Wagner: Orchestral Music from 'The Ring'

On this CD:

1. Tannhäuser, opera, WWV 70 Overture
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Klaus Tennstedt

2. Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), opera, WWV 86b Ride of the Valkyries
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Klaus Tennstedt

3. Die Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods), opera, WWV 86d Dawn & Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Klaus Tennstedt

4. Die Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods), opera, WWV 86d Siegfried's Death & Funeral Music
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Klaus Tennstedt

5. Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold), opera, WWV 86a Entry of the Gods into Valhalla
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Klaus Tennstedt

6. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Forest Murmurs
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Klaus Tennstedt

7. Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), opera, WWV 86b Wotan's Farewell & Magic Fire Music
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Klaus Tennstedt

Tracks:

Theme From Mission Impossible - Schifrin
Theme From Gladiator - Zimmer
Hedwig's Theme - Williams
Harry's Wondrous World - Williams
Allegro Moderato - Symphony No. 8 'Unfinished' - Schubert
Suite From Shakespeare In Love - Warbeck
Out Of Africa - Barry
Requiem, Rex Tremendae - Mozart
Prelude In E Minor, Op. 28, No. 4 - Chopin
Suite No. 3 In D, Air On The G String - J.S. Bach
I Will Always Love You - Parton
Symphony No. 40, Molto Allegro - Mozart
Finlandia - Sibelius
My Heart Will Go On - Horner

Tracks:

Theme From Lord Of The Rings - Shore
Overture To All That Jazz - Kander & Ebb
'Trout' Quintet, Theme, Andantino And Variations - Schubert
Prelude No. 15 In D-Flat - Chopin
Windmills Of Your Mind - LeGrand
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - KAMEN
Theme From Schindler's List - Williams
Also Sprach Zarathustra, Excerpt - Strauss
Symphony No. 3, Lento Cantabile - Semplice - Gorecki
Die Walkure, Ride Of The Valkyries - Wagner
Goldberg Variations, Aria Da Capo - J.S. Bach
Theme From License To Kill - KAMEN
Sonata No. 8, Op. 13, 'Pathetique,' Andante Cantabile - Beethoven
Die Another Day - Arnold
Symphony No. 9, Ode To Joy, Excerpt - Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

Movie Themes CD.......2007-03-10

Very nice CD with beautiful music from past movies. Very relaxing music to listen to.

"three decades of film composers ~ Simply The Best".......2004-03-06

Rhino Movie Music presents "Simply The Best Movie Themes", featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and other various artists ~ within the realm of the following composers David Arnold, John Barry, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Wendy Carlos, Fred Ebb, James Horner, James Newton Howard, Michael Kamen, John Kander, Michel Legrand, Alex North, Basil Poledouris, Howard Shore, Wladyslaw Szpilman, Stephen Warbeck, John Williams and Hans Zimmer ~ each composer has created one or more of the scores in this twenty nine classic line up.

Film scores covering over three decades with "2001:SPACE ODYSSEY", "A CLOCKWORK ORANGE", "APOCALYPSE NOW", "THE BODYGUARD(I Will Always Love You)", "CHICAGO(Overture to All That Jazz), "DIE ANOTHER DAY", "EYES WIDE SHUT", "FEARLESS", "GLADIATOR(Theme)", "HANNIBAL", "HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE(Hedwig's Theme)", "HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE(Harry's Wondrous World)", "THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER", "JURASSIC PARK:THE LOST WORLD", "LICENSE TO KILL, "LIVING DAYLIGHTS", "THE LORD OF THE RINGS(Theme)", "MINORITY REPORT", "MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (Theme)", "OUT OF AFRICA", "THE PIANIST", "ROBIN HOOD, PRINCE OF THIEVES", "SCHINDLER'S LIST", "SE7EN", "SHADOWLANDS", "SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE", "THE SIXTH SENSE", "THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR"and "TITANIC(My Heart Will Go On)" ~ a mixture of original compositions and classics of the old masters. Loaded with not just themes, but full of orchestral arrangements that are fresh and rewarding ~ sure to bring back those special moments from the film.

The presentation is superb with every cue inclusive with spectacular performances from suspense, romance and adventure all rolled into a two disc package. Rhino must be commended on doing such a great job and doing it well. Most serious "film-score-buffs" will welcome this compilation, has many cues available all under one banner ~ Rhino Records...gotta love it!

Tracks:

Various: The Prince of Denmark's March
Various: March from The Anna Magdalena Notebook
Various: March from Cantata No. 207
Various: See, the Conqu'ring Hero Comes March from Judus Maccabaeus
Various: Turkish March from The Ruins of Athens, Op. 113, No. 4
Various: Rakoczy March from The Damnation of Faust
Various: Procession of the Nobles from Mlada Suite
Various: Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1
Various: Grand March from Aida
Various: The Washington Post March
Various: National Emblem March
Various: The Liberty Bell
Various: Colonel Bogey March
Various: Semper fidelis
Various: British Grenadiers
Various: King Cotton
Various: Under the Double Eagle
Various: The Thunderer
Various: III. March from First Suite for Military Band in E-flat Major
Various: March of the Toys from Babes in Toyland
Various: El capitan
Various: March from 1941
Various: March from The Love for Three Oranges
Various: The Raiders' March from Raiders of the Lost Ark
Various: The Stars and Stripes Forever!

