Richard Wagner: Siegfried Highlights

On this CD:

1. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Du rührtest dich viel auf der Erde Rücken
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Graham Clark, Harry Kupfer, John Tomlinson
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim

2. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Viel, Wanderer, weiß du mir aus der Erde Nabelnes
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Graham Clark, John Tomlinson
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim

3. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Viel, Wanderer, weiß du mir von der Erde rauhem R
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Graham Clark, John Tomlinson
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim

4. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Notung! Notung! Neidliches Schwert!
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Graham Clark, Siegfried Jerusalem
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim

5. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Bald schwing' ich dich als mein Schwert!
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Graham Clark, Siegfried Jerusalem
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim

6. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Hoho! Hoho! Hahei!
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Graham Clark, Siegfried Jerusalem
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim

7. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Aber - wie sah meine Mutter wohl aus?
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Siegfried Jerusalem
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim

8. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Meine Mutter - ein Menschenweib!
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Siegfried Jerusalem
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim

9. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Nun sing! Ich lausche dem Gesang
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Siegfried Jerusalem, Hilde Leidland
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim

10. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Ewig war ich, ewig bin ich
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Anne Evans, Siegfried Jerusalem
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim

11. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Dich lieb' ich: o liebtest mich du!
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Anne Evans, Siegfried Jerusalem
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim

12. Siegfried, opera, WWV 86c Lachend muß ich dich lieben
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Anne Evans, Siegfried Jerusalem
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim

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:

My first Wagner CD and it remains a favourite
Wagner for the rest of us
A soundtrack for heroes
a hit and miss affair
this one is a hit and miss

Wagner: Highlights from "The Ring"

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Rite of Spring /Igor Stravinsky / New York Philharmonic / Zubin Mehta (CBS Masterworks/Sony)
Wagner: The "Ring" Without Words

ASIN: B0000026OJ
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Das Rheingold: Entrance Of The Gods Into Valhalla
Die Walkure: The Ride Of The Valkyries
Die Walkure: Magic Fire Music
Siegfried: Forest Murmurs
Gotterdammerung: Dawn & Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Gotterdammerung: Siegfried's Funeral Music
Gotterdammerung: Brunnhilde's Immolation Scene

Customer Reviews:

My first Wagner CD and it remains a favourite.......2006-07-10

I got this 16 years ago and it was my very first Wagner CD.

Now I have a large number of Wagner CDs but this remains a favourite.

There are many arrangements of Ring excerpts around, but this has the best versions, in my view, especially for Dawn & RJ.

Mehta's pacing is excellent, particularly for the Goetterdaemmerung tracks, and the sound is superb: so much detail is revealed very clearly.

The Immolation Scene with Caballe was recorded separately (the stereo placing is clearly different from the others) and she is nothing like a Nilsson, but it's OK.

So, overall, a wonderful introduction to some of the key Highlights of the Ring.

Wagner for the rest of us.......2005-02-10

This CD gives you some of the best highlights of Wagner's "Ring" and includes some powerful vocals, but the emphasis remains with the dramatic symphonic music. The entrance into Valhalla and the Ride of the Valkyries are obviously going to be the favorites of guys like me who like Wagner, but don't like Wagner every day. Like cheesecake, Wagner is not meat and potatoes music, it is pure dessert, gushing with cream and carmel sauce.

Though not an opera officianado, I really enjoyed Brunhilda's Immolation scene in this CD. The dramatic ending to the Ring is one of the greatest musical accomplishments in the history of music.

