Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Excerpts)

On this CD:

1. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Prelude to Act II
Composed by Richard Wagner

Conducted by Artur Rother

2. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Johannistag! Blumen und Bänder
Composed by Richard Wagner

Conducted by Artur Rother

3. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Lass sehn, ob Meister Sachs zu Haus?
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Wilhelm Schirp
Conducted by Artur Rother

4. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Zeig her 's ist gut
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Georg Hann
Conducted by Artur Rother

5. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Was duftet doch der Flieder
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Georg Hann
Conducted by Artur Rother

6. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Gut'n Abend, Meister! Noch so Fleissig?
Composed by Richard Wagner

Conducted by Artur Rother

7. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Da ist er!- Ja, Ihr seid es!
Composed by Richard Wagner

Conducted by Artur Rother

8. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Wie? Sachs? Auch er?
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Ludwig Suthaus
Conducted by Artur Rother

9. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Jerum!.... Als Eva aus dem Paradies
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Georg Hann
Conducted by Artur Rother

10. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Freund Sachs! So hort doch nur ein Wort!
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Hans-Heinz Nissen
Conducted by Artur Rother

11. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Den Tag seh ich erscheinen
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Hans-Heinz Nissen
Conducted by Artur Rother

12. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Darf ich mich Meister nennen
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Hans-Heinz Nissen
Conducted by Artur Rother

13. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Zum Teufel mit dir, verdammter Kerl!
Composed by Richard Wagner

Conducted by Artur Rother

14. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Morgenlich leuchtend in rosigem Schein
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin State Choir with Ludwig Suthaus
Conducted by Robert Heger

15. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Verachtet mir die Meister nicht
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin State Choir with Jaro Prohaska
Conducted by Robert Heger

16. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Ehrt eure deutschen Meister
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin State Choir
Conducted by Robert Heger

Tracks:

La Boheme: Che gelida manina
Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai
Carmen Bizet: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee (Flower Song)
Luisa Miller: O! fede negar potessi .. Quando le sere al placido
La Traviata: Lunge da lei ... De' miei bollenti spiriti
Martha: M'appari
Giordano: Amor ti vieta
L'Africaine: Mi batte il cuor .. O paradiso
La Favorita: Favorita del re . . . Spirto gentil
Werther: 'Pourquoi me reveiller'
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: 'Morgenlich leuchtend in rosigem Schein'
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: O Dieu! De quelle ivresse
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
Pagliacci: Recitar! ... Vesti la giubba
Il Trovatore: Di quella pira
Aida: Se quel guerrier .. Celeste Aida
TOSCA: Recondita armonia
L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
La Gioconda: Cielo e mar!
Turandot: Nessun dorma

Customer Reviews:

The End of the Big Voice?.......2007-04-16

This CD, which is truly fine overall, reminds me of Marilyn Horne's lament that we have probably seen the end of the big voice and it makes me sad. I agree with the reviewer who refers to "microphonies". And more justice could be done to Bjorling's voice with a better transfer. But at some point, music becomes a matter of taste and I prefers singers who have the instrument and the support and the training, whether formal or not, to just let fly and take a chance on making a mistake. Domingo can be wonderful and so can his musicianship but he tends to be so stiff. I have to wonder at the virulence and asperity with which some people go after Pavarotti. It's true that late in his career he made some questionable recordings but the answer to that is simple: don't buy them. At his best, he belongs for all time in the top echelon of tenors. I love this CD and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys great (big) voices.

Fla Gator Lady.......2007-01-12

Highly recommend this CD with these beloved arias of the greatest tenors in opera. I have owned this CD for a couple of years and purchased another for a friend who always requests that I play it ... perfect for listening in the car, dinner, bridge games, relaxation ... just so perfect. You won't be disappointed in this one.

20 Great Tenor Arias.......2007-01-09

A great disc,combination of the greatest tenors of the 20th century and some of the most beautiful music ever written in any century,a must addition to any opera lovers collection.

Plesantly surprised..........2006-01-14

I don't remember how I found this CD the other day surfing through the "Amazon" such as it is, but I did. I listened to a few clips provided & on the strength of that, I purchased this CD.

First it is a great buy. A booklet with pictures of each tenor, a small bio, the year recorded and TRANSLATIONS of each aria are provided. This is really nice. It seems more & more that translations are being left out. Being a former opera singer, I may know most of the words, but sometimes it's just nice to read along (sometimes it's just nice to listen too).

Being on the Decca label, there is admittedly quite a few Pavarotti selections. Out of 20 selections, he has 6 of them. But I love Pavarotti, so this is no problem for me. These are all early recordings & his voice is magnificent! Being a singer, I still marvel at his ability to sing "All'armi!" on a high D and still say the 2nd syllable "mi" on such a note! WOW. There is also of course his very sweet, impassioned and lyrical turn as Rodolfo in "La Boheme" as well as the lesser known (although I still have it on casette) "La Favorita" which has a particularly high tessitura.

Also featured are a young Plácido Domingo singing a VERY nice "Flower song/ La fleur que tu m'avais jetée" from Carmen. He usually sounds too pushed for me on the top notes (as one might expect from a Pavarotti fan, I like free top notes) but in this recording he is pretty darn fabulous. He also sings an aria from "Tales of Hoffman/Les Contes d'Hoffman" and I have always felt that he, like Neil Schicoff, were well suited to this role.

Lamentably there are only one selection each from Carreras, Correlli, Monaco, Aragall & Kollo. Especial kudos to the young recording they feature for Aragall. He had a very free and nice high tenor well suited to Verdi. Of course as his career went forward with the natural darkening of his voice and the "heavier" roles, he did start to develop a wobble. But this recording is before that. His top, his phrasing are all beautifully done in his featured aria from "La Traviata."
Mario del Monaco's "E lucevan le stelle" is hauntingly beautiful and has such a wonderful pianissimo in it that it makes you just want to gasp for beauty's sake. I now know every tenor I've heard sing this aria was trying to emulate what he did.

This is a great CD because it does bring together on one CD some of the greatest singers of the 20th/21st century. Bergonzi, di Stefano, Björling, in addition to the previously mentioned artists is quite an impressive collection. I'm sure there's only one of each for Carreras, Aragall (I believe they are formerly EMI/Angel artists) and perhaps some of the others because they are "imported" from another label. There's so much Pavarotti on this CD because he IS a Decca artist.

A highly recommended CD, affordable, not the usually obscure and unpolished artists that are sometimes found on compilations. Plus acutal linear notes and translations. Nicely done, Decca!!!

Absolutely Agree About Corelli.......2005-05-27

Franco Corelli's "Nessun Dorma" is still the best of them all - clear, passionate, and exciting. (And those final two notes...! Gives me chills just to think of it.) I was fortunate enough to see him live in both "Turandot" and "Romeo and Juliet" a year before his retirement, and he was still a Calaf and a Romeo to die for... as, of course, Liu and Juliet did! As it is, I tend to buy compilations depending on how much Corelli they include - though Bjorling is a strong second, and I have happy memories of Domingo. Long live the Golden Age of Operatic Tenors!