Customer Reviews:

For Water Aerobics, a Top-Ten CD.......2005-07-30

I provide music for water aerobics classes. The class members are typically retirees, and like Classical music, yet until this CD the only Classical music with a beat distinctive and steady enough for water aerobics that I'd found was on the "Hooked on Classics" series. Thus, for water aerobics, this is a find.

Also contributing to this CD's popularity for water aerobics are that: (1) many of the songs are upbeat, and (2) "new stereo" recordings (in contrast to my recordings of Sousa marches that were played by Sousa himself; he died in the 1930s.)

In Summary, were you to buy just ten CDs for water aerobics classes, this would be one of them.

Greatest March Sampling Out There!.......2004-04-05

Knowing very little about classical music, I bought several march compilations a few years back, in hopes that I could develop at least a fanboy level of appreciation. Of the compilations I picked up, this is the one that showed me the most diverse sampling of marches. If you want to become familiar with the march genre, this collection runs away with the blue ribbon, with no contendors close behind. The other compilations I came across focused strictly on the American military marches; they were all very good, but this compilation dishes up a diverse menu, from Ludwig Von Beethoven to John Williams.

This CD has a special place in my collection since it turned me on to John Philip Sousa, who has become one of my favorite composers ever. The Sousa selections on this CD are performed by The Incredible Columbia All-Star Band. I enjoyed these tunes immensely enough to buy some Sousa compilations, and found that while the All-Star Band's take on Sousa tunes is very good, I greatly prefer the releases by The United States Marine Band. The Sousa tunes on this CD are a bit rushed for my taste, while The United States Marine Band's delivery seems more pronounced and evenly paced.

My personal favorite track is Kenneth Alford's "Colonel Bogey" performed by John Williams and The Boston Pops Orchestra. They take Alford's memorable placid march, and shape it into a powerful storm-of-an-orchestral march. Absent are the keyboards prevalent in many renditions of Colonel Bogey, but beautifully replaced with a dynamic orchestra.

It's the variety of marches, however, that steal the show, especially if you are a novice like I am, and want to find out which era of marches is your cup of tea. You get a wide range, from Hector Berlioz's Racoczy March from "Damnation of Faust," to Edwin Bagley's "National Emblem March," to Victor Herbert's "March of the Toys," all the way up to the present day with John William's "The Raider's March" from "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

I am still getting my feet wet learning about marches, and this compilation has given me a great head start. No doubt I'll cringe one day if I read this clumsy description of Sousa and Alford tunes, but for the time being, I am having great fun discovering a whole new school of music. This CD is a great starting point if you want to become familiar with marches.

Just one other comment that will only further display my amateur level of classical music appreciation, but I've just got to say it: JOHN PHILIP SOUSA ROCKS!!! There are very few pieces that sound as happy and uplifting as a Sousa march. I proudly salute Mr. Sousa!

For the Lover of Marches.......2002-05-16

This is the best march music CD I have in my collection. It covers a range from Beethoven's "Turkish March" (track 5 and my favorite of the CD) to Sousa. The weakness of the CD comes from the Incredible Columbia All-Star Band tracks. They do a few Sousa marches and the difference between them and the Boston Pops is very noticable. But that's just a minor complaint and certainly nothing to keep you from buying and enjoying this CD.

Blood Pumping Music.......2001-01-30

This CD took me back many years. It has great music that will get your blood pumping. It is a great selection of music and should be in anyones CD collection!!

Blood Pumping Music.......2001-01-30

This CD is a great CD. It includes some the worlds most famous marches with a great recording. I grew up in marching bands in East Texas and loved marches, and this CD gets my blood pumping and takes me back to the old days. If you love great music and marches, this is a sure buy!!!!

Average customer rating:

Six Decades of Film Music
Excellent collection with fine performances
"essential film scores from 1939 to 2004 ~ Incredible Music"

The Incredible Film Music Box

Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Paramount 90th Anniversary Collection: Scores
The Essential Elmer Bernstein Film Music Collection
Epics: The History of the World According to Hollywood
The Ultimate Movie Music Collection
Jerry Goldsmith: 40 Years of Film Music

ASIN: B0007S687Y
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

Gone With The Wind: Overture
Citizen Kane: Overture
Casablanca: As Time Goes By
It's A Wonderful Life: It's A Wonderful Life
The Third Man: The Harry Lime Theme
The Searchers: Suite
The Bridge On The River Kwai: Colonel Bogey March
Vertigo: Prelude
Touch Of Evil: Main Title
Ben-Hur: Parade Of The Charioteers
North By Northwest: Prelude
Psycho: Suite
The Magnificent Seven: The Magnificent Seven
Lawrence Of Arabia: Overture

Tracks:

To Kill A Mockingbird: Suite
The Great Escape: Main Title
Doctor Zhivago: Main Title & Lara's Theme
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Once Upon A Time In The West: Jill's Theme
2001: A Space Odyssey: Also Sprach Zarathustra
Midnight Cowboy: Midnight Cowboy
Get Carter: Main Title
A Clockwork Orange: Ode To Joy
The Godfather: Waltz & Love Theme
Jaws: Jaws
Rocky: Gonna Fly Now
Taxi Driver: Suite
Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope

Tracks:

Superman: Main Theme
Alien: End Title
Raging Bull: Intermezzo From Cavalleria Rusticana
Raiders Of The Lost Ark: Raiders March
Blade Runner: End Titles
E.T.: The Extraterrestrial: Adventures On Earth
Once Upon A Time In America: Deborah's Theme
Back To The Future: Main Theme
Witness: Building The Barn
Aliens: Main Title
Cinema Paradiso: Cinema Paradiso
Glory: Charging Frot Wagner
Dances With Wolves: The John Dunbar Theme
Unforgiven: Claudia's Theme

Tracks:

The Piano: The Heart Asks Pleasure First
Schindler's List: Main Theme
Braveheart: End Credits
Titanic: My Heart Will Go On
Saving Private Ryan: Hymn To The Fallen
American Beauty: Any Other Name
Gladiator: Now We Are Free
Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring: The Fellowship
The Girl With The Pearl Earring: Griet's Theme
Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl: Suite
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban: Suite
Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events: The Letter That Never Came
Finding Neverland: Impossible Opening
The Incredibles: Overture

Customer Reviews:

Six Decades of Film Music.......2007-05-13

This is film music for the classical music lover. The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra presents excellent arrangements of a number of classic film themes (although several pieces of the 56 film classics selected for this 4 CD set are not orchestral arrangements, but rather specialty arrangements). Besides great film composers such as John Williams, Elmer Bernstein, Ennio Morricone, and James Horner, classical composers such as Richard Strauss and Pietro Mascagni make an appearance. On several of the numbers the Crouch End Festival Chorus adds the human voice to the power of the full symphonic orchestra to create true movie magic. If you like the sound of a full symphony orchestra playing some of the most recognized themes ever written, you'll love these CDs.

Excellent collection with fine performances.......2007-03-28

Silva Screen Records, based in England, has been issuing some fine collections of film scores, more in one box than we have the right to expect. This four-CD box contains scores by many of the best writers, including Max Steiner, Bernard Herrmann, Dimitri Tomkin, Kenneth J. Alford (The Bridge on the River Kwai), Elmer Bernstein, Maurice Jarre, Ennio Marricone, John Barry, Nino Rota, John Williams, James Horner, and more. We can all think of additional film scores we wished were included, but then there's no way this collection could be all-inclusive. The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, supplemented by Crouch End Festival Chorus on some numbers, does a very competent job...The liner notes give the basic information without any commentary, and as far as I can see, contain only one error. Am I wrong or are tracks 9 and 10 on the fourth CD mislabeled? Track 9, which runs 7:33, seems to have the excitement of "Pirates of the Caribbean" (which I did not see) and track 10, which runs 4:22, the more sedate "The Girl with the Pearl Earring (which I also did not see). Listings seem to have them reversed.

"essential film scores from 1939 to 2004 ~ Incredible Music".......2005-05-16

When I think of the "Golden Age" of Hollywood, many composers come to mind...you gave the usher your ticket in the theater and sat down, knowingly you were going to get your moneys worth...when the curtain opened and you heard those first few notes...you sat back, watched and listened as the film score and orchestra worked their magic...now we have the ultimate from Silva Screen Classics "The Incredible Film Music Box", featuring a four disc set of the essential film scores of the past 60 years...covering several decades from 1939 through and up to the present 2004

There are compilations and then there are "Compilations" beginning with a classic that even the youngsters today recognize "GONE WITH THE WIND" (1939) (Max Steiner), sweeping score that captures the tragic history of the South during the Civil War, one great cue after another, it doesn't get any better than this, nominated by the Academy for Best Original Score...and closing on Disc 4 with "THE INCREDIBLES" (2004) (Michael Giacchino), the big hit in computer animation from Walt Disney & Pixar that once again pit Super-Heroes against the forces of evil...our family of five Supers prove crime doesn't pay, but box-office receipts do...gotta love it!

Silva Screen Classics as usual, has put quality into this 4-CD-Set featuring The City Of Prague Philarmonic Orchestra and the Crouch End Festival Chorus conducted by Kenneth Alwyn, Bill Ashton, Paul Bateman, James Fitzpatrick, Mario Klemens, Derek Wadsworth, and Nic Raine. Recorded in "Dolby Surround" with the new technology of "HDCD", this is a "film-score-buffs" dream, one to treasure now and years to come.

