"First, everything that is said of the performance is true. This is a record of a great musical event. And as far as I know it's still the only document to preserve Flagstad's complete Brunnhilde, which is reason enough to buy the set, for anyone who has come to be awed by this singer, by some margin the greatest singer of the last century. Everything that is said about Furtwangler is true too; his shaping of scenes and Acts, his pacing of particular moments (for example the long counterpoint section in the Rhine Journey, with Siegfried's horn, Fire and other motifs dancing joyously together until swept away by the Rhine, a passage that Solti of all people takes far too slowly, and that almost no-one else gets quite right) are impeccable, both noble and viscerally exciting. But... too many reviews of this set (I'm criticising _professional_ reviewers here; not Amazon's reviewers who, like me, are honest amateurs) have glossed over one unpalatable truth about this set. Even in the cleaned up Opera D'Oro version, this recording is in abysmal sound; you can never quite relax, when listening to this set, and let the music wash all over you. Always you have to make allowances, to note this or that detail that justifies your attention. But it is not like listening to the _Ring_; it is perhaps like being some distance outside the concert hall while inside a performance of the _Ring_ is taking place, or like listening to a broadcast of the _Ring_ relayed down an intercontinental telephone line during variable weather. What is worse, it is like doing so in a room with people talking to you, throughout. The La Scala audience of 1950 chattered gaily throughout the performance, the mikes being placed so as to pick up every word.... I glare at even the occasional furtive whisperer in the Sydney Opera House, but this audience knew no shame. And when they rose at last they probably knew no Wagnerian music or drama, either. So... this is a representation of a great performance. It must have been extraordinary to have been there. But though there are many historical recordings I would unreservedly recommend (the 1930's Walkure Act I with Bruno Walter, obviously, twenty years older than this recording, and in twenty times better sound) I couldn't recommend this one without a caveat. It's for Flagstad enthusiasts, and Furtwangler enthusiasts. Now anyone who explores in recorded Wagner will become one or both of those enthusiasts, in time. But you shouldn't start your acquaintance with the _Ring_ with this recording. It's very rewarding to own this as a second or third _Ring_ recording. It would be a mistake to make it your first. Cheers!Laon"
Excellent refurbishment of a classic live performance.
Laon | 09/13/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Furtwangler (and Wagner) lovers will know this recording from its various incarnations both on vinyl (most commonly, in a Murray Hill jumbo box) and CD (on a variety of Italian and other labels). The present release has the twin benefits of economy and well refurbished sound - indeed, I found the sound to be better than any previous editions of the same performance, with generally well balanced sound and a reasonable dynamic range for the period. However, it is not for the sound that this recording is an essential purchase: it is for the performance which ranks as one of the finest versions of the Ring at any price, and certainly an example of Furtwangler at his finest, supported by a superb cast and an orchestra (La Scala) which is capable, at least for most of the time, of meeting his passionate needs. The performance is arguably better played and sung than the EMI RAI performance and in its latest guise offers comparable sound. Don't miss this even if you do not normally buy historic live recordings. You will be rewarded by one of the gems of the Opera d'oro range, and a real bargain at the price. As an indication of the quality of the performance try the opening (and ending) of Act One of Walkure. It is hard to imagine this work better done: indeed, in the case of this example, the closest competitor would be Bohm or Walter."
Great Ring, Horrible Sound
aleibo31 | Dobbs Ferry, NY USA | 10/18/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I must weigh in and agree with the reviewer "Laon", this must have been a wonderful cycle to have seen; although, to judge by the chattering Italians in the audience, they seemingly did not appreciate it. It is the only complete representation of Flagstad's Brunhilde and one of the only times you are likely to hear Set Svanholm's Siegfried when his voice was still fresh and strong. However the sound is so abysmal that you have to really strain to enjoy this opera, it sounds, at times, like it was recorded with a sock over the microphone. Unfortunately some of the most beautiful parts of the cycle are the most effected, Wotan's long monolouge in Act II of Walkure, the achingly beautiful scene at the end of Act II of Walkure between Brunhilde and Siegmund being just two examples. However, that being said, there are some glorious moments on this set, Flagstad's voice ringing out during the Immolation Scene as well as the Love Duet in Gotterdamerung is an incredible opportunity to hear the finest Wagnerian singer of the last century in all her glory, although she was in her late 50's at the time. I would still recommend this for fans of the golden age of Wagnerian singing due to its very reasonable price, but be aware of the short comings before you buy it. If you want a great Ring for a ressonalbe price I highly recommend the Krauss set from Bayreuth in 1953, it features the incomprable Hans Hotter at the pinnicle of this abilites, the great Astrid Varnay, a young and wonderfully fresh sounding Wolfgang Windgassen, the often overlooked, but immensely talented Ramon Vinay, and my favorite German bass Josef Greindl."
Pretty amazing deal
Ray Barnes | Surrey, British Columbia Canada | 05/29/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This recording gets a full recommendation due to its very competitive pricing. The sound quality is better than the original Murray Hill LPs but is not as good as in the Clemens Krauss Bayreuth set. Still it is well worth hearing for the sake of Furtwangler's magisterial interpretation and for the performance of Kirsten Flagstad. It is amazing how a great singer can be heard to good advantage in spite of unfavourable recording conditions. For what it's worth, I rank this performance ahead of the RAI Italian radio cycle, as it does have better playing. The Die Walkure done in Vienna, as I recall in 1954, is in my view superior to either of the Italian accounts, and the Bayreuth 1937 Gotterdammerung with Frida Leider as Brunnhilde is arguably more riveting too. But nonetheless at budget price there is a great deal to enjoy here. The bronchial afflictions of the audience require some forbearance. All four operas are successful and the singing is reasonably good throughout. Enthusiastically recommended."
Track Listings (17) - Disc #1