Wagner: Great Orchestral Music

On this CD:

1. Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), opera, WWV 86b Ride of the Valkyries
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

2. Tannhäuser, opera, WWV 70 Fest March
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

3. Tristan und Isolde, opera, WWV 90 Prelude and Liebestod
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

4. Lohengrin, opera, WWV 75 Prelude to Act III
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

5. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Prelude ot Act I
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

6. Tannhäuser, opera, WWV 70 Overture
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

Tracks:

Gone With The Wind: Overture
Citizen Kane: Overture
Casablanca: As Time Goes By
It's A Wonderful Life: It's A Wonderful Life
The Third Man: The Harry Lime Theme
The Searchers: Suite
The Bridge On The River Kwai: Colonel Bogey March
Vertigo: Prelude
Touch Of Evil: Main Title
Ben-Hur: Parade Of The Charioteers
North By Northwest: Prelude
Psycho: Suite
The Magnificent Seven: The Magnificent Seven
Lawrence Of Arabia: Overture

Tracks:

To Kill A Mockingbird: Suite
The Great Escape: Main Title
Doctor Zhivago: Main Title & Lara's Theme
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Once Upon A Time In The West: Jill's Theme
2001: A Space Odyssey: Also Sprach Zarathustra
Midnight Cowboy: Midnight Cowboy
Get Carter: Main Title
A Clockwork Orange: Ode To Joy
The Godfather: Waltz & Love Theme
Jaws: Jaws
Rocky: Gonna Fly Now
Taxi Driver: Suite
Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope

Tracks:

Superman: Main Theme
Alien: End Title
Raging Bull: Intermezzo From Cavalleria Rusticana
Raiders Of The Lost Ark: Raiders March
Blade Runner: End Titles
E.T.: The Extraterrestrial: Adventures On Earth
Once Upon A Time In America: Deborah's Theme
Back To The Future: Main Theme
Witness: Building The Barn
Aliens: Main Title
Cinema Paradiso: Cinema Paradiso
Glory: Charging Frot Wagner
Dances With Wolves: The John Dunbar Theme
Unforgiven: Claudia's Theme

Tracks:

The Piano: The Heart Asks Pleasure First
Schindler's List: Main Theme
Braveheart: End Credits
Titanic: My Heart Will Go On
Saving Private Ryan: Hymn To The Fallen
American Beauty: Any Other Name
Gladiator: Now We Are Free
Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring: The Fellowship
The Girl With The Pearl Earring: Griet's Theme
Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl: Suite
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban: Suite
Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events: The Letter That Never Came
Finding Neverland: Impossible Opening
The Incredibles: Overture

Customer Reviews:

Six Decades of Film Music.......2007-05-13

This is film music for the classical music lover. The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra presents excellent arrangements of a number of classic film themes (although several pieces of the 56 film classics selected for this 4 CD set are not orchestral arrangements, but rather specialty arrangements). Besides great film composers such as John Williams, Elmer Bernstein, Ennio Morricone, and James Horner, classical composers such as Richard Strauss and Pietro Mascagni make an appearance. On several of the numbers the Crouch End Festival Chorus adds the human voice to the power of the full symphonic orchestra to create true movie magic. If you like the sound of a full symphony orchestra playing some of the most recognized themes ever written, you'll love these CDs.

Excellent collection with fine performances.......2007-03-28

Silva Screen Records, based in England, has been issuing some fine collections of film scores, more in one box than we have the right to expect. This four-CD box contains scores by many of the best writers, including Max Steiner, Bernard Herrmann, Dimitri Tomkin, Kenneth J. Alford (The Bridge on the River Kwai), Elmer Bernstein, Maurice Jarre, Ennio Marricone, John Barry, Nino Rota, John Williams, James Horner, and more. We can all think of additional film scores we wished were included, but then there's no way this collection could be all-inclusive. The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, supplemented by Crouch End Festival Chorus on some numbers, does a very competent job...The liner notes give the basic information without any commentary, and as far as I can see, contain only one error. Am I wrong or are tracks 9 and 10 on the fourth CD mislabeled? Track 9, which runs 7:33, seems to have the excitement of "Pirates of the Caribbean" (which I did not see) and track 10, which runs 4:22, the more sedate "The Girl with the Pearl Earring (which I also did not see). Listings seem to have them reversed.

