Wagner: Overtures & Orchestral Music

On this CD:

1. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Prelude
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Mariss Jansons

2. Tristan und Isolde, opera, WWV 90 Prelude
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Mariss Jansons

3. Tristan und Isolde, opera, WWV 90 Liebestod
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Mariss Jansons

4. Tannhäuser, opera, WWV 70 Overture
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Mariss Jansons

5. Die Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods), opera, WWV 86d Funeral March
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Mariss Jansons

6. Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), opera, WWV 86b The Ride of the Valkyries
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Mariss Jansons

7. Lohengrin, opera, WWV 75 Prelude to Act 3
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Mariss Jansons

8. Rienzi, der Letzte der Tribunen, opera, WWV 49 Overture
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Mariss Jansons

Wagner: Overtures & Orchestral Music, Music, Richard Wagner, Mariss Jansons, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Classical, Classical Music, German/Austrian Romantic Opera, Miscellaneous Music, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio

Wagner: Overtures & Preludes
Average customer rating:

A well-kept secret

Essential Wagner

Excellent Wagner from a surprising source ... or maybe not!

Go For Boult

Memorable and dramatic- A must have for Wagner fans

Wagner: Overtures & Preludes

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Wagner: Tristan und Isolde/Parsifal/Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg/Lohengrin/Tannhäuser

The Best Of Wagner

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Wagner: Orchestral Favourites

ASIN: B000002S08
Release Date: 1992-09-29

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

Fantastic
Famous Overtures
Spectacular
Excellent
The best Overture Album !

Famous Overtures

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Suppe: Overtures

ASIN: B00002MXN4
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Tracks:

Light Cavalry - Suppe
Ruslan and Lyudmila - Glinka
La Traviata - Prelude, Act I - Verdi
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg - Prelude, ACt I - Wagner
Les Francs-Juges - Berlioz
Le nozze di Figaro - Mozart
Egmont - Beethoven
Oberon - Weber
Academic Festival Overture - Brahms
Pique Dame - Suppe

Tracks:

Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna - Suppe
Il barbiere di Siviglia - Rossini
Prince Igor - Borodin
Carmen - Prelude, Act I - Bizet
Der fliegende Hollander - Wagner
Leonore No 3 - Beethoven
Hansel und Gretel - Humperdinck
Khovanshchina - Mussorgsky
Poet and Peasant - Suppe

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic.......2006-06-30

First of all anything with Sir Solti's name on is worth purchasing. Solti has such a way with interpreting music! If you like overtures this CD is for you. It has the best overtures here in one collection. With orchestras like chicago, london, and the vienna you cannot argue with the performances. There are a few "weaker" ensembles, but when compared with the other ensembles there are few that will not sound weak. Again any work Solti has done is worth purchasing!

Famous Overtures.......2005-08-16

Did not like the way these musical pieces were "interpretted".
Did not like the tempo and in one piece one of the instruments played a portion which I would say they played a flat instead of a natural note. This is based on hearing the same pieces played by someone else, it's just my opinion.

Spectacular.......2003-09-25

Not only does it include some of the most famous overtures, but they are played in such an exciting style, full of life and passion. The Suppe overtures are superior and the Wagner overtures are wonderful as well. There is not a bad point to this recording - highly recommended!

Excellent.......2002-06-11

This is an excellent collection of overtures, especially of Von Suppe's overtures. Solti truly brings out life in these pieces.

The best Overture Album !.......2000-02-28

If you like overtures, here is the album. Never have these been performed so musically and with such excitement. The orchestras involved vary in their abilities, yet the Chicago, Vienna, and London Symphony perfom with style. Solti loves this music and it shows.

Average customer rating:

Overtures, The Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Compendia
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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003QWY
Release Date: 1994-04-13

Tracks:

Light Cavalry
The Barber Of Seville
The Bartered Bride
The Flying Dutchman
Egmont
The Marriage Of Figaro
Poet And Peasant
1812 Overture

Tracks:

Mastersingers Of Nuremburg
William Tell
The Italian Women In Algiers
Russlan And Ludmilla
Merry Wives Of Windsor
The Hegrides (Fingal's Cave)
Die Fledermaus
Orpheus In The Underworld

Average customer rating:

Orchestral Trumpet Player's Bible:
Essential Recording for Any Trumpet Player
Most Excellent
Awesome!
Excellent for aspiring trumpet players, otherwise...

