Wagner: The Ring (Orchestral Highlights)

On this CD:

1. Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold), opera, WWV 86a Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Uwe Mund

2. Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), opera, WWV 86b Ride of the Valkyries
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Uwe Mund

3. Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), opera, WWV 86b Wotan's Farewell & Magic Fire
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Uwe Mund

4. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Forest Murmurs
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Uwe Mund

5. Die Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods), opera, WWV 86d Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Uwe Mund

6. Die Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods), opera, WWV 86d Siegfried's Death & Funeral March
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Uwe Mund

Wagner: The Ring (Orchestral Highlights), Music, Richard Wagner, Uwe Mund, Uwe Munde, CSSR Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava), Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava), Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, German/Austrian Romantic Opera, Opera

An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen
Average customer rating:

Ring introduction critique

FASCINATING STUDY FOR NOVICES AND AFFICIONADOS ALIKE

Welcome back to a classic analysis

Essential for Understanding Wagner's Ring Cycle

Very Functional

An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen
Deryck Cooke , Georg Solti , Wiener Philharmoniker , Anita Valkki , Berit Lindholm , Birgit Nilsson , Brigitte Fassbaender , Christa Ludwig , Claire Watson , Claudia Hellmann , Dame Gwyneth Jones , Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau , Eberhard Wächter , George London , Gerhard Stolze , Gottlob Frick , Grace Hoffmann , Gustav Neidlinger , Hans Hotter , Helen Watts , Helga Dernesch , Hetty Plumacher , Ira Malaniuk , James King , Jean Madeira , Joan Sutherland , Kirsten Flagstad , Kurt Böhme , Lucia Popp , Marga Höffgen , Marilyn Tyler , Maureen Guy , Oda Balsborg , Paul Kuen , Régine Crespin , Set Svanholm , Vera Little , Vera Schlosser , Waldemar Kmentt , Walter Kreppel , and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Baritones | Voices | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Wagner's Ring: Turning the Sky Round

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

Decoding Wagner: An Invitation to His World of Music Drama (includes 2 CDs)

Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen / Levine, Metropolitan Opera (Complete Ring Cycle)

Ring of the Nibelung

ASIN: B00000424H
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

Of All Great Musical Compositions... (Examples 1-4)
The Fundamental Symbol... (Examples 5-11)
Returning Now To The Nature Motive... (Examples 6, 12-16)
A Number Of Further Motives... (Examples 5, 17-21)
A Second, Much Smaller Family... (Examples 22-25)
So Much For Nature. (Examples 26-38)
The Cause Of The Deterioration... (Examples 39-44)
The Other Transformation... (Examples 45-48)
Several Other Motives... (Examples 49-52)
Two Further Motives... (Examples 41, 53-61)
The Basic Motive Associated With The Spear... (Examples 62-68)
Along Another, More Complex Line... (Examples 69-72)
In Act Two Of Walkure... (Examples 69, 73-75)
Returning Now To Act Two Of Walkure... (Examples 76-79)
Love Is Another Of The Central Symbols... (Examples 80-83)
Later In The Same Scene... (Examples 84-87)
Freia's Motive Has Two Independent Segments... (Examples 88-91)
The Label 'Flight'... (Example 92)
When Fasolt, In Scene Two Of Rhinegold... (Examples 93-98)
A Little Later In The Interlude... (Examples 99-103)

Tracks:

The Other New Motive... (Examples 104-109)
There Are Several Independent Love-Motives... (Examples 110-114)
The Characters In Whose Lives... (Examples 115-120)
One Further Motive Belongs... (Example 121)
The Sword Motive Recurs... (Examples 122-130)
Ironically, This Phrase... (Examples 131-135)
Closely Associated With Gutrune's Motive... (Examples 136-140)
Here We Come To The End... (Examples 141-146)
Complemtary To This Symbol... (Examples 147-149)
One Last Central Symbol... (Examples 150-157)
One Further Motive Connected... (Examples 158-161)
There Are One Or Two Motives... (Examples 162-168)
These Motives Of Alberich And Mime... (Examples 169-171)
Quite A Number Of The Subsidiary Motives... (Examples 172-176)
Besides This Family Of Motives... (Examples 177-180)
Our Final Example... (Examples 10, 181, 182)
In The Final Scene Of Gotterdammerung... (Examples 181-183)
Even More Masterly... (Examples 184-188)
Now If We Return... (Examples 189-191)
This Masterly Way... (Examples 192, 193)

