Wagner's Valhalla

[Mirror Image]

Seconded!

I knew you would too, Johan!

[Leo K.]

Wow, I've been stuck in a Wagner loop listening to the first two disks of Karajan's Die Walkure, and I'm also halfway through Furtwangler's Tristan und Isolde. This is RAVISHING stuff!!!

[Lisztianwagner]

Wow, I've been stuck in a Wagner loop listening to the first two disks of Karajan's Die Walkure, and I'm also halfway through Furtwangler's Tristan und Isolde. This is RAVISHING stuff!!!

Agreed; Karajan and Furtwangler were superb wagnerian conductors, you can never be disappointed by their recordings! Karajan's Ring Cycle is absolutely brilliant and haunting, full of beauty and power; Furtwangler's Tristan is maybe the best recording of that opera ever made: he was able to express deeply all the overwhelming passion, the emotional intensity of Wagner's concept of infinite melody.

[Leo K.]

Agreed; Karajan and Furtwangler were superb wagnerian conductors, you can never be disappointed by their recordings! Karajan's Ring Cycle is absolutely brilliant and haunting, full of beauty and power; Furtwangler's Tristan is maybe the best recording of that opera ever made: he was able to express deeply all the overwhelming passion, the emotional intensity of Wagner's concept of infinite melody.

I'm still under the spell of Karajan's Ring cycle...now, I'm almost done hearing the Ring, and totally transfixed by this sound world of ecstasy.

[Sergeant Rock]

I'm still under the spell of Karajan's Ring cycle...now, I'm almost done hearing the Ring, and totally transfixed by this sound world of ecstasy.

Sarge

[Coopmv]

I'm still under the spell of Karajan's Ring cycle...now, I'm almost done hearing the Ring, and totally transfixed by this sound world of ecstasy.

I bought my CD set back in December 2010 but have so far only listened through Das Rheingold.  I bought the Karajan Ring on LP back in the late 80's or early 90's.

[Elgarian]

I was shocked the other day to discover that Janowski's Ring cycle could now be had at an absurdly low price (£22.77 at Amazon UK), so asked for it as a birthday present and am fairly confident of getting it. Judging from what I read, I doubt it'll become a favourite, but at this price, heck - it's seems daft not to have one.

[mc ukrneal]

I was shocked the other day to discover that Janowski's Ring cycle could now be had at an absurdly low price (£22.77 at Amazon UK), so asked for it as a birthday present and am fairly confident of getting it. Judging from what I read, I doubt it'll become a favourite, but at this price, heck - it's seems daft not to have one.

Generally, it's considered pretty good, with quite a deep cast. It's the Brunnhilde that is often cited as the weak link, but perhaps you will be happy with it. At that price, cannot really go wrong. Let us know what you think.

[Elgarian]

It's the Brunnhilde that is often cited as the weak link

Yes, I know, and it may prove a problem for me.   I know Altmeyer's Sieglinde in the Boulez Ring and think she's magnificent. But I'm very much a Nilsson/Hunter/Jones fan when it comes to Brunnhilde, and I don't respond too well to Dernesch's Brunnhilde in Karajan's Ring - which may be indicative of a disappointment in store. But regardless of those considerations, I gather from my reading that Janowski takes a distinctively different approach to the whole Ring, and I'd like to hear for myself what that's all about. As you say, at this price there's nothing much to lose, and I certainly intend to comment as and when I'm able.

[Lisztianwagner]

I'm still under the spell of Karajan's Ring cycle...now, I'm almost done hearing the Ring, and totally transfixed by this sound world of ecstasy.

Totally agree, no doubt!

[jlaurson]

Childlike, not Childish Siegfried: Munich's Ring Cycle



http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/06/childlike-not-childish-siegfried.html

[jlaurson]

A Spring's Worth of Work, out in print, at last:

The annual Almanac of the Society of Friends of Bayreuth
(200 pages of interviews, essays in English & German + extra book with French digest)

[Lisztianwagner]

- 5 days to the Bayreuth Festival

This year the programme includes: Der Fliegende Holländer, Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, Tristan und Isolde and Parsifal. I'm really looking forward to listening to the operas when they shall be broadcast!!

