Wagner One Ring to rule them all...

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Solti is the best Wagner conductor if you ask me, even though not everyone of my favorite recordings are from him. He has at least best:

The Ring
Parsifal (tied with Knappertsbusch)
Tannhäuser
Meistersinger (tied with Karajan)
Tristan (tied with Furtwangler and Carlos Kleiber)

However, Karajan has best Holländer and Kempe best Lohengrin IMHO. There is no better Ortrud than Christa Ludwig!

Oh, and about Rheingold, it is very close to Siegfried being my favorite Wagner opera, in fact it used to be my favorite! But eventually I came to love Siegfried just a tiny bit more.

[Lisztianwagner]

However, Karajan has best Holländer

I agree, Karajan's Der fliegende Holländer is absolutely superb; the best recording I've ever heard so far.

[DavidA]

Of course you're correct. The Solti is deservedly a classic. Regarding so-called live recordings: a few years ago the Met issued a "live" DVD of Meistersinger under Levine with Ben Heppner. I saw one of the performances in the house and heard the broadcast. Heppner was cracking on every A in the Prize Song. You think that went on the DVD? I also was at the NY Philharmonic when Kurt Masur gave his last performance, accompanying Mutter in the Beethoven. The audience was told to "hold its applause" because the performance was going to be recorded (though why anyone would want such a disaster is beyond me). How much do you want to bet that this "live" recording didn't include the 10-minute coughing spell from one lusty audience member in the middle of the first movement? Give me a break! 

I bought the DVD of the Met Mastersingers cheap. It really is ridiculous with Heppner  looking as if he'd be better playing Falstaff. One problem with opera on DVD. It can show how laughable it becomes with fat and / or elderly singers in close up.

[betterthanfine]

A reissue of Janowski's Ring is upon us:

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Richard-Wagner-1813-1883-Janowski-Ring-Edition/hnum/3158796



Going for €50 on JPC, much less even in some other places (€34 at bol.com!) and includes the libretto for every opera. The individual parts are in cardboard clamshells and everything is housed together in a really nice solid cardboard box.

Shame I bought the previous Sony reissue of this Ring a few months ago. I'm SO tempted to just give that one away and buy this one since it is such a steal and the packaging is so elaborate. You know what, I think I'll do just that.

[Fafner]

Shame I bought the previous Sony reissue of this Ring a few months ago. I'm SO tempted to jusy give that one away and buy this one since it is such a steal and the packaging is so elaborate. You know what, I think I'll do just that.

My thoughts exactly, and I only bought it yesterday.

[Fafner]

One problem with opera on DVD. It can show how laughable it becomes with fat and / or elderly singers in close up.

True. I have a recording of Botha doing Lohengrin at Chicago Lyric Opera. Botha is a supreme Lohengrin sonically, but I probably could not keep a straight face watching him go through the sword fight with Telramund. That must have been hilarious.

[MishaK]

True. I have a recording of Botha doing Lohengrin at Chicago Lyric Opera. Botha is a supreme Lohengrin sonically, but I probably could not keep a straight face watching him go through the sword fight with Telramund. That must have been hilarious.

I was there! That was a mindbogglingly brilliant performance! That voice just rings naturally all the way to the back of the hall. He never ever sounded the least bit strained and the intimate moments with Elsa were truly intimate. What really caught one's attention was his rendition of "Nie sollst du mich befragen". The way he added intensity in the second iteration really sounded like he was asking Elsa "do you actually have the slightest clue what you're getting yourself into?!" The sword fight wasn't much of a fight. More a single rotation of the sword around his body, conveniently timed to conicide with Telramund's leap towards him. Btw, Telramund and Ortrud were wonderfuly evil! Btw, Botha is doing Meistersinger this season at the Lyric, but I can't make myself go. I have to confess I can't stand that opera.

[knight66]

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/focus/exclusive-first-look-at-bayreuths-radical-new-ring

Preemptive I guess, but not one I will be shelling out for on DVD.

Mike

[Roberto]

I would like advice. 
I would like to buy a Ring reording in next month. I've listened the 1983 Solti Ring on youtube already at work. (Just for a first impression.)
I've read reviews on Amazon and other sites of the currently available Ring recordings and based on it I think the best would be the classical Solti cycle. (The Solti complete Wagner even cheaper now!)
I am a Furtwängler-admier so in the future I will buy the Furtwängler Scala Ring also (French Society has a new remastering) but because of Furtwängler. (I think I need a good-sounding first Ring before I listen to that recording from 1950.)
There are Furtwängler admirers on a local site also and they said Solti is good but Thielemann is one of the greatest Wagner conductor since the golden age and there are two Rings with him also. (They don't know these completely.) The older Bayreuth recording and the new recording with the Wiener Staatsoper. The new recording has great sound of course and it has great package also with making of DVDs.

The reviews said the singing in the Thielemann recording is not good. For me the most important is the orchestral execution but I don't want to buy a recording with a completely bad singing.
So what do you think?
Buy the Solti now and Furtwängler later or
buy the Thielemann now and Furtwängler later?