A soundtrack for heroes.......2001-02-04

I will begin by saying that I am not an opera fan and did not buy this album for the vocal parts. For anyone who is interested in the quality of the vocals, they should read the other reviews. The power of this music is incredible on this album. The "Entrance" is stirring. Of course, one cannot help but wave imaginary spears about as they hear the Ride of the Valkyries. Mehta conveys all the power of Wagner through his conducting. Instead of playing fortissimo throughout the movement, he employs more convinving dynamic variations. These dymamics are most evident in Mehta's interpretation of Siegfried's Funeral Music. He does not overplay the beginning, but allows the orchestra to state the important themes with all the appropriate grace and grandeur. He brings the orchestra down low, then stuns the listener with the staccato notes of Siegfried's murder. Mehta then presents a heroic climax that does not disappoint. As I said, I am no fan of opera. I purchased this album for the orchestral pieces. Mehta and the NYPO are hard to beat, and I would recommend this album to anyone who wants a first-rate Wagner highlight album.

a hit and miss affair.......2000-06-19

Most of the items on this recording are very well done and recorded, but regrettably the CD is let down by Caballe's peformance in the Immolation Scene. I am an admirer of her work as many others are, but find her German is not very idiomatic (one could make the same observations about Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's Italian), and she does not sing the top notes cleanly but scoops them from below instead. In this price range you could do better with the Bohm, Solti, or Karajan - or perhaps Szell best of all - highlights recordings.

this one is a hit and miss.......2000-06-13

The orchestral playing and conducting is good but not particularly memorable. I would not rank it equal to that of Szell with the Cleveland Orchestra. Wimsberger in the Farewell is decent but not great, and Caballe is regrettably not successful in the Immolation Scene. She scoops the top notes from below rather than singing them cleanly, and her German diction is suspect too. Although I admire many of her other recordings, I do not play this one frequently. Good sound quality and documentation. Probably indispensable for Caballe fans, for better or worse. At this price range I would choose instead the Szell, Solti, Karajan or Bohm (on 2CDs) highlights recordings from the complete operas.

Wagner: The Ring of the Nibelungen (Highlights)

Average customer rating:

A Useful Introduction to the Ring
Asleep at the wheel
Release the budget Ring NOW!
A Good Intoduction to the Ring Cycle
Worst Ring I've heard in years

Wagner: The Ring of the Nibelungen (Highlights)

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Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (1982 Orchestral Excerpts)

ASIN: B00004ZDLK
Release Date: 2000-10-24

Tracks:

The Rhinegold: Prelude - Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
The Rhinegold: He - Da! He - Da! He - Do! Zu Mir Du Geduft! - Andreas Schmidt
The Rhinegold: Zur Burg Fuhrt Die Brucke - Peter Seiffert
The Rhinegold: Abendlich Strahlt Die Sonne - Marjana Lipovsek
The Rhinegold: Ihrem Ende Eilen Sie Zu - Heinz Zednik
The Rhinegold: Rheingold! Rheingold! - Heinz Zednik
The Valkyrie: Wintersturme Wichen Dem Wonnemond - Rainer Goldberg
The Valkyrie: Du Bist Der Lenz - Cheryl Studer
The Valkyrie: Oh Sussete Wonne! - Cheryl Studer
The Valkyrie: Siegmund Heiss Ich - Cheryl Studer
The Valkyrie: Hojotoho! 'Ride Of The Valkyries' - Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
The Valkyrie: Loge, Hor! - James Morris
The Valkyrie: Feuerzaube 'Magic Fire Music' - James Morris
Siegfried: Was Am Besten Er Kann - Siegfried Jerusalem
Siegfried: Nothung! Nothung! Niedliches Schwert! - Siegfried Jerusalem
Siegfried: Waldweben...Du Holdes Voglein - Siegfried Jerusalem
Siegfried: Nun Sing! Ich Lausche Dem Gesang - Siegfried Jerusalem
Twilight Of The Gods: O Heilge Gotter! - Siegfried Jerusalem
Twilight Of The Gods: Siegfried's Rhine Journey - Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Twilight Of The Gods: Siegfried's Funeral March - Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Twilight Of The Gods: Grane, Mein Ross - Eva Marton
Twilight Of The Gods: Zuruck Vom Ring! - John Tomlinson

Customer Reviews:

A Useful Introduction to the Ring.......2006-03-04

This CD was a pleasant surprise and can be recommended to anyone seeking a brief 1-CD introduction to Wagner's Ring, particularly at its bargain price. I hadn't expected much of it, since Haitink's complete Ring has received mostly unenthusiastic reviews, but it turns out be considerably better than I'd thought.

