Wagner: Siegfried Idyll, Preludes & Overtures

On this CD:

1. Rienzi, der Letzte der Tribunen, opera, WWV 49 Overture
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Lorin Maazel

2. Lohengrin, opera, WWV 75 Act III: Prelude
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Lorin Maazel

3. A Faust Overture, for orchestra in D minor, WWV 59
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Lorin Maazel

4. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Prelude
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Lorin Maazel

5. Siegfried Idyll, for small orchestra in E major, WWV 103
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Lorin Maazel

6. Die Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods), opera, WWV 86d Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Lorin Maazel

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.

Wagner: Preludes and Overtures; Orchestral Works

Average customer rating:

Very fine of orchestral highlights and rarities

Wagner: Preludes and Overtures; Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005UVAN
Release Date: 2005-07-14

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cheers!

Laon

Average customer rating:

A Great Wagner Orchestra

Wagner: Overtures & Preludes, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Wagner: Overtures & Preludes
Wagner: Overture & Preludes
Wagner - Parsifal / Levine, Weikl, Mazura, Metropolitan Opera

ASIN: B00002DEUM
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Tracks:

Tannhauser: Prelude To Act III
Parsifal: Prelude
Parsifal: Good Friday Spell
Rienzi: Overture
Die Meistersinger: Prelude To Act III
Die Meistersinger: Prize-Song (For Horn)
Siegfried Idyll

Customer Reviews:

A Great Wagner Orchestra.......2002-08-27

What an orchestra! The CSO has the perfect sound for this type of music, and it doesn't hurt that Barenboim really knows what he's doing with Wagner's music. Every piece on this disc is played with great intensity and attention to detail. The sound is vivid as well, though it makes the high brass sound a little bright at times. Overall, this is well worth hearing. Just be sure to ignore the picture of Barenboim and that dumb hat...

Wagner: Siegfried-Idyll, Overtures & Preludes, Die Meistersinger, Flying Dutchman, Lohengrin

Average customer rating:

One of my absolute favorites!

Wagner: Siegfried-Idyll, Overtures & Preludes, Die Meistersinger, Flying Dutchman, Lohengrin

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon / Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Respighi: Fontane Di Roma/Pini Di Roma/Feste Romane

ASIN: B00000E3ER
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Customer Reviews:

One of my absolute favorites!.......2005-03-19

Simply an extraordinary collection of instrumental music! When you want to hear Wagner's operatic mastery sans singing, play this vintage CD and experience sound and performances akin to sitting in "the sweet spot" of a premier hall during a live concert! Sinopoli and the NYPO really did themselves proud with this project. Highly recommended! The music is magnificent from beginning to end, but my personal favorites are the two Lohengrin excerpts. This disc is yet another example of an excellently engineered, mid-1980s digital recording that has stood the test of time. A shame it's becoming ungodly rare... if you could only own ONE "Wagner" CD, you could do far worse! Snap it up while you can.

Great Conductors of the 20th Century: Felix Weingartner

Average customer rating:

Great performances, but are the EMI transfers that good?
The Art Of Subtlety
Great Conductors of 20th Century = Best Reissues of the 21st

Great Conductors of the 20th Century: Felix Weingartner

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Igor Markevitch

ASIN: B0000AKPID
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

Overture - Wiener Philharmoniker
I Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio - London Symphony Orchestra
II Larghetto - London Symphony Orchestra
III Scherzo. Allegro - London Symphony Orchestra
IV Allegro Molto - London Symphony Orchestra
Trojan March - Orchestre De La Societe Des Concerts Du Conservatoire
Invitation To The Dance, J260 (Rondo Brillant) - London Philharmonic Orchestra
I Allegro Con Brio - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II Andante - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III Poco Allegretto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV Allegro - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

I Adagio - Allegro - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II Andante Con Moto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV Finale. Allegro - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Overture - Orchestre De La Societe Des Concerts Du Conservatoire
Siegfried-Idyll - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Les Preludes, S97 (Symphonic Poem After Lamartine) - London Symphony Orchestra
Mephisto Waltz No.1, S110/2 - London Symphony Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

Great performances, but are the EMI transfers that good?.......2005-04-18

It has been my experience that the best sounding transfers of historical material do in general not come from the parent companys that produced them. They tend of be thin, lacking bass,and over-filtered. Naxos has produced some fine transfers, but I would wait for Opus Kura to reissue this wonderful material.

