The World Can Wait

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Highly anticipated full length from London act Slipslide, featuring the songwriting and vocal skills of Graeme Elston (The Love Parade, Pure, Eva Luna, Astronaut). Entitled "The World Can Wait" the album is the first release since the band’s celebrated "Sleeptalk" single 18 months ago. Since then, Elston and fellow Astronaut members Dave Masterman (drums) and Brychan Todd (bass) have been joined by new member Matthew Hawes on guitar and vocals. Contrasting nicely with nine heartfelt compositions from the Elston songbook are two songs by Matthew ("Back to Work" and "Halfway Over Town") that feature a wry lyrical humour and his splendid smokey croon. The album boasts numerous examples of classic songwriting within the three minute pop formula, with the signature 12-string guitars, keyboards, melodies, and addictive choruses found on Slipslide’s two previous singles for Matinée. This is refined guitar pop worthy of a place in your collection next to beloved classics from Aztec Camera, Orange Juice, The Colourfield and Go-Betweens.

Tracks:

On A Clear Day
A Cock-Eyed Optimist
Hello, Young Lovers
Here I'll Stay
My Fair Lady Shuffle: Overture/Wouldn't It Be Loverly/Let A Woman/Just You Wait/Poor Professional...
Getting To Know You
Living In The Shadows
Bewitched
I Have Dreamed
My Funny Valentine
Camelot Suite: Camelot/The Simple Joys Of Maidenhood/How To Handle A Woman/If Ever I Would...
Crazy World
If I Loved You
Edelweiss
The Sound Of Music

Customer Reviews:

5 STARS AND THEN SOME !!.......2006-02-10

Oh Julie, the songs you sang on this CD are superb. I wish you could still give us that joy. If you can only sing in the low registers, give us jazz!! You can do it I just know you can!!

Pretty Sad, .......2005-10-27

Hollywood veteran Julie Andrews has had a glorious career, but not without its downsides. Her legend is built on "The Sound of Music" and "Mary Poppins" and other glorious roles. Her abilities as a singer were never impressive or great, her voice often sounded weak, but she always knew how to sing around her very limited vocal range. On this collection she performs some of the greatest Broadway tunes ever written and even though she does a good job, her voice just doesn't hold up against many of these tunes. Her warmth is felt all over the album, in "Here I'll Stay" she wraps her gentle, but narrow, voice around it and in "My Funny Valentine" she sticks to the lower register of her voice. However, in the re-recording of her classic "Sound of Music" and in "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" her voice fails her, it often sounds thin and airy and it's actually quite sad to listen to. When all is said and done Julie Andrews remains a great talent, and most of that talent is largely due to her amazing capability as a performer and her genuine warmth.

I FELL IN LOVE WITH JULIE ALL OVER AGAIN.......2005-06-25

As a young kid growing up in the Philippines I remember my Dad playing his state-of-the-art Aiwa tape recorder back in the 60s and hearing Julie Andrews' voice - truly the voice of an angel! Now, hearing these songs again with adult ears I fell in love with her voice all over again !

A Great Julie Andrews CD.......2002-01-27

If you are a fan of Dame Julie's and musicals, this is the cd for you. It is a compilation of songs from prevously released albums; The King and I, The Music of Richard Rodgers, Here I'll Stay, and Victor/Victoria, Original Broadway Cast Recording.
I found the material to be very well put together giving the listener selections from My Fair Lady, Camelot, The Sound of Music, Victor/Victoria and others. What more could you want?
As for Ms. Andrews, she is superb. There is simply no one like her. I have heard comments that prior to the infamous throat surgery she was unable to handle the difficult material and hit those high notes. This is just not true. All you have to do is listen to these songs recorded in the early 90's to know that she still had a marvelous voice. Lets hope that one day she will be able to sing and record again. If not, these may be her last recordings so treasure them.

The My Fair Lady suite is wonderful and Ms. Andrews definitely hit the high note at the end of "I Could Have Danced All Night".
Her version of "Edelweiss" and "The Sound of Music" are lovely.
Also worth listening to is "Living in the Shadows" written for the Broadway production of Victor/Victoria so you won't find it on the movie soundtrack. The lyrics are by Leslie Bricusse who also penned "Crazy World", which is another great selection on this cd.