Some selections are missing, but when you think of what Silva has included, it is impossible to please everyone...was happy to see "TOUCH OF EVIL" (1958) from composer Henry Mancini, as I feel this composer deserves all the recognition that has been overlooked recently in the music world...This collection is aimed directly at the "Serious Film Score" music fans and collectors...Silva is as always, perfect in every way...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 4-CD-Set ~ Silva America 1181 ~ (5/10/2005)

Great Orchestral Highlights from The Ring of the Nibelungs / Szell, Cleveland Orchestra (SACD)

Average customer rating:

Conversion
Not to be missed
Greatly improved sound, excellent performances
Szell and Karajan were freinds!!!
A classic Szell recording beautifully restored

Great Orchestral Highlights from The Ring of the Nibelungs / Szell, Cleveland Orchestra (SACD)
Wagner , Cleveland Orchestra , and George Szell
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

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Dvorák: The Slavonic Dances [SACD]
Dvorak Symphony No. 7 & Carnival Overture & Smetana Die Moldau / Szell, Cleveland Orchestra (SACD)
Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 39 & 40; Exsultate, Jubilate [SACD]
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 ("Eroica"); Overtures [SACD]
Bach: The Four Great Toccatas and Fugues [SACD]

ASIN: B000044U19
Release Date: 2000-01-11

Customer Reviews:

Conversion .......2005-03-07

This is a very good recording of these works - all from Wagner's Nibelungen operas. Prior to purchasing this SACD, I did not totally agree with Szell's approach to Wagner. His approach, I thought, was too clear, too lacking on the bass line, and the accoustic at Severance Hall didn't help much. This SACD clarifies Szell in a very favorable way. Severance Hall doesn't sound nearly as bad of a place to record as I previously thought (though it's still debatable whether Szell's modifications to the hall in the late 50's were an improvement...) and the listener hears a much more balanced orchestral sonority, one which is without any congestion, clear as a bell, so to speak.

The performances themselves are top-flight - no question, by the late 1960's, the Cleveland Orchestra was the best orchestra in the U.S., outgunning everyone else. Szell lets the music speak for itself - no indulging in one's own self-centered interpretations here. Tempi are as specified and there are no orchestral rearrangements as there were in his Schumann recordings.

Now, if only Sony would release the rest of Szell's Wagner recordings on SACD, I'd be really happy to buy it.

Not to be missed.......2004-12-02

Hard to believe that these old Columbia/Epic LPs had this kind of sound in them. The sound stage is deep and wide and the string sound truly analogue. I find some of the ring excerpts not particularly to my liking musically, but the Tristan Prelude? A great recording by any measure. I was mesmerized by Szell's performance and have listened many, many times. SACD is so phenomenal. No ear fatigue and musically so involving. I haven't enjoyed listening so much since my LP days. This is the full measure of digital sound.

Greatly improved sound, excellent performances.......2004-09-17

I have been comparing this (non-hybrid, stereo-only) Sony SACD with the old Sony/CBS CD set - the 2 discs Maestro series from 1990, I've never heard a more recent Essential Classics CD incarnation coupled with some Ormandy Wagner. I suspect that was the same remastering.

The SACD replicates the second CD from that set (Ring excerpts plus the Tristan Prelude and Liebestod) and adds the Meistersinger Prelude, giving a total timing of 76'47.

I compared the tracks I know very well: the two Gotterdammerung excerpts. Unlike the other Szell SACD I have compared (Schumann Symphonies No 2 & 4, where the difference was discernible but slight), here the new disc sounds clearly different, and I think better.

On CD I always felt it was perhaps the slight aural 'edge' and hint of constriction that made these performances so thrilling (even though the sounds was rather flat in terms of front to back perspective), but this SACD removes that acerbity to some extent, to advantage I feel. There is much more depth to the sound and it is richer - and the orchestra sounds closer (perhaps even a tad smaller?) with greater detail. Strings sound more in focus. Maybe some of the ambience has changed, but perhaps this more realistically conveys the true acoustic of Severance Hall. Hearing the brief fanfare at 5'13ff in the Rhine Journey, here it is more rounded and realistic.

Tape hiss is absent from the SACD. In the Funeral March the advantage is clearer: the detail is much finer (the timpani strokes sound clearly at 2'55ff, whereas on CD they were blurred and the lighter ones inaudible).

For Wagnerians and Szell fans I think this SACD is worth getting as a supplement to the normal CD - I will of course retain the CDs as the SACD cannot be played elsewhere like the car changer.

Szell and Karajan were freinds!!!.......2004-06-07

In a recent bio on Karajan I was surprised to read the two were very good freinds and shared a alot in common. They also had similar approaches to orchestral sonority...

Suprisingly enough the approach to the Wagner here is very alike Herbert in some regards...I like the way Szell approaches the music in a more intense approach.

Karajan did get to do the Ring...but alas we may get to hear Szell with the Met from the 40s which some believe does exist in archive. As to the playing this is the finest Wagner record of exerpts out there.

It surpasses Herbert's any day!!!

The wonderful thing is how Cleveland is so transparent in it's textures...not as unlike Klemperer as one would think!!!

A classic Szell recording beautifully restored.......2002-01-25

There is very little to add to the excellent preceding review on this recording. I would just add an observation that the DSD transfer onto SACD brings a far greater level of realism and transparency as compared to the original LP or any subsequent CD transfer. We get as close as we likely ever will to hearing Szell's original intentions in the studio, which were obscured by Columbia's notoriously poor transfers of the original reel-to-reel master tape onto LP. In those days Columbia would artificially boost the mid-range on a recording to make it sound better on mediocre equipment -- not exactly an audiophile technique! This DSD transfer, by contrast, is untampered electronically, not even by noise reduction, which is also notorious for robbing analogue recordings from this vintage of their ambience and warmth. The result is a small amount of tape hiss, which I will gladly accept to be given the chance to hear what Szell and his fabulous Clevelanders actually recorded.