Average customer rating:

masters of classical music
A good basic collection
An excellent introduction to classical music
Very Beautiful!!!!!1
Still Stuck on Beethoven

Masters of Classical Music (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

25 Classical Favorites
Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]
The Top 100 Masterpieces of Classical Music, Vol. 6-10
25 Romantic Classics
Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

ASIN: B000001VU5
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Piano Concerto In A Major, K 488: Adagio - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Flute Concerto In D Major, K 314: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Symphony No. 40 in G minor: Molto allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Clarinet Concerto KV 622: Adagio - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Serenade, K 375: Menuetto - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Turkish March - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Violin Concerto, K 216: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Divertimento, K 334: Menuetto - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Horn Concerto, K 447: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Cassation, K 99: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus

Tracks:

Overture No. 4 In Major: Rejouissance - J.S.Bach
Overture No. 3 In D Major: Air - J.S.Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 In F Major: I. Allegro - J.S.Bach
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - J.S.Bach
Overture No. 2 In B Minor: Menuet & Badinerie - J.S.Bach
Prelude In C Major - J.S.Bach
Toccata And Fugue In D Minor - J.S.Bach
Prelude In C Minor - J.S.Bach
Overture No. 1 In C Major: Passepied - J.S.Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 In F Major: II. Adagio - J.S.Bach
Kommst du nun, Jesu vom Himmel herunter, Chorale - J.S.Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G Major: II. Allegro - J.S.Bach
Violin Concerto In E Major: I. Adagio - J.S.Bach
St. Matthew Passion: Finale Chorus: 'Wir setzen uns mit Tranen nieder' - J.S.Bach

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5: Allegro con brio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Fur Elise - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Violin Romance No. 2 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
'Moonlight' Sonata: Adagio sostenuto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Minuet - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 In F Major: Allegretto scherzando - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Coriolan: Overture - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Piano Concerto No. 2: Adagio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor: Allegro - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Egmont: Overture - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Tracks:

Die Fledermaus: Die Fledermaus (Excerpts) - Johann Strauss
Wine, Woman And Song - Johann Strauss
Tritsch Tratsch Polka - Johann Strauss
The Blue Danube - Johann Strauss
The Gypsy Baron: Introduction - Johann Strauss
Annen Polka - Johann Strauss
Vienna Blood - Johann Strauss
The Gypsy Baron: Einzugsmarsch - Johann Strauss

Tracks:

Tannhauser: Overture - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Dance Of The Prentices - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Prelude Act 3 - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Aufzug der Meistersinger - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Der fliegende Hollander: Overture - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Lohengrin: Prelude - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Tristan und Isolde: Prelude And Liebestod - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Tannhauser: Arrival Of The Guests At Wartburg - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 1: Allegro non troppo - Peter Tchaikovsky
String Serenade: Waltz - Peter Tchaikovsky
Violin Concerto: Andante - Peter Tchaikovsky
The Sleeping Beauty: Introduction - Peter Tchaikovsky
The Sleeping Beauty: Pas d'action - Adagio - Peter Tchaikovsky
The Sleeping Beauty: Waltz - Peter Tchaikovsky
Capriccio italien Op. 45 - Peter Tchaikovsky
Swan Lake: Ballet Suite: Scene No. 10 - Peter Tchaikovsky
Swan Lake: Ballet Suite: Waltz - Peter Tchaikovsky
Eugene Onegin: Polonaise - Peter Tchaikovsky

Tracks:

The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 1 In E Major: Spring - VIVALDI, Antonio
Siciliano - VIVALDI, Antonio
Concerto In D Minor:: (Allegro Assai) Cologne Concerto - VIVALDI, Antonio
The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 2 In G Minor: Summer - VIVALDI, Antonio
Oboe Sonata In B Flat Major, RV 34: Adagio - Allegro - Largo - Allegro - VIVALDI, Antonio
The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 3 In F Major: Autumn - VIVALDI, Antonio
Oboe Concerto: Allegro non tasto - Largo - Allegro non molto - VIVALDI, Antonio
Concerto In D Minor: (Largo e spiccato) Cologne Concerto - VIVALDI, Antonio
The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 4 In F Minor: Winter - VIVALDI, Antonio

Tracks:

Scherzo No 1 In B Minor, Op. 20 - Frederic Chopin_
Three Nocturnes, Op. 9: No 3 In B Major - Frederic Chopin_
Twelve Etudes, Op. 10: No 5 In G Flat Major - Frederic Chopin_
Twelve Etudes, Op. 25: No 10 In B Minor - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 13 In F Sharp Major - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 14 In E Flat Minor - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 15 In D Flat Major 'Raindrops' - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 16 In B Flat Minor - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 17 In A Flat Major - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 18 In F Minor - Frederic Chopin_
Scherzo No. 2 In B Flat Minor, Op. 31 - Frederic Chopin_
Waltz In E Flat Major, Op. 18 - Frederic Chopin_
Nocturne In C Sharp Minor, Op. Posth. - Frederic Chopin_
Four Mazurkas, Op. 24: No. 3 In A Flat Major - Frederic Chopin_
Four Mazurkas, Op. 24: No. 4 In B Flat Minor - Frederic Chopin_

Tracks:

Ave Maria - Franz Schubert
Impromptu In E Flat Major - Franz Schubert
Standchen - Franz Schubert
Trout Quintet: Tema con variazioni - Franz Schubert
'Rosamunde': Entr'acte No. 1 - Franz Schubert
Moment Musical In A Flat Major - Franz Schubert
'Rosamunde': Entr'acte No. 2 - Franz Schubert
Moment Musical No. 3 In F Minor - Franz Schubert
'Rosamunde': Ballet Music No.2 - Franz Schubert
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished': Allegro moderato - Franz Schubert

Tracks:

Nabucco: Overture - Verdi, Giuseppe
Nabucco: Va pensiero, sull'ali dorate - Verdi, Giuseppe
Aida: Prelude - Verdi, Giuseppe
II Trovatore: Verdi! le fosche notturne (Gypsies' Chorus) - Verdi, Giuseppe
II Trovatore: Or co' daddi, ma fra poco (Soldiers' Chorus) - Verdi, Giuseppe
Aroldo: Overture - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata: Prelude - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata: Noi siamo zingarelle - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata:: Libiamo ne' lieti calici - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata: Di Madride noi siam mattadori - Verdi, Giuseppe
La forza del destino: Overture - Verdi, Giuseppe

Customer Reviews:

masters of classical music.......2007-03-26

A nice collection for the classical listener. Great variety of composers and the music quality of the cds are very good.

A good basic collection.......2006-11-10

With selections from numerous composers, it is an easy way to familiarize oneself with some of the most popular classical works and excerpts. A pleasant listen for the initiated too.

An excellent introduction to classical music.......2006-10-18

This is an excellent introduction to classical music. Well performed and presented.