Overall this is a cd worth having in your collection, so buy it today. Otherwise you are missing out.

Climbing Every Mountain with Mary Poppins.......2002-01-22

Julie Andrews and her music have been an inspiration to me
every since I stepped into a theater and watched Mary Poppins
(many years ago). I admire her talent and her voice on this CD. I know it is not as clear a voice as she used to have but I still enjoy listening to her. I listen to this CD when I want a "pick me up" and am proud to have it as part of my collection.

Average customer rating:

Love This!
Love This!
4th in the Pavarotti and Friends charity concerts
Great album, worthy cause.
Master Class, but still too stuffy

Together for the Children of Bosnia

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Pavarotti & Friends - For The Children Of Liberia
Pavarotti & Friends: For Cambodia and Tibet
Pavarotti & Friends For Guatemala And Kosovo
Pavarotti & Friends
Pavarotti & Friends 2

ASIN: B000004297
Release Date: 1996-04-02

Tracks:

Per colpa di chi?
Serenata rap-Mattinata
Can We Go Higher?
Ordinary World
Clap Clap (The Clapping Song)
Miss Sarajevo
Cosi celeste
Linger
Come Back To Sorrento
Penso positivo
Vesti la giubba - Pagliacci
Heaven Can Wait
Ave Maria
One
The Long Black Veil (Medley)
Funiculi , funicula
Nessun dorma - Turandot

Customer Reviews:

Love This!.......2001-10-01

I finally got the Cd after wearing out two tapes. There are so many different artist on this, it's amazing. It is almost worth it just to hear Michael Bolton do opera! I don't like the man but he was good. Get this, it is worth a listen.

Love This!.......2001-10-01

4th in the Pavarotti and Friends charity concerts.......2001-01-09

Live from the Parco Novi Sad, Modena, on 12 September 1995, in the presence of Diana, Princess of Wales, Pavarotti brings us his fourth spectacular charity concert, this time in aid of a music therapy centre being built in Mostar by War Child. As is usual with these concerts, Pavarotti brings together artists from all musical genres, and even does duets with some of them including Meat Loaf, Michael Bolton and Dolores O'Riordan. Track #2 is an astonishing blend of opera and rap...who woulda thunk it! The finale is Pavarotti's calling-card "Nessun Dorma" in which he is joined by the many other guests. Rap, folk, rock, opera, gospel and sacred music build a musical bridge in aid of a worthy cause.

Great album, worthy cause........2001-01-04

A wonderful concert for a wonderful cause. The previous reviewer only gave it 4 stars because he said there were too many different styles of music. Well, that's the whole point. It is the music community, regardless of genre, getting together to raise funds to build a Music Centre in Bosnia-Hercegovina, which will provide music therapy, tuition and a space where music will be used to enable young people to learn, to grow and to be healed. Music is for everyone, and all these different artists getting together for the common good, regardless of genre, is wonderful. And on this album are a number of suprises. Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries singing with Pavorotti on "Ave Maria", Meat Loaf and Pavarotti duetting on "Come back to Sorrento", to name just two. A must have for music fans in general.

Master Class, but still too stuffy.......2000-03-01

A brilliant idea of Maestro Pavarotti, these concerts, and especially this one. I enjoyed the Ave Maria, where Dolores (one of my favourite pop-stars) clearly shows that she had some profit from canto classes she took in youth. But the "Linger" version was not alike, listening more to Simon Le Bon than the original voice...

Strange, but interesting and cool combination between rap and opera ("Serenata Rap/Mattinata"). Well, such things could never be seen before, eh?