"essential film scores from 1939 to 2004 ~ Incredible Music".......2005-05-16

When I think of the "Golden Age" of Hollywood, many composers come to mind...you gave the usher your ticket in the theater and sat down, knowingly you were going to get your moneys worth...when the curtain opened and you heard those first few notes...you sat back, watched and listened as the film score and orchestra worked their magic...now we have the ultimate from Silva Screen Classics "The Incredible Film Music Box", featuring a four disc set of the essential film scores of the past 60 years...covering several decades from 1939 through and up to the present 2004

There are compilations and then there are "Compilations" beginning with a classic that even the youngsters today recognize "GONE WITH THE WIND" (1939) (Max Steiner), sweeping score that captures the tragic history of the South during the Civil War, one great cue after another, it doesn't get any better than this, nominated by the Academy for Best Original Score...and closing on Disc 4 with "THE INCREDIBLES" (2004) (Michael Giacchino), the big hit in computer animation from Walt Disney & Pixar that once again pit Super-Heroes against the forces of evil...our family of five Supers prove crime doesn't pay, but box-office receipts do...gotta love it!

Silva Screen Classics as usual, has put quality into this 4-CD-Set featuring The City Of Prague Philarmonic Orchestra and the Crouch End Festival Chorus conducted by Kenneth Alwyn, Bill Ashton, Paul Bateman, James Fitzpatrick, Mario Klemens, Derek Wadsworth, and Nic Raine. Recorded in "Dolby Surround" with the new technology of "HDCD", this is a "film-score-buffs" dream, one to treasure now and years to come.

Some selections are missing, but when you think of what Silva has included, it is impossible to please everyone...was happy to see "TOUCH OF EVIL" (1958) from composer Henry Mancini, as I feel this composer deserves all the recognition that has been overlooked recently in the music world...This collection is aimed directly at the "Serious Film Score" music fans and collectors...Silva is as always, perfect in every way...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 4-CD-Set ~ Silva America 1181 ~ (5/10/2005)

Great Orchestral Highlights from The Ring of the Nibelungs / Szell, Cleveland Orchestra (SACD)

Average customer rating:

Conversion
Not to be missed
Greatly improved sound, excellent performances
Szell and Karajan were freinds!!!
A classic Szell recording beautifully restored

Great Orchestral Highlights from The Ring of the Nibelungs / Szell, Cleveland Orchestra (SACD)
Wagner , Cleveland Orchestra , and George Szell
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Dvorák: The Slavonic Dances [SACD]
Dvorak Symphony No. 7 & Carnival Overture & Smetana Die Moldau / Szell, Cleveland Orchestra (SACD)
Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 39 & 40; Exsultate, Jubilate [SACD]
Bach: The Four Great Toccatas and Fugues [SACD]
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition, A Night on Bald Mountain, and Other Russian Showpieces [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B000044U19
Release Date: 2000-01-11

Customer Reviews:

Conversion .......2005-03-07

This is a very good recording of these works - all from Wagner's Nibelungen operas. Prior to purchasing this SACD, I did not totally agree with Szell's approach to Wagner. His approach, I thought, was too clear, too lacking on the bass line, and the accoustic at Severance Hall didn't help much. This SACD clarifies Szell in a very favorable way. Severance Hall doesn't sound nearly as bad of a place to record as I previously thought (though it's still debatable whether Szell's modifications to the hall in the late 50's were an improvement...) and the listener hears a much more balanced orchestral sonority, one which is without any congestion, clear as a bell, so to speak.

The performances themselves are top-flight - no question, by the late 1960's, the Cleveland Orchestra was the best orchestra in the U.S., outgunning everyone else. Szell lets the music speak for itself - no indulging in one's own self-centered interpretations here. Tempi are as specified and there are no orchestral rearrangements as there were in his Schumann recordings.

Now, if only Sony would release the rest of Szell's Wagner recordings on SACD, I'd be really happy to buy it.

Not to be missed.......2004-12-02

Hard to believe that these old Columbia/Epic LPs had this kind of sound in them. The sound stage is deep and wide and the string sound truly analogue. I find some of the ring excerpts not particularly to my liking musically, but the Tristan Prelude? A great recording by any measure. I was mesmerized by Szell's performance and have listened many, many times. SACD is so phenomenal. No ear fatigue and musically so involving. I haven't enjoyed listening so much since my LP days. This is the full measure of digital sound.

Greatly improved sound, excellent performances.......2004-09-17

I have been comparing this (non-hybrid, stereo-only) Sony SACD with the old Sony/CBS CD set - the 2 discs Maestro series from 1990, I've never heard a more recent Essential Classics CD incarnation coupled with some Ormandy Wagner. I suspect that was the same remastering.

The SACD replicates the second CD from that set (Ring excerpts plus the Tristan Prelude and Liebestod) and adds the Meistersinger Prelude, giving a total timing of 76'47.

I compared the tracks I know very well: the two Gotterdammerung excerpts. Unlike the other Szell SACD I have compared (Schumann Symphonies No 2 & 4, where the difference was discernible but slight), here the new disc sounds clearly different, and I think better.