Wagner: Great Orchestral Music from "The Ring"

Average customer rating:

Powerful orchestral interpretation of Wagner...

Wagner: Great Orchestral Music from "The Ring"

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000DRXE
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Customer Reviews:

Powerful orchestral interpretation of Wagner..........2007-05-25

The "Great Performance" series contained many great artists interpreted for the ages by some of the worlds best conductors. This compilation of some of Wagner's greatest is outstanding. Though the choral voices are missing, the power is not.

Every orchestral interpretation is presented with the gravitas and majesty that is Wagner. The "Ride of the Valkyries" and "Sigfried's Funeral" are powerful.

For those that are looking for great interpretations of Wagner, this is the one to start with.

Average customer rating:

Where is Karajan's Ring on amazon?
not an introduction to The Ring
A wonderful introduction, or a new experience
good introduction
Good introduction to the Ring, good value

Highlights from Der Ring des Nibelungen

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

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Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen

ASIN: B00004XT2G
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Tracks:

The Rhinegold: Lugt, Schwestern! Die Weckerin Lacht in Den Grund - Helen Donath/Edda Moser/Anna Reynolds/Zoltan Kelemen
The Rhinegold: Nur Wer Der Minne Macht Ensagt - Helen Donath/Edda Moser/Anna Reynolds
The Rhinegold: Der Welt Erbe Gewann Ich Zu Eigen Durch Dich - Zoltan Kelemen/Helen Donath/Edda Moser/Anna Reynolds
The Rhinegold: Haltet Den Rauber! - Helen Donath/Edda Moser/Anna Reynolds
The Rhinegold: Hor, Wotan, Der Harrenden Wort! - Karl Ridderbusch/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Martti Talvela/Simone Mangelsdorff
The Rhinegold: Schwester! Bruder! Rettet! Helft! - Simone Mangelsdorff/Donald Grobe/Robert Kerns/Gerhard Stolze/Josephine Veasey
The Rhinegold: Wotan, Gemahl, Unselger Mann! - Josephine Veasey/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Gerhard Stolze/Robert Kerns/Donald Grobe
The Rhinegold: (Transformation Music) - BPO/Herbert Von Karajan
The Rhinegold: Zur Burg Fuhrt Die Brucke - Donald Grobe
The Rhinegold: Abendlich Strahlt Der Sonne Auge - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
The Rhinegold: So Gruss Ich Die Burg - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Josephine Veasey/Gerhard Stolze
The Rhinegold: Rheingold! Rheingold! - Helen Donath/Edda Moser/Anna Reynolds/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Gerhard Stolze
The Valkyrie: Der Manner Sippe Sass Hier Im Saal - Gundula Janowitz/Jon Vickers
The Valkyrie: Wintersturme Wichen Dem Wonnemond - Jon Vickers
The Valkyrie: Du Bist Der Lenz - Gundula Janowitz
The Valkyrie: O Susseste Wonne! Seligstes Weib! - Jon Vickers/Gundula Janowitz
The Valkyrie: War Walse Dein Vater, Und Bist Du Ein Walsung - Gundula Janowitz/Jon Vickers
The Valkyrie: Siegmund, Den Walsung, Siehst Du, Weib! - Jon Vickers/Gundula Janowitz
The Valkyrie: (The Ride Of The Valkyries) - BPO/Herbert Von Karajan
The Valkyrie: Leb Wohl, Du Kuhnes, Herrliches Kind! - Thomas Stewart
The Valkyrie: Der Augen Leuchtendes Paar - Thomas Stewart
The Valkyrie: Loge, Hor! Lausche Hieher! - Thomas Stewart
The Valkyrie: (Magic Fire Music) - BPO/Herbert Von Karajan

Tracks:

Siegfried: Dass Der Mein Vater Nicht Ist - Forest Murmurs - Jess Thomas
Siegfried: Nun Sing! Ich Lausche Dem Gesang! - Jess Thomas/Catherine Gayer
Siegfried: Prld To Act III. - BPO/Herbert Von Karajan
Siegfried: Wache, Wala! Wala! Erwach! - Thomas Stewart
Siegfried: (Brunnhilde's Awakening: Intro) - BPO/Herbert Von Karajan
Siegfried: Heil Dir, Sonne! Heil Dir, Licht! - Helga Dernesch/Jess Thomas
Siegfried: Siegfried! Siegfried Seliger Held! - Helga Dernesch/Jess Thomas
Twilight Of The Gods: (Orchestral Interlude) - BPO/Herbert Von Karajan
Twilight Of The Gods: Zu Neuen Taten, Teurer Helde - Helga Dernesch
Twilight Of The Gods: Mehr Gabst Du, Wunderfrau, Als Ich Zu Wahren Weiss - Helge Brilioth/Helga Dernesch
Twilight Of The Gods: (Siegfried's Rhine Journey) - BPO/Herbert Von Karajan
Twilight Of The Gods: (Funeral Music) - BPO/Herbert Von Karajan
Twilight Of The Gods: Starke Scheite Schichtet Mir Dort - Helga Dernesch
Twilight Of The Gods: Mein Erbe Nun Nehm Ich Zu Eigen - Helga Dernesch
Twilight Of The Gods: Fliegt Heim, Ihr Raben! - Helga Dernesch
Twilight Of The Gods: Conclusion 'Zuruck Vom Ring!' - Karl Ridderbusch