[jlaurson]

The Cocooned Cadaver: Kriegenburg's Walküre


http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-cocooned-cadaver-kriegenburgs.html

[kishnevi]

The Cocooned Cadaver: Kriegenburg's Walküre


http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-cocooned-cadaver-kriegenburgs.html

Makes me curious to see it, actually.
But either you have a mix up in names to fix, or the director was being even more creative than you thought:

It starts with a bewilderingly clumsy slow-motion fight sequence of Siegfried vs. a posse of Hunding-henchmen ninjas during the overture

[jlaurson]

Makes me curious to see it, actually.
But either you have a mix up in names to fix, or the director was being even more creative than you thought:

Ah, thanks for that! Caught almost just in time.

[The new erato]

Another edition of the Solti:

http://www.mdt.co.uk/blog/latest-news/der-ring-des-nibelungen-solti-limited-edition-decca/

Not exactly a bargain issue though.



2 CDs:

An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen by Wagner scholar Deryck Cooke
+ book with spoken text and music examples

DVD:
The Golden Ring – the acclaimed BBC documentary directed by Humphrey Burton and filmed during Götterdämmerung sessions

CD
Wagner Overtures + Siegfried Idyll + Kinderkatchechismus
Recordings made in Vienna during the years when the Ring was in progress

Ring Resounding
John Culshaw's fascinating account of the entire Ring project from inception to completion – first published in 1967 and long out of print – it is an integral element in this special edition.
Exclusive to this edition

Blu-ray disc
The complete Ring on one disc presented as lossless 24-bit files
Exclusive to this edition

The Ride of the Valkyries
Special facsimile of one of Sir Georg Solti's working scores
with his markings explained and commentary by Charles Kaye
Exclusive to this edition

Art prints
5 high-quality art prints of recording session photos
Exclusive to this edition

Gramophone
Special 40 page brochure with facsimiles of original DECCA advertisements and reviews
Exclusive to this edition

As well as the remastered 14 discs.

[nico1616]

Another edition of the Solti:

http://www.mdt.co.uk/blog/latest-news/der-ring-des-nibelungen-solti-limited-edition-decca/

Not exactly a bargain issue though.



2 CDs:

An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen by Wagner scholar Deryck Cooke
+ book with spoken text and music examples

DVD:
The Golden Ring – the acclaimed BBC documentary directed by Humphrey Burton and filmed during Götterdämmerung sessions

CD
Wagner Overtures + Siegfried Idyll + Kinderkatchechismus
Recordings made in Vienna during the years when the Ring was in progress

Ring Resounding
John Culshaw's fascinating account of the entire Ring project from inception to completion – first published in 1967 and long out of print – it is an integral element in this special edition.
Exclusive to this edition

Blu-ray disc
The complete Ring on one disc presented as lossless 24-bit files
Exclusive to this edition

The Ride of the Valkyries
Special facsimile of one of Sir Georg Solti's working scores
with his markings explained and commentary by Charles Kaye
Exclusive to this edition

Art prints
5 high-quality art prints of recording session photos
Exclusive to this edition

Gramophone
Special 40 page brochure with facsimiles of original DECCA advertisements and reviews
Exclusive to this edition

As well as the remastered 14 discs.

My God, they sure how to make boxes tempting these days

However, I already spent that amount on Solti's Ring buying all the separate Ring boxes at full price.
But I never regretted it 

[Lisztianwagner]

- 5 days to the Bayreuth Festival

This year the programme includes: Der Fliegende Holländer, Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, Tristan und Isolde and Parsifal. I'm really looking forward to listening to the operas when they shall be broadcast!!

The Bayreuth Festival starts today! First opera: Der Fliegende Holländer.

http://www.br.de/radio/br-klassik/programmkalender/sendung346270.html

[jlaurson]

Bayreuth and its Swastikas

Dutchman Overboard

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/07/bayreuth-and-its-swastikas.html