you can really get lost in it all.

I also highly recommend CLASSICS FOR KIDS, BUILD YOUR BABY'S BRAIN, MAD ABOUT BEETHOVEN, and MAD ABOUT BACH.

Terrific.......2003-04-04

This CD is a great way to introduce your child to "classical" music.

Most up beat collection of classical music I've ever heard.......1999-07-07

I really love every song on this CD. I could imagine every cartoon scene that involved the songs as I listened to them. It's a great way to listen to classical music without falling asleep.

Average customer rating:

Healthy chunks of Wagner...
A great Wagner collection from Stokowski in his nineties

Wagner: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: RCA
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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000DBDMV
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Customer Reviews:

Healthy chunks of Wagner..........2007-02-20

This near 80min. budget/German compilation, comprises of most of Meastro Stokowski's RCA/BMG stereo recorded Wagner output, from 1961-1974. The 2003 German remastering engineers do not add any significant sound enhancement to what were considered state of the art recordings from their era. Furthermore some of the tracks are either coarse or too heavy in the bass, requiring treble bass adjustments. Stokowski's great interpretation of "Ride of the Valkyries", with sopranos and contralto performers is included. My old LP of the same recording was just as thrilling. Included are orchestral excerpts from each of the "Ring" operas, as well as the Romanesque overture to "Rienzi". The disc is poorly annotated not even mentioning Stokowski's idiosyncrasies of interpretation, instrumentation, and tempo. So, the whole project has a half-hearted faceless effort put on it. Add a star if your a true die-hard Stokowski fan.

A great Wagner collection from Stokowski in his nineties.......2005-12-18

Stokowski grew to be very old but never venerable. Capable of chasing secretaries around his desk at 94, what problems could Wagner pose? None--these recordings from London (1973-74) when the conductor was only 91 and 92 are vigorous, sweeping, immensely enjoyable performances. RCA has bounced this material around in several previous releases, and the sound was always spectacular. Both the LSO and Royal Phil. sound terrific, and without wallowing in the sonic Mardi Gras of Phase 4 Stereo, the kind he got form Decca during this period, this CD throws the music at us, as Stokowski himself did.

As to the famous Stokowski penchant for taffy-pulling, his tempos are almost straight here, and when he does lean into the rubato, as in the Tristan Prelude and Liebestod, one feels the ghost of Wagner smiling down. Stokowski must be his kindred spirit for romantic fervor. Five stars for a cllection rivalled only by Furtwangler, Karajan, and Klemperer (really).

The Y2K Album: A Doomsday Collection For The Coming Crash

Average customer rating:

DOOMSDAY CLASSICAL MUSIC !
Spectacluar!!!
Love classical this is very very good

The Y2K Album: A Doomsday Collection For The Coming Crash

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Release Date: 1999-08-10

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Thus Spake Zarathustra: Sunrise - Y2K ALBUM
Carmina Burana: O Fortuna - Orff
The Planets: Mars, The Bringer Of War - Holst
The Firebird Suite: Infernal Dance Of King Katschei - Stravinsky
The Valkyries: The Ride Of The Valkyries - Wagner
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Requiem: Dies irae/Tuba mirum (part 2 of 2) - Y2K ALBUM
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Symphonie Fantastique: Dream Of The Witches' Sabbath - Berlioz
The Rite of Spring (From Part I - Adoration of the Earth): Ritual Of The Rival Tribes - Procession Of The Sage - The Sage -- Dance Of The Earth (Part 1 Of 3) - Y2K ALBUM
The Rite of Spring (From Part I - Adoration of the Earth): Ritual Of The Rival Tribes - Procession Of The Sage - The Sage -- Dance Of The Earth (Part 2 Of 3) - Y2K ALBUM
The Rite of Spring (From Part I - Adoration of the Earth): Ritual Of The Rival Tribes - Procession Of The Sage - The Sage -- Dance Of The Earth (Part 3 Of 3) - Y2K ALBUM
Alexander Nevsky: The Battle On The Ice - Prokofiev
Star Wars Suite: The Battle - Y2K ALBUM
The Twilight Of The Gods: The Immolation Of The Gods - Wagner

Customer Reviews:

DOOMSDAY CLASSICAL MUSIC !.......2005-06-18

Doomsday Classics! The title and concept for this novelty album may be dated, but the music is timeless! "HEAVY" classical music to be played LOUDLY! The arrangements and sound quality on this CD are EXCELLENT! One of my favorite compilation albums of classical music. For the price, don't let this one pass you by.