Amazon.com

When Wagner set the Ring to music, he intended the orchestra to act in the fashion of a chorus from a classic Greek tragedy--setting the mood and commenting on the action. In order to allow a nonverbal musical line to reflect on the plot, Wagner developed a psychologically and musically complex symbology to communicate his thoughts to the listener. From the beginning the Ring has spawned numerous written commentaries on the relationships of the motif structure, but by using examples from the Decca Ring recording, Deryck Cooke's thoughtful spoken commentary is by far the most accessible guide for either the fledgling Ring enthusiast or the seasoned veteran. --Christian C. Rix

Customer Reviews:

Ring introduction critique.......2006-11-04

This is very worthwhile, at the same time it requires time, patience and attention, but it does provide some keys to better enjoyment of a sensational piece of music.

FASCINATING STUDY FOR NOVICES AND AFFICIONADOS ALIKE.......2006-08-16

This may look an intimidating, daunting and dull prospect - a 2+ hour lecture on the motifs in the Ring. Don't be put off. Whether you're a relative novice to the Ring and want to find out what it's all about, more experienced with a desire to understand the composer's methods better or an afficionado who thinks he knows it all inside out, there is great pleasure as well as elucidation to be had from this set. Originally made to accompany the Decca Solti Ring, it contains a multitude of musical illustrations taken from those recordings as well as some specially recorded by Solti just for this Introduction.

It wasn't the first time this has been tried. The famous HMV sets from the late 20's also included recorded examples of over 100 motifs. (These, by the way, are available as part of the Pearl reissue of those wonderful HMV recordings). What that set lacked was the wonderful insights as well as the approachability of the talk by Deryck Cooke. Cooke was a great and much missed musicologist - a Mahler expert responsible for the performing edition of the Tenth Symphony still most played today, a fascinating explorer into the nature of music's basic building-blocks in his excellent book, The Language of Music, and an inspiring and elucidating critic of Wagner's work as shown by the fascinating book he left unfinished at his death, I Saw the World End.

On these CDs he does much more than list the leitmotifs and identify them as calling-cards. He shows the amazingly integrated and organic growth of the musical material that Wagner uses throughout his vast work. He demonstrates how motifs can change their sense and meaning as they evolve through the drama. And he shows how the complex combinations of motifs can radically advance both the musical and the dramatic narrative of the piece. There are even places where he corrects the misinterpretation of some of the motifs that had become ingrained from early commentators' false labels.

This set should engage and enlighten anyone with an interest in Wagner's huge and inexhaustible tetralogy. Do give it a try - no matter how far down the road to Wagnerianism you are.

Welcome back to a classic analysis.......2006-05-28

Deryck Cooke's lecture series upon THE RING is almost as much a classic by now as the Solti RING cycle, with which it was originally issued on LP, and from which it derives its musical examples. The difference is that whereas the Solti RING has been continuously in print ever since it was completed, and was among the first opera sets to benefit from the CD revolution, the Cooke analysis was for long almost totally unobtainable. Now we have it back. It should be welcomed: it is a classic. Cooke's mellow, deep voice with the hint of a Celtic burr - which made him ideal on BBC radio - patiently explains Wagner's melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic metamorphoses to such good effect that if you own this recording, you really require no other RING analysis. (A pity about the abrupt beginnings and endings of too many vocal and orchestral illustrations, though.) Musicology lost a fine, sensitive thinker with Cooke's premature death in 1976.

If all you want is dilettantish baby food, there are plenty of dumbed-down Wagner commentaries on the market, stretching from Anna Russell's famous monologue (which doesn't pretend to be anything other than a parody aimed at morons) to the latest standard-issue "Wagner-was-a-Nazi-boo-hiss" feuilleton (which, unfortunately, does). Without reasonable score-reading skill you will find Cooke useless, however diligently you have ploughed through Marx, Jung, Freud, or other gurus purportedly relevant to THE RING. Cooke expects you to use your brains and your musical sense. Quelle horreur. At today's BBC his "elitism" would render him unemployable.