Tracks:

Suite From The Lion King: This Land-Circle Of Life
Suite From The Lion King: I Just Can't Wait To Be King
Suite From The Lion King: Hakuna Matata
Suite From The Lion King: Be Prepared
Suite From The Lion King: Can You Feel The Love Tonight
Suite From The Lion King: King Of Pride Rock
Suite From Aladdin: Arabian Nights
Suite From Aladdin: One Jump Ahead
Suite From Aladdin: Friend Like Me
Suite From Aladdin: A Whole New World
Suite From Aladdin: Prince Ali
Suite From The Little Mermaid: Introduction
Suite From The Little Mermaid: Part Of Your World
Suite From The Little Mermaid: Under The Sea
Suite From The Little Mermaid: Poor Unfortunate Souls
Suite From The Little Mermaid: Les Poissons
Suite From The Little Mermaid: Kiss The Girl
Suite From The Little Mermaid: Happy Ending
Suite From Beauty And The Beast: Prologue
Suite From Beauty And The Beast: Belle
Suite From Beauty And The Beast: Be Our Guest
Suite From Beauty And The Beast: Gaston
Suite From Beauty And The Beast: Beauty And The Beast

Customer Reviews:

Disney.......2004-11-30

This cd is really good, i love all the songs. Ariel has always been my favourite disney classic. I only have one problem, the singers arn't the actual singers that were in the films, and thats abit of a dissapointment for me. I would recommend this cd but not to people who actually want to listen to the actual people.

Wonderful Orchestrals.......2002-02-11

What's best about Disney's animated features, is that they contain amazing orchestral scores and songs. With this CD, one can hear the nuances of the full orchestral scores of 4 of Disney's most popular features, as played and by a full symphony and chorus.

under the sea.......2000-04-30

I have all ways loved UNDER THE SEA. Now I have found it, and I can allways lisson to it. thanks a lot!

under the sea.......2000-04-30

I have all ways loved UNDER THE SEA. Now I have found it, and I can allways lisson to it. thanks a lot!

I believe!.......2000-01-29

This music, is indeed filled with magic. Your heart soars with every song,your mind flashing the most vivd flashes through your skull. You find that as your heat sings, it already knows all the words. An album, reminding you of the all consuming joy, when you once beleved, in magic.

Symphonic Suites of the Animated Classics

Average customer rating:

Great Listening
Fun Disney
Somewhat sub-standard production quality, but excellent tunes and arrangements
Crap!

Symphonic Suites of the Animated Classics

Manufacturer: Michelle Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Symphonic Magic, Vols. 1-4
Heigh-Ho! Mozart: Favorite Disney Tunes In The Style Of Great Classical Composers
Disney Spectacular
The Magical Music of Disney
Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs

ASIN: B0000011KI
Release Date: 1994-12-08

Tracks:

The Lion King Symphonic Suite: The Circle of Life
The Lion King Symphonic Suite: I Just Can't Wait To Be King
The Lion King Symphonic Suite: Can You Feel The Love Tonight
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Suite: Whistle While You Work
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Suite: I'm Wishing
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Suite: With A Smile And A Song
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Suite: Some Day My Prince Will Come
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Suite: One Song
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Suite: Heigh-Ho
Aladdin Symphonic Suite: Arabian Nights
Aladdin Symphonic Suite: Prince Ali
Aladdin Symphonic Suite: A Whole New World
Aladdin Symphonic Suite: One Jump Ahead
Beauty And The Beast Symphonic Suite: Belle
Beauty And The Beast Symphonic Suite: Beauty And The Beast
Beauty And The Beast Symphonic Suite: Be Our Guest
Pinocchio Symphonic Suite: Give A Little Whistle
Pinocchio Symphonic Suite: When You Wish Upon A Star
Pinocchio Symphonic Suite: I've Got No Strings
Pinocchio Symphonic Suite: Turn On The Old Music Box
Pinocchio Symphonic Suite: Hi Diddle-dee-dee
Pinocchio Symphonic Suite: When You Wish Upon A Star (reprise)

Customer Reviews:

Great Listening.......2007-01-23

The Kingston Symphony Orchestra (Kingston, Ontario) may not be the NY Philharmonic, but they do a very creditable job of providing wonderful music for easy listening. I was particularly delighted to find orchestral arrangements of these wonderful tunes. I am very glad that I purchased this album and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone who enjoys this type of music.