Spectacluar!!!.......2002-01-04

This is by far one of my favorite cds. I purchased it originally as a joke, but I have come to love it and play it very loudly when I'm in a bad mood. Spectacularly, it always helps cheer me up, or give me encouragement. Plus this is just some quality music, some of which any person who's heard classical music will recognize. :) Unfortunately, I somehow broke my copy, and now must buy a new one...it's such a relief that Amazon still carries it. :)

Love classical this is very very good.......1999-10-14

Have looked for good classical recordings in every possible location from "record clubs" to "music outlets" and this is the best as represented I've found. Would like to know more about artist,composers,and availability of all.

Original Masters: Leopold Stokowski: Decca Recordings 1964-1975 [BOX SET]

Average customer rating:

My own life is behind these recordings
Don't go for broke unless you're a die-hard Stokowski fan
More Sensational Stokowski

Original Masters: Leopold Stokowski: Decca Recordings 1964-1975 [BOX SET]

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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00067R3BQ
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Customer Reviews:

My own life is behind these recordings.......2007-06-10

I can assure that one of the reason I love music is due to these recordings of Mr. Stokowsky. My father had the record of Scherezade and, though my father was an ignorant about cultivated music, he knew very well what to appreciate. We never argued when I played Beethoven's first symphony so loud, however, he always did when I played Rolling Stones so loud. I adore that he taught me to appreciate Rimsky-korsakov's music as well as Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Spagnolo so young. He was wise, on his way. I can't help to cry for him, listening to Borodin's Palatsovian dances, because, it is great music, and, having into account that I used to love it by Mr. Stokowsky's work, it doubles my crying and my remembrance. He loved the record so much. I love you, daddy.

Don't go for broke unless you're a die-hard Stokowski fan.......2006-09-22

When Stokowski began to make Phase 4 recordings for Decca in 1964, he was already 82, but he hadn't lost his energy or his tendency to shape music in outlandish ways. I mostly love him, but this box set duplicates recordings that can be found on the Cala label, which has been releasing everything Stokowski in the world, and on Decca single CDs if you go to the used market.

I mention this because the whole box set, Vol. 2 in the Original Masters series, continas some forgettable performances, in particular the rhythmically slack Beethoven Sym. 5 and 7, the over-highlighted Schubert 'Unfinished,' and a live Brahms First that seems manic and forced too much of the time. However, if you think of Stokowski having little to offer in the German classics, here is an exceptional Beethoven Ninth, one of the best things from his late career and wonderful in every way.

Decca knows that the crowd-pleasers are the gaudy, multi-miked Phase 4 versions of Scheherazade, as bombastic as you could imagine, and lots of Russian fare, including Stoki's signature synthesis from Boris Godunov. The 1812 Over., by the way, isn't over the top and yet needed to be. Finally, this German-Russian collection contains a thrilling disc of Wagner excerpts, much of it grossly over-miked, but at its core containing very impressive, vital interpretations.

In all, I'd select the Wagner, the Beethoven Ninth, and the legendary Scheherazade as the best things here. Buy them separately or take the plunge for this whole box, your choice.

More Sensational Stokowski.......2005-06-08

It took me a while to purchase this six-disc set in UNI's "Original Masters" series, but I finally did this past weekend. Classical music fans seem to either love or hate Leopold Stokowski (I, of course, love him), and unfortunately much of "Decca Recordings 1964-75, Volume 2" will be old news to serious devotees of the conductor. While I'm not familiar with the complete Decca back-catalog, at least three full discs worth of material have been previously available in the old "Weekend Classics" series -- Beethoven's 5th & 7th, Beethoven's 9th, and the Wagner selections. (I'm pretty sure the Rimsky-Korsakov material on disc five, and the Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky pieces on disc six have been issued prior too.) This is good news for those who came to collecting classical CDs late (like me) because while the Wagner is still available individually, the Beethovens have been fetching absurd prices in the Amazon Marketplace. The only material receiving its first international release is contained on disc 3 -- a Schubert "Unfinished" with the London Philharmonic from 1969 and a rousing live performance of the Brahms 1st with the London Symphony on the occasion of the conductor's 60th anniversary leading that body. The original instruments crowd will surely turn up their noses at these legendary performances, but me, I'll just sit back and listen to some more sensational sounding Stokowski.