On CD I always felt it was perhaps the slight aural 'edge' and hint of constriction that made these performances so thrilling (even though the sounds was rather flat in terms of front to back perspective), but this SACD removes that acerbity to some extent, to advantage I feel. There is much more depth to the sound and it is richer - and the orchestra sounds closer (perhaps even a tad smaller?) with greater detail. Strings sound more in focus. Maybe some of the ambience has changed, but perhaps this more realistically conveys the true acoustic of Severance Hall. Hearing the brief fanfare at 5'13ff in the Rhine Journey, here it is more rounded and realistic.

Tape hiss is absent from the SACD. In the Funeral March the advantage is clearer: the detail is much finer (the timpani strokes sound clearly at 2'55ff, whereas on CD they were blurred and the lighter ones inaudible).

For Wagnerians and Szell fans I think this SACD is worth getting as a supplement to the normal CD - I will of course retain the CDs as the SACD cannot be played elsewhere like the car changer.

Szell and Karajan were freinds!!!.......2004-06-07

In a recent bio on Karajan I was surprised to read the two were very good freinds and shared a alot in common. They also had similar approaches to orchestral sonority...

Suprisingly enough the approach to the Wagner here is very alike Herbert in some regards...I like the way Szell approaches the music in a more intense approach.

Karajan did get to do the Ring...but alas we may get to hear Szell with the Met from the 40s which some believe does exist in archive. As to the playing this is the finest Wagner record of exerpts out there.

It surpasses Herbert's any day!!!

The wonderful thing is how Cleveland is so transparent in it's textures...not as unlike Klemperer as one would think!!!

A classic Szell recording beautifully restored.......2002-01-25

There is very little to add to the excellent preceding review on this recording. I would just add an observation that the DSD transfer onto SACD brings a far greater level of realism and transparency as compared to the original LP or any subsequent CD transfer. We get as close as we likely ever will to hearing Szell's original intentions in the studio, which were obscured by Columbia's notoriously poor transfers of the original reel-to-reel master tape onto LP. In those days Columbia would artificially boost the mid-range on a recording to make it sound better on mediocre equipment -- not exactly an audiophile technique! This DSD transfer, by contrast, is untampered electronically, not even by noise reduction, which is also notorious for robbing analogue recordings from this vintage of their ambience and warmth. The result is a small amount of tape hiss, which I will gladly accept to be given the chance to hear what Szell and his fabulous Clevelanders actually recorded.

Average customer rating:

Major Orchestras, Major Conductor, Major Power!
Thunder and Lightning
Wonderful
Big, Beautiful Music!
Solti at his best!!

Thunder & Lightning

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Thunderous Classics
Heavy Classix
Time Life Presents: Classical Thunder
Holst: The Planets/John Williams: Star Wars/Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra
Simply the Best Classical Anthems

ASIN: B00000DLUS
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Tracks:

William Tell Overture: Galop - Georg Solti
Ga Parisienne: Cancans 1 & 2 - Georg Solti
La Gioconda: Dance of the Hours - Georg Solti
Russlan And Ludmilla: Overture - Georg Solti
Die Walkide of the Valkyries - Georg Solti
Carmen: Prelude, Act I (March of the Toreadors) - Georg Solti
1812 Overture: Finale - Georg Solti
Les Preludes: Finale - Georg Solti
Symphony No. 6 in F: 'Pastoral' - Storm - Georg Solti
Aida: Triumphal Chorus & Grand March - Georg Solti
Lohengrin: Prelude to Act III - Georg Solti
Prince Igor: Polovtsian dances - Georg Solti
Requiem: Dies irae - Georg Solti
Requiem: Tuba mirum - Georg Solti
Symphonie Fantastique: March to the Scaffold - Georg Solti
Romeo and Juliet Overture Fantasia: Montagues and Capulets, Love Theme and Finale - Georg Solti
Pictures At An Exhibition: The Hut on Hens' Legs - Georg Solti
Pictures At An Exhibition: The Great Gate of Kiev - Georg Solti

Tracks:

Also sprach Zarathustra: Sunrise - Solti
The Planets: Mars - Solti
Romeo And Juliet Ballet Suit: Dance of the Knights - Solti
Symphony No. 4 In F Minor: IV. Allegro con fuco - Solti
A Night On The Bare Mountain - Solti
Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 in D - Solti
Damnation Of Faust: Hungarian March - Solti
Tannhauser: Fest March (Entrance of the Guests) - Solti
Enigma Variations: Troyte (Variation No. 7) - Solti
Enigma Variations: E.D.U. (Variation No. 14) - Solti
Il Trovatore: Anvil Chorus - Solti
Bolero: Conclusion - Solti
Symphony No. 9: Ode To Joy - Solti
The Twilight Of The Gods: The Immolation Of The Gods - Solti

Customer Reviews:

Major Orchestras, Major Conductor, Major Power!.......2004-06-16

I own multiple recordings of most of the works on Georg Solti's Thunder & Lightning, but I always hold this collection as my reference. Not only with his beloved Chicago Symphony Orchestra, but several other world class ensembles, the Maestro shows his monumental interperative talents to make old warhorses sound as if we've never heard them before. He could inspire an orchestra to "open the heavens or open a flower" with his baton. His presence is missed, but his work is forever.