Fun Disney.......2007-01-10

I enjoyed this album and found it useful to choreograph dances for my students.

Somewhat sub-standard production quality, but excellent tunes and arrangements.......2005-09-01

The Kingston Symphony Orchestra might not be the very best ensemble in the world (and it shows on this recording), but the lasting power and beauty of the songs on this album and some of the new and lovely arrangements of them are worth the listen. There are some definite technical and musical flaws as far as the recording and ensemble go, but the music and how it's arranged makes up for it.

Three stars for some soaring moments, due to classic tunes and arrangements.

My main beef: Where's The Little Mermaid?? Why discount one of the most beautiful Disney scores ever written?

Crap!.......2005-08-09

What a scam! Terrible arrangements played by a third rate ensemble, called the Kingston Symphony Orchestra, that sounds more like a bad high school orchestra playing in a gym. Don't waste your money on this dog.

Average customer rating:

A Rose By Any Other Name...
"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!
Free at last!
I Love This Recording
The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered

Wagner: The Rhinegold
English National Opera
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
Wagner: The Valkyrie

ASIN: B00005B550
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Customer Reviews:

A Rose By Any Other Name..........2007-07-02

The figure of speach may not be completely correct in this instance, but, well, I hope you get the point. In any case, for a Dutch speaking person, like I, to hear 'The Ring' in a language other than the original German feels - almost shockingly(?) - natural. Certainly, this modern English translation, to me, is as least immediate, and probably even more immediate, than the original (archaic) German text. And in music drama, immediacy is essential. Maybe it is also the wonderfully natural translation, I don't know, but it works for me, the Ring in English.
But most of the credit has to go to the music, the singers, and the recording as such. I believe that this (originally analogue) remastered recording has one of the best recorded sounds and acoustics of any Ring, studio or 'live'. It is wonderfully clear but warm, kind of velvety (very unlike Solti), with beautifully natural balaces between voices and orchestra. Audience noises can be heard (including a delightful little ripple of laughter) but never really obtrusively so, thankfully. And I love the thunderclap-sound effect when Donner strikes his hammer against the rocks - very tastefully done, and lending extra power to the scene.
All the time one reads in reviews everywhere of the very slow speads at which the music is conducted by Sir Reginald Goodall. Well, that may be so, but I, for one, am certainly endeared to Sir Reginald Goodalls 'caressing' of the music, as a result of which wich the Leitmotifs come out more clearly than ever. The slow - but nonetheless very concentrated, and always involved - playing has, to me, an almost mesmerizing effect. Certainly, compared to many other recordings, the music may sound stretched almost beyond breaking point. But in the end, I think it is really just that: a matter of speed, no more. The concentration never falters and the dramatic arc never saggs. There is live 'music magic' going on here, I feel, even if the English National Opera Orchestra may not be (as precise or as diciplined as) a Wiener Philharmoniker or a Bayreuther Festspielorchester. Certainly, Sir Reginald Goodall must have loved this music and these opera's: one feels a slowly beating but constant loving pulse that energizes the drama and the music.
But we also have the singers. And what a great singers! While the best may be yet to come (with Alberto Remedios as Siegmund and Siegfried, and Rita Hunter as Brunnhilde), we here, in The Rhinegold, already have one of the most commanding of Wotans (Norman Bailey, with wonderful burnished timbre). Also, Emile Belcourt stands out as a wonderfully sleek but full-voiced Loge. Derek Hammond-Stroud's Alberich may not be as black as Gunther von Kannen's (for Barenboim), for example, but there is enough anguish, frustration and anger to lend his character a convincing reality and depth. And the giants too, are a winning pair. Especially Fafner (Clifford Grant) is as imposing and powerful as one may ever wish.
With all the rave reviews, here and elsewhere I can't wait to hear The Valkyrie, (especially) Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods. This certainly is a winning 'Ring', to be kept alongside any other 'great' recorded 'Ring' out there, IMHO. To me, it can hold its own alongside any other favorite recordings.
Please, sample this Ring (try for example the Chandos website for fragments of all of the music) and decide for yourself. Highly recommended.