Very Beautiful!!!!!1.......2006-10-05

If you are a fan of classical music then you better get this set. Not only is it very cheap, 10 Discs for about 2$ per disk. Now where are you gonna find a deal like this. I actually found mine chaper, $20.00 even and the music is outstanding. If you had a very bad day and very stressed out, just put in one of these cds, lay down, dim down the lights and just relax. It really helped me out.

Still Stuck on Beethoven.......2006-08-22

I just recently started listening to classical music so I'm certainly not one to compare or critique the quality of this set. However, I do have a few comments...

My interest started in this genre of music because I'm researching my ancestry in Prussia and this is the music of those times. Never mind my ancestors were poor peasants who probably never got the chance to hear such wonderful music... when listening to these CDs, I'm taken back in time... to a royal court in Europe... to another place in time. The music is inspiring, relaxing, invigorating.

I have yet to listen to all the CD's in the set. I'm stuck on Beethoven! Wasn't he AWESOME!?!

I think this set is a wonderful introduction to classical music!!!!!

Twilight of the Gods: The Essential Wagner Collection

Average customer rating:

Wonderful collection and price!
Awesome collection!
Helicopters? Marines?
A great addition to my music collection
Quintessential Wagner

Twilight of the Gods: The Essential Wagner Collection

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Wagner: Overture & Preludes
The Best Of Wagner
Wagner: The "Ring" Without Words
Wagner without Words
25 Thunderous Classics

ASIN: B000009ON7
Release Date: 1998-08-11

Tracks:

The Valkyries: Ride Of The Valkyries
Twilight Of The Gods: Siegfried's Funeral March
Lohengrin: Prelude to Act III
The Flying Dutchman: Overture
The Flying Dutchman: Sailors' Chorus
The Rheingold: Journey Down To Nibelheim
The Mastersingers Of Nuremberg: Overture
Tannhauser: Overture
Tannhauser: Entry Of The Guests
Tannhauser: Tannhauser's Pilgrimage
Siegfried: Act III Orchestral Interlude
Twilight Of The Gods: Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Twilight Of The Gods: Finale
The Rheingold: Entry Of The Gods Into Valhalla

Tracks:

Lohengrin: Prelude To Act I
Lohengrin: Bridal Chorus
Parsifal: Prelude to Act I
Parsifal: Good Friday Music
Parsifal: Transformation Scene
Tannhauser: Venusberg Music
Tannhauser: Pilgrims Chorus
The Mastersingers Of Nuremburg: Prelude To Act III
The Rheingold: Vision Of Valhalla (Scene II Introduction)
Siegfried Idyll
Siegfried: Brunnhildes Awakening
Tristan And Isolde: Prelude To Act III
Tristan And Isolde: Death Of Isolde

Amazon.com

If you like your Wagner served up in bleeding chunks or if you're simply in a hurry to hear the tunes, then this compilation is for you. The performances, drawn from the Polygram (mainly Deutsche Grammophon) back catalog, are for the most part authoritative. They feature the likes of Herbert von Karajan, with the Berlin Philharmonic, and Karl Böhm, with the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra (and chorus), in extracts from recordings of complete operas, and conductors Giuseppe Sinopoli, Otto Gerdes, and Antal Doráti in some of the more familiar overtures and preludes. Singing, without which it is impossible to get the full flavor of Wagner's work, is skirted whenever possible: this is an unapologetic tribute to Wagner the orchestral genius. At times the salesmanship is a little overblown--the glitzy packaging includes a cover shot of the helicopters from Apocalypse Now--and the sound, some of it from very good originals, seems to have been juiced with a little added digital reverb, resulting in an overall glassiness. The gaps between tracks are minimized, disco style, so there's no dead air, and the whole thing has an Entertainment Tonight feel to it. Were he around, Wagner would have screamed bloody murder, then happily taken his cut of the action. For today's on-the-go listener, this may well be the most practical way to enjoy Wagner's music, but we won't be happy until it motivates at least one newcomer to seek out a recording of a complete opera. Anyone who does that will find out what "apocalypse" really means. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful collection and price!.......2007-05-11

I found this to be a nice collection of favorites, especially to keep in the car and listen to. It is a variety of well known compilations. Although not encompassing, it is perfect as a review for driving, relaxing, and enjoyment. Plus, the price is right!

Awesome collection!.......2007-01-10

This is a great collection of some of Wagner's most memorable songs for those of you who do not want to buy the whole opera's for some of his works.

Helicopters? Marines?.......2006-12-05

Do those infotainment marketing mavens ever get it right? Talk about Hollywood disconnect! Not only are the helicopters irrelevant, but to quote from the gushy drivel on the jacket, "The gripping power of Richard Wagner's music was demonstrated with spectacular effect in...Apocalpse Now, when the "Ride of the Valkyries' became synonymous with the chilling journey of Marine 'Huey' helicopters into battle..."

Marine? Marine? Them Hueys in the movie was ARMY Air Cav, slick! "First of the ninth--air mobile." If you're going to dally down that primrose path, at least get it right.

Better yet, drop the choppers. Most people who listen to Wagner probably realize that quality of an artistic work has a mystically inverse relationship to the number of helicopters contained in it.

As for the music, it is good, but the operatic equivalent of sound bites, which may be just right for people who are new to Wagner or just can't take very much of him. Hmm...perfect for a helicopter ride, perhaps?

A great addition to my music collection.......2006-07-20

This CD takes the place of all my other Wagner music. VERY well done. Somehow I didn't realize that there were two cds in the package--what a pleasant surprise! Of the two cds, I like the first one best, but they are both good. I listen to this cd daily on my way to work. Stirring! I am so glad that I purchased this. Some purists might have a problem with the fact that some of the selections are not there in their entirety. I have no problem with that though. I recommend this to anyone who loves Wagner.

Quintessential Wagner.......2006-05-15

Okay, so I like Wagner. I LOVE "Ride Of The Valkyries". Do I want to go out and buy every single stinkin thing Wagner did? No. If you are a die-hard Wagner fan you probably will not think much of this collection.

But if you like Wagner and appreciate "Ride Of The Valkyries", and maybe require it in just a little more substance than what is included in "Apocolypse Now Redux", then this is what you want. The extra tracks are bonuses and are quite good. Meets my needs, presentation great, performance excellent. I recommend it for anyone that needs a Wagner fix.

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

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:

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde/Parsifal/Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg/Lohengrin/Tannhäuser
The Best Of Wagner
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Twilight of the Gods: The Essential Wagner Collection
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:

An excellent classical CD
A hidden diamond
Wagner's Grandeur
Ormandy is underrated!
Excellent Recordings

The Best Of Wagner

Manufacturer: RCA
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Binding: Audio CD

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Twilight of the Gods: The Essential Wagner Collection
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Wagner: Tristan und Isolde/Parsifal/Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg/Lohengrin/Tannhäuser

ASIN: B000003F4J
Release Date: 1991-06-06

Tracks:

Die Meistersinger: Prelude
Die Walkure: Ride Of The Valkyries
Lohengrin: Bridal Chorus
Siegfried: Forest Murmurs
Gotterdammerung: Dawn & Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Die Walkure: Magic Fire Music
Tristan und Isolde: Liebestod

Customer Reviews:

An excellent classical CD.......2007-01-28

Richard Wagner rightly deserves his high reputation as a classical musician. Like many people, I don't care for Wagner's racial or religious views, but don't let that stop you from enjoying his music. The CD starts off with my favorites the Prelude from Die Meistersinger & Ride of the Valkyries from Die Walkure, followed by a fascinating rendition of the Bridal Chorus (a.k.a. "Here Comes the Bride") from Lohengrin. I won't recite the rest of the list, but there are 4 other compositions, all somewhat varied in style, but very good. Whether you are classical music buff or simply want an introduction to classical music this CD is a good place to start.