Let's back up a little and lay some groundwork: Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, his masterpiece, is a huge work consisting of four long operas. The best Ring on records is the Solti/Vienna Philharmonic version on Decca/London (14 CDs, recorded 1958-65), followed (not very closely, in my opinion) by the Bohm/Bayreuth version on Philips (14 CDs, recorded 1966-67). The Solti is a studio recording; the Bohm comes from live performances at Bayreuth. The Solti version has the best conducting, the best orchestra, the best cast, and the best sound. The reason these two versions are superior to any later versions is largely that the 1960s was the last decade when there were singers available who could cope with the staggering vocal demands of the Ring (in particular Birgit Nilsson, who sings Brunnhilde in both the Solti and Bohm versions). Today, alas, we lack such singers. Hence the Haitink Ring, recorded 1988-1991, has to make do with current vocal resources, which results in seriously compromised singing in some of the major parts. And the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra has never been considered an orchestra in the top echelon.

So what's to like about this recording? First, Haitink, a frequently underrated conductor, proves, at least on the basis of what we hear here, to be an excellent Wagnerian, and he has this orchestra sounding world-class. Second, the sound is excellent. (I've rarely admired EMI's digital sound, but here it is first-rate.) Third, given the impossibility of representing the entire Ring on a single CD, this collection of many (22) brief snippets is as good a Ring "sampler" (for that is all it can be) as could be put together in 72½ minutes. Finally, we are spared most of the problematic singing, and what we get is good enough. James Morris, the Wotan, is excellent; his big, powerful voice, secure and authoritative, is just what's needed for the part. Eva Marton, the Brunnhilde, comes across as too much of a screamer, but fortunately we don't hear much of her here. Siegfried Jerusalem, cast in the impossible part of Siegfried, has a basically pleasing voice and sings intelligently and lyrically; he can't cope with the heroic demands of the role (no one else can either, since Melchior) but offers a sensible compromise. Many of the smaller parts are well taken; in particular I would point out the genuinely thrilling Ride of the Valkyries (with a fine group of Valkyries)-an electrifying performance that should be an ear-opener for anyone used to the usual orchestra-only version of this excerpt. Everything I hear from Haitink and the orchestra on this CD gives pleasure and satisfaction. He may not be the fiery, dramatic dynamo Solti is, but he understands this music and has it and his orchestra well in hand.

In short, if you want only a single-CD introduction to the Ring, this is a good choice, especially at its bargain price. (And if you're already a Ring buff but would like to sample the Haitink cycle, this serves well.) I think better choices (at higher prices) are the well-filled 2-CD selections of Ring highlights from the Bohm/Bayreuth cycle on Philips and the Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic cycle on DG. They are not without their problems, too, but they give you twice as much of the music (two and a half hours) as this single-CD selection, and hence a better idea of the Ring. And there is also a 1-CD selection of highlights from the Solti/Vienna Philharmonic cycle, offering 7 longer, more or less "standard" excerpts, mostly orchestral, instead of the 22 shorter (but choppier) and more varied snippets of the Haitink CD (and at "medium" price instead of budget price).

Asleep at the wheel.......2005-09-27

EMI took a big risk having Haitink conduct a complete Ring since he had never conducted Wagner in the opera house. He turned out to be disappointing all around, with no special insights and a tendency to underplay the most famous orchestral moments. We can mercifully skip over his adequate-to-dismal cast, as even this budget CD of excerpts barely manages to catch them in good form. Only the Barenboim set has worse singers, and that's debatable.