"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!.......2007-06-12

Okay, so we have the Solti, Bohm, Karajan, Goodall, Boulez, Janowski, Levine, Haitink, and Sawallisch Rings on the market (I haven't listened to the other Ring recordings yet, sorry to say). And all of these leave me to one conclusion: the many differences lead me to believe that all of these ring sets have their own authenticities and setbacks. And here they are:

TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Boulez's Ring: 13 hours, 40 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Haitink's Ring: 14 hours, 10 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes

CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.

Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.

Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.

Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: nothing is faster than andante. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.

Boulez: Here it is, folks - the controversial Centennial Ring. To fit the Ring Cycle in the industrial age, Boulez gives it a very Schoenbergian, Bartokian atmosphere. Much of his tempi are very quick, very Bohm-like, though they're still not as fast as Bohm. Keep in mind, though, this live Ring works only if you hear AND see it (the DVD's work best).

Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".

Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.

Haitink: This might be seen as a disappointment. If you want great conducting, then this is for you. If you want a persuasive array of singers, look somewhere else. Haitink's conducting saves this work from being a total flop. There is nothing quite like his Rheingold & Gotterdammerung ("Siegfried's Rhine Journey" is a bit forced, but magnificent nonetheless).

Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.

ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.

Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.

Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.

Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act Two Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.

Boulez's Bayreuth Festival: While it doesn't really pack the same punches as Bohm's Bayreuth, it still delivers a stunning performance. Orchestral interaction between characters (Ex. Siegfried's motifs mixed in with Mime's motifs) fares better than Berlin's and English National's. Rhine maiden motifs are given more wit, while the Dragon motifs are played with less eeriness. Beauty makes up for the irritatingly quick "Wotan's Farewell".

Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Boulez's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are heard clear in this Ring. The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.

Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.

Haitink's Bavarian Radio Symphony: This may very well be like Metropolitan, only this sounds much more poignant. The strings sound better and the percussion sound clearer. The leitmotivs are almost never screwed up. First scene of Rheingold will take one's breath away.

Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.

SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).

Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.

Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".

Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.

Boulez: If you watch Donald McIntyre on the Centennial Ring production, then you can tell that he's a fine "industrial" Wotan. If you just hear him on CD, then you'll be disappointed. His diction is weak, his emotions are forced, and his voice sounds robotic. The DVD's will do.

Levine and Haitink: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's and Haitink's Ring.

Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.

-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.

Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).

Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."

Boulez: How can anyone not be impressed by the Brunnhilde of Gwyneth Jones? One can almost feel her excitement during Siegfried Act Three, and her fear in Walkure Act Three. Her weakest point is probably during her Gotterdammerung Prologue (a bit too stressed).

Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.

Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).

Haitink: Hmph. I was hoping that Eva Marton would do well here. I was seriously let down by her strained singing. She does okay in "Annunciation of Death", but she is at her worst in "Immolation".

-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm, Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Peter Hoffman for Boulez, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, Reiner Goldberg for Haitink, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jeanine Altmeyer for Boulez, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, Cheryl Studer for Haitink, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Three exceptions, though: Goldberg and Schunk don't sound heroic enough, and Norman for Levine doesn't sound young and innocent enough.

-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.

Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.

Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.

Boulez: Is Manfred Jung a good tenor? Yes. Is he a good Heldentenor? NO. He doesn't have that heroic voice like Windgassen and Remedios. Again, the DVD's are your safest bet.

Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.

Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. Levine should've chose Kollo or Jerusalem when he recorded his studio Ring.

Haitink: Have you ever seen Siegfried Jerusalem on the Levine/Metropolitan DVD? Well, here he is again, and this time, he sings with more valor and enthusiasm. Bravo!

-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").

Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.

Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.

Boulez: What we have here is the weak Alberich of Hermann Becht. When he's in Nibelheim, the authority isn't there. When he's in the Neid-Hohle forest, the creepiness isn't there. And when he's near the Gibich house, the misery isn't there. Even on DVD he's unsatisfactory.

Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.

Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.