A hidden diamond.......2001-10-03

This unassuming budget classic reissue is among the finest of its genre: The Wagner orchestral highlight album, and features the contents of 1973 LP recital the farthest thing from run-of-the-mill, spaciously recorded with the palpable feeling of the presence of the musicians, not merely an amorphously gorgeous orchestral sonority. The music unfolds without self-indulgent pointing, in a free-wheeling manner that is simply right.

The original Ormandy program is supplemented with a track by Robert Shaw doing a luscious rendering of the famous Bridal Chorus from with his divine women's chorus, a version as good or better than any ever anthologized or appearing in complete opera recordings, its 1959 atmospherically recorded sound barely showing its age.

My only caveat is that this stuff really merited more respectful packaging than this ersatz "Best of" series, but at the price, who should complain?

Wagner's Grandeur.......2001-08-24

Wagner was a great composer. His music and use of orchestra are grand and masterful. I am repulsed by his political views, but as an artist he was a genius. This compilation of Wagner is probably the best there is. I listen to it from time to time. The breadth of the orchestral palette, the elevation, and grandeur have been imitated but never duplicated.

Ormandy is underrated!.......2001-02-08

I did a test by listening to Szell, Klemperer, Karajan, Kubelik, Bohm, Jochum, Gerdes, Ozawa, Stokowski, and Ormandy play Wagner overtures and excerpts from "The Ring". My verdict: it's Ormandy. What can I say? I feel as is he's underrated, especially in the annals of Wagner worship. I like Stokowski's energy, but he plays around with scores (horrors!) too much. The Szell was great, but a tad limp. Other conductors have their high points, but Ormandy ranks consistently at the top. His conducting is full and rich and the orchestra always sounds great. I ranked the Szell orchestral music from Wagner at 5 stars, so Ormandy rates 6 stars.

Excellent Recordings.......2000-11-08

The selections performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Ormandy are excellent. One of the best. Highly Recommended.

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

Average customer rating:

Highest Recommendation Possible
Great Music At Any Price!

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

Manufacturer: Seraphim
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ASIN: B000000UW7
Release Date: 1995-10-17

Tracks:

Tristan Und Isolde: Prelude and Liebestod
Parsifal: Prelude to Act I
Parsifal: Good Friday Music
Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg: Prelude to Act III
Lohengrin: Prelude to Act I
Tannhauser: Overture

Customer Reviews:

Highest Recommendation Possible.......2007-02-04

I have been ravenously studying classical music for about the last two years non stop. It has been a fantastic voyage. Out of everything by everyone, to me, this is among the very best CDs. The music is beautiful, mighty and majestic. On top of that, the CD is very inexpensive, considering it's quality.

Great Music At Any Price!.......2004-03-14

The original EMI Seraphim budget CD line has to be the greatest value for the money in the history of music. For half the price of other so-called budget lines, including the new version of EMI Seraphim and the Sony Essential Classics series, you get first-rate performances from the golden age of stereo by some of the greatest conductors of the century. On this particular title you get brilliant Wagner performances by Rudolf Kempe and Sir Adrian Boult. This was my first disc of Wagner Orchestral Music, and I liked it so much that I eventually upgraded in order to get more terrific Wagner performances by Kempe and Boult (see my reviews). You see, Boult has a two-disc mid-priced set collecting his Wagner recordings on EMI, while Kempe has two full-priced discs on the Testament label, which licensed his EMI recordings. Granted, most will not want to pay as much as I did for their Wagner, and if you don't, just buy this title with the loose change in your pocket.

Average customer rating:

Great Cover
Szell's Magical And Terrific Wagner Album
Fabulous Wagner!
Szell has not fallen!
Precise, clinical performances in dated sound

Wagner without Words

Manufacturer: Sony
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ASIN: B000002763
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

Das Rheingold: Entrance Of The Gods Into Valhalla
Die Walkure: Ride Of The Valkyries
Die Walkure: Magic Fire Music
Siegfried: Forest Murmurs
Gotterdammerung: Dawn - Seigfried's Rhine Journey
Gotterdammerung: Siegfried's Funeral Music - Final Scene
Tristan And Isolde: Prelude - Love-Death
Die Meistersinger: Prelude To Act I

Customer Reviews:

Great Cover.......2007-06-06

This same album has had at least 2 identical incarnations except for the cover art. So if you have bought some of his Wagner orchestral suites before, beware and be aware! You just may be making a redundant purchase. This version has by far the best cover artwork.

I have several of Wagner's Orchestral suites lps (Szell, Stokowski, Klemperer, Ormandy, Karajan) They all sound just peachy, so do not ask me to choose based on the music. I like the Stokowski best merely because it is on the great sounding Phase 4 label plus it has art work similar to this Szell cd and it has substantial liner notes. But as far as the music goes, a pair of Klemperers/Szells will just about beat any hand.

If you are new to Wagner, this is a wonderful intro. Then you can rent some of his music drama operas thru Netflix and take advantage of the best thing since sliced bread, English subtitles.

If you are looking for the Wagner symphony section at Amazon, there aint any! These orchestral suites are as close as you will get. Look instead to his disciples, Bruckner for symphonies and Richard Strauss for symphonic poems.