Release the budget Ring NOW!.......2004-02-18

Practically every Ring set or an individual recording is full-priced in the market. The popular ones (Solti/VPO, Boulez/Bayereuth, Levine/Met) are priced at full 4-CD price and vintage recordings by Furtwangler and Knappertbusch are either hard to find, expensive, or simply difficult for newbie listeners to listen because of the mono sound . Well, I guess Haitink's original set seems to pale in comparison with these titles above, but based on the highlights, it sounds just decent. From the highlights, the singing is surprisingly top-notch. Haitink is the one expert on spaciousness of sound. I find the Bavarian Radio a better orchestra than his Concertgebouw for simply more weight in their playing. The Concertgebouw has clarity and spaciousness, but listening to the orchestra is like drinking Diet Coke with ice.

It would be great for EMI to do us a justice and release a full Haitink-Ring set.

A Good Intoduction to the Ring Cycle.......2002-02-11

The perfomances on this CD of highlights from the Haitink,BRSO
recording of the "Ring" on EMI might seem to pale in comparision to the other ones. But I think that one advantage that they have is that they are not "overblown" or "Overdone" The Haitink pays homage to other recordings by having some "sound effects" like the Solti-Culshaw recording on Decca, the singers are all well cast, and do as good a job singing their parts as can be expected. I think it would be good of EMI to re-issue this Ring
recording on CD as a budget set It deserves to remain in the catalog and not be put in limbo. I also recommend the Mozart Magic Flute Hightlights CD also from Seraphim.

Worst Ring I've heard in years.......2001-04-11

This is the worst recording of music from the Ring that I've heard in years. The singing is terrible, and the orchestral playing is boring and ugly. This is definitely the Ring to avoid. If you want some highlights, try a sampler of one of the more successful recordings of the Ring: Karajan, Solti, or Bohm. There are plenty of samplers out there from these recordings, any of which would be more musical and more exciting than this.

Tracks:

The Ring Of The Nibelung: Zur Burg fuhrt die Brucke; Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge; So gruss ich die Burg; Rheingold! Rheingold
The Valkyrie: Ein Schwert verhiess mir der Vater
The Valkyrie: Walkurenritt-The Ride Of The Valkyries
The Valkyrie: Leb wohl, du kuhnes, herrliches Kind!; Der Augen leuchtendes Paar; Loge, hor! Lausche hieher
The Valkyrie: Feuerzauber-Magic Fire Music
Siegfried: Notung! Notung! Neidliches Schwert; Hoho! Hoho! Hohei! Schmiede mein Hammer, ein hartes Schwert
Siegfried: Brunnhilde's Awakening: Introduction; Heil dir, Sonne! Heil dir, Licht!
Twilight Of The Gods: Brunnhilde, heilige Braut!
Twilight Of The Gods: Trauermarsch-Funeral March

Customer Reviews:

An Excellent Recording! Must Have!.......2001-08-06

Though some would argue that there are still greater recordings i.e. Solti conducting, Karl Bohm and the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, but Karajan, noted conductor and greatly admired, delivers here an excellent recording. The highlights include the great scenes from the four operas in Wagner's Ring cycle. The incredible Ride of the Valkyries here, especially, is very good, and the cast includes talented singers, among them Edda Moser. Karajan, always trying to perfectionize his works, does not really sway from the intense drama of the opera. The Immolation scene, in which Siegfried has been slain by Hagen and Brunhilde is left with the ring, standing over his funeral pyre and eventually throwing herself in it, is exceptional. The cries of "Zuruck Vom Ring" by Wotan as the majestic music of the finale reaches climax is superb. Karajan has outdone himself again.