The Art Of Subtlety.......2004-07-07

Felix Weingartner (1863-1942) was an extraordinary conductor whose finest work was notable for an unerring choice of tempos, elegant phrasing, highly nuanced poise and balance, exquisitely shaded attacks, rhytmic verve, and selfless dedication to the notes as written. While I am a great admirer of more "interventionist" conductors like Furtwangler and Abendroth, it is Weingartner who truly displayed the great art of subtlety: not too loud, not too soft, neither too fast nor too slow, with an enormous variety of emphasis within a single, unified pulse.

Unlike many of the volumes in EMI's "Great Conductors" series, this one offers an excellent representation of the artist's talents in well-selected performances. His Beethoven Creatures of Prometheus Overture is, to my ears, challenged only by the Mengelberg as the finest recording ever. The Beethoven 2nd is a virtual textbook on how to conduct early Beethoven - only Kleiber, Schuricht and Georgescu have come close to matching it. The Brahms 3rd is magnificent - even Furtwangler is eclipsed here. Weingartner was a student of Franz Liszt, and his "Les Preludes" is stunning: to my mind, it is bettered only by the classic Mengelberg account. This lovely Mozart 39th, chaste and pure, is a marvel - it's my favorite along with the Kleiber. Weingartner's orchestration of Weber's "Invitation to the Dance" is a fascinating contrast to the conventional Berlioz arangement - his use of harps is intriguing! Wagner's Rienzi Overture is wonderfully direct and vital, as is the Berlioz Trojan March (without chorus). Only in the Siegfried Idyll do I find Weingartner perhaps a bit too straightforward - but even there, the orchestra displays the jeweled balance of a fine Swiss watch.

My only complaint: except for the Mozart, which is the finest transfer of the 39th I have heard, most of the other selections suffer somewhat from overly-filtered transfers. The Beethoven 2nd can be heard in a better transfer on Naxos, while the Brahms' 3rd, in EMI's own discontinued CD set of the four Brahms symphonies, had clearer sound than this one. But don't let that discourage you from acquiring this set - it's a superb introduction to one of the greatest conductors who ever waved a baton!

Great Conductors of 20th Century = Best Reissues of the 21st.......2003-11-20

It's sad that the "Great Conductors of the 20th Century" reissue series has not gotten more attention, because it has my vote for the best reissue program thus far of the 21st Century. Drawing from the archives of all the major classical labels (EMI, Sony, BMG, DG, Decca, Philips, Supraphon, etc.), EMI and IMG Artists have assembled a wonderful series of affordable two-disc sets by the leading conductors of the last century. And unlike its counterpart, "The Great Pianists of the 20th Century," which are basically compilations of material already available on other CDs, the "Great Conductors" features rare and, for the most part, previously unreleased performances! And as if that wasn't enough, the most recent volumes (beginning with no. 25) are now available at mid-line instead of full-price!

This particular CD, Volume 34, features the great Felix Weingartner, and as the track information is non-existent above, allow me to tell what is contained in this fine collection. This 2CD set begins with works by Beethoven, a Weingartner specialty -- the Creatures of Prometheus Overture (Vienna Philharmonic, 1936) and the 2nd Symphony (London SO, 1938). Next are the March from Berlioz's "Les Troyens" (Orchestre de la Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire, 1939) and Weber's "Invitation to the Dance" (London PO, 1938). Disc one concludes with Brahms' 3rd Symphony (also London PO, 1938) -- an outstanding reading and along with the Beethoven 2nd, the highlight of this set. Disc two begins with Weingartner's only Mozart Symphony recording, the 39th (LPO, 1940), though this rare document is marred by poor sound. The collection wraps up with two selections each by Wagner and Liszt -- the "Rienzi" Overture (OSCC, 1939) and "Siegfried-Idyll" (LPO, 1938), and "Les Preludes" and "Mephisto Waltz No. 1" (both LSO, 1940) respectively. A final note, as Weingartner died in 1942, all of the selections are in mono.