Average customer rating:

Food for the Soul
Outstanding - gives you goose bumps

World's Greatest Choruses

Manufacturer: RCA
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Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 1992-09-08

Tracks:

Carmina Burana: O fortuna
Carmen: Chorus Of The Cigarette Girls
Faust: Soldiers' Chorus
Die Meistersinger - Wach auf!
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Lohengrin: Bridal Chorus
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Customer Reviews:

Food for the Soul.......2002-05-21

I've had to order a 2nd copy of this CD because I've listened to my 1st one so often, it's worn out. It is wonderful! This music always puts me in a happy mood. It is truly 'food for the soul'.

Outstanding - gives you goose bumps.......2001-07-01

I love rousing choral music and this really filled the bill. Listening to the likes of Carmina Burana totally sweeps you away....gives you goose bumps....I HIGHLY recommend this CD. Great for people who are not very knowledgeable, because it has the BEST known choruses.

Stokowski Conducts Franz Schubert / Richard Wagner / Johannes Brahms

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Stokowski Conducts Franz Schubert / Richard Wagner / Johannes Brahms

Manufacturer: Cala
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Symphony No. 8 in B minor Unfinished: Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 8 in B minor Unfinished: Andante con moto
Forest Murmurs from Siegfried
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68: Un poco sostenuto - Allegro
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Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68: Un poco allegretto e grazioso
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68: Adagio - Allegro non troppo, ma con brio

Average customer rating:

FABULOUS!!! But wait!!
The Lost Art of the Heroic Wagnerian Soprano

Lebendige Vergangenheit: Helen Traubel

Manufacturer: Preiser Records
ProductGroup: Music
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Release Date: 1996-10-15

Tracks:

Alceste: Divinites Du Styx
Tannhauser: Dich, Teure Halle
Lohengrin: Einsam In Truben Tagen
Lohengrin: Das Susse Lied Verhallt
Tristan Und Isolde: Erfuhrest Du Meine Schmach
Tristan Und Isolde: Mild Und Leise
Die Walkure: Du Bist Der Lenz
Die Walkure: Hojotoho!
Die Walkure: Fort Denn Eile
Im Treibhaus
Schmerzen
Traume
Zueignung

Customer Reviews:

FABULOUS!!! But wait!!.......2006-07-06

I agree with the previous reviewer about so much and therefore as they have been well stated, I will NOT repeat those observations! However, I must comment for the readers and buyers on a fews things: this idea of "maybe Lubin" among the greatest, and also that Anny Konetzni, Marta Fuchs mean nothing, including in my own words "maybe Grob-Prandl." Lastly I will comment on how Traubel would be received today.

First of all, Germaine Lubin! If anyone sang heroic Wagner beautifully and efficiently, it was Lubin. Her voice was as full as anybodys, even if it lacked the depth of Traubel, Flagstad, or Konetzni. Yet neither of them had her powerful gleaming High C, nor her feminine allure and sex appeal (which was apparently only on the surface) - She was really in THE superb class of Wagnerians. Because she did not appear at the MET does not make her "maybe."

Anny Konetzni is just about the most berated singer of all time, yet her tone bears a definite similarity to the beloved Milanov. Therefore, it does not surprise that both Anny Konetzni and Zinka Milanov studied with Jacques Stuckgold for a period of time - near the same time. She had an unmatched bouyancy, superb high notes (she lacked the top C), and had tremendous power. In fact, in terms of sheer strength, many of the heldentenore of the time suggest that hers was the most powerful. I am sure Nilsson and Prandl were louder. I am sure Flagstad was deeper. I am sure Fuchs and Leider were more dramatically intense. I am sure Traubel, who came closest to Konetzni in terms of sheer muscle power was more focussed of tone. Most of all, Konetzni's timbre was extremely seductive. She RULED the Vienna State Opera as THE hochdramatisch sopran and she was legendary for her jealousy of all threats. At the MET apparently her face was too round and her vibrato too wide. NEXT!!!

Marta Fuchs' voice was HUGE and open and she leaves an imprint of finality in Gotterdammerung that has and must place her in top ranks.

Grob-Prandl's voice alone and determination set her apart in spite of the fact that she was never placed at the top worldwide.

Finally, please help me. If Traubel were singing today, they would not know what to do with her. She would be the St. Louis giant among hobbits. She would be too fat, too matronly (I hate that phrase, I do mean hate because it undermines greatness), too much chest voice, nothing above a G, too hard, too this, too that etc... Anyway, why would they need her when they have all those georgeous German voices today, thick, rich, round, ringing (I hope you know I am kidding).