Thunder and Lightning.......2004-02-22

If you wish to relax using this CD set after work, you are buying the wrong album. But, if you MUST drive between one and six in the morning, this set, by repeating all just once, can keep you awake on the road, however boring it is. Trust me, TRUST SOLTI!

Wonderful.......2002-05-23

Solti shows here why he is one of the best interpreters of classical music. while conducting Wagner is his best work, here he shows that he can interpret well just about any composer. also, in this 2-disc set, there is a nice wide range of music, so for those who are just getting into classical music, this is a good place to start.

Big, Beautiful Music!.......1999-05-17

This collection is great fun. I can't imagine a better way to drive home from work on a Fri afternoon than listening to Solti's "Thunder and Lightning" LOUD on an excellent car stereo. Order and ENJOY!!:)

Solti at his best!!.......1999-05-13

A wonderful collection of Solti's intensity and drive in this music. He is at his best here and how nice to hear a variety of orchestras. Good "sampler" for future purchases.

Sir Thomas Beecham: Rossini; Dvorák; Wagner

Average customer rating:

Too many souvenirs, not enough performances
The Beecham magic in live and studio recordings.
Great Conductors of 20th Century = Best Reissues of the 21st

Sir Thomas Beecham: Rossini; Dvorák; Wagner

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000AKPI8
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

William Tell Overture
Legend
Entry Of The Gods
Theme & Variations
Theme & Variations - Minuet
Appalachia 1
Appalachia 2
Appalachia 3
Appalachia 4
Appalachia 5
Appalachia 6
Appalachia 7
Appalachia 8
Appalachia 9
Appalachia 10
Appalachia 11
Appalachia 12
Appalachia 13
Appalachia 14
Appalachia 15
Appalachia 16
Appalachia 17
Der Freischutz Overture

Tracks:

Antar - 1st Movement
Antar - 2nd Movement
Antar - 3rd Movement
Antar - 4th Movement
2 Songs - 1st Song
2 Songs - 2nd Song
1st Movement
2nd Movement
3rd Movement
4th Movement
Sarabande

Customer Reviews:

Too many souvenirs, not enough performances.......2005-11-09

To the end of his days Thomas Beecham was sniffed at as an amateur condcutor in some circles, and even his musicians described him as a "top line" conductor, meaning the melody line rather than inner voices. He was not formally trained in conducting, and like Koussevitzky in Russia, Beecham bought his way into the profession via a personal fortune. But he was adventurous and broke down many barriers in British musical life. This 2-CD set gives us snapshots of his many sides, from Wagner to "lollipops" (as he called light classical bon bons), from his beloved Delius to exotic fare like Rimsky-Korsakov's Antar Symphony.

Despite all the good Beecham did for English music, and remembering his great charm and wit, there still are not enough outstanding performances here. The first CD is a total loss unless you relish very dated sound (1934-47) lavished upon readings of the Freischutz and Willaim Tell Overtures that are brisk and shallow, a dreadful Rainbow Bridge finale to Das Rheingold (featuring some of the worst singing and wobbliest sound imaginable), a long, tiresome Appalachia by Delius, etc. Two stars.

The second CD rises higher, both sonically and musically. "Antar" is in very good 1951 mono, and although I've heard few comparisons and can't remember any, Beecham for the first time on this set doesn't sound like a dilletante. The performance is controlled and atmospheric, and Beecham's love of exotic sounds is matched by Rimsky's orientalism. The other big work on CD 2 is the Tchaikovsky Fourth, of which the first movement is in stereo from 1958, the other three movements in mono from 1957. Nobody could seriously rank this light, balletic performance among the greats, and Beecham displays his willful side in terms of quirky tempos. Even so, his jaunty reading represents a beloved condcutor in good form. Becasue Beecham was uniquely lovable, the whole of CD 2 rates four stars.

The Beecham magic in live and studio recordings........2003-12-25

No one could dispute that the Beecham issue in this series meets the aim of providing varied, representative, "live" and rare material. Works by ten of his favorite composers are here, many of which he conducted regularly throughout his 60 year conducting career.

Browsers will probably want information re the "new" or "rare" material here, and also the sound quality. There is a hitherto unissued version of Dvorak's Legende No 2 (LPO 1935). Delius' "Appalachia" and the Weber "Der Freischutz" Overture are heard in a "live" performance from the Queen's Hall (LPO 1935). Rimsky-Korsakov's "Antar" Symphony is heard in a live studio recording (RPO 1951). Of the rest, the Tchaikovsky symphony gets its first movement issued for the first time in stereo. The sound quality varies from adequate (Mozart RPO 1947), OK for strings but ill-defined for tympani in the Queens' Hall concert, to quite brilliant (Rimsky-Korsakov and Tchaikovsky).