Orchestral Excerpts For Trumpet

Manufacturer: Summit(Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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David Hickman, Trumpet
Orchestral Excerpts For Horn
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Thomas Stevens Trumpet Sonatas

ASIN: B0000038JG
Release Date: 1995-02-07

Tracks:

Trumpet concerto: Brandenburg Concerto No.2 - Trumpet Concerto
Petrouchka
Pictures at an Exhibition
Leonore Nos. 3&2
Ein Heldenleben
Symphony No.5
Scheherazade
Don Juan
Fetes
Piano Concerto In G
Piano Cto. No. 1
Pines Of Rome
Concerto For Orchestra
Carmen Prelude
Firebird Suite
Parsifal Prelude
La Mer
Symphony No. 2
Symphony No. 3 (Post Horn)
Capriccio Espagnol
American In Paris
Magnificat

Customer Reviews:

Orchestral Trumpet Player's Bible:.......2003-05-08

I carry this recording around with me in my case, and listen to it before auditions, concerts, rehearsals, etc. It's simply how the excerpts (along with trumpet playing in general) should sound. Smith's virtuostic playing, coupled with his vast orchestral experience, really teach the parts. All trumpet players, top to bottom, have something to learn from this CD--and while the entire work (with orchestra) and part should be studied (Smith actually recommends this), it is still very useful to hear one of the finest players on earth performing just the trumpet part.

Essential Recording for Any Trumpet Player.......2001-05-24

If any principal orchestral trumpet player has succeeded Adolph Herseth as the "state of the art," the probable consensus among his peers would be Philip Smith of the New York Philharmonic. His virtually flawless technique, gourgeous sound, rarified musicianship and exceptional leadership make him virtually unique in his field, and his more than 20 years with the Philharmonic (plus his early years with the Chicago Symphony) have firmly established him as one of the greats in the history of orchestral brass performance.

Measured simply as a documentation of his skills, this recording would be an extraordinary document - the playing throughout is stupendous. But this is much more than that; Mr. Smith proves to be as articulate (mild "New Yoahk" accent and all) as he is talented, and his performance suggestions are truly helpful, even for those of us without his superhuman abilities. The recorded sound is superb, and overall this is a joy to listen to at every level. I recommend it without reservation for any trumpet player aspiring to a higher level of musicianship and performance - and if you play it at full volume shortly after your warmup, your neighbors will be very impressed.

Most Excellent.......1999-12-13

As a trumpet player, I must say that Phil Smith's comments during each track are immensely beneficial. His thoughts have produced profound understanding in my trumpet playing, and despite the fact that this CD is intended as a grouping of Phil Smith's insights into common Orchestral Excerpts and his following demonstration, I have countless times listened out of pure enjoyment than to gain expert insight. His tone is the most beautiful I have ever heard, and it shows on this CD. I recommend this particularly for any aspiring trumpet student.

Awesome!.......1999-10-25

The previous reviewer of this CD missed the point of the CD. Lets say your working on the Carmern Prelude or Stravinsky Pétrouchka you buy this CD, and learn how Philip Smith (one of the greatest symphonic trumpet players in the world) would interpret and play it. Thats why its entitled Orchestra Trumpet Excerpts.

Excellent for aspiring trumpet players, otherwise..........1999-05-31

This CD would be excellent for aspiring orchestral trumpeters and soloists; although Philip Smith conveys his expertise exceptionally well, this short snips of music on this CD are no substitute for the actual full-orchestra recordings.