[Sergeant Rock]

So what do you think?
Buy the Solti now and Furtwängler later or
buy the Thielemann now and Furtwängler later?

Buy Karajan or Böhm now; buy Furtwängler Rome, not Scala, later.

There are no easy choices in this life 


Sarge

[kaergaard]

Buy Karajan or Böhm now; buy Furtwängler Rome, not Scala, later.

There are no easy choices in this life 


Sarge

But for a challenging difference and contrast buy the Furtwangler, Rome, now and then the Michael Schønwandt.

[DavidA]

Karajan's Walkure s simply superb. I bought it second hand and it is so beautiful. Karajan cunningly adapts his tempi to suite the voices, to get the best out of them. Of course, this is only one way of performing it - but how good I is!

[Wanderer]

Buy Karajan or Böhm now; buy Furtwängler Rome, not Scala, later.

Seconded.

[Roberto]

Thank you for the suggestions but I decided to buy Solti's version. I don't like Karajan at all so I've never wanted to buy his version. 
I know that RAI Ring is better recorded than Scala Ring but in case of Furtwängler we know that live recording is always preferrable over studio recording and SWF states that they has a great new remastering.

[kishnevi]

Thank you for the suggestions but I decided to buy Solti's version. I don't like Karajan at all so I've never wanted to buy his version. 
I know that RAI Ring is better recorded than Scala Ring but in case of Furtwängler we know that live recording is always preferrable over studio recording and SWF states that they has a great new remastering.

Going by the copy I have of the Scala Siegfried,  no amoung of remastering can really save that cycle.  Admittedly I have a mastering of dubious origin (on some label that called itself Virtuouso) but the singers can barely be heard over the orchestra: the microphone seems to have been located somewhere adjacent to the horns.

Also, be aware that Furtwangler recorded the Rome Ring one act at a time, in front of a live audience, so while it's not an actual opera house performance, it is the equivalent of a live concert performance (like the Halle cycle now in progress).

[brunumb]

Pristine Classical have remastered both of Furtwängler's Ring cycles:

Furtwängler's 1950 La Scala Ring Cycle - Box Set
http://www.pristineclassical.com/furtwangler-la-scala-ring-cycle-box-set.html

Furtwängler's 1953 RAI Ring Cycle - Box Set
http://www.pristineclassical.com/furtwangler-rai-ring-cycle-box-set.html

You can listen to samples to check on the sound quality, and there are different CD and download options available.

[marvinbrown]

Thank you for the suggestions but I decided to buy Solti's version. I don't like Karajan at all so I've never wanted to buy his version. 
I know that RAI Ring is better recorded than Scala Ring but in case of Furtwängler we know that live recording is always preferrable over studio recording and SWF states that they has a great new remastering.

  You did well opting for the Solti over the Karajan. Historically they were pitted against each other as "rival" recordings, but in all honesty I find that there never was, really, a contest between the two. A strong cast is essential for Wagner's Ring and here I find Karajan "wanting".  Other Ring cycles that I find far superior to Karajan are the Bohm, the Krauss and the Keilberth 1955. 

   That said, Karajan's Meisetersinger with the Dresden Orchestra and his Parsifal are divine! So don't write Karajan off as a Wagnerian conductor.

  Finally, I should warn you that Furtwangler's RAI while superbly conducted suffers from poor sound and a horrible orchestra (the brass section is quite dreadful).


 

  marvin

 

[Roberto]

Also, be aware that Furtwangler recorded the Rome Ring one act at a time, in front of a live audience, so while it's not an actual opera house performance, it is the equivalent of a live concert performance (like the Halle cycle now in progress).

I didn't know this! 

Pristine Classical have remastered both of Furtwängler's Ring cycles:

Thank you for the suggestion! I've listened both samples on my poor headphones. They sound quite good IMHO.

Finally, I should warn you that Furtwangler's RAI while superbly conducted suffers from poor sound and a horrible orchestra (the brass section is quite dreadful).

Yes, I've read about your opinion about it earlier. Maybe this is the cause why SWF doesn't recommend it. But I will by Furtwängler-Ring maybe in winter so I don't need urgent decision. 

[marvinbrown]

  Wagner Fans!!!  It has just come to my attention that a new Ring Cycle (not that I need DESPERATELY another) has entered the market.....and this one is conducted by....... OH MY!! a WOMAN!! (Sexism will not be tolerated!)  Reviews were very positive, this one was recorded in 2008??  what's going on here? Anyone heard this? I am interested.

  [asin]B009LRJ7UW[/asin]


  I only recognize 2 names from the cast, Deborah Polaski and John Tomlinson.
  marvin

[Elgarian]

Following the link to this new Ring (thanks Marvin), and also looking at the Amazon UK listing, I discover that the whole thing can be downloaded as five million mp3s for just a few pounds. For anyone wanting a Ring on an extreme budget, who isn't bothered about having it on physical media, this looks like something of a giveaway.