Essential for Understanding Wagner's Ring Cycle.......2006-05-15

I originally bought this set on vinyl in the early 70s when I discovered the Ring in college. I studied the records and booklet assiduously, and after about three run-throughs I finally started getting it. Wow! Thirty-five years later, I still remember Mr. Cooke's analyses of various motive families, and I don't know how I could have mastered and loved the Ring without him. I now own this set on CD and listen again on the rare occasion of attending a Ring performance. My wife calls me a "Ring nut," but of course I'm nuts about many other things as well.

Bottom line, buy this set and study it if the Ring has captivated you as it has countless others. The presentation is dry, but sticking with it brings measureless and longlasting rewards.

Very Functional.......2006-03-19

This CD set is excellent for what it sets out to do: present the leitmotives of the Ring according to their relationship to one another and their role in developing both characters and plotlines. Deryck Cooke's lectures on each motive are very insightful, very helpful at cueing the listener into the semantic aspect of Wagner's orchestral writing. The one drawback is that the musical examples are a bit jarring. Without fade-ins or -outs, the engineering is quite barbaric. And though the orchestra was, I believe, conducted by Solti, and is beautifully done, the vocal performances can be quite unpleasant. Point being: this is not background music, but in accomplishing what it sets out to do, it is very successful, and I don't know of anything else like it.

Average customer rating:

Movie Themes CD
"three decades of film composers ~ Simply The Best"

Simply the Best Movie Themes

Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Great Movie Love Themes: Five Star Collection
Hollywood's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
Hollywood's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
Paramount 90th Anniversary Collection: Scores
The Wings of a Film: The Music of Hans Zimmer

ASIN: B0001CNRL6
Release Date: 2004-02-24

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:

Thus, We Begin In The 'Greenish Twilight' Of The Rhine
Float Up To The Home Of The Gods (Entrance Of The Gods Into Valhalla)
Fall Amongst Hammering Dwarfs 'Smithying' Away
Ride Donner's Thunderbolt, Crawl With The Thirst-Crazed Siegmund To The Haven...
In The Sound Code, We 'See' His Loving Gaze
Their Flight
Wotan's Rage
The Cavalcade Of Brde's Sisters, (Ride Of The Valkyries)
Wotan's Farewell To His Favorite Daughter, (Wotan's Farewell And Magic Fire Music)
Mime's Fright
Siegfried's Forging Of The Magic Sword
His Wanderings Through The Forest, (Forest Murmurs)
His Slaying Of The Dragon
The Dragon's Lament
Day Breaking 'Round Sigfried's And Brde's Passion
Siegfried's Rhine Journey, (Dawn And Sigfried's Rhine Journey)
Hagen's Call To His Clan
Siegfried And The Rhinemaidens
His Death And The Funeral Music, (Siegfried's Death And Funeral Music)
Immolation. (Immolation Scene)

Customer Reviews:

A disappointment.......2007-04-20

Being a Wagnerite is sometimes a little difficult. Wagner's music is demanding on practically all levels, and especially demanding to the casual listener. The music can sometimes be too sugary, way overblown, or deceptively muted. This can definitely present problems, and that is why there are those who can detest Wagner's works to the degree that others love it. There is little middle room: Love or hate, Wagner's music is unique...and difficult.

This CD brings out another difficulty: The attempt to tone down Wagner and make his work more generally acceptable. On the good side, this CD is a rather good compilation of some of the Ring's most important melodies. Its symphonic structure allows good flow between the rather disjoint work, and the idea works to a significant degree.

But Maazel's approach is to create a uniformity of interpretation on a work that took more than 20 years to complete. This uniformity saps the Ring of much of its musical strength. The standard pieces are played almost the same as the other selections; little differentiation is evident and as a result only minor aspects of the drama in this incredible music drama are revealed.

While it is possible to play Wagner's music poorly, I always thought it was equally possible to at least grasp its passion. Unfortunately, Maazel's approach proves me to be wrong.

Yes, being a Wagnerite can be very difficult.