Average customer rating:

Great Classical Overtures

Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000000L85
Release Date: 1995-07-20

Tracks:

William Tell - The New PO Orch-London/Alfred Scholz
The Merry Wives Of Windsor - The New PO Orch-London/Alfred Scholz
Tannhauser - The New PO Orch-London/Alfred Scholz
The Magic Flute - LPO/Alfred Scholz
The Barber Of Seville - LPO/Alfred Scholz

Tracks:

Light Cavalry
Beautiful Galathee
(Die) Banditenstreiche
Poet And Peasant
La Gazza Ladra
L'Italiana In Algeri

Average customer rating:

The Best Of Karajan At A Cheap Price! Wow!
WONDERFUL COLLECTION.........
Enchanting!
A music lover's dream

Romantic Adagio: Karajan

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
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It's Time

ASIN: B000001GS6
Release Date: 1997-01-28

Tracks:

Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo sinfonico
The Tales Of Hoffmann: Barcarolle
Romeo And Juliet: Love Theme
Les Sylphides: Nocturne
Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Romance
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Scheherazade: The Young Prince And The Young Princess
Coppelia: Ballad
From Holberg's Time: Sarabande
Serenade For String Orchestra: Moderato
Carmen: Entr'acte III
Tristan And Isolde: Isoldes Liebestod - Wagner

Customer Reviews:

The Best Of Karajan At A Cheap Price! Wow!.......2005-08-15

Close to perfect, really, if at least one track included Beethoven's Ninth Symphony "Ode To Joy" or other Karajan-conducted slow movements from symphonies. Also if Ravel's Bolero or Debussy's La Mer were on here. This is truly an incomparable collection at the very affordable price of about 2-3 dollars. Karajan's magical interpretations of adagios are gloriously showcased. Karajan was without a doubt the greatest conductor immediately after the loss of Arturo Toscanini, who is still hailed as the number one conductor of all time. Karajan, like Toscanini, were giants of classical music, making the music such a powerful and emotional experience that it was as if they had written the pieces themselves. Karajan was so involved with the music he conducted that he was able to conduct with his eyes closed. He FELT the music and was genuinely passionate about conducting. In adagios, the more relaxed, sustained and lyrical aspects of the music is exposed as is the more graceful conducting of Karajan.

The music included here is the moving and very Italianate Intermezzo from the opera Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni. Karajan really delivers here and is a fine first track to begin with. It's followed by the elegantly-executed Barcarolle, complete with nocturnal and watery modes from the Offenbach opera, The Tales of Hoffman. The Love Theme from the Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture by Tchaikovsky is priceless music and Tchaikovsky really steps up the emotional impact of the work. More charming and genteel phrasing is used in the music for the ballet Les Sylphides, with music from Chopin arranged for orchestra and for the Romanza in Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.

I have never heard the true "Moldau" by Smetana until I heard it here. Under Karajan's baton, the river comes alive and the journey is much more compelling. The theme for the Young Prince and Princess from Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade" is simply gorgeous, full of romantic Russian-ism. Karajan takes us to the time of Holberg in Grieg's Holberg Suite in a fine interpretation of the Sarabande. Karajan conducting Dvorak's String Serenade in E major is noble. The final tracks are perhaps the most musically masterful, eventhough all the previous pieces were well-executed even if they are not bigger in scope. The Carmen music- Overture and Preludes are remarkable. Karajan is in fine form and the music is crisp, powerful and colorful. Karajan knew Carmen. How this proudly Austrian man knew how to bring out the magnetism of a French piece like Carmen is beyond me. He in fact conduced the best Carmen performances at the Salzburg Festival, the ones with Grace Bumbry and Jon Vickers in the late 60's.

Finally, the last piece is the Liebestod, the Finale from Wagner's great opera Tristan and Isolde. Now, if anything, get this cheap album for that !! You have not heard the Liebestod until you've heard it conducted by Karajan. In this recording, he is already a seasoned conductor with years of experience since his young conductor days in the 30's and 40's. Judging ffrom the cover in which his hair is white and his face is wrinkled I can discern this is a probably an 80's recording when he was in his old age (because Karajan began seriously recording for labels in the 80's most people assumed he was always white-haired). His interpretation of the Liebestod is powerful, and deeply spiritual, withou sounding affected or melodramatic. He is in full control of the music. He knew Wagner through the music. Isolde's final aria has been likened to an orgasm or to a spiritual transformation by music scholars. Karajan brings out every bit of this theory in his rendition. A young Karajan conducting the Liebestod is harder to find, but its probably preferable to go with this version since by this time he knew the Liebestod inside and out. It's breathtaking and climatic. It's the best piece of music ever and the best of Karajan's repertoire.