Customer Reviews:

Where is Karajan's Ring on amazon?.......2005-09-05

I can't find any of the four Ring operas here at amazon.com. This is very peculiar, but in case you, too, are looking for them, I can say that the Rheingold and Die Walkure are superb, but the Siegfried is vocally a catastrophe, beginning with the woeful Jess Thomas in the title role, and the Gotterdammerung is hampered by an inedequate Siegfried and a not veyr inspired dernesch as Brunnhilde. DG has remastered them all at mid-price, and the mid-Sixties analog sound was good to begin with.

not an introduction to The Ring.......2005-04-18

This is absolutely the best "highlight" collection out there -- no others come close to the range and depth of material provided. But beware, this is not an "introduction to The Ring", as some claim -- the notes are skimpy, the titles of the excerpts are untranslated, there is no libretto, no description of the excerpts -- their context or meaning -- so what you have is a great summary of the works -- one that is most useful if you already know them -- something to take along with you in the car or while jogging or walking the dog to remind you of the real thing. Bear in mind that whatever the deficiencies of this collection, the others have the same faults also.

A wonderful introduction, or a new experience.......2004-02-14

Admittedly, it is a daunting task to try to "get into" opera, and even more so with Wagner's Ring. This CD is perfect for the beginner and the more experienced listener for various reasons. First of all, it spoils you somewhat in presenting you with the best pieces of the various operas. These "bleeding chunks" certainly give you a wonderful introduction to the various motifs, and most importantly, are very long pieces. The CD manages to capture several of the different flavors present in Wagner's opera.

Secondly, the CD is worth its price mainly due to Karajan's conducting. After listening to Solti's version of the Ring (also wonderful), I was suprised by the subtle hints he seems to charge through. You can literally hear the galloping of the horse, or subtle musical hints which add a great appreciation and character to the opera. Thus, if you have experienced several other conductors, but have not had the pleasure of Karajan, it would be worth the price.

Unfortunatly, some of the singing is kinda weak. Again, after Solti's Valkyries, you will have a hard time getting into the singing. And again, Karajan's Brunhilde isn't as strong as Solti's, but she still holds her own. Loge, here, sounds like a trickster (though he does sing/speak his words), and the Wotan's are alright.

In conclusion, this is perfect if you want to add flavor to your Wagner listening experience, or just want to know what the big deal is. I, of course, suggest getting one of the DVD's to get the big picture of what is going on (Levine's MET is a good start). So buy and enjoy.

good introduction.......2002-06-11

this is a good way to see why it is worth getting the full Der Ring opera--all 15 CDs! having just the highlights shows you the power and majesty of Wagner's music, but skips the depth and true emotion you get out of listening to the whole opera.

Good introduction to the Ring, good value.......2001-10-05

I'm recommending this 2-disc set because it's a sensible, cost-effective introduction to Wagner's masterpiece, Der Ring des Nibelungen, commonly called the Ring. The Ring is a sequential cycle of four operas, Das Rheingold, Die Walkure, Siegfried, and Gotterdammerung. With the exception of Das Rheingold, they are all of great length (Wagner was a colossal egotist who seemed to believe that no opera could be too long if he was its composer). As a result, acquiring and getting familiar with the entire Ring is an expensive and time-consuming proposition (my choice among complete Ring recordings, the landmark Solti/Vienna Philharmonic set on Decca/London, is 14 CDs costing around $1...-$...). Wagner purists will object to any attempt to excerpt "highlights" from the Ring, and they do have a point: unlike the standard Italian and French operas, which are readily divisible into recitatives, arias, duets, etc., the Wagner operas do not lend themselves to excerpting, with the result that "highlights" sets like this one are a collection of "bleeding chunks" torn from the body of the whole work.

Nevertheless there is a need for a way to approach the Ring, to be introduced to it and to get its flavor, and this generously filled 2-disc set fills that requirement reasonably well. (Wagner's six most important non-Ring operas are similarly if somewhat less generously highlighted on a Deutsche Grammophon 2-CD set that is a companion volume to this one, drawn from various Deutsche Grammophon complete opera recordings--none conducted by Karajan--so if you buy both sets--4 CDs--you gain at least some exposure to all ten major Wagner operas.)

CD 1 (76'33 in length) gives you 31'11 of Das Rheingold (1968), and 45'20 of Die Walkure (1967), which has long been the most popular of the four Ring operas. CD 2 (77'05 in length) gives you 25'56 of Siegfried (1969), and 51'03 of Gotterdammerung (1970). All the music here is drawn from the complete Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic Ring on Deutsche Grammophon (from studio recordings made in 1967-1970; the complete Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic Ring is 14 discs, price $1...-$...) The primary criticism of von Karajan's Ring when it was initially released was that his singers are quite uneven, and some of his casting is unconventional and controversial (in particular, his "artificial" casting is problematic, i.e., singers who were chosen for the recording studio but who might not be likely to sing their roles successfully in the opera house). In addition the casting is not consistent from one opera to the next (for example, there are two different Wotans, two different Siegfrieds, two different Brunnhildes; talk about changing horses in midstream!).