Szell's Magical And Terrific Wagner Album.......2007-05-21

This was Cleveland's most prominent condutor, the late George Szell's only Wagner album. True, he was at home conducting the music of Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Dvorak and all the brand-name, top classical music, but he was, at the same time, a gifted interpreter of Wagner. While Szell's name is not mentioned in the same sentence as Herbert Von Karajan nor was he a conductor of opera, this album showcases the skill and artistry he achieved while conducting the score to Wagner's most important operas - The Ring of the Nibelungen and Tristan and Isolde. The Cleveland Orchestra is at the height of its powers and the music you will hear on this album overflows with passion, dignity, grandeur and beauty, all the elements that Wagner's larger-than-life operas are made of. The first track is the Entrance Of The Gods Into Valhalla, the final scene in Das Rhinegold, the first of the four Ring operas. Pity this album does not begin with the beautifully mysterious and spiritual Rhinegold Overture, which would have been more appropriate, as the music segues into the Entrance of the Gods. But even as it is, it's wonderful. The music describes the vainglorious Odin, his wife Freya and the other Norse gods ascending into the glittering golden palace of Valhalla, pride and downfall of the gods. The music is bombastic and grand, just like one hears it at the opera, a melage of trumpets and brass. But the music is also composed of melancholy strings (violins) describing the lament of the Rhinemaidens, bemoaning the loss of the Ring and foreshadowing the coming tragedy. Track 2: Ride Of The Valkyries: This famous war march has been heard in films (such as Apocalypse Now) and occurs toward the end of "Die Walkure". It's a militaristic, noisy, ebullient battle cry. In the opera, Brunhilde, Odin's immortal daughter, has rebelled against him and takes to the air on winged horses with her fellow Valkyries. This interpretation is quite different than others you'll hear because Szell discovered an additional bit of music that Wagner intended to be played but for the most part is not heard. If you're quick, you'll catch it. It's a repetition of the battle cry "Hojo-to-ho" on the trumpet, occuring toward the last portion of the piece. 3: Magic Fire Music: This "magical" music, mostly for strings, serves as the score to the final scene in "Die Walkure" in which Odin has cast a sleeping spell on Brunhilde and puts her in the middle of a ring of fire, where she will await the kiss of the hero Siegfried. The tristesse of the piece represents a father's grief for the loss of his most belove daughter. Track 4 and 5 Forest Murmurs and Siegfried's Journey: This music is taken from various moments in the opera "Siegfried" which relates the hero's adventures. He awakens the sleeping Brunhilde who has become mortal, slays the fearsome dragon Fafnir and wields as magical sword. The Forest Murmurs takes place in the immense forest where Brunhilde lies sleeping. Endowed with the gift of communicatin with nature, a bird tells Siegfried where he can find Brunhilde. If one does not overanalyze the music, merely strings and flutes, one can clearly feel the word-painting and characterization in the piece. The flute is the bird or birds and the forest itself, the more powerful chords represent Siegfried and the brief "Valkyrie" motif stands for Brunhilde. In "Rhine Journey" we hear the strings become the flowing river and we can see Siegfried journeying to a dangerous adventure, one which costs the hero's life. In "Siegfried's Funeral March" Siegfried has been betrayed and is slain by the Giants. The funeral music is dark, primal and powerful in its depiction of nobility and downfall. As it ends, we hear Brunhilde's love theme which then appropriately takes us to the Immolation Scene. Brunhilde, distraught over the death of her beloved, summons her horse and leaps over Siegfrie'ds burning funeral pyre, a grand act of love and sacrifice, the first hint of humanity and compassion in otherwise dark drama filled with greedy and wicked characters. This leads to Valhalla's demise by fire and water and the world ends. Only the Rhinemaidens remain, taking back the ring which had long been stolen from them. Though these are only portions of music from the supremely lengthy score, it is enough to entice the listener to seeing the Ring, the biggest feast of opera one can ever undertake. The Overture to Tristan and Isolde summarizes the work itself. It's a high romantic tragedy concerning the knight Tristan, the King he serves and Isolde the Queen, whom he falls in love with. Their love is doomed but the magic and transient bliss is perfectly captured in the luminescent Overture, which begins softly and mysteriously with the "Tristan Chord" and culminates with a ravishing rush of strings. The Liebestod, the Love Death, is Isolde's swan song, as she dies of love for the fallen knight. Szell does not play this too fast or too slow. It's done right, and it's heartbreaking, ethereal and magnificent, perhaps even at the level of Karajan's famous interpretations of it. The final track is the grand overture to Die Mastersanger Von Nuremberg, a lengthy paean to Mediveal chivalry, all grandeur and pomp.

Five Stars Well Deserved. Make this your first intro to Wagner. The music will seduce you into watching Wagner operas. Dreamy, romantic, grand, sad, larger than life, Szell has captured the essence of Wagner in a single album. Buy it now. It's cheap and affordable. It's highly recommended. Enjoy.

Fabulous Wagner!.......2006-10-07

This is certainly very good music-making, falling just a little short in the colors department - for which the Berlin under Karajan or the Philadelphia under Ormandy are the ticket. But that aside it's difficult to accept all this Szell bashing. People still listen to the Cleveland recording of the Dvorak Slavonic Dances and will for years to come. And unless you have to have original instruments it's tough to beat Szell and the Cleveland orchestra's brio and attention to detail in Mozart and Haydn.
Of course some of this carping may be the result of a little bit too much self-esteem and not enough appreciation for just what it takes to lead an orchestra at such a level. I remember in college I happened to be at a small gathering of literary people including a few novelists and poets and one critic,the august Edmund Wilson. Not knowing any better I walked right up to a stern-looking older man looking every bit the serious 'Dean of American Critics' and blurted out how much fun I had reading his story "The Man who Shot Snapping Turtles." Apparently this gushing adolescent accolade softened him a bit, and he talked with me for a couple of minutes. The last question I asked him was what did he consider the most important thing in writing criticism. Mr. Wilson blurted out bluntly, "Get it right!"
Over the years I have always thought there was a world of truth in that rather journalistic maxim. The reviews here are a perfect example. One could write and gush about this and that, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter how many names you drop, or airs you put on, if you cannot recognize quality you're no better than the crook in Gatsby whose idea of a small town where one could safely pass counterfeit bonds over the counter was Detroit.
In the Great Gatsby the crook passing false currency for real is picked up by the police. Unfortunately Amazon readers are easily mislead by glowing praise or, in the case of some of the reviews of the Wagner here, cold dislike. People react to harsh words, and especially when they are well written and sound based on experience. Let me assure you - no one is always right, and there are some people who, for whatever reason, have skewered taste.
The Szell Cleveland Wagner CD here is a series of showpieces, played very very well by the Cleveland orchestra. What sets this apart from many Wagner collections is the astonishing orchestra playing. Szell's orchestra, supreme in Dvorak, brings to Wagner's music a clarity rarely achieved by other orchestras. Superbly balanced, the virtousity of the players is on full display. It's a joy to actually hear all the myriad instrumental sounds in Wagner's score - Wagner played in tune, what a shocking concept. And particularly Wagner devoid of bathos! Tovey used to cite Wagner as perhaps the best of all orchestrators; here we have the Cleveland at the pinnacle of their glory days, a wonderful momento. Writing nasty dismissive words about performances of this caliber says more about the reviewers than it does about the recording.
This has been remastered for SACD and if you have a machine that will play SACDs then that is the one to purchase.

Szell has not fallen!.......2006-01-14

I quote from a previous review: "Perhaps no eminent conductor has fallen so far after his death as George Szell". To this comment, I say "Baloney". One great thing about Amazon is their sale of deleted CDs by independent sellers. When George Szell/Cleveland Orchestra CDs suddenly disappear, their price by the independent sellers skyrockets. As for the present CD, I have bought it on LP, cassette and CD and cherished it for years. The playing is sensational, the performances have plenty of passion and the sound is great. The Die Meistersinger and Tristan excerpts were recorded earlier than the Ring and have a little more spontanaiety but the Ring excerpts are also outstanding.