"The Ring without Words" is really "The Ring without Pauses . . . ".......2006-07-25

Even Wagner had the good sense to construct his monumental "Ring" Cycle as four distinct operas! So when Loren Maazel got the idea to record a "Ring without Words," what was so important about making it one long movement? No one knew better than Wagner the emotional impact of a well-placed fermata or a crash-bang finale, but this spark of genius seems to have eluded Maazel in his obsession to keep the musical Rhine flowing from beginning to end non-stop for 67 minutes. What seems at first to be a really novel idea starts to break down early on when we begin to anticipate the throbbing final pages of "Das Rheingold," only to discover that for the sake of seamlessness, the whole dramatic passage is skipped over by an awkward leap from Donner's thunder into the depths of "Die Walkure!" Other cuts can be forgiven considering time limitations, although there is still room for ten more minutes of music on the CD. Edo de Vaart gives us something more on his "Ring" recording, since he has no fear of finales. Otherwise, Maazel's handing of the score is quite exciting, and the Vienna Philharmonic is totally responsive to his every gesture. Here's a good idea for some future recording, one I'd certainly buy and which would appeal to thousands of other "Wagnerites" like myself: why not a four-movement "Ring Without Words" across two CDs, with every possible voiceless note from the pen of the Master, one opera after the other?

The best synthesis of orchestral music from the Ring.......2006-07-12

If you're looking for a single CD of orchestral music from Wagner's Ring, I'd like to recommend this one. Here's why.

Wagner's tetralogy Der Ring des Nibelungen contains some of the most magnificent, most stirring, most imaginative music ever written (along with some that's pedestrian and dull; there are glorious moments, splendid peaks, and there are arid stretches, longeurs that make one wish that Wagner the supreme egotist had submitted his work to the judgment of a good editor). The four operas comprising it are Das Rheingold (1869), Die Walkure (1870), Siegfried (1876), and Gotterdammerung (1876). Taken together they form the towering masterwork and crowning achievement of Wagner's maturity. They are also immensely long: about 17 hours.

The problem has always been to extract the best parts of the Ring for satisfactory concert presentation. The Ring does not make this easy: it contains no conventional overtures or preludes, no conveniently extractable bits. Thus various hands ever since Wagner's day have carved out "bleeding chunks," with mixed results, and the practice has always been controversial.

This CD presents a different approach. In order to make this recording---to quote the Wagner expert in Third Ear: Classical Music: The Listener's Companion (ed. Alexander J. Morin, 2002; an excellent book, by the way)---"Maazel decided to create his own vast symphonic suite from the Ring, and he has toured with it around the world. . . . If you want to hear the best parts of the Ring without sitting down to 17 hours or so, this is your best bet." I agree. Maazel's 70-minute symphonic synthesis of the best music from the Ring has a consistency, an integration and seamless flow, an organic rightness lacking in other Ring orchestral-highlights programs, with their "bleeding chunks" approach. Also, Maazel's suite gives a better idea of the scope and variety of the Ring, of its full range of colors and sonorities, than the standard orchestral excerpts.

Let Maazel describe his priorities in putting his suite together: "I was intrigued by the challenge: could a symphonic synthesis of the Ring reveal the essentials? I bolted the following list of criteria to my drawingboard: One: the synthesis must be free-flowing and chronological, beginning with the first note of Rheingold and finishing with the last chord of Gotterdammerung. Two: the transitions must be harmonically and periodically justifiable, the pacing contrasts commensurate with the length of the work. Three: most all of the music originally written for orchestra without voice must be used, adding those sections with a vocal line essential to a synthesis . . . . Four: every note must be Wagner's own. . . . Though no conscious attempt was made to include all the Ring's motifs, most of them do surface in one form or another."

The result as represented on this CD is eminently satisfactory. Maazel is a seasoned Wagner conductor, and has conducted the complete Ring at Bayreuth and elsewhere. The Berlin Philharmonic is one of the world's great orchestras. Both it and Maazel are in top form here: the performance is idiomatic and assured, sweeping and eloquent, played to the hilt, bristling with authority and conviction. I hope I'm not being fanciful in finding that listening to the whole suite straight through yields a kind of catharsis. The sound is robust, full-bodied, with wide dynamic range, with solid weight and impact. Telarc's engineers have done a commendable job of coping with the problematic acoustics of Berlin's Philharmonie; this is probably just about the best sound that can be extracted from that vexed venue.

The recording was made in Dec. 1987. Total playing time is 69:40 (broken out as follows: Das Rheingold 14:47, Die Walkure 12:42, Siegfried 6:15, and Gotterdammerung 36:33; if this seems to give short shrift to Siegfried, it has always been musically the weakest of the four operas).