The Tchaikovsky symphony performance contains a few eccentricities. The quiet "moderato assai, quasi andante" interlude in the first movement (heard first at 4 minutes 55 seconds) is reduced in speed to crawling pace (albeit very graceful crawling). The triangle strokes that occur between each line of the folk tune Tchaikovsky quotes in the last movement ("In the Fields There Grew a Birch Tree") are much too loud. No one could talk Beecham out of his choice of such a deliberate tempo in parts of the first movement, but happily remastering engineers have somehow reduced in this reissue the triangle strokes to something less suggestive of a blacksmith at work.

The two CDs are well filled, and there are extensive and immensely informative notes. Beecham always attracted the best English instrumentalists into the ranks of his orchestras. Sadly, oboist Leon Goossens' work is under-represented here, but Dennis Brain's horn playing is well displayed in the "Antar" Symphony.

If our descendants in the 22nd Century were to dig up this double CD set and assess what they hear as proof that Beecham was one of the 20th Century's great conductors, I wonder where they would find it. I believe the proof is best to be found in the earliest of all the items here - the "William Tell" Overture.

Great Conductors of 20th Century = Best Reissues of the 21st.......2003-11-06

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 25, features Sir Thomas Beecham, generally regarded as the greatest conductor in Great Britain's history. Unlike many of the conductors featured in this series, the majority of Beecham's great performances have been reissued on CD, mostly by EMI. As a result, you would think there wouldn't be any worthwhile unreleased material left. Well, you'd be wrong because everything on this collection is previously unpublished save for one performance. Since the track information is not abundantly clear above, allow me to tell what is contained in this fine collection.

Disc one begins with Rossini's "William Tell" Overture and Dvorak's Legend, Op. 59, No.2 (from 1934 & 1935 respectively, both with the London Philharmonic Orchestra). Next are performances with the Royal Philharmonic -- Wagner's "The Rhinegold: Entry of the Gods into Valhalla" and Mozart's Divertimento No. 15 both from 1947. CD 1 concludes back with the Lonodn P.O. on Delius' "Appalachia" and Weber's "Der Freischutz" Overture, both live recordings from 1935. Disc two is entirely with the Royal P.O. -- Rimsky-Korsakov's Symphony No. 2 (1951), two of Mendelssohn's "Songs Without Words" (1947) orchestrated by Del Mar, Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony (1957-8 and the disc's only previously available selection), and the Sarabande from Handel's Amaryllis Suite (1949). All of the selections on this collection are in mono, except for the first movement of the Tchaikovsky 4th which makes its stereo debut here.

Whether you are a serious collector of classical music or a beginner, the "Great Conductors of the 20th Century" has something for everyone. If the prized, rare performances don't excite you, then use this as an opportunity to check out one of the greatest conductors ever recorded. Chances are, since stores are offering increasingly homogenized classical music sections, this conductor might not be in your collection. And that would truly be a shame.

Wagner: The Rhinegold
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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Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

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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.

For all of its flaws, this is an astonishing and, for me, an indispensible recording because it made me listen to this opera with new ears. While it's not the most lyrically pleasing recording (Karajan) or musically authoritative (that would be Solti, IMHO), dramatically, this Rhinegold excells any recording I know of. I will definitely buy the rest of the set.

Schubert: Symphony No 9; Wagner / Solti, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Average customer rating:

Old style

One of Solti's better efforts, but his Schubert is too hard-edged

One Word: SOLTI

One of Solti's most relaxed recordings ...

A masterpiece masterfully performed!

Schubert: Symphony No 9; Wagner / Solti, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00001IVQV
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Tracks:

Symphony No. 9 In C Major 'Great': I. Andante - Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Symphony No. 9 In C Major 'Great': II. Andante Con Moto
Symphony No. 9 In C Major 'Great': III. Scherzo: Allegro Vivace
Symphony No. 9 In C Major 'Great': IV. Allegro Vivace
Siegfried Idyll

Customer Reviews:

Old style.......2007-01-25

For all of us looking for "the" performance, we can forget it. I recently bought a newer recording with "original" instruments, and it represents one way, and I can see what the conductor is doing. He sets a medium tempo in the first movement, and maintains it throughout.
I prefer Solti's more traditional style; slow intro, fast main section (a la Haydn). Schubert symphonies are much more classical than his lieder, and Solti plays it as a modern performance of a classical symphony.
And as for the venom being spilled around here (whew!), this simply represents another "way". I think Solti sees the piece as a whole, not unfolding in time. Solti's driving tempos inspire the orchestra to great heights. You have never heard the last movement violin triplets so light. The inner movements don't dawdle, and move with appealing drama. Unlike some older conductors, Solti takes all the repeats, which gives much pleasure. We cannot know what Schubert intended, but this is one "way" to do the piece, and a fine performance it is.
I will no doubt have another recording before I hit the last double bar, and considering the greatness of this piece, so should you.