Precise, clinical performances in dated sound.......2005-10-29

Perhaps no eminent conductor has fallen so far after his death as George Szell. He was treated with enormous respect during his long tenure with the Cleveland Orchestra, and he couldn't appear in Carnegie Hall without getting raves from the New York critics (his reviews were much better than Bernstein's). On the evidence of this cold, unfeeling CD of Wagner excerpts, mostly from the Ring, one wonders why. Every excerpt is treated to the same strict, unyielding approach; there is no rubato or romanticism. In addition the sound is thin and full of hiss (Szell's LPs on Epic were infamous for their bad sound, and Sony hasn't bothered to improve things on their digitual reissue.)

I will remember Szell fondly from my formative years in the Sixties, but he has become a dead letter in the intervening decades.

Wagner - Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg / Kollo · Donath · Adam · G. Evans · Schreier · Hesse· Riderbusch · Karajan

Average customer rating:

excellent recording
Another superb Wagner Opera!
Great for Karajan and the orchestra, but..
Great, but could certainly be better
DEUTSCH UND WAHR...DEUTSCH UND ECHT

Wagner - Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg / Kollo · Donath · Adam · G. Evans · Schreier · Hesse· Riderbusch · Karajan
Richard Wagner , Herbert von Karajan , René Kollo , Helen Donath , Siegfried Vogel , Ruth Hesse , Karl Ridderbusch , Staatskapelle Dresden , Geraint Evans , Peter Schreier , Hermann Christian Polster , Zoltan Keleman , Eberhard Buchner , Horst Lunow , Hans Joachim Rotzsch , Horst Hiestermann , Heinz Reeh , and Theo Adam
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
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Tristan Und Isolde
Tannhauser (Slipcase)

ASIN: B00000K4GK
Release Date: 1999-09-21

Tracks:

Prelude
Act One, Scene One: Da Zu Dir Der Heiland Kam
Act One, Scene One: Verweilt! -Ein Wort!
Act One, Scene One: Da Bin Ich!
Act One, Scene Two: David, Was Stehst?
Act One, Scene Three: Fanget An!
Act One, Scene Three: Seid Ihr Nun Fertig?
Act One, Scene Three: Halt! Meister! Nicht So Geeilt!
Act Two, Scene One: Johannistag! Johannistag!
Act Two, Scene Two LaB Seh'n, Ob Meister Sachs Zu Haus?
Prelude
Act Three, Scene One: Gleich Meister! Hier!
Act Three, Scene One: Am Jordan Sankt Johannes Stand
Act Three, Scene One: Wahn! Wahn! Uberall Wahn!
Act Three, Scene Two GruB Gott, Mein Junker!
Act Three Scene Four: Die Selige Morgentraum-Deutweise
Act Three Scene Five: Sankt Crispin, Lobet Ihn!
Act Three Scene Five: Ihr Tanzt? Was Werden Die Meister Sagen?
Act Three Scene Five: Silentium! Silentium!
Act Three Scene Five: Euch Macht Ihr's Leicht

Tracks:

Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 1 Scene 3 - Fanget an ! (Sixtus Beckmesser, Wallther von Stolzing)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 1 Scene 3 - Seid ihr nun fertig ? (Wallther von Stolzing, Veit Pogner)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 1 Scene 3 - Halt ! Meister ! Nicht so geeilt ! (Hans Sachs, Sixtus Beckmesser, Veit Pogner, Wallther von Stolzing)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 2 Scene 1 - Johannistag ! Johannistag ! (David, Magdalene, Hans Sachs)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 2 Scene 2 - Lab seh'n, ob Meister Sachs zo Haus ? (Veit Pogner, Eva, Magdalene)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 2 Scene 3 - Zeig her! S ist gut (Hans Sachs, David)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 2 Scene 3 - Was duftet doch der flieder (Hans Sachs)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 2 Scene 4 - Gut'n abend, Meister !
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 2 Scene 4 - Hilf, Gott ! Wo bliebst du nur so spat ? (Magdalene, Eva, Veit Pogner)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 2 Scene 5 - Da ist er ! (Eva, Magdalene, Walther von Stolzing)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 2 Scene 5 - Geliebter, spare den Zorn ! (Eva, Magdalene, Walther von Stolzing)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 2 Scene 5 - Uble Dinge, die ich da merk (Hans Sachs, Wallther von Stolzing, Eva)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 2 Scene 6 - Tu's nicht ! Doch horcht ! (Hans Sachs, Wallther von Stolzing, Eva)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 2 Scene 6 - Jerum ! Jerum !
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 2 Scene 6 - Das Fenster geft auf (Hans Sachs, Sixtus Beckmesser, Wallther von Stolzing, Eva)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 2 Scene 6 - Den Tag seh'ich erscheinen (Sixtus Beckmesser, Hans Sachs)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Acte 2 Scene 6 - Mit den Schuhen ward ich fertig schier ! (Hans Sachs, Sixtus Beckmesser, David, Magdalene, Veit Pogner, Wallther von Stolzing)

Tracks:

Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene One - Prelude
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene One - Gleich, Meister! Hier!
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene One - Am Jordan Sankt Johannes stand (David, Hans Sachs)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene One - Wahn! Wahn! Uberall Wahn! (Hans Sachs)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Two - Gruss Gott, mein Junker!
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Two - Mein Freund! In holder Jugendzeit
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Two - Morgendlich leuchtend in rosigem schein (Hans Sachs, Wallther von Stolzing)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Three - Ein Werbelied! Von Sachs? - Ist's wahr?
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Three - Das Gedicht? Hier liess ich's (Sixtus Beckmesser, Hans Sachs)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Four - Sieh, Evchen! (Hans Sachs, Eva, Wallther von Stolzing)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Four - Hat man mit dem Schuhwerk nicht seine Not! (Hans Sachs, Eva)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Four - Ein Kind ward hier geboren (Hans Sachs)

Tracks:

Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Four - 'Die selige Morgentraum-Deutweise' (Hans Sachs, Eva, Wallther von Stolzing, David, Magdalene)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Five - Sankt Crispin, Iobet ihn!
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Five - Ihr tanzt? Was werden die Meister sagen? (David)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Five - Silentium! Silentium!
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Five - Euch macht Ihr's leicht, mir macht Ihr's schwer (Hans Sachs, Veit Pogner, Sixtus Beckmesser)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Five - Nun denn, wenn's Meistern und Volk beliebt (Hans Sachs, Sixtus Beckmesser)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Five - Das lied, furwahr, ist nicht von mir (Hans Sachs)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Five - Morgendlich leuchtend im rosigen Schein (Wallther von Stolzing, Hans Sachs, Veit Pogner, Eva)
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Act Three: Scene Five - Verachtet mir die Meister nicht (Hans Sachs)

Amazon.com essential recording

Despite his disdain for some of the sillier aspects of grand opera, H.L. Mencken once said that Die Meistersinger was the greatest single work of art in Western civilization--and, to many, his hyperbole is forgivable when one contemplates the well-crafted structure of this most human of Wagner's music dramas. Of all recordings of his sole comedy, this one under the baton of Karajan in his prime has perhaps the best-balanced cast. The clear, youthful tones of Donath in the role of Eva must be close to Wagner's ideal for the role, while Adam makes a compassionate Sachs--though not quite as resonant as one would wish. Kollo's impetuous style is appropriate to the character of the love-struck Walther. The orchestral playing has the clarity and transparency that is the trademark of the Karajan approach, perhaps most appropriate in this, Wagner's happiest work. --Christian C. Rix

Customer Reviews:

excellent recording.......2007-01-10

"I tried very hard to like Solti latter version or even Barenboim's but this recording never fails to leave me overwhelm by Wagner genius."