Average customer rating:

Listenable disc for Wagner 'newbies'

Wagner: Orchestral Highlights

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000013SS
Release Date: 1994-02-15

Tracks:

Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg: Ov
Tristan Und Isolde: Prld To Act I/Isolde's Liebestod
Parsifal: Prld To Act I
Siegfried Idyll
Goterrdammerung: Immolation Of The Gods

Customer Reviews:

Listenable disc for Wagner 'newbies' .......2004-10-14

This is Naxos' third disc with orchestral music from Wagner's immense work, and although it cannot perhaps match up to some full-price performances by top-class teams, it seems to me to be an eminently 'listenable' disc containing some of Wagner's quieter, more meditative music in acceptable sound quality (the stereo panorama is better than on some of Naxos' earlier productions). The Polish NRSO had, in December 1990, not quite reached the standards it later set under Antoni Wit, but Johannes Wildner obviously managed to spur the orchestra on to a more than respectable achievement. The overture to the 'Meistersinger von Nürnberg' is a rather noisy piece which I felt did not come over as well as the three following tracks: Isolde's 'Liebestod', the Prelude to Act 1 of Parsifal and the Siegfried-Idyll. The tempi are kept very slow and deliberate here (for the Siegfried-Idyll Wildner needs a full three and a half minutes longer than Wolfgang Sawallisch with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra on Philips), which can, on occasion, be a little soporific, but does make it possible to revel in every detail of the score. (Sawallisch's instruments sound rather more polished.) The disc closes with the 'Immolation of the Gods' from the 'Götterdämmerung', bringing together lots of Wagner's leitmotifs. This is definitely not a disc for Wagner buffs; it is one for 'newbies' like myself who are curious to find out why Wagner is revered and/or hated without having to listen to his massive operas all through.

Average customer rating:

A substantial overview of Karajan's Ring
Where is Karajan's Ring on amazon?
not an introduction to The Ring
A wonderful introduction, or a new experience
good introduction

Highlights from Der Ring des Nibelungen

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Panorama (Highlights from der fliegende Hollander, Lohengrin, Tannhauser, Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg, Parsifal, Tristan und Isolde)
Wagner's Ring: Turning the Sky Round
Wagner: The Compact Ring (Highlights from Der Ring des Nibelungen) / Levine; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Wagner: The Best of the Ring
An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen

ASIN: B00004XT2G
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

A substantial overview of Karajan's Ring.......2007-07-11

One could debate for a brief eternity which conductor should be labeled "the best." Numerous magnanimous interpreters come to mind: Gustav Mahler, Arturo Toscanini, Otto Klemperer, Carlos Kleiber, Karl Böhm, Herbert von Karajan, Sir Georg Solti, Claudio Abbado, Pierre Boulez, Daniel Barenboim, Giuseppe Sinopoli, and James Levine are just a potpourri of renowned orchestral masters. Toscanini and Karajan were probably the most influential in redefining the nature in which one should approach a piece of music; both insisted that traditional conducting, in which a piece was essentially performed in the same manner continuously, was neither healthy nor appropriate for the music in question and, they laid the foundation for conductors to develop their own characteristic conducting and interpretative styles.

One now comes to Richard Wagner, often considered the master of Romantic music and one of the definitive composers to ever set foot on the soil of this planet. If one were to painstakingly evaluate the two conductors' collective Wagnerian works, one would most likely come to the conclusion that Hungarian-born Sir Georg Solti was a "more perfect" Wagnerian conductor than the Austrian musical megalomaniac Herbert von Karajan. Solti's style of conducting, which lent itself to the works of Ludwig van Beethoven, Mahler, and Richard Strauss, was obviously within the atmosphere of Wagner, and his John Culshaw-produced rendering of Der Ring des Nibelungen can easily be considered one of the greatest achievements in modern recorded sound. Nonetheless, Karajan's brilliance came not from his ability to conduct Wagner perfectly, as one might arguably suggest for Solti, but rather from his ability to approach every composer with a certain level of comfort and singularity while simultaneously retaining his format of interpretation. Karajan was just as comfortable with the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as he was with Jean Sibelius and Arnold Schoenberg, and his expertise transcended every medium, from choral works and masses to symphonies to operas to concerti. It was also his singular smoothness, his uncanny ability to gloss and refine the roughest and most vulgar of music (which, occasionally, in a work such as Carmen, had a derogatory effect) which made his Wagnerian music so spectacular a beacon and link within the chain mail of the musical world.