Haitink: No offense, but Theo Adam as Alberich? Come on . . .

-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.

Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.

Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.

Boulez and Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent Mime, VERY fun to listen to. There is much humor and eccentricity in his voice, and that's what makes his dwarf much more compelling than Dempsey's dwarf. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. He is equal to Zednik when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.

Haitink: Peter Haage sounds like he's entertaining young kids. His version of Mime is a bit childish, and the dark humor that the dwarf brings out sounds-over-the-top here. Nonetheless, he is still entertaining to listen to ("Wer halfe mir?" has never sounded better).

Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.

-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on during the Trilogy.

Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Again, another Loge that's marred by lack of cunning.

Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. He has the wit, the craftiness, and the untrustworthiness that the character deserves. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.

Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.

Boulez and Haitink: I can summon Heinz Zednik's performance in just three words: Brilliant Beyond Belief!

Janowski: Peter Schreier is the most eccentric out of all of them, and that's a fact. Much of his singing involves imagination, peril, vengeance, and deviousness. Belcourt and Zednik depend only on vengeance and deviousness, Stolze only imagination and deviousness, Windgassen and Svanholm only peril. His odd conversations with Alberich and the gods/goddesses are classic.

Levine: Siegfried Jerusalem doesn't seem like a good choice for Loge. He's better off playing Siegmund or Siegfried, but not a demi-god.

Sawallisch: Robert Tear is on par with Stolze and Zednik. Sometimes he takes things too low, but all is forgiven with his management of character development.

-Everyone Else
Uh-huh, what can I say? Everyone else does a good job in all Ring recordings. Matti Salminen is the perfect Hagen (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch), while Kirsten Flagstad is the most brilliant Fricka (Solti). Anja Silja is the most memorable Freia (Bohm), while Kurt Moll makes the most fabulous Hunding yet (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch). The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm, Goodall, and Boulez. The only flawed Erda is Anne Collins (Goodall), maybe too light and too heavy at times. All in all, no one here is graded C or lower.

CONCLUSION: I have yet to listen to Barenboim's Bayreuth presentation, Neuhold's Badische version, and the essential mono recordings (Furtwangler, Krauss, etc.), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the industrialized Boulez, the truthful Janowski, the unhurried Levine, the abnormal Haitink, and the serious Sawallisch Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.

The Box Set: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Free at last!.......2004-09-18

I've enjoyed listening to the Ring cycles by Solti, Bohm, and Furtwangler, but my pleasure has always been dampened by the necessity to follow the dramas with a German/English libretto. This performance freed me from that burden and allowed me to listen to the Ring with my ears alone for the first time. And what a delightful experience it was! I found I could understand about half the words the first time through. but that was enough for me to understand what the characters were saying and concentrate on Wagner's great music. Some of the characters (Loge and Alberich, for example) are almost perfectly comprehensible, while others (Fricka in particular) might as well be singing in German. The sound itself is superb, with perfect balances between orchestra and voices. Goodall's conducting is famously slow (about half an hour longer than usual), but he is never slack and he reveals a wealth of detail in the orchestration. The singers are a mixed lot, with Loge, Alberich, and Mime particularly effective. Bailey is hardly the grandest of Wotans, but he is solid and convincing. In any event, for us non-German listeners, this recording is a real treat. I would not recommend it as a first Ring (Bohm is a good choice, though some of his tempi are rather hectic), but as a supplement to a recoding in the original language, it is hard to beat. Give it a try! As for me, I'm ready to go on to "Die Walkure" (pardon me, "The Valkyrie").

I Love This Recording.......2002-04-05

I was a little suspicious when approaching this English-language version of Das Rhinegold. I was considering assembling this as my third RING set (behind Solti and Levine) and had listened to THE VALKYRIE (Die Walkure) with a little initial disappointment. Although the live sound quality was very interesting, the tempo was much slower than I was used to and thus a little disconcerting, and the English words were harder to understand than I had hoped. Nevertheless, I persevered and listended to THE RHINEGOLD (probably my favorite of the four RING operas, although I know this puts me in a minority) and was amazed. Best of all, after listening to this album I revisited the Goodall VALKYRIE and discovered a new appreciation! Now the Goodall set ranks as one of the best I've heard. It just needed to get under my skin a bit.