WONDERFUL COLLECTION................2002-03-13

THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING COLLECTION OF SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR
MUSIC WRITTEN. HERBERT VON KARAJAN IS AT HIS USUAL BEST. THIS IS A GREAT CD TO READ BY OR JUST SIT AND LISTEN TOO. I HIGHLY
RECOMMEND IT...

Enchanting!.......2001-01-11

This is the rare CD that will appeal to newcomers and afficionados alike. For a lover of classical music, it is often annoying to hear parts of a composition played out of context from the main piece but this is alleviated by the choice of music on this disc. As the name itself indicates, the selected pieces are highly melodic slow movements from masters of the genre. The composers on this CD need no introduction and the selection is by and large superb, with only one jarring note. Mascagni's Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana, Chopin's Nocturne from Les Sylphides, Tchaikovsky's Theme from Romeo & Juliet, Korsakov's Theme from Scheherazade, Dvorak's Moderato and of course Mozart's Romance from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik are melodies that live forever and the others are not far behind, with the possible execption of Smetana's Vltava which does not quite fit in with the overall theme of the disc. The icing on the cake of course is that the performances are by none other than the Berlin Philharmonic under Karajan's baton. What more can one ask for? A perfect disc to listen to on a lazy evening or after a hard day's work. And for a newcomer to classical music, this disc is an excellent sampler that will whet the appetite for more.

A music lover's dream.......2000-04-30

The CD has all the lushness and slow tempi (adagio, of course) for which Karajan was renowned (and sometimes reviled). Every track is a gem, from the graceful ballet music of Les Sylphides to the opulent melody from Scheherazade. Particularly exquisite is the Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde. All in all, a beautiful listening experience, and highly recommended.

Wagner: Preludes and Overtures; Orchestral Works

Average customer rating:

Very fine of orchestral highlights and rarities

Wagner: Preludes and Overtures; Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00005UVAN
Release Date: 2005-07-14

Tracks:

Overture - Orchestre Phillharmonique De Radio France
Prelude - Orchestre Phillharmonique De Radio France
Act I: Prelude - Orchestre Phillharmonique De Radio France
Act III: Prelude - Orchestre Phillharmonique De Radio France
Siegfried-Idyll - Orchestre Phillharmonique De Radio France
Act I: Prelude - Orchestre Phillharmonique De Radio France
Act III: Prelude - Orchestre Phillharmonique De Radio France
Dance Of The Apprentices - Orchestre Phillharmonique De Radio France
Finale - Orchestre Phillharmonique De Radio France

Tracks:

Kaisermarsch - London Symphony Orchestra
Eine Faust-Ouverture - London Symphony Orchestra
Huldigungsmarsch - London Symphony Orchestra
Overture - London Symphony Orchestra
Grosser Festmarsch (Centennial March), For The Centenary Of Indpendence Of USA. - London Symphony Orchestra
Overture - London Symphony Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

Very fine of orchestral highlights and rarities .......2004-08-10

This set, with Marek Janowski, offers the best disk of Wagner's early overtures and later occasional pieces that I know of, as well as a well-played disk of better-known "bleeding chunks" from the operas.

Disk One, with the French Radio Phil, offers mainstream Wagner excerpts: the _Tannhäuser_ overture, the _Tristan_ prelude, the preludes to _Lohengrin_ Acts I and III, the _Siegfried Idyll_ and the _Meistersinger_ overture, with orchestral selections from Act III. All of this is very well played, and towards the top third, let's say, of a very crowded and competitive field. That makes them very good indeed.

But disk 2, with the London Symphony Orchestra, offers some less common pieces, perhaps more enticing to the serious Wagnerian: the _Kaisermarsch_, the _Faust Overture_, the _Huldigungsmarsch_, the _Die Feen_ overture, the _American Centennial March_ and the _Das Liebesverbot_ overture.