The thin layer that started to generically embrace everybody in this global politically correct world is beginning to come undone. Of course, my dear, we accept all and hate no one! We love All of YOU. They forgot to add this phrase...... " oh yes, as long as you fit within these strict unbending guidelines" What people really love about the operatic past is its individuality and diversity. The opera world is like paint thinner, but I digress, because in the words of a very famous man who told me this personally: "Well, we've got Renee."

The Lost Art of the Heroic Wagnerian Soprano.......2001-12-04

Helen Traubel (1899-1972) was one of the very few great heroic Wagnerian sopranos of the twentieth century, a true Isolde/Brunnhilde voice. In fact, to show how rare a breed this is, the United States has produced only three in its history, and two of them (Nordica and Fremstad) were singing a hundred years ago; Traubel was the third. Worldwide, there have been only four or five great heroic Wagnerian sopranos since 1920: Leider (German), Flagstad (Norwegian), Traubel (American), Nilsson (Swedish), and perhaps Lubin (French). These voices don't grow on trees. Nilsson was the only one in the second half of the twentieth century, and today we have none.

Traubel was a big, deep-chested woman with a huge voice; soprano voices don't get any bigger. Her heyday was the 1940s, and her career was almost entirely at the Metropolitan, where she sang from 1937 to 1953, almost exclusively Wagnerian roles. Her career was to some extent a victim of both her own rather peculiar lack of "push" or ambition (she got a late start--she was a perfectionist who prolonged her vocal studies for more than ten years--and almost had to be dragged reluctantly into a major operatic career), and the fact that she was unfortunately, and rather unfairly, always in the shadow of Flagstad, with the result that she was undervalued in her own time and for a long while thereafter.

When Flagstad retired to Norway in 1941 to hole up there for the duration of World War II (not returning to the Met until 1950), Traubel became by default the Met's reigning Wagnerian soprano. She was a refreshingly unpretentious "Saint Louis gal" of German descent who, along with her colleague and frequent partner, the great heroic tenor Lauritz Melchior, could and did poke fun at the pompous world of grand opera. She liked singing popular music and appearing on TV and in movies and even (heaven forbid!) in nightclubs, these low-brow predilections leading to her rupture with autocratic Met general manager Rudolph Bing and her departure from the Met in 1953. A voice like hers should have been a natural for the famed Wagner Festspielhaus at Bayreuth, and would have made her welcome in the great European opera houses, but she had virtually no international career and never sang opera in Europe. She was always oddly ambivalent about her own career. She made relatively few operatic studio recordings, but those she made are very fine, and the surviving Met broadcasts of Wagner operas she sang with Melchior reveal her stature as a major singer.

The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia (ed. David Hamilton) says of her: "The finest American Wagnerian soprano of her generation, imposing in both physical and vocal presence, Traubel possessed a massive and clarion voice with a warm timbre. Her principal effect was of majestic poise, but, as her recordings reveal, she was also capable of expressive coloring." This is, I believe, a fair and discerning summary assessment. Her 1941 broadcast of Brunnhilde's Immolation Scene with Toscanini, one of the best ever recorded, is a representative example of her art: noble, expressive, and moving singing, but also disciplined, controlled, and secure--a majestic voice and delivery. Her voice was warmer than Flagstad's or Nilsson's, but yielded nothing to them in power. There is something uniquely thrilling about hearing a voice of this caliber open up and soar out over, or ride the waves of, the rich Wagner orchestration. Vocal historian J. B. Steane aptly describes her voice as "a bright-edged sword" and praises her singing for "a rare kind of excellence." Vocal historian William Youngren notes: "Traubel sang throughout her Met career with almost perfect evenness and control over her whole range, and her characterizations were of rare quality: beautifully sung, intelligently responsive to the text at every turn, riveting in their intensity and truth."

The CD under review here, released in 1996, collects studio recordings (no broadcast material), all made in 1940 (RCA Victor) and 1945 (Columbia) and representing Traubel in her prime. The processing and notes are first-rate, as is typical of the estimable Austrian label Preiser, which with its fine "Lebendige Vergangenheit" ("Living Past") series has done much to preserve and make available recordings of great singers of the past. The program here, thirteen selections, is generous (72:46) and well chosen. It begins with Gluck's classical aria from Alceste, continues with eleven Wagner selections, and ends with Richard Strauss's lied "Zueignung." The lion's share is appropriately Wagner, and two of the eleven Wagner selections are extended ones. Four of her Wagner roles are represented: Elisabeth, Elsa, Isolde, and the Walkure Brunnhilde, as well as three of the five Wesendonck lieder. Interestingly, four of the 1945 Columbia recordings heard here were never issued as 78's, although hearing them now it's certainly hard to understand why (there is a minor glitch in the exciting and very taxing Brunnhilde's Battle Cry, which though very brief calls for two high C's, two trills, and no less than eight difficult upward "flicks" of the voice that must be precisely pitched). The singing is of a consistently high standard, and the only fault I could find is that some purists may object to the full-voiced, grand scale on which the four lieder are sung: they are all with lush orchestral accompaniment, and while powerfully done, they are certainly not intimate or subtle.