This is the reason why this recording of Der Ring des Nibelungen features what critics have called a "chamber music approach" to the Wagner score; Karajan dissected the music (as he did with everything he conducted) and took every measure to present, at all times, the beauty inherent in the music, even at the most violent and explosive instances. No fault is obvious in this, and with the operas of Rossini or Donizetti, no problem would have occurred; however, with Wagner, placing too burdensome an emphasis on beauty could, possibly, have an acidic effect on the overall drama of the work. This became an almost debilitating fault near the end of his illustrious career, but here the results are stunning. Karajan's interpretation is not sluggish (by the standards set by Solti, it is actually fairly brisk) and the orchestral performance from the imperial Berliner Philharmoniker is beyond betterment.

Thus, one must wonder why this recording of the Ring Cycle, with arguably the best conductor in the world leading one of the finest groups of musicians ever assembled, is frequently dogged by critics as weak and woefully idealistic. The answer lies in Karajan's casting which is, overall, inferior to Solti's. However, jewel-bedecked performances can be found in Karajan's cast with which Solti's cannot compete. Jon Vickers and Gundula Janowitz bring new definition to the twins Siegmund and Sieglinde. Operatic roles may have existed which Vickers did not perfect, but those which he performed (Peter Grimes, Samson, Tristan, Aeneas, Otello, Don José) were forever standardized by his interpretation. Siegmund is no exception, and though James King was a golden-toned, amorous youth on the Solti Die Walküre, Vickers is mightily Zarathustran and gloriously introspective during "Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond." Janowitz, who could make the harshest, most brutal German phrases drip with the smoothness and creamy elegance of French, brings radiance and gleaming simplicity to her Sieglinde which no other soprano could dare attempt. Their ecstatic, and eventually orgasmic, love duet ("Du bist der Lenz" ... "O süsseste Wonne! Seligstes Weib!" ... "Siegmund, den Wälsung, siehst du, Weib!") may be the greatest moment of Karajan's entire Ring Cycle.

The character of Wotan, the ruler of the gods, should, theoretically, be performed by a commanding, sonorous bass-baritone such as George London, Hans Hotter, Theo Adam, or James Morris, the most superb modern Wagnerian baritone. However, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who was so praised for his vocal delicacy and aristocratic gentility, is surprisingly successful as the ambitious god whose ageless wisdom was blinded by his opulent rapaciousness in Das Rheingold. Fischer-Dieskau was often fussy and blusterous on the operatic stage, but brief instances of vocal waywardness are often excusable through Wagner, and he will have no difficulty pleasing the most caustic critic during his wondrous musing as the gods enter the celestial fortress of Valhalla ("Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge...So grüss ich die Burg"). Thomas Stewart, a severely under-recorded American baritone, excels as Wotan in Die Walküre and Siegfried. Wotan's eminent farewell to Brünnhilde in Die Walküre ("Leb wohl, du kühnes, herrliches Kind!...Der Augen leuchtendes Paar") could easily buckle many baritones; Stewart, however, sings with unfettered passion and mournful abandonment as the pained father. He is less thrilling (due to the context of the music, not his voice) in his conjuring of Erda in Siegfried ("Wache, Wala! Wala! Erwach!").