On this two-CD selection of highlights we get, obviously, only a very limited exposure to the singers of the complete Ring, but we can see what the criticism was all about. The Rhine maidens are excellent. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, great artist though he was in his proper sphere, unfortunately kept straying out of it, as he does here: Wotan calls for a Wagnerian Heldenbariton, which Fischer Dieskau certainly was not (any more than he was a Verdi or Puccini baritone). He is out of his depth here. Gerhard Stolze's idea of doing Loge is to talk, rant, and ham it up instead of sing (one wonders if he can sing). Gundula Janowitz is an appealing Sieglinde who sings well; she is lighter-voiced and hence more fragile-sounding than usually heard in the role. Jon Vickers and Thomas Stewart stand out as Siegmund and Wotan (the second one), offering impressive, well-sung performances. (Stewart also sings the Wanderer.) The Valkyries are a weak, underpowered bunch here (compare the lusty, superior Valkyries in the Solti or Bohm sets, for example). Helga Dernesch is a Brunnhilde with a big, healthy voice, good instincts, a comfortable middle, and an effortful top (she later wisely became a mezzo). She is not in the class of Flagstad, Traubel, or Nilsson, but apart from the problematic high notes I admire her Brunnhilde. Jess Thomas is conscientious in the cruelly demanding role of Siegfried, but his voice is basically unattractive and lacks the heft and heroic quality the role demands. (To be fair to him, there hasn't been a truly satisfying Siegfried since the great Lauritz Melchior retired in 1950, and Thomas is representative of the ersatz, makeshift Heldentenorizing we've had to make do with since then.) Helge Brilioth, the second Siegfried, in the little we hear from him here, reveals a more promising voice and sounds more like Siegfried should. The great attraction here is the orchestral playing and polish, which are most impressive, as one would expect from this celebrated team of orchestra and conductor who worked so long together. One has rarely heard the orchestral score so convincingly and painstakingly brought to life, and Karajan is considerate to his hothouse crew of singers, knowing how to scale his orchestra back to let them be heard.

This 2-CD set has direct, head-on competition from a similar (and similarly priced) Philips 2-CD set of highlights from the Ring. The Philips set preserves the Bayreuth "live" performances of the Ring of 1966-67 under Karl Bohm. One of its advantages is generally superior, more involved singing, including the great Birgit Nilsson as Brunnhilde, by singers who sing the same roles throughout (no switching horses in midstream) and who actually sang their roles in the opera house (not just in the recording studio). Also, since the performances are "live," there is a certain sense of vividness, immediacy, and excitement missing in a studio recording. On the other hand, the Karajan set offers generally superior conducting and orchestral playing; his studio recording can be more note-perfect (with its opportunities for re-takes); and the sound of Karajan's set is better than that of Bohm's live performances (although still not as good as Solti's Ring, or the best more recent opera recordings).

Tracks:

Tannhauser
Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg
Das Rheingold
Die Walkure
Siegfried-Idyll
Parsifal
Ankunft Bei Den Schwarzen Schwanen
Eine SonateFur Das Album Von Frau Mathilde Wesendonk
Traume
Elegie En La Bemol Majeur

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant.......2006-01-26

This CD is brilliant.

Transcriptions for piano of Wagner excerpts, by a variety of composers (not just Liszt).

The descending runs added to the Pilgrim's chorus in the Tannhaueser overture are quite remarkable: Liszt really managed to get a lot of detail into his transcriptions.

The other transcriptions work very well too.

The sound quality is excellent. Wonderful clarity and depth.

Wagner: Orchestral Music from 'The Ring'

Average customer rating:

An off day for a great conductor
Minor League Wagner
A Bargain Introduction to Wagner for Friends who Think They Don't Like Wagner!
Wagner, Tennstedt, "Tannhauser", And "The Ring"
Fairly decent, but lacking greatness.

Wagner: Orchestral Music from 'The Ring'

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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4-for-3 Opera & Vocal | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005NPK2
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Tracks:

Overture
Die Walkure: Ride Of The Valkyries
Gotterdammerung: Dawn & Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Gotterdammerung: Siegfried's Death & Funeral Music
Das Rheingold: Entry Of The Gods Into Valhalla
Siegfried: Forest Murmurs
Die Walkure: Wotan's Farewell & Magic Fire Music

Customer Reviews:

An off day for a great conductor.......2006-08-29

Klaus Tennstedt was famously insecure and erratic, a condcutor who could be incandescent in live performance but who could badly disappoint on CD--luckily, not very often. He had two outings with the Berlin Phil. in Wagner, but this is the inferior one. The brass section blats, the timpani crashes, the tempos waver, and there's a lack of depth in almost every excerpt.

Foortunately, Tennstedt made a second Wagner CD of overtures and preludes with the same orchestra that's much better. If you like everything he does, however, EMI has packaged both recordings in a bargain two-fer, now out of print but easily found on the used market.

Minor League Wagner.......2006-08-20

Despite having both superstar conductor and orchestra, this CD simply fails to excite. The performances are bland and the orchestral playing flat as a pancake. This reissue was made simply to make a few bucks for EMI. I can guarantee you will never see it in EMI's "Great Recordings" series. A good price but you can do so much better for the same money. The Szell recording is a perfect example.