Tracks:

Rienzi: Ov
Lohengrin: Act III: Prld
Faust: Ov
Die Meistersinger: Prld
Siegfried Idyll
Gotterdammerung: Rheinfahrt (Siegfried's Rhine Journey)

Customer Reviews:

The Berlin Phil. takes us to Wagner heaven for 70 min........2006-09-26

Except for a disappointing couple of rounds with Klaus Tennstedt, Wagner has been scarce from Berlin since the death of Karajan. Recently there was a very fine CD of excerpts under Abbado, and this one with Maazel (featuring material that doesn't overlap Abbado's), shows off the orchestra's ravishing tone and effortless virtuosity. Maazel can be a perverse interpreter--one almost expects it of him--but here he's behaving well, and his ability to make ensembles sound good is undeniable. Some say he has more podium technique than anyone else in his generation. Be that as it may, ths gorgeous-sounding recording also boasts demonstration-quality sonics. Overall, a definite winner. But be sure to buy it in the mid-price issue the BMG recently made available.

SUMPTUOUS & SMOOTH.......2001-02-12

- With the recent of appointment of Maazel to the New York Philharmonic is another testament that this guy has one of the top handfuls of much sought after leadership on the orchestral podium.

In this recording, which arrived from mail just yesterday and which I've listened to for about 6 hours already, I am constantly massaged with Sumptuous and Smooth sound of the Berliner's. I especially love Maazel's version of Meistersinger and Siegfried Idyll. The Meistersinger is just a teeny tad slow, especially in the closing bars, but, what resulted is a more romantic interpretation, almost ala, Tristan & Isolde. Maazel really stretched the decelerando, beginning 16 bars before the end, creating a greatly more romantic performance. I only wished that he would've brought the main theme back slightly faster, which would create a greater urgency and energy.

I've studied this piece for many years now, under different versions of conductors and orchestras. I have the entire printed score of this long opera, still, I am amazed at the skill which Wagner weave his marvelous counterpoints. He is truly a very fluent composer, not bad considering that he is mostly self-taught. Even Lizst, who once were Wagner's teacher, admits that now the student has become a master and the master - a student. Wagner's skills as an orchestrator and composer, especially in his harmonic vocabulary superseded his former master by huge leaps and bounds. Lizst also has been hugely superseded by Wagner's mastery of counterpoint, pretty much making Lizst sound like a beginner.

This Siegfried Idyll, I think is one of the best out there. I am slightly disappointed that the clarinet counterpoint in the solo horn motive is not brought forward a little more, so it's character is hidden. I also would have prefered the solo horn to be brought forward more. Otherwise, this is a great performance. Maazel injects his romanticism. But sometimes, I feel he skips some rubatos which would make his interpretations that much more delicious. Such as the opening bars, I would have it slow down as soon as the theme begins. And overall, I tend to think Maazel rushes a bit.

Gotterdammerung is a fine, expectedly high performing standards. Again, listen to the strings and see if you don't want to give these guys a hug and tell them you love them. Or at least invite them for thanksgiving.

Rienzi, I think this is also one of the best versions out there. The cellos carrying the melody are just warm and voluptuous. It makes you feel safe and protected, making you feel that you'd be alright if you're to jump off a bridge, because the cello section will catch you safe and sound.

This recording quality is certainly one of the best. But I only willing to give it 4 stars, because I feel the performances can still be a little bit tighter, much like the Chicago Symphony is tight when under Reiner. In fact, I still really haven't found any conductor keeping as tight of an orchestra as the old Reiner's reign. Nevertheless, it does not mean it's awful or not up to standards, by all means. I think I'll give the Berliner's 4 1/2, but I can't chose that in this review. Still, tell me which recording can capture all the warmth of a wonderful orchestra's strings. When I went to Carnegie to hear the Boston Symphony under Ozawa, I was flabergasted that the strings were so warm I could feel the heat like it's a radiator. I am looking forward to DVD-Audio, and Super CDs to be more common place, which will reproduce at 96 khz, instead of 44.1. This will indeed help to improve recording resolution in magnificent ways. I know because I produce CD albums and keep up with the recording technology.