Gerhard Stolze, the consummate character singer, is not featured on this set of highlights as Mime, Alberich's toiling, gnomish brother, in Siegfried; his unique caricature of Loge in Das Rheingold is inserted instead. Loge, the mischievous demigod of fire, is a part usually performed by a heldentenor, such as Wolfgang Windgassen, Set Svanholm, or Siegfried Jerusalem, and for those strictly concerned with vocal beauty, these singers would be highly appropriate. However, for those seeking a more burlesque, stupendously acted performance (merely listen as he warns the gods not to enter Valhalla ["Ihrem Ende eilen sie zu"]), Stolze is perfectly idiomatic and certainly does not "bark" his lines, though he is occasionally criticized for doing so. Hungarian bass-baritone Zoltan Kélémén's career began, for the most part, with Karajan casting him as Alberich. The most inimitable interpreter of the dwarf fiend was Gustav Neidlinger; his Alberich was explosively, thunderously vindictive, a Caligulan nemesis. Kélémén's Alberich was a twisted, grisly deuce, and though he may have lacked the vocal robustness of Neidlinger (and the malignant guffaw), his retort against the mocking of the Rheintöchter ("Der Welt Erbe gewänn ich zu eigen duch dich") is a petrifying outburst. Helen Donath, Edda Moser, and Anna Reynolds are the most perfectly tuned Rheintöchter available on disc. No other trio can compare with their beguiling chatter in the first scene ("Lugt, Schwestern! Die Weckerin lacht in den Grund") nor with their wrathful longing in the finale ("Rheingold! Rheingold! Reines Gold!"). Liselotte Rebmann, Daniza Mastilovic, Ingrid Steger, Lilo Brockhaus, Carlotta Ordassy, Barbro Ericson, Cvetka Ahlin, and Helja Jenckel are similarly victorious during the Walkürnritt ("Hojotoho!"), which is sure to conjure an image of helicopters napalming seaside Vietnamese villages vis-à-vis Francis Ford Coppola or hellish, armed and armor-bedecked maidens soaring about on flying horses.

Josephine Veasey possessed an elegant, matronly tone which was perfectly suited for Fricka, Wotan's bickering wife, the goddess of marriage. Donald Grobe, a Karajan regular, is insipid but secure as Froh in his brief monologue ("Zur Burg führt die Brücke"). Martti Talvela and Karl Ridderbusch (another Karajan regular) shared the four main bass roles in the saga: Fasolt, Fafner, Hunding, and Hagen. Talvela is noted as one of the most sympathetic Fasolts on record; one must wonder how Talvela, the gargantuan Finnish bass, could not be suitable as a giant in any opera. His performance is woefully truncated here, alas. His Hunding, which was surely brutish and bovine, is not heard at all. The iniquitous villain Fafner's greatest moment comes not in Das Rheingold as the bellowing lummox but in Siegfried as the leering, yawning dragon; this is also left out of the collection. Ridderbusch's performance as Hagen, often heralded as one of his finest, is represented here by little more than his final outburst of "Zurück vom Ring!" After Dame Joan Sutherland's "cameo" appearance as the Waldwogel in Sir Georg Solti's Siegfried, all other performances are bound to fall short. Nonetheless, Catherine Gayer is notably lovely and chirpy.

Most criticism concerning the soloists is invested in insulting Jess Thomas, Helga Dernesch, and Helge Brilioth. Thomas, a regal Lohengrin and Tannhäuser in his youth, has forever been the recipient of spiteful banter reviling his performance as Siegfried in the third opera of the cycle. It is true that Windgassen owned the role in much the same way that Birgit Nilsson was the executor of Brünnhilde (after Flagstad and Varnay); however, their performances were sublime in the locality of their vocal precision and dramatic prowess, which were sublime. In the sector of vocal attractiveness (which is, one must concede, Karajan's principal area of focus), Windgassen fell short of the golden-throated Thomas, and Nilsson's steely voice, though it possessed its own rampageous eroticism, was also inferior to Helga Dernesch's richer and milder tone. As examples, Thomas is marvelous during the darkly impressionistic, meandering Waldweben ("Dass der mein Vater nicht ist"); Dernesch is ravishing in the Awakening Scene ("Heil dir, Sonne! Heil dir, Licht! ... Siegfried! Siegfried! Seliger Held!") and in the apocalyptic finale of Götterdämmerung ("Starke Scheite schichtet mir dort...Fliegt heim, ihr Raben!"). Poor Brilioth is often criticized for simply sounding dull and inadequate as Siegfried in Götterdämmerung, and one must concede that it would have been more prudent for Karajan to cast Windgassen. [Régine Crespin, who is not featured on this collection, performed Brünnhilde in Die Walkure. This had mixed results, for most held her performance as the Valkyrie in juxtaposition to her gorgeous interpretation of Sieglinde on the Solti recording. I, personally, found her Brunnhilde delightfully witty and humane.]