A Bargain Introduction to Wagner for Friends who Think They Don't Like Wagner!.......2006-07-22

Klaus Tennstedt and the Berlin Philharmonic make a powerful team in this recording dating back to the 1980s. Yes, the re-mastering is evident on excellent equipment, but that is a small compromise for this extremely affordable and well-performed series of excerpts.

Though there are many 'mini-Rings' for orchestra available (and many of those pack more dramatic, stage-like energy than does this one), this CD serves as a terrific introduction for friends who think they don't like Wagner's big music. Oddly, despite the title of the recording, Wagner: Orchestral Music from 'The Ring', the most successful reading is the Tannhauser Overture which under Tennstedt's baton draws truly eloquent playing from the orchestra. It seems an odd opening for a CD focusing on the Ring of the Niebelungen cycle, but it is a moving performance.

Tennstedt's overall concept of Wagner's Ring is sound, solid, and gives amazing attention to details. The excerpts he has elected to include are not plyed chronologically and for some experienced Wagnerites that decision may feel disturbing. He opens with Die Walkure's 'Ride of the Valkyries', progresses to
Die Gotterdammerung's 'Dawn & Siegfried's Rhine Journey' followed by 'Siegfried's Death & Funeral Music', and then comes the usual beginning of Das Rheingold's 'Entry of the Gods into Valhalla'. 'Forest Murmurs' from Siegfried receives an especially poignant reading and the excerpts close with 'Wotan's Farewell and the Fire Music' from Die Walkure. The 'suite' may seem odd at first hearing, but Tennstedt makes it work.

For those who prefer the Solti approach, this recording may sound a bit cerebral, but finding any new insights to Wagner's masterpiece is always a joy. And for the price this CD is a perfect introduction gift! Grady Harp, July 06

Wagner, Tennstedt, "Tannhauser", And "The Ring".......2004-11-27

Denied the opportunity of taking over the Berlin Philharmonic at the end of the 1980s from Karajan because of poor health, the late Klaus Tennstedt nevertheless made a number of fine recordings with this world powerhouse during the decade, including the orchestral music from the operas of Richard Wagner.

This EMI "Encore" re-release of recordings Tennstedt and the Berlin Philharmonic made in the early 1980s focuses primarily on six orchestra excerpts from Wagner's immortal "Ring" cycle, and the overture to the composer's 1845 breakthrough opera "Tannhauser." Not surprisingly, given the Berliners' familiarity with Wagner under Karajan and Furtwangler, they perform the "Ring" excerpts, particularly the explosive "Ride Of The Valkyries" (which had its popularity with audiences boosted by its use in Coppola's APOCALYPSE NOW), with incredible power under Tennstedt's direction.

Equally remarkable, however, is how they and Tennstedt also handle the "Tannhauser" overture, certainly one of Wagner's most touching and popular single orchestral pieces, with the "Pilgrims Chorus" music from the opera bookending it. This ability to be romantic and restrained is also reflected in the Magic Fire Music from "Die Walkure" that concludes this recording. This is a remarkable introduction to the music of one of the most (if not THE most) provocative and controversial composers of classical music that ever lived.

Fairly decent, but lacking greatness........2004-05-27

Tennstedt's Wagner has some nicely detailed and impressive moments, though overall, I don't find myself carried away or terribly satisfied by his interpretations. There happens to be another conductor whose orchestral Wagner (not complete operas) I cut my classical teeth on, and who to this day still stands for me as a giant when it comes to revealing this music in all its glory---Otto Klemperer, whom Tennstedt cannot quite match in terms of commanding strength and grandeur. Even in many of his quieter passages, Klemperer conveys a vision of epic breadth. As climaxes build and pinnacle, there is a sweeping presence, a sense of immense power and weight. This, I feel, is the kind of music that absolutely needs Klemperer's more massive and majestic approach. His performances of various works by Wagner with the great Philharmonia Orchestra are readily available.

Knappertsbusch: Maestro Energico (Box Set)

Average customer rating:

Knappertsbusch: Maestro Energico (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Maestro Celebre
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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ASIN: B00009UW1D
Release Date: 2003-06-24

Average customer rating:

The Bridal Collection: With This Ring

Manufacturer: Music for Two
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
ASIN: B000060OOX
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Tracks:

"Sheep May Safely Graze" from Cantata No. 208 (Bach)
Trumpet Voluntary from Prince of Denmark (Clark)
Dance of the Blessed Spirits from Orpheus et Eurydice (Gluck)
Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod)
Aria (Contented Peace) from Cantata No. 170 (Bach)
Ave Maria (Schubert)
Wedding Chorus from Lohengrin (Wagner)
Wedding March from Midsummer Night's Dream (Mendlessohn)
Rondeau from Suite de Symphonies (Mouret)
Alla Hornpipe from Water Music Suite in D (Handel)
Allegro from Concerto for Two Oboes (Albinoni)
Trumpet Overture from Indian Queen (Purcell)

Album Description

For this most important day of your life, The Bridal Collection: With This Ring includes some of the most renowned wedding classics performed by one of the world's finest orchestras, The London Philharmonic Orchestra. We've provided enough selections for you to amply choose what will be the most meaningful musical enhancement for your service.

Music Review:

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