In short, it's hard to imagine a better orchestral introduction to the glories of the Ring. The virtues of this CD move it to the top of its class: highly recommended.

Could have been a fun ride, but..........2005-10-01

Decades ago, Leopold Stokowski popularized opera for the general public through "symphonic syntheses." These included Wagner's Ring, Triastan, and Boris Godunov, to mention those I've heard and enjoyed. I was prepared to enjoy Maazel's modern update and expected a fun ride through the gorgeous sonorities of Wagner's score.

Not much enjoyment resulted, however. Maazel is superficial, often ponderous, and much too roughshod with this pastische. It can't all be crash and bang. So I threw the CD away and hope a few others won't make the mistake I did.

Decent, though not ideal; fulfills the original intent.......2005-04-27

In having read the other reviews of this CD, I think many individuals failed to take note of the original intent behind this CD coming about in the first place. Lorin Maazel was commissioned by the recording company (Telarc) to come up with an arrangement of the prime orchestral excerpts of the "Ring," and his 4-step approach listed in the booklet, makes it abundantly clear that NOT ALL of the music commonly heard on other recordings of the orchestral music from the "Ring," would be heard in this arrangement. Also, it is to be inferred that Maazel knows, and obviously doesn't expect his arrangement to take the place of ANY complete recording of the "Ring."

I heard Maazel conduct his arrangement live with the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington, DC last year. Before that concert, I had never listened to this recording, but I knew about it. So I had the advantage of going into the concert with a fresh mind.

I came out of the concert with the feeling that others before me expressed -- that some of the transitions between familiar excerpts were smooth, some so-so, and others rather clunky. I think Maazel would be the first to admit that he was more successful in some areas of his arrangement, and not as successful in others. So be it. Wagner is tough for anyone and everyone delving into the complete operas, whatever their command of German and musical/orchestral principles.

So, my rating and review of this recording is confined to Maazel's task at hand. I give his effort four stars. Most of this "grade" is confined to the arrangement itself. I give the orchestral playing five stars.

Average customer rating:

For Water Aerobics, a Top-Ten CD
Greatest March Sampling Out There!
For the Lover of Marches
Blood Pumping Music
Blood Pumping Music

Marches: Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

$6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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

Classical Instrumental 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
Similar Items:

Stars & Stripes Forever and the Greatest Marches
40 Famous Marches
Regimental Marches of British Army, Vol. 1
Greatest Hits: Trumpet
Marches: The Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000002AW0
Release Date: 1994-12-06

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!!!!

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Sopranos | Voices | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Box Sets | Stores | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen
Wagner's Ring: Turning the Sky Round
Wagner: Lohengrin
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 we have Act III, the culmination of the Ring cycle. From the chattering of the Rhinemaidens to Siegfried's death and funeral march to the glorious Immolation Scene, I think this Act III represents Wagner's music at its greatest, and no other recording captures the essence of the final moments of the Ring with all its synthesis of the various leitmotifs in such a moving manner. This is, perhaps, the best conducted Ring of the studios, and on a good day, I would feel exceeds that of the Bayreuth rings. (Hey! I have my Wagner whims too, and on some days, I if tend to have a preference for Krauss, Karajan, Knappertsbusch, or Bohm...that is my preference! Chacun a son gout!)