The Janowski/LSO disk offers easily the best playing of most of this music that I've ever heard. The _Faust_ overture in particular shines, as perhaps the earliest piece of great music that Wagner wrote. As is often the case with early Wagner, it sounds a bit like unknown Beethoven, with additional orchestral flavouring from Weber, but for the first time you hear a new voice: Wagner's own. This comes in the form of a new richness and darkness in orchestration (though the version played here includes revised orchestration by the mature Wagner), plus a real and effective dramatic instinct, allied with strong and distinctive themes. Wagner said the _Faust_ overture is the piece with which he "became Wagner", and he is surely right.

Janowski even manages to convince me that there's some merit in the _American Centennial_ march, probably the worst music written by the mature Wagner, despite, as Cosima's _Diaries_ show, his sincere admiration for America. I've heard this piece in three other performances, in each of which it struck me as banal, emptily noisy, and interminable. But the London SO under Janowski work a miracle in finding some forward propulsion and argument, some contrasts of light and shade, and making the piece come quite close to working. It's only a small miracle, because even when brilliantly played this still isn't great music. But if you have to hear the American Centennial March_ at all, this is certainly the version to hear.

The _Kaisermarsch_ is perhaps beyond rescue, but again, Janowski offers as good and as committed a performance of this piece as one is ever likely to hear. He also offers the best _Huldigungsmarsch_ I know of, and excellent accounts of the _Die Feen_ and _Das Liebesverbot_ overtures. Though the very best performances of these operatic overtures that I've heard are the versions that open the Sawallisch complete sets of these two operas.

For very good versions of familiar orchestral excerpts from the mature operas, plus outstanding performances of some Wagner rarities, this disk is strongly recommended.

Cheers!

Laon

Average customer rating:

Minor Wagner...
The _Polonia_ Overture is the best of these rarities
wagner marches & overtures
Wagner in rare 'official' mode.

Wagner: Marches & Overtures

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005AYEN
Release Date: 2001-05-15

Tracks:

Polonia (Ov)
American Centennial March
Rule Britannia (Ov)
Imperial March

Customer Reviews:

Minor Wagner..........2005-11-29

The interest in this CD is in the rarities of the music. All you die hard Wagner fans will get a thrill of fanfares and flourishes, with bombastic finales. You'll also get little thematic development and simplistic ideas. Only the "Imperial March" written for political favor gives us a glimpse of the composers great operatic achievements. "Polonia" was born after a night of drinking with some Polish exiles, naturally constructed of patriotic song and dance from Poland. Commissioned by the City of Philadephia, Wagner was paid $5 grand for the "American Centennial March", masterfully orchestrated with the most simplistic material. "Rule Britania" goes on way too long, again
stretching minimum to the max, for over 12 minutes. The constant repetition likening to a dentist performing root canal.
Much of these works were done hastily as Wagner was constantly
being pursued by debtors. Still all in all the curiosity value is there! Maybe a more spacious recording would have made me judge better.

The _Polonia_ Overture is the best of these rarities .......2004-08-06

Here is a disk of extremely minor Wagner orchestral pieces, with the Hong Kong Philharmonic under Varujan Kojian. This disk was originally released on the Marco Polo label, and is now issued by Naxos. It includes the _Polonia_ and _Rule Britannia_ overtures, the _American Centennial March_ and the _Kaisermarsch_.

The good news is that two of these pieces, the _Polonia_ and _Rule Britannia_ overtures, are not available in any other recording that I'm aware of, so this disk offers a significant expansion of the accessible Wagner repertoire. The bad news is that what we have here is some mostly ordinary work by conductor and orchestra, and some mostly wretched work by the composer.

I don't think any performance could save Wagner's _Rule Britannia_ overture, a very youthful work written, if memory serves, to flatter a British music-publishing house into offering him a commission. No commission came, but one can hardly blame the British for not requesting more of the same. The piece opens with fanfares, scales and so on in an attempt to work up some tension before introducing the Grand Old Tune. The Grand Old Tune once stated, Wagner plays it again louder, as one does, then flails about with uninspired exposition of bits of the theme. The Big Tune eventually emerges again on brass, with a lot of accompanying exercise for drum-thumpers, cymbal-crashers, and so on, before finally winding up. It sounds like what some people must think Elgar sounds like, if they know Elgar only by reputation. Its minutes feel like hours.