What's so good about it? Three things stand out for me: First, the slow tempi that were a litle rough at first actually allow, upon repeated listenings, a new discovery and understanding of Wagner's unfathomable genius. Every nuance is slowed down just enough to be fully accessible. Second, the modern English translation really does make this a different experience...my initial mistake was thinking that English lyrics could allow me to listen to this as background music, and that's not the case. However, if one devotes the same attention to this as a German recording, the time wil be richly rewarded. Finally, the smaller orchestra creates an almost chamber music-esque setting, which compliments the music in an undefinable way. Despite being in English, this is almost more Germanic than original-language recordings.

I still probably wouldn't get this as the first foray into Wagner's RING (I still think Solti or Levine are the choices for that). But for someone who already has some familiarity with the work, this will provide a lifetime's enjoyment. Cudos to Chandos for resurrecting these recordings!

The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered.......2001-06-08

I have been curious about this for years. When I saw the packaging, I wondered whether this was the same Ring that has been kicking around for a couple of decades from the Sadler's Wells performances of the mid-70s. News flash: It's the same. However, the box says that it's been re-mastered with something called 24-bit digital mastering. Since I never heard the old records, I have no idea if this is better. Judged on its own, the sound is terrific. This live recording really places the listener in the theater with clarity and authentic spaciousness. So often, a live recording will capture the audience up close, then the orchestra, then the singers, cataloguing every throat being cleared and every bow being tapped. Somewhere in the distance, the singers voices follow their heavy tread over the stage. Not here. There is an intimacy to the sound here that approximates sitting in about the tenth row back in a large hall. It doesn't sound like the opera's being played in your room; it sounds as though your room has been transformed into a medium sized theater. I found it uncanny.

As to the experience of the drama in English, that too is remarkable, at least for someone like me whose home-tongue is English. The drama takes on an immediacy that I have never experienced before. This factor alone is why you should explore this Ring. I can't overemphasize the impact on me that this recording had on me because it was in English and because it was well-acted. Surely this is what Wagner meant, at least dramaturgically (obviously allowing that you can't actually see the action).

Overall, the singing is competent, and in some places, it's excellent. None of the cast really stands out musically. Norman Bailey's wobbly Wotan could have certainly benefitted from a deeper, richer tone. Still, and perhaps more importantly, he creates a god who is clearly unsure of where the moral highground is, even when he's standing on "an open space on a mountain summit." Everyone, for that matter, is dramatically convincing, especially Emile Belcourt (Loge) and Derek Hammond-Stroud (Alberich) and Robert Lloyd (Fasolt), all of whom, by the way, have excellent diction. And speaking of diction, I almost could have done without the libretto when the men were singing. Not so with the women, whose diction was uniformly wanting.

Goodall's pace is notoriously glacial. Still, it's interesting to hear it parsed in this way, and I never had the feeling that I was going to fall off the world. Which is to say that the tempos were deliberate, not affected. This was definitely a labor of love for RG and the English National Opera. The orchestra is a little thin sounding, and perhaps, not entirely up to the score. Occasionally a horn mis-blew and a cello creaked. This is unavoidable in live performances, I suppose. Still, there is a surprising sense of smallness to the ensemble, even though there's never a moment when the balance between singers and players is lost. As a result, the overall effect is a balance of clarity and urgency that is clearly the upside of Goodall's idiosyncratic "vision" of the score. Not a huge or "erotic" sound, but always committed, intelligent, and sometimes impassioned.