The recording quality is modern, absorbing a great deal of the smoothness and richness of the famed Berlin strings. Ah, yes, if you want romanticism, then the Berlin strings are one of a handful of supreme opulence. But then again, they play on Stradivarius and Guarnerius. Still, the million dollar instruments are not being played by performing monkeys. If ever the orchestra's instrument got burned in a fire, you'd have one highly suicidal Insurance company. If all of them got burned or destroyed, you'd have many buriels. Just recently I read one Guarneri was purchased for $3.5 million by a group of investors. Frankly, I'd rather buy myself a mansion and a Porche for $3.5 million.

One orchestra member that's less than a good player said to me, don't even try to audition with the Berliners unless you know all the concertos by heart and perform it pretty much as good as soloists. They are evil in their choice standards. By all means, if you ever know of a broadcast by the Berliners or by the Vienna Philharmonic, don't ever miss it. The more audience they have for the broadcast, the more they'll broadcast it. For those who saw Maazel's broadcast of the Vienna Phil performing Also Sprach, and other Strauss' tone poems, don't you think you can eat those sounds off the floor? They're that good.

Sometimes, I wonder of those reviewers who think opposite of a great recording. I don't know whether they're so used to their old recordings that they're not willing to open to new interpretations, or, they're just too inflexible to hear anything other then what they're so used to. Maazel is one of the few living conductors of the past that we need to cherish. These young modern successors, often are just not up to par. Some do great, though.

If you disagree with my review, then explain in detail as to why, even mention specific bars of the music. Don't just say it's mediocre or such, that's poor reviewing. Be specific. I can be even more so in this review, but it will be a full fledged essay of what's already a long review.

Good luck!

SkyRun

Write me if you like.

Tracks:

Overture
Prelude
Act I: Prelude
Act III: Prelude
Siegfried-Idyll
Act I: Prelude
Act III: Prelude
Dance Of The Apprentices
Finale

Wagner: Overtures & Preludes [Hybrid SACD]

Average customer rating:

Wagner: Overtures & Preludes [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Pentatone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000APVIS
Release Date: 2003-08-26

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Golden Classics

Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000000K6Y
Release Date: 1995-04-16

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5, 1st Movement
Symphony No. 1, 1st Movement
Dance of the Cygnets [From "Swan Lake"]
Symphony No. 40, 1st Movement
Dance of the Clowns from "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
Water Music (The Hornpipe)
Gavotte from Suite No. 3
Toreadors March from Carmen
Waltz "Wine, Women and Song"
"Winter" from The Four Seasons
Lohengrin: Prelude to Act 3
Rosamunde (Ballet Music)
In the Hall of the Mountain King
Dance of the Reed Flutes [From The Nutcracker]
Tritsch Tratsch Polka
Black Keys Study-Etude
Piano Concerto No. 1

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 1, 1st Movement
Clair de Lune
Symphony No. 4: The Italian, 1st Movement
Piano Concerto No. 21, 2nd Movement
Blue Danube Waltz
Minute Waltz No. 6
Prelude l'AprMidi d'Une Faune
Overture: Tannhauser
Morning from Peer Gynt
Fantasy Overture: Romeo & Juliet
New World Symphony, 2nd Movement
Unfinished Symphony
Prelude to "The Raindrop"
Overture: The Merry Wives of Windsor
Piano Concerto No. 2, 3rd Movement
Swan (From "Carnival of the Animals")

Tracks:

Serenade for Strings
Prelude to: "La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin"
Emperor Waltz
Symphony No. 40, 2nd Movement
Concerto for Violin, 1st Movement
Symphony No. 4, 3rd Movement
Piano Concerto, 2nd Movement
"Aviary" from Carnival of Animals
Overture: The Flying Dutchman
Humoresque
Rosamunde (Ballet Music)
Symphony No. 3, 3rd Movement
Overture: The Hebrides
Symphony in C
Moonlight Sonata, 1st Movement
Violin Concerto, 3rd Movement

Tracks:

Arabesque
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Tales from the Vienna Woods
Midsummer Night's Dream Nocturne
Berceuse
Waltz from "The Sleeping Beauty"
Symphony No. 2
Siegfried Idyll
Piano Quintet "The Trout"
Swan Lake-Ballet Suite
Hungarian Dance and Czardas from "Swan Lake"
Piano Concerto No. 1, 2nd Movement
Symphony No. 1, 2nd Movement
Pastoral Symphony No. 6 Finale
To the Spring
Overture: Die Fledermaus
Piano Concerto in a Minor-Finale

Average customer rating:

Interesting historical interpretations.
Ouch...my ears!
Ouch...my ears!

Wagner: Overtures & Preludes

Manufacturer: Naxos
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
ASIN: B00006B1KC
Release Date: 2002-09-17

Amazon.com

Muck (1859-1940) had a successful international career that included leadership of the Boston Symphony and a reputation as a leading Wagnerian. Though a Bayreuth mainstay for decades, he left a meager recorded legacy. Along with his 1927 recording of excerpts from Parsifal, also available on Naxos, this disc contains nearly all his electrical recordings. But don't let the dates--1927 to 1929--deter you. Sure, Wagner requires sound that's adequate to the dynamics and tonal splendor of his large orchestra, but the work of transfer engineer Mark Obert-Thorn on these ancient recordings is nothing short of miraculous. This sound here is akin to circa 1950 mono, and the performances have a spaciousness, structural integrity, and nobility that elevate them above the routine. Muck occupies an interpretive place midway between the emotional and spiritual generosity of a Furtwängler and the intensity of a Toscanini; these are straightforward, stylish readings enlivened with little personal touches that bring the music to life. Here's a rare chance to hear Wagner from a conductor who grew up when this music was excitingly new. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Interesting historical interpretations........2004-05-25

Karl Muck was a member of the first generation of conductors since Wagner himself that took a literal approach to a score (Toscanini and Weingartner among others). These recordings are a unique glimpse into the early days of this conducting style. The performances are methodical and well disciplined. Unlike several modern Wagner recordings, they are not as driven or colorful. Instead, potency is the key force. Do not be detered from the mono sound. The remastering is quite remarkable.

Ouch...my ears!.......2003-08-17

These preformances may be interesting from a historical point of view, but the orchestra is very bad. They are often out of tune, and the ensemble playing leaves a lot to be desired. I am well aquainted with the general standards of orchestral performance in the 1920's, and have a large collection of 78's from this period. This orchestra is third rate, even by 1920's standards. There are recordings of the London Symphony under Weingartner, Chicago under Stock, and Philadelphia under Stokowski from the same period that are far better.
Muck's renditions are very objective and uneccentric, but that could also be because the orchestra is just not capable of playing the music except on a very basic level (I have heard youth orchestras that are better than this).
The transfers are good, and Mark Obert-Thorn has done an excellent job of getting every scrap of sound off of those original disks.

Ouch...my ears!.......2003-08-17

These preformances may be interesting from a historical point of view, but the orchestra is very bad. They are out of tune most of the time, and the ensemble playing leaves a lot to be desired. I am well aquainted with the general standards of orchestral performance in the 1920's, and have a large collection of 78's from this period. This orchestra is third rate, even by 1920's standards. There are recordings of the London Symphony under Weingartner, Chicago under Stock, and Philadelphia under Stokowski from the same period that are far better.
Muck's renditions are very objective and uneccentric, but that could also be because the orchestra is just not capable of playing the music except on a very basic level (I have heard youth orchestras that are better than this).
The transfers are good, and Mark Obert-Thorn has done an excellent job of getting every scrap of sound off of those original disks.

Music Track:

Music Track

music track

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