Another superb Wagner Opera!.......2006-08-14

I am relatively new to opera, however I am finding myself strongly drawn to the operas of Richard Wagner, not to mention his fantastic overtures and preludes to his operas! I think, I have ordered every opera that Wagner wrote as well as numerous cds on his opera overtures, etc. "Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg" conducted by the great von Karajan! Right now I am listening to "Siegfried" conducted by Solti and the Vienna Philharmoniker. Unbelievable!!
Peter, Richmond, BC, Canada

Great for Karajan and the orchestra, but.........2005-09-05

...the Hans Sachs of Theo Adam is so gritty and dry, so lacking in every human quality this great chatacter should have, that I lament every time I put this Mesitersinger on. Kollo is no great shakes as Walther, either, with his absence of legato, total lack of poetry, and general charmlessness. Donath is wonderful Eva, the minor roles are fine, and Karajan's conducting is miles ahead of competitors like Jochum on DG and Solti on Decca.

All in all, desite the bawling Walther of Hans Hopf in the live Bayreuth performance from the early Fifties conducted by Karajan on EMI, I prefer that reading over this one.

Great, but could certainly be better.......2005-07-30

This is very difficult to review. First, I should say this is a totally satisfactory recording. All of the basic elements of the score (the joy, nobility, pathos and humor) are here in abundance, and it is beautifully performed (by the wonderfully enthusiastic players from Dresden, aided by Donath's lovely Eva and Ridderbusch's amazingly good Pogner) and recorded. However, this Meistersinger always seems restrained, as if Karajan was afraid of being too emotionally connected to the score. Also some of the singing leaves something to be desired. In particular, Theo Adam as Sachs is, for me, totally unimpressive. To me, Sachs is not just a cobbler with musical talent, he is the moral center of this work, one of the wisest characters created for the stage. What makes him especially impressive for me is that Sachs is wise not because he has spent his life in an armchair thinking about philosophical problems, but because he has seen all of life, and is humble enough to see the world as it is. Almost as disturbing, Evans just creates a caricature of Beckmesser. Certainly this is a very common interpretation of the role and is a very safe one, but I really don't see where this comes from. Of course Beckmesser is the essence of a pedant, and a pretty nasty one at that, but he is a human being, not a monster. As I see it, Beckmesser is stuck on the rules of the past because he thinks they are really important in preserving the tradition of the Meistersingers, not because he has some weird hang-up on textbooks. Also, who could doubt that he really has feelings for Eva? Unfortunately, Evans just takes the humanity out of the role by playing him as a prototype for Mime. I realize he was playing it for laughs, but trying to be funny is the surest way of not getting a laugh. The best comedy is when you can't quite decide whether you should laugh because of the absurdity of the situation, or cry because it's so pathetic. To me, Evans' Beckmesser is the clearest example that this recording doesn't really delve into the essence of the work. As in the Ring and Parsifal, Wagner is imagining the youth redeeming their elders who are too conflicted to resolve their issues. Unlike those dramas, Die Meistersinger has the redemption taking place through continuation and rejuvenation of tradition, rather than through renouncing desire. Seen from this perspective, the work is much more serious and philosophically important than when it is seen as a simple comedy, but it is also more joyous, since the triumph comes from the depths of the soul, rather than from a eat, drink, and be merry kind of attitude. Again, none of this subtlety is to be found here.

DEUTSCH UND WAHR...DEUTSCH UND ECHT.......2004-09-02

The Mastersingers is a tribute to popular German art. Folk-art of this kind was probably a romantic illusion of Wagner's own, but he took seriously the idea that each culture should be true to itself, and one reason behind the particular vocal style he adopted in his music-dramas (The Rhinegold and later) was that performances outwith Germany should be able to give them in their own language, something not so easy to achieve with traditional operatic arias. Whether any of this made Wagner the socialist that Shaw liked to think he was I very much doubt. It also seems to me that attempts to find proto-nazism in Die Meistersinger are not only stuff, but also nonsense. It is quite true that towards the end of the work Sachs voices fears for the survival of the German identity, but so far as it goes I can see nothing at all wrong with that. Insofar as the musical tradition was concerned, it was by no means limited to Wagner in any case. Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Mendelssohn were thoroughly imbued in their musical idiom with the influence of Italy, but the music of Schumann and Brahms is as completely, consciously and exclusively German as Wagner's own, and as Bach's had been a century and a half earlier.

The Mastersingers is a 'comedy', in something like the sense that that term applies in Shakespeare. It is not rolling-in-the-aisles stuff, and its basic message is deeply thoughtful and serious. There are actually a couple of incidents that I personally find rather amusing. One is the interminable list of rules for composition, and the other is Sachs's explanation to Beckmesser of why the latter's shoes have rather thin soles. Typically, Wagner is at pains to point out his own jokes in case we missed them. The pillorying of Beckmesser, usually identified with the eminent Vienna critic Eduard Hanslick, may be funny to some. It is certainly rather clever. Wagner neatly puts into Beckmesser's mouth some of the tin-eared rubbish that Hanslick had turned out by way of criticism of himself, although without any of Hanslick's wit and turn of phrase which must have been what really wounded Wagner. Where Wagner seems to me to take a really breathtaking risk is in writing a drama round the theme of awarding a prize to a tune of his own composition. It is very hard indeed even to imagine Handel, Mozart or Verdi or anyone else with a more developed sense of humour than Wagner walking into a trap like that. I am reacquainting myself with The Mastersingers after many years, and when young I was inclined to think that I would have withheld the prize in the competition. Wagner's tune bears a faint resemblance to one by Brahms in his 'Mastersingers' violin sonata, and I still think it suffers a little from the comparison. Whether time has mellowed my opinion or just because Wagner gives us the tune quite so often, I think better of it now, and if the resemblance is not coincidence it can only be a deliberate tribute by Brahms, bursting with melodic inspiration himself, to his great polar opposite.

