Wagner. Der Ring des Nibelungen.
Discussion
Having listened to a few 'Best of' on CD, then having watched the BBC TV documentary's by Portillo and more recently Fry on the subject of Wagner's Ring Cycle, I did some research on the internet as to the best complete version to buy, and ordered a 14 disc CD set of Solti/Vienna philharmonic as a slightly spontaneous purchase.
Er, it's arrived. Now what?
I suppose I had best listen to it? It's going to take days, any tips?
I thought listening to it in the Bentley in the garage, with 12 speakers and 600w might be best
Er, it's arrived. Now what?
I suppose I had best listen to it? It's going to take days, any tips?
I thought listening to it in the Bentley in the garage, with 12 speakers and 600w might be best
Well you bought the right recording IMHO - Solti/Vienna is the definitive version!
Tricky one really. It doesn't get any more epic! You could stick it on in the car as background and get used to the sound world and themes. Wagner uses "leitmotifs" as musical identifiers in the story - each character and important event/item in the story has its own theme which help tell the story.
You could also sit down and listen to it - an act per evening for example - whilst you follow a synopsis of the story, with perhaps a translation of the libretto.
I think I would read a synopsis of each opera first of all to get an overview, before listening in detail.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Ring_des_Nibelung...
Is as good a place to start as any.
I was fortunate enough to see Solti do a semi staged version of the whole thing over 4 nights at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Opera House Orchestra back in 98. The word "epic" is vastly overused these days (especially by Clarkson et al) but it's entirely appropriate.
Good luck
(Might dig out my recording!)
Tricky one really. It doesn't get any more epic! You could stick it on in the car as background and get used to the sound world and themes. Wagner uses "leitmotifs" as musical identifiers in the story - each character and important event/item in the story has its own theme which help tell the story.
You could also sit down and listen to it - an act per evening for example - whilst you follow a synopsis of the story, with perhaps a translation of the libretto.
I think I would read a synopsis of each opera first of all to get an overview, before listening in detail.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Ring_des_Nibelung...
Is as good a place to start as any.
I was fortunate enough to see Solti do a semi staged version of the whole thing over 4 nights at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Opera House Orchestra back in 98. The word "epic" is vastly overused these days (especially by Clarkson et al) but it's entirely appropriate.
Good luck
(Might dig out my recording!)
NiceCupOfTea said:
Well you bought the right recording IMHO - Solti/Vienna is the definitive version!
I very nearly went for the Furtwängler version.http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/classical/thering/ring...
But I think/hope I made the right choice, the reviews on Amazon were quite forthright too.
Read the book Penetrating Wagner's Ring, it'll help you decide.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Penetrating-Wagners-Ring-C...
The reviews are excellent.
Eg.
As implied by the title, this collection probes deeply into Wagner's vast Ring piece. Accusations of anti-semitism make Wagner's Ring a sensitive area today, but it continues to offer pleasure to many. This is a masterful work of musical scholarship that deserves a place on any sturdy shelf. No doubt it will influence appreciation of Wagner's Ring for many years to come. Among the highlights is the revealing chapter on the many characters than Wagner has managed to cram into his Ring- from fearsome giants Fafner and Fasolt to dwarf-brothers Alberich and Mime. Also covered are the brass instruments that Wagner designed specifically for insertion within the Ring. There will always be those who are opposed to musical analysis (just the same as there will always be those who resort to juvenile humour, regarding the title). They may suggest that Wagner's Ring is 'violated' with excessive force of scholarship. For this reviewer, however, Wagner's Ring remains quite intact and is indeed tightened by the exploration. In short, this stimulating venture in and out of Wagner's Ring has resulted in a seminal, fluid output.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Penetrating-Wagners-Ring-C...
The reviews are excellent.
Eg.
As implied by the title, this collection probes deeply into Wagner's vast Ring piece. Accusations of anti-semitism make Wagner's Ring a sensitive area today, but it continues to offer pleasure to many. This is a masterful work of musical scholarship that deserves a place on any sturdy shelf. No doubt it will influence appreciation of Wagner's Ring for many years to come. Among the highlights is the revealing chapter on the many characters than Wagner has managed to cram into his Ring- from fearsome giants Fafner and Fasolt to dwarf-brothers Alberich and Mime. Also covered are the brass instruments that Wagner designed specifically for insertion within the Ring. There will always be those who are opposed to musical analysis (just the same as there will always be those who resort to juvenile humour, regarding the title). They may suggest that Wagner's Ring is 'violated' with excessive force of scholarship. For this reviewer, however, Wagner's Ring remains quite intact and is indeed tightened by the exploration. In short, this stimulating venture in and out of Wagner's Ring has resulted in a seminal, fluid output.
Balmoral Green said:
NiceCupOfTea said:
Well you bought the right recording IMHO - Solti/Vienna is the definitive version!
I very nearly went for the Furtwängler version.http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/classical/thering/ring...
But I think/hope I made the right choice, the reviews on Amazon were quite forthright too.
I actually think the performances I saw were with Haitink, not Solti, on reflection.
Just grabbed my version off the shelf - it's Sawallisch and Bayerische Staatsoper, live. I seem to recall it came out in the late 90s and I went for it because the Solti recording was so expensive!
You have to buy that book, if only for the embarassment factor on your bookshelf. Not sure about listening to it in a - gasp - Bentley. I could imagine playing Siegfried's Funeral March as the garage door sloooowly opens though.
Maybe take it for a country drive afterwards and play Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis?
Maybe take it for a country drive afterwards and play Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis?
Solti's Ring is the best - it has been the benchmark for the last 30 years and will still be the benchmark for a long time. I read a few months ago an article in the Evening Standard that Solti's Ring is the best sold classical music recording ever (to be fair - this recording has been sold over the last 30 years). Enjoy, you will not be disappointed.
Another vote for Solti's Ring. There's so much music to get your head around but it really is worth the time invested. I left Wagner well alone for ages but have really got to love it over the last few years. The Welsh Opera recently did Meistersinger at the Proms and it was fantastic.
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