One of Solti's better efforts, but his Schubert is too hard-edged.......2005-09-18

Solti calmed down enough not to ride roughshod over the Schubert Ninth, and this was enough to send British critics into rhapsodies--the Gramophone and Pelican Guide both put this Schubert Ninth near the top of their list (the same reviewer wrote both critiques). But it's still Solti, and coming form the outside, it's hard to believe that he would have a feeling for Schubert's mystery and humnity, his good humor and ineffable innocence, even given the fact that the Vienna Phil. is to the manner born. In fact, with somewhat too bright sonics from Decca, this reading is still a bit hard-driven and angled in its contours. It's a respectable entry, but lots of other conductors, including Klemperer, Bernstein, Sinopoli, Furtwangler, and Giulini, have done much better.

One Word: SOLTI.......2001-03-05

Anyone considering buying this CD should first be clear about what it is they are about to purchase. Take a good look at the picture. This is not Schubert's music. This is not Wagner's music. This is SOLTI's music. The written notes make that very clear. Almost no information about Schubert or Wagner. You'll notice how "SOLTI" is in all capitial letters while the composers' names are relegated to regular type.

Of course, if you are a lover of Georg Solti, this is nothing new. The music quality itself is good. Just "good," not excellent, and what quality it has can be attributed to the fact that it is played by the finest orchesrtra in the world, the Vienna Philharmonic. There was nothing about Solti's conducting that was extraordinary. There are plenty of conductors who unlike Solti don't have the money and freinds to make them world famous but pull off great performances.

If you can get over the packaging, this is a nice CD. I was looking for the "Great" Symphony and the Siegfried Idyll and by chance found them together here. This is one of the minority of recordings of the Idyll with the original small orchestra.

One of Solti's most relaxed recordings ..........2000-10-20

... which isn't to say this superb version of one of mankind's greatest creative achievements isn't lacking in drama, or sharpness of attack. To quote Solti's comments from the booklet notes on the music, Schubert's Ninth should sound like "precision and gentleness achieved simultaneously." Passage after gorgeous passage rolls crisply but freely along like a mountain stream; and the famous Vienna band play their hearts out.

Stravinsky once quipped about a hard-driven Solti performance of a Mozart opera: "Mozart is poorer than that." But Solti, whose energetic interpretations can sound inappropriately rocket-fueled at times, is obviously in love with Schubert's Ninth and gives it the time and space it needs to breathe. And breathe it does. If you're looking for a modern instrument version of this great work that you can live with for a long time, this is a true classic. Warmly recorded by Decca's master sound mages. As a substantial bonus, it comes with a dreamy version of Wagner's "Siegfried Idyll."

The price is right; the performance is timeless. Go for it!

A masterpiece masterfully performed!.......2000-08-01

For me, it began slowly - a solo French horn playing a hauntingly beautiful, stately melody. This tune was repeated softly by the orchestra, with variations. It was then gradually assimilated by another slower, sweeter melody. Finally, the orchestra burst forth with joyful exuberance into the first movement's main theme, a dance-like allegro. For another 53 minutes and three additional movements, I sat enraptured as I listened to a wellspring of gorgeous melodies and musical themes pour forth from my stereo.

In this manner was I first introduced to Franz Schubert's greatest orchestral masterpiece - his Symphony No. 9 in C major, nicknamed the "Great" Symphony.

Schubert's Ninth Symphony, which lasts nearly one hour, is a masterpiece of gigantic proportions. The composer wrote it near the end of his short life (he was only 30 when he died.) The symphony was discovered by fellow composer Robert Schumann several years after Schubert's death. Schumann immediately recognized the composition for what it was: the singular masterwork of a pure genius.

The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO), under the direction of the late Sir Georg Solti, offers a magnificent performance of this great work. Solti had a reputation for demanding crisp precision and fast tempi from the orchestras he conducted. The VPO and Solti do not disappoint with Schubert's Ninth. Tempi are uniformly faster than the other versions of this work that I've heard. The effect is to give the overall performance a warm, sunny disposition, even in the slower movements.