Now for the cast. I have never seen such a glorious cast assembled in the recording studio such as this, and everything from Neidlinger's Alberich, Nilsson's Brunnhilde, Hotter and London's Wotans, Windgassens's Siegfried, Flagstad's Rheingold Fricka and Ludwig's Walkure Fricka, Hoffgen's Erda, King's Siegmund, Crespin's Sieglinde, Frick's Hagen and Hunding, Bohme's characterful Fafner, Sutherland woodbird, Stolze's Mime, and the chattery and lusty Walkures, Norns, and Rheinmaidens is simply a vocal treat. That said, these individual singers' solo performances can be heard to greater advantages elsewhere, but nowhere are they captured better vocally than here. Of course, some singers such as Hotter are no longer in their prime, but what a magnificent performance he gives! His Wotan is so grand and noble that I think that the only Wotan who beats him is his younger self. Nilsson's Brunnhilde is a force of nature. Her missile-like voice is fascinating, encompassing Brunnhilde's vocal music with such ease that one would think Brunnhilde was a walk in the park. She is hands-down one of the greatest Brunnhildes ever, along with Astrid Varnay and Martha Modl. Siegfried here is sung by Windgassen, the tenor who single-handedly solved Bayreuth's heldentenor shortage for more than a decade. His voice, of course, has aged, but he is such an intelligent artist that one cannot help but listen to his Siegfried artistically portrayed without any vocal problems that today's many Siegfrieds encounter. James King is a most moving Siegmund, surpassed only by his Bohm interpretation and possibly Ramon Vinay on a good day, and his Sieglinde, Regine Crespin, is one of the most female and human singers ever to have brought the role to life. Christa Ludwig is the most sumptuous Fricka and Waltraute on disc, combining her great vocal beauty with her consummate artistry. Her singing here is nothing short of definitive. The Walkures are all great, the cast including two future Brunnhildes: Helga Dernesch and Berit Lindholm. The supporting cast of giants is also very good, with Kurt Bohme as a most characterful Fafner. I think that the Fasolt could have been sung better though. The Norns also consist of some of the most famous singers of the Wagnerian oeuvre, some of them taking the great roles in the years to come. Hoffgen sings Erda magnificently. My only quibble here is the casting choices used for Rheingold's Rheintochters. They sound a bit old. They characterize their characters playfully, but one could wish that Solti had used the maidens singing for Karajan or Bohm's recording. Otherwise, the cast is almost flawless.

Must this be your first Ring? With the care lavished on such a great project (Culshaw's attention to the miniscule details in the score), Solti's wonderful conducting, and a cast that truly represents the golden age of Wagner, I would say, this is an essential recording for anyone's collection. It is possibly the greatest achievement in the recording studio, and in many ways, the greatest recording of the century.

Wonderful recording - GLARING TECHNICAL ISSUE.......2006-06-03

Fine recording, good performance, historical in scope and a great box set. HOWEVER:

Being a musician and an opera fan, as well as being a recording engineer, I own several releases of this particular collection of recordings by London/Decca. The original recording of Das Rheingold (the first set of CDs in this boxed set of operas) dates back to the late-1950s, and stands as a landmark achievement in audio recording, especially considering that it is the first EVER complete studio recording ever made of Das Rheingold. First released on vinyl and reel-to-reel tapes in the late-50, this recording has been re-released countless times in several formats, including an excellent mid-1970s release on Dolby-B encoded reel-to-reel tape.

The CD collection has a glaring, horrible problem that I do not see mentioned ANYWHERE in these Amazon blogs, and it shocks me that no other musicians have noticed: THE ENTIRE OPERA "DAS RHEINGOLD" IN THIS COLLECTION IS OFF PITCH!! PITCH FOR THE ENTIRE OPERA IS NEARLY A SEMITONE SHARP!! NEARLY A SEMITONE!!!!!! Historically, there is an explanation for this. From my understanding of the issue, the recording was made in Vienna on American Ampex tape machines that were shipped to London/Decca for the purpose. The tape machines used synchronous motors that were erroneously not adjusted to compensate for the difference in line frequencies between the U.S. and Europe, and therefore the tape machines ran fractionally slow. Play the master tapes back on a tape machine running at the correct speed, and the master recording plays FRACTIONALLY FAST.

None of the earlier releases of this opera that I have ever heard share this issue, since all submasters of the recording would have been adjusted to compensate for the original technical error, and the adjustment done properly in the analog realm has absolutely no negativerepurcussions on the product outcome.

The CD collection portends to have returned to the original master, and that may be the issue. Nonetheless, why hasn't anyone with music knowledge raised the red flag about this egregious error in the CD release?? Why doesn't anyone notice?? I even attempted to write London/Decca about the issue and have received no reply.

Most people with good pitch will recognize when a recording is 75-80 cents (nearly a semitone) sharp!! If you are a musician, you will not be happy with Das Rheingold in this collection, due to the glaring pitch problem. A true pity, and shame on London/Decca.

LORD OF THE RINGS.......2006-03-31

This recording is the Lord of the all ring cycles...I can't say anything else...No need to explain it like you are writing a novel or talking about a legend...You have to experience it...JUST DO IT

This review can't help you...Only listening and God can help you with this stuff...

Can EL

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

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Star Wars | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

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 h