Comparing Kojian's performance of the _American Centennial March_ with that of LSO under Marek Janowski (in a disk of Wagner excerpts including several rarities, also available on Amazon and highly recommended by me) exposes the limitations of Kojian's straightforward, workmanlike approach. Under Kojian the piece seems absolutely intolerable, empty, banal, noisy and repetitive. But the Janowski disk manages to find contrasts, nuances, light and shade, and some forward propulsion in the piece. It still isn't a great piece of music, but Janowski is a far better advocate for it than Kojian.

There's also more to the _Kaisermarsch_ that Kojian reveals, and again the Janowski offers a better account. But the main fault with this piece is not with Kojian, nor even exactly with Wagner. It's with Prussian Court officials, who overruled Wagner's wish to write a sorrowful piece for the fallen in the recent Franco-Prussian War, and demanded a celebratory piece instead. They got what they wanted, if a perfunctory, uninspired and serviceable piece was what they wanted: and it probably was. I can't help regretting that Wagner never wrote the music he actually felt moved to write, though.

Summing up, I'd warn against this disk, except for one thing. The _Polonia_ overture is one of Wagner's better early pieces, written in an outburst of enthusiasm for the cause of Polish independence and democracy, and making effective (if still slightly overblown) use of Polish songs and anthems. And the performance by Kojian and the Hong Kong Phil is fine, slightly coarse but good enough to present a reasonable case for this piece.

Wagner wrote the _Polonia_ overture when he was about 18, while he wrote the American Centennial March at the time he was composing _Parsifal_. However the younger composer did far better work than the mature one, though both pieces celebrated nations and democratic struggles that he genuinely admired. I suspect that Wagner's attempt to think of "American" themes affected the slight swing with which the Flower Maidens serenade Parsifal. But he saved all his best inspirations for the opera, using only his second rate ideas in the occasional piece. I still feel that the second rateness of Wagner's American celebration was rather a pity, since it belied Wagner's feelings for America, which were strong enough for Wagner to have been seriously considering emigration there.

So if you can pick this disk up at a super-bargain price, it may be worth it for the one track. But it should be cheaper than even the normal Naxos price before you could consider your money well spent.

Cheers!

Laon

wagner marches & overtures.......2003-09-26

Wagner's music is powerfull superb experience. I've red that give you a strog character and determination besides it's beautifull. He is one of my favourite composers. I recomend Wagner music at all.

Wagner in rare 'official' mode........2001-11-23

I don't think it does Wagner a disservice to suggest that he didn't actually bleed creatively to complete these mostly commissioned works. the fact that three of the four clock in at 12 minutes apiece suggests the functionality of their composition. to be frank, if you heard any of these pieces on the radio, and were told they were by, say, Sullivan or Elgar, you wouldn't be at all surprised. Wagner gives his clients exactly what they want - grand public, patriotic showpieces that stir the feet if not the soul.

to suggest that they are not Wagnerian, however, is to overlook an important aspect of his work. some of his most famous operatic pieces - such as the wedding march from 'Lohengrin' - are specifically social expressions, while 'Die Meistersinger' is the ultimate 'public' opera. The most recognisably Wagnerian piece here, perhaps surprisingly, is the 'American Centennial March', which is full of pastiche-Lohengrinisms, perhaps a nostalgic indulgence just after completing the worlds-apart 'Ring' cycle and beginning 'Parsifal'. The 'Polonia Overture' is a conventional enough piece of romantic nationalism, made delightful by Wagner's lack of personal input, and his dark orchestral colouring. 'Rule Britannia' is one for those who like to stand on stools in front of a big mirror for a spot of air-conducting (ahem...), weaving familiar melodies of imperial pomp into a briskly, stately overture. the most likable piece, however, is the closing 'Imperial March', which has a rich, repeated main theme more familiar from Elgar, and a melancholy that belies the ceremonial intent.