Search - Richard Wagner, Georg Solti, Vienna Philharmonic :: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (1982 Orchestral Excerpts)

An exciting CD but . . . .

David A. Kemp | Plano, TX USA | 09/23/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As Wagnerites know, Solti recorded a famous, landmark complete Ring cycle ... with the Vienna Philharmonic and a stellar cast of singers, including Flagstad and Nilsson, in 1958-1965. This CD, however, is not drawn from that distinguished set. It consists of six orchestral excerpts from the Ring, recorded much later, digitally, in the Sofiensaal in Vienna in 1982, and was originally released by Decca/London in 1983. It has much to recommend it. The sound is excellent and the readings are fiery, dynamic, dramatic, exciting, as one has come to expect from Solti. There are two caveats, however, which I think should be pointed out to prospective buyers. First, careful listeners will note that the orchestral playing is occasionally surprisingly ragged from this renowned ensemble, especially in the brass (and the brass choir, as Wagnerites know, is all-important in Wagner, having a prominence and carrying a weight of primary thematic material unknown in the music of earlier composers). You will hear some clinkers here, suggesting a hasty, not very carefully produced recording session. Second, this disc has 45.5 minutes of music, and is offered at full price, so it is not a good value. Caveat emptor. Your best bet if you want this music is the George Szell, Cleveland Orchestra CD of Wagner Orchestral Music on Sony. It virtually duplicates the six Ring excerpts on the Solti disc, and adds two more substantial excerpts (from non-Ring Wagner operas Die Meistersinger and Tristan und Isolde) for almost 77 minutes of music. Although the sound is not as good as that on the Solti disc, the performances are superb, as fine as any in the catalog (the level of the playing and precision of ensemble are certainly superior to the Solti disc; no clinkers here!), and the CD is budget priced. Talk about a good deal!"

Spectacular

Curmudgeon | West Australia | 09/12/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This would have to be the showiest, most exciting recording by Solti of Wagner's Ring. The excerpts are all the famous bits, the sound is thrilling, and despite its fragmentary nature it pays repeated listens. I first heard it on its initial release in 87 and was knocked out: nothing's changed."

The Best Orchestral Ring Of the Nibelung

Curmudgeon | 03/14/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 1982 recording is a "symphonic/orchestral" alternative to Ring of the Nibelungen by Wagner, as played by the sumptuous and grand Vienna Philharmonic conducted by the one and only George Solti. I find it to be the most satisfying, and it surpasses the other recordings out there in the market - George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra and Lorin Maazel. Why ? Solti understood the score to the Ring Des Nibelungen with much more intelligence and sensitivity and subtlety than either Szell or Maazel. Furthermore, the sound quality is better than the other recordings and the feel is far more epic and grand. Szell was out of his element conducting Wagner (too much for him, his forte was Beethoven, Mozart and Romantic Era classics) Maazel is a fine conductor of operatic scores but the Ring too is out of his league. Solti is the champion conductor of Wagner. This orchestral sample of the music to the four operas that make up the Ring are a nice intro to the critically acclaimed and renowed Solti studio recording of the Ring, which was the first modern recording of the Ring and surrounded by hype in the late 60's when it was released. Though not in order, we hear the Music To the Gods Entrance Into Valhalla from Rheingold, The Ride of the Valkyries, Forest Murmurs, Siegfried's Funeral March and Brunhilde's climatic Immolation Scene which finishes with the end of the world. This is a superb recording and I highly recommend it. Don't pay attention to the negative commentary by other critics."