Tracks:

The Circle of Life - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
I Just Can't Wait To Be King - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Can You Feel the Love Tonight - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
The Lion Sleeps Tonight - City of Prague Phil/Colin Frechter
Hakuna Matata - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Carnival of the Animals: Introduction-Royal March of the Lion - American PO/Barry Faldner
Carnival of the Animals: Wild Asses - American PO/Barry Faldner
Carnival of the Animals: The Aquarium - American PO/Barry Faldner
Carnival of the Animals: Aviary - American PO/Barry Faldner
Carnival of the Animals: The Swan - American PO/Barry Faldner
Carnival of the Animals: Finale - American PO/Barry Faldner
William Tell Overture - Ljublijana SO/Anton Nanut
Radetsky March - Sofia SO/Barry Faldner
Give a Little Whistle - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
When You Wish Upon A Star - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
I've Got No Strings - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Turn Of The Old Music Box - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Hi Diddle-dee-dee (an Actor's Life for Me) - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
When You Wish Upon A Star (reprise) - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Symphonie Fantastique: March of the Scaffold - Ljublijana SO/Anton Nanut
Hebrides Ov Op.26: Fingal's Cave - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Magic Flute Ov, K.620 - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih

Tracks:

(Just) Whistle While You Work - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
I'm Wishing - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
With A Smile And A Song - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Some Day My Prince Will Come - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
One Song - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Heigh-Ho - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: Miniature Ov - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: March - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: Russian Dance - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: Arabian Dance - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: Chinese Dance - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: Dance of the Pipe Flutes - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: Waltz of the Flowers - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
Colonel Hathi's March - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
The Bare Necessities - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
I Wanna Be Just Like You - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
Poet and Peasant Ov - Ljublijana SO/Anton Nanut
'L'Arlesienne' Ste No.2: Farandole - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Love of Three Oranges March - American PO/Barry Faldner
Finlandia - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' (A Little Night Music) (Ser in G, K.525 Allegro) - Ljublijana SO/Alexander Von Pitamic

Tracks:

Belle - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Beauty and the Beast - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Be Our Guest - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
The Sleeping Beauty Ballet Ste, Op.66: Introduction, The Tree Fairy - Volgograd SO/Edward Serov
The Sleeping Beauty Ballet Ste, Op.66: Adagio, Pas d'action - Volgograd SO/Edward Serov
The Sleeping Beauty Ballet Ste, Op.66: Pas de caricature - Volgograd SO/Edward Serov
The Sleeping Beauty Ballet Ste, Op.66: Panorama - Volgograd SO/Edward Serov
The Sleeping Beauty Ballet Ste, Op.66: Waltz - Volgograd SO/Edward Serov
Arabian Nights - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Prince Ali - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
A Whole New World - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
One Jump Ahead - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Scheherazade, Op.35: The Sea and Sinbad's Ship - Ljublijana SO/Anton Nanut
Dumbo Overture - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
March Militaire - Sofia SO/Barry Faldner
'Peer Gynt' Ste No.1, Op.46: In The Hall of the Mountain King - Ljublijana SO/Andrew Schenck
Light Cavalry Ov - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih

Tracks:

If I Knew You - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
Just Around The River Bend - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
Colours Of The Wind - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Andantino (Peter) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Allegro (The Bird) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Moderato No.11 (The Cat) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Poco Pin Andante No.15 (The Grandfather) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Andantino, Come Prima No.17 (Peter) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Andante No.18 (The Grandfather) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Andante Molto No.19 (The Wolf) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Andante No.24 (The Duck) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Vivo No.30 (The Bird) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Poco Meno Mosso-Moderato No.35 (Peter) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Allegro Moderato No.39 (The Hunters) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Andante No.41 (Peter) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Sostenuto-Listesso Tempo No.48... - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Andante-End No.53 (Peter) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Swan Lake Ballet: Scene (moderato) - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
Swan Lake Ballet: Waltz - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
Swan Lake Ballet: Swan Dance (allegro moderato) - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
Swan Lake Ballet: Scene (andante) - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
Swan Lake Ballet: Czardas (moderato) - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
Bibbidi-Bobbodi-Boo - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
We Can Do It - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
So This Is Love (Cinderella Waltz) - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
'Carmen Ste' No.1: The Toreadors - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
In the Steppes of Central Asia - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
1812 Ov, Op.49 (finale) - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
Marriage of Figaro Ov, K.492 - Ljublijana SO/Anton Nanut