Perhaps the greatest fault of this collection of highlights is that it is what it is: a collection of excerpts. Der Ring des Nibelungen is an expansive masterpiece which is not suitable for a two-disc collection of noteworthy tracks. This compilation, nevertheless, is indeed superb (as are most Deutsche Grammophon/Panorama releases), as is the set of highpoints from Karl Böhm's Ring Cycle, released through Philips. One should, by all means, disregard the hateful criticism placed upon Karajan's work here. It is not his finest, but it is Karajan, and his worst level is a pinnacle of excellence which most conductors can only hope to achieve, particularly in a Wagnerian sphere.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

'Waltraud Meier' fan........
Great Music, Good Performance, Problematic Recording Job

Wagner: Parsifal (Highlights)

Manufacturer: Teldec
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
Similar Items:

Verdi: Rigoletto (Highlights) / Sutherland, Pavarotti
Wagner: The "Ring" Without Words
Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs

ASIN: B000000SQ8
Release Date: 1995-08-01

Tracks:

Vorspiel - Berliner Philharmoniker/Daniel Barenboim
Verwandlungsmusik - Berliner Philharmoniker/Daniel Barenboim
'Nun Achte Wohl Und Lass Mich Seh'n' - Matthias Holle/Chor Der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin/Ernst Stoy
'Amfortas! Die Wunde!' - Siegfried Jerusalem/Waltraud Meier
Grausamer! Fuhlst Du Im Herzen Nur And'rer Schmerzen' - Waltraud Meier/Siegfried Jerusalem
'Vergeh, Unseliges Weib!' - Siegrried Jerusalem/Waltraud Meier/Gunter Von Kannen
Vorspiel - Berliner Philharmoniker/Daniel Barenboim
'Geleiten Wir Im Bergenden Schrein' - Chor Der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin/Ernst Stoy
'Ja Wehe! Wehe! Weh'uber Mich!' - Jose Van Dam/Chor Der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin/Ernst Stoy
'Nur Eine Waffe Taugt' - Siegfried Jerusalem
'Hochsten Heiles Wunder!' - Chor Der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin/Ernst Stoy

Customer Reviews:

'Waltraud Meier' fan...............2004-04-01

I've seen 'Waltraud Meier' on stage two times already as 'Kundry',thought her performance was magnificent. Heard and seen her perform with conductor Daniel Barenboim,'Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin' and conductor James Levine,'Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus'. Familar with Mr.Barenboim,who I have a collection of 'Piano Sonatas' written by Ludwig Van Beethoven,performed by Mr.Barenboim. Should be an interesting 'CD'......

Great Music, Good Performance, Problematic Recording Job.......2001-11-22

On one hand, it is a relief to finally have vocal and orchestral highlights of "Parsifal" on a well-filled, 76 minute CD, since it is not often that I have 4 1/2 hours to spend listening to a single work. The performance, led by Daniel Barenboim is a good one, serene, rapturous and intense. But don't listen to this disc on your headphones, because there are many sonic annoyances mixed in with the great music.

Despite the fact that this recording was made over a period of months in Jesus-Christus Kirche, the site of many legendary recording sessions, the sound is rather bland and faraway and there are many thumps, gasps and miscellaneous noises, such as Barenboim's unfortunately customary, periodic, orgasmic groaning! Does he think this enhances the music, or is music? Does he know there's a microphone on? Hello, Daniel: you're making rude, annoying noise, and disturbing your audience.