Tracks:

Coriolan Overture, Op.62 - Emil Gilels
I Allegro Non Troppo - Emil Gilels
II Allegro Appassionato - Emil Gilels
III Andante - Piu Adagio - Emil Gilels
IV Allegretto Grazioso - Un Poco Piu Presto - Emil Gilels
I Adagio - Allegro Spiritoso - Fritz Reiner
II Andante - Fritz Reiner
III Menuetto - Trio - Fritz Reiner
IV Presto - Fritz Reiner
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Scherzo - Emil Gilels

Tracks:

Tragic Overture, Op.81 - Fritz Reiner
Gotterdammerung: Morgendammerung Und Siegfrieds Rheinfahrt - Fritz Reiner
Swineherd's Dance - Fritz Reiner
Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche, Op.28 - Fritz Reiner
I Prelude. Vif - Fritz Reiner
II Forlane. Allegretto - Fritz Reiner
III Menuet. Allegro Moderato - Fritz Reiner
IV Rigaudon. Assez Vif - Fritz Reiner
I Introduccion Y Escena - Carol Brice
II En La Cueva: La Noche - Carol Brice
III Cancion Del Amor Dolido - Carol Brice
IV El Aparecido - Carol Brice
V Danza Del Terror - Carol Brice
VI El Circulo Magico: Romance Del Pescador - Carol Brice
VII A Media Noche: Los Sortilegios - Carol Brice
VIII Danza Ritual Del Fuego: Para Ahuyentar Los Malos Espiritus - Carol Brice
IX Escena - Carol Brice
X Cancion Del Fuego Fatuo - Carol Brice
XI Pantomima - Carol Brice
XII Danza Del Juego De Amor - Carol Brice
XIII Final. Las Campanas Del Amanecer - Carol Brice

Amazon.com

The bulk of this double-disc bargain features Reiner with the Chicago Symphony, which he shaped into a polished paragon of orchestral virtuosity. The set opens with Beethoven's Coriolan Overture, one of best on disc, thrusting and powerful. The longest work is Brahms's Second Piano Concerto, which pits Reiner's machined precision against Gilels's big, warm sound. The combination yielded one of the best Brahms Seconds in the catalogue, more dynamic than the pianist's later version with Jochum (on DG). Mozart's Linz Symphony gets a lean, classical performance, forward-moving yet lyrical, the finale thrilling. The Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey from Goetterdaemmerung, stresses the darkness of the Rhine more than the light of the dawn, and Reiner's 1950 Til Eulenspiegel with the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra captures the sardonic humor of Strauss's masterpiece. Falla's El Amor Brujo, a work Reiner often played, is a souvenir of his leadership of the Pittsburgh Symphony, brilliantly done with Carol Brice a terrific, chesty-voiced singer. Ravel's Le Tombeau de Couperin could use a bit more charm and grace, but it's well-played by the NBC Symphony. Sonics range from superb early stereo to decent late 1940s mono. A good overview, proving that Reiner was indeed one of the century's great maestros. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Musically great but too many retreads.......2005-12-13

The compilers of the Great Conductors series let us down with this installment devoted to Fritz Reiner. The vast majority of the works on these 2 CDs are commercially available on RCA and always have been. The Mozart Linz Sym., the Ravel Tombeaut de Couperin (a "why bother?" if ever there was one), and a mono El Amor Brujo from Pittsburgh (re-recorded by Reiner to far more dramatic effect with Leontyne Price and the CSO) are the slim claims to novelty.

If you don't own the Coriolan or the Brahms 2nd Concerto with Gilels, both superb performances, this set has something to offer. The old RCA standbys are all superb, in fact. But where is Reiner the long-time opera conductor? Reiner in live performances from Chicago? Reiner with the Vienna Phil. near the end of his life? Reiner in unusual repertoire? By missing so many opportunities, the Great Condcutors series did poorly by one of their truly great conductors.

One of the great conductors of the 20th century.......2005-02-19

Undoubtedly, Fritz Reiner's twofer is one of the most satisfying releases in this batch of the excellent "Great Conductors of the 20th Century" series. A lot of the material covered here is not only new to CD, most is moreover of the highest order.

One will be hard-pressed to find more gripping recordings of Beethoven's "Coriolan", Brahms' "Tragic Ouverture" and 2nd Piano concerto (which highlights the superb cooperation between Reiner and the Russian keyboard giant Emil Gilels again). There is also an excellent Mozart Symphony #36 "Linz". All are vintage Chicago Symphony of the late 1950s (with a well-nigh ideal orchestral balance, a stunning clarity of structure and excitingly incisive playing), magnified by truly awesome early stereo.

CD two also features an earlier account (1946) of de Falla's "El amor brujo" with soprano Carol Brice and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, which Reiner headed from 1938 until 1948. Ravel's "Tombeau de Couperin" with the NBC Symphony Orchestra and Richard Strauss' "Till Eulenspiegel" with the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra from the early 1950's rounds off this outstanding release. Both composers, Ravel and Strauss, have always been close to Reiner.

In short, a great introduction for anyone wishing to taste Fritz Reiner's art, as well as a must for collectors.