Tracks:

Mars, The Bringer Of War
Siegfried's Funeral Music
Pines Of Rome: The Catacombs
Night On Bald Mountain
Valse triste, Op. 44 No 1
Come, Sweet Death
Battle Scene
Pavane pour une infante defunte
Tristan und Isolde

Customer Reviews:

The S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder) Holiday Album !.......2005-05-20

A bizarre, downright subversive yet wonderfully wry (awry?) concept for a Christmas album, subtitled "Music for Your Misery." Consists of "heavy" and morose non-holiday classics from composers such as Wagner, Holst, Bach, Sibelius, most dealing with death or war. Definitely not your typical holiday fare, which I think is the point. If you're tired of all the phony goodwill and psuedo-cheeriness of the Christmas season and would rather defiantly wallow in your holiday funk, then this is the album for you. Or, makes a great stocking stuffer for members of your family you'd like to permanently scare away! A Christmas album you can play all year long....... cheaper than therapy!!! An ingenious, darkly humorous novelty Christmas album---with some great classical music to boot! Worth it for the title and tacky cover photo alone ! ! !

Music Review:

Music Review

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Music Review

Then & Now [Import]

Beethoven: Works for Piano [Enhanced]

Bach: Four Early Sinfonias

The Very Best of Carly Simon: Nobody Does it Better

Bodyrock Pt. 1

Christmas with the Harp

Barbajan

Best of the Fourmost [Import]

Close Enough for Jazz [Import]

Ballet Class Music from New York City: Leaning on Tradition, Vol. 1

Barney Kessel, Vol. 3: To Swing or Not to Swing [Import] [Limited Edition] [Original recording remastered]

10 de Coleccion [Original recording remastered]

20 Chicanos a Morir

Pretty Things

Give 'Em All a Big Fat Lip

1. "Rienzi": Overture [18 November 1926 & 6 January 1927]
2. "Lohengrin": Prelude to Act I [13 October 1927]
3. "Lohengrin": Prelude to Act III [27 March 1940]
4. "Das Rheingold: Symphonic Synthesis" (Arranged by Leopold Stokowski): Prelude; "Song of the Rheinmaidens" [4 March 1933]

1. "Die Walküre": "Magic Fire Music" (orchestral version) [9 April 1939]
2. "Siegfried"; excerpts: "The Wanderer Questions Mime" [10 December 1934]
3. "Siegfried"; excerpts: "Nothung! Nothung!" [Frederick Jagel (tenor), 10 December 1934]
4. "Siegfried"; excerpts: "Forest Murmurs" [10 December 1934]

1. "Tannhäuser": Overture and Venusberg Music (Paris version) [23 September 1929, 14 March & 29 April 1930]
2. "Tannhäuser": Overture and Venusberg Music (Paris version) [12 December 1937]
3. "Tannhäuser": Prelude to Act III (Arranged by Leopold Stokowski) [15 January 1936]
4. "Tannhäuser": Overture (Dresden version) [7 November & 5 December 1921]

1. "Tristan und Isolde: Symphonic Synthesis" (first version, Arranged by Leopold Stokowski): Prelude to Act I [16 & 23 April 1932]
2. "Tristan und Isolde: Symphonic Synthesis" (first version, Arranged by Leopold Stokowski): "Potion Music" [16 & 23 April 1932]
3. "Tristan und Isolde: Symphonic Synthesis" (first version, Arranged by Leopold Stokowski): "Liebesnacht"; "Liebestod" [16 & 23 April 1932]
4. "Tristan und Isolde: Symphonic Synthesis" (second version, Arranged by Leopold Stokowski): Prelude to Act I [5 April & 7 November 1937]

1. "Wesendonck" Lieder: III. "Im Treibhaus" [Helen Traubel (soprano), 22 December 1940]
2. "Wesendonck" Lieder: V. "Träume" [Helen Traubel (soprano), 22 December 1940]
3. "Wesendonck" Lieder: IV. "Schmerzen" [Helen Traubel (soprano), 22 December 1940]
4. "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg": Prelude to Act I [15 January 1936]