The Mastersingers is described in this set as an opera. I suppose it is, in one sense, but it is still a music-drama first and foremost. Goetterdaemmerung is a bit of an opera too, but not for the best of reasons as here, more of a partial relapse into the unreformed early style of Tannhaeuser. As one expects, Karajan is completely in charge of what he is doing, and there is never a hint of a stylistic lapse, not even, in my view, the way Evans handles the part of Beckmesser. There is a touch of Mime about it, but this is a work dominated by baritone voices, and the differentiation is welcome to my ears. In general, I'm inclined to argue in support of all the male casting. I go a bundle on the voice of Rene Kollo, and have done since I first heard him in the marvellous Brahms Rinaldo that he did with Sinopoli (now there is a work that gives a fascinating glimpse into another direction that German opera might have taken if the composer had found the libretto he was purportedly searching for), and when Kollo sings 'Parnass und Paradies' it was all I could do to concentrate on what I was listening to as Brahms's celestial cadence at 'Paradiese noch einmal', sung by the same voice, came into my head. I like Theo Adam as Sachs, just as I like him as Wotan. I grew up thinking of Hotter as the type of the Wagnerian bass, but Sachs is a modest craftsman, not the prophet Isaiah, and the bemused and futile Wotan is no Zeus, and I have come to prefer a lighter voice in both roles. The Eva and Magdalene seem to me good though not outstanding, although Donath produces a superb final trill at 'so hold zu werben weiss'. The big effects are big indeed here. The tradesmen process like the gods entering Valhalla in The Rhinegold, but in my own view we should think of that comparison the other way round - Wagner's gods are a wretched lot and their Valhalla a miserable tabernacle of delusion, which they enter like the cobblers bakers and tailors of Nuremberg. There is a lot of choral work here, Wagner was no Handel in that regard to put it mildly, but Karajan rightly plays the effect up.

As always with Karajan, there's nothing much to criticise. However in all my life I'm not sure I can remember anything I would rather hear done by him than by anyone else. I have come back to The Mastersingers after a long time and with no other performance in my head, but I had wistful thoughts of how Fuertwaengler or Toscanini or Beecham might have done it. To that 'Silentium! Silentium!', to quote the apprentices. This is a fine issue, this is a great work, and I feel a better man for just having listened to it.

Average customer rating:

Excellent
The Only Truly Memorable Tracks On This 2 Disc Album Are Jochum's Parsifal Pieces
A Thing of Beauty
It's OK
Falls short of being great.

Wagner: Overture & Preludes

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000001GLB
Release Date: 1995-02-14

Tracks:

Rienzi: Overture
Overture
Overture
Lohengrin: Prelude to Act I
Lohengrin: Prelude to Act III
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Prelude to Act I
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Prelude to Act III
Die Walkure: The Ride of the Valkyries

Tracks:

TRISTAN & ISOLDE - Prelude to Act I
TRISTAN & ISOLDE - Introduction to Act III (Massig Langsam)
TRISTAN & ISOLDE - Liebestodt
SIEGFRIED - Siegfried-Idyll
GOTTERDAMMERUNG - Orchestral Interlude: Siegfried's Rhine Journey
PARSIFAL
PARSIFAL - Good Friday Music

Amazon.com

This is a dazzling collection of nonvocal excerpts from Wagner's operas, from the peace and loveliness of Rafael Kubelik's Siegfried Idyll to the passionate, disturbed Prelude to the first act of Tristan, led by Karl Bohm, and the wild Ride of the Valkyries, with Herbert von Karajan in a particularly rambunctious mood. Other highlights in the two and a half hours of music are transcendent readings of two Parsifal excerpts by Eugen Jochum and the Bavarian Radio Orchestra and a Flying Dutchman set. But couldn't DG have tried to include some information about anything in their teeny paper insert? --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-02-13

I grew up listening to all kinds of music. I must say that listiening to this CD is a wonderful change to today's music. It is relaxing and soothing.

The Only Truly Memorable Tracks On This 2 Disc Album Are Jochum's Parsifal Pieces.......2006-11-06

Many reviewers are stating that this is some sort of great introduction to Wagner, when I think they are not aware of many other terrific orchestral Wagner CDs. EMI has recently released an outstanding CD by Karajan of various Wagner preludes and overtures from the non "Ring" operas. That CD is part of EMI's "Great Recordings of the Century" catalogue and it's also available in the "Karajan Collection". Two different pressings, exact same thing.

To get some juicy "Ring" selections, you should investigate George Szell's oustanding CD on Sony Essential Classics which is uniquely captivating as far as orchestral excerpts from the Ring operas go.

Getting back to this DG Double, here is my rundown of all the tracks. The Rienzi Overture is done well by Karl Bohm but it's nothing remarkable. The Flying Duthchman also conducted by Bohm is played with gusto, pretty good. The Tannhauser Overture is an extremely dull run-through by Otto Gerdes, what a nightmare! Listen to Solti instead to get the full power of this terrific piece! The Lohengrin preludes by Kubelik lack the dreamy mysticism and rich power of Karajan's versions on EMI. The preludes to Die Meistersinger are played by Bohm and Jochum, Bohm is too relaxed and slow in the prelude to Act 1 but Jochum finds more life in the prelude to act 3. The ultra-famous "Ride of the Valkyries" is played by Karajan, an excerpt from his complete set of the Ring and yes the soprano soloists are on display here. It's a good account but hardly matches the excitement of Solti's version from his complete Ring recording.

The second CD opens up with powerful excerpts from Tristan and Isolde played by Bohm, the prelude and Act 3 intro are taken from his famous Bayreuth set with Birgit Nilsson. Nilsson however is not represented in the final Liebestod, instead a later, not very passionate Bohm recording is tacked on. The Siegfried Idyll is conducted by Kubelik and is not very memorable, certainly lacking the romantic abandon of the famous Karajan versions. Siegfried's Rhine Journey from Gotterdammerung is led by Karajan and sounds great.

Finally we get to the best part of this 2CD package, Eugen Jochum's performances of the Prelude and Good Friday Music from Wagner's final masterpiece, Parsifal. Both sound highly involved and deeply spiritual, the sound is great for something that was recorded way back in 1957. The brass get a bit edgy but it's not much of a worry, the readings are exceptional.

If you're a Wagner newbie, this 2CD set might satisfy you but I recommend you go and buy that EMI Karajan CD and the Ring excerpts by Szell, listen to those and you'll be well on your way to tackling a full opera. The most accessible opera to start with is Lohengrin.

A Thing of Beauty.......2006-06-17

I am not overly fond of opera but there are exceptions. This album is such an exception. I suppose that is because there is little to be heard in the way of singing on it. I like it for the instrumental passages and they are wonderful.

As the title suggests, these are primarily overtures and preludes. They are not as bombastic as Wagner is wont to be but they are very strong. They are evocative of beauty and majesty. It is good orchestral music.

The performances included are all from Germanic orchestras. This music is a part of the culture and it is well done. If I have one complaint, it is a minor one. The pianissimo passages are sometimes so soft as to not be present. They are...understated in the extreme.

All in all, this is a quality recording capable of producing hours of enjoyment from its two disks.

It's OK.......2006-03-20

I judge this CD for it's sound quality - very good. The Wagner's music it's not really my type of music, therefore I can't say it's a poor CD. If the music is just OK is not the CD's fault. Simply my taste doesn't match Wagner's music.

Falls short of being great........2006-02-01

I'm surprised that all of the other reviewers neglected to mention the shortcomings of this set. Without Siegfried's Funeral March from Die Gotterdammerung and coupled with the fact that the liner notes stink, this is well deserving of 2 stars, but I was generous. Get the EMI set "Orchestral Music" with Szell conducting which has everything that this collection has plus Siegfried's Funeral March, good liner notes and extra selections.