A Real Find!.......2004-12-04

"Great Conductors of the 20th Century" has proven to be a fascinating, revealing series of recordings, and perhaps no volume in the series has shown itself to be more revealing than this one.
While Toscanini is generally given credit for being a literally faithful interpreter of scores, he made minor adjustments even to the scores of composers he revered, like Beethoven and Brahms. The legendary conductor who came the closest to being a literal interpreter was Fritz Reiner.
This is not to say the Reiner's performances were dry or lacked character. Far from it! Like Szell, Solti, and to a lesser extant, Toscanini, Reiner sought to sublimate his ego in the service of the composer's intent, as indicated in the score. Reiner's achievement was to inject less of his personality into his performances than those of the other Apollonarians. When we listen to a Reiner recording, therefore, we don't find out a lot about Fritz Reiner. We do discover a lot about Beethoven, or Brahms, or Wagner, or Ravel, or Bartok, or whoever else's music he's conducting. It's sort of like watching a production of Shakespeare, mounted by a great director, who shapes the overall vision of the play, and lets the actors play their parts with as little editorial comment but as much faithfullness as possible.
Reiner's object is to mount a performance which gets the audience to love the composer's work as much as he does. He doesn't seem to really care what you think about him.
I bought this set on a recommedation from a friend about the Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto with Emil Gilels. I was not disappointed. Gilels delivers his usual robust, muscular performance and Reiner and the Chicago Symphony are right there with him, every step of the way. The Andante - piu adagio is as gentle and refined as the other movements are strong and confident. This is one extraodinary performance.
Beethoven's "Coriolan Overture," which preceeds the Brahms, is, if anything, even better. It hits you like a stiff left jab in the nose, and once it has your attention, it doesn't let go of it. The Brahms "Tragic Overture" is equally impressive.
"Dawn and Siegfried's Ride" from Wagner's "Gotterdammerung" reveals just how beautiful Wagner's music can sound when given a lean and disciplined approach.
Perhaps one reason Reiner is so hard to pin down as a conductor is that he was a true cosmopolitan, who appreciated the differences in flavors, feelings and aromas of different cultures. Thus, he is equally at home presenting the shining, delicate surfaces, and underlying subtelties, of Ravel's "Le Tombeau de Couperin," or the firey passion and mysticism of de Falla's "El Amor Brujo" as he is with the German repertoire. In fact, this particular version of "El Amor Brujo" is to die for. Carol Brice may not be able to match Leontyne Price in terms of glorious tone, but she more than makes up for it in an idiomatically correct performance, full of that Iberian fire that Price, for all her talent, just couldn't fathom.
By the way, the other selections, by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Bartok
and Richard Strauss, are all up to the same high standards.
This CD is a special musical treat, and, at the price, a real FIND!

Superb Collection..........2004-12-02

Dating from the mid 1940's to the late 1950's, this is an unusual and wonderful collection of recordings by the late Fritz Reiner. The latter period constituted his "Golden Age" - his storied collaboration with the Chicago Symphony produced some of the most spectacular recordings of the 20th Century, and a number of interesting examples are included here, including the wonderful Brahms "Tragic Overture."

But the most fascinating recordings in this collection for Reiner fans are those preceding his Chicago years. The "Til Eulenspiegel" recording, from the early '50's in New York City, is a wonder - it is certainly one of the most completely satisfying recordings ever made of this very early Strauss work, and it has become the favorite (out of nearly a dozen) in my collection. His recording of "El Amor Brujo" is equally fascinating - I have loved his Chicago Symphony recording with Leontyne Price for decades, but my recent invited guest preferred this recording hands-down, despite the somewhat inferior sound and less-than-hair-trigger playing. She found it more idiomatically Spanish, and I grudgingly agree.

Perhaps best of all, for less than the price of a single modern bit of plastic, I own - forever - a living slice of a truly glorious musical era. Considering its status as a "compilation," I suggest picking it up while the pickin's good - these collections generally don't stick around for very long, and this one is truly terrific.

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Engineer's Choice
Bela Bartok , David Diamond , Ottorino Respighi , Manuel de Falla , Ravel, Maurice , James DePreist , Schwarz, Gerard , Wagner, Roger , Shifrin, David , and Davidovich, Bella
Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000071F
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Symphony No. 10: Scherzo
Gimpel The Fool: 'Jester's Song And Mazel Tov'
Through The Looking Glass: Looking-Glass Insects
Grand Canyon Suite: Sunset
Billy The Kid: Gun Battle
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Nights In The Gardens Of Spain (excerpts)
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Orchestral Excerpts for Trombone

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

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General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000038JF
Release Date: 1994-05-31

Tracks:

Requiem
Hungarian March/Sym Fantastique
Con
Sym No.9
Prld Act III, Lohengrin/Ride Of The Valkyries/Tannhauser Ov
Bolero
Sym No.3
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Sym No.1 & 2
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Manufacturer: Delta
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