You Can't Tell It

1. You Can't Tell It

2. Lord I Thank You

3. Heaven

4. It's never Easy to Say Good-Bye

5. Oh Lord

6. Because he lives

7. The Blood

8. A Good Thing

You Can't Tell It,Ronica and the Mighty Blazing Stars

The String Quartet Tribute to the Eagles

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The String Quartet Tribute to the Eagles

Manufacturer: Vitamin Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Latin Rock | Latin Music | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The String Quartet Tribute to Fleetwood Mac
The String Quartet Tribute to Elton John
String Quartet Tribute to the Rolling Stones
The String Quartet Tribute to Queen
Rumours: The String Quartet Tribute to Fleetwood Mac

ASIN: B0000CC85T
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Tracks:

Peaceful Easy Feeling
Hotel California
Desperado
Lyin' Eyes
Best Of My Love
Take It Easy
Tequila Sunrise
I Can't Tell You Why
Take It To The Limit
Dustbound Train

Product Description

Tracks:

Ouverture - Orchestra
Something Wonderfull - Dorothy Sarnoff
Doin' What Comes Natur'lly - Ethel Merman
Life Upon the Wicked Stage - Colette Lyons
So in Love - Patricia Morison
You'll Never Walk Alone - Jan Clayton, Christine Johnson
Bill - Carol Bruce
Hello, Young Lovers - Gertrude Lawrence
Bloody Mary - Male Chorus
I Can't Say No - Celeste Holm
This Was a Real Nice Clambake - Jan Clayton,
Oklahoma! - Alfred Drake
Sue Me - Vivian Blaine, Sam Levene
Woman Is a Sometime Thing - Edward Matthews
Some Enchanted Evening - Ezio Pinza,
I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' - Todd Duncan, Todd Duncan
Guys and Dolls - Douglas Deane, Stubby Kaye, Johnny Silver
It Ain't Necessarily So - Lawrence Tibbett
Make Believe - Jan Clayton
Wonderful Guy - Mary Martin
They Say It's Wonderful - Ethel Merman
When the Children Are Asleep - Jean Darling, Eric Mattson
More I Cannot Wish You - Pat Rooney, Sr., Pat Rooney, Sr.
Puzzlement - Yul Brynner
I Got Lost in His Arms - Ethel Merman

Tracks:

Overture...Summertime - Anne Brown
Why Can't You Behave? - Lisa Kirk, Harold Lang
Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man - Carol Bruce
There's No Business Like Show Business - Chorus
If I Were a Bell - Isabel Bigley
People Will Say That We're in Love - Alfred Drake, Joan Roberts
Bess, You Is My Woman Now - Anne Brown
Luck Be a Lady Tonight - Robert Alda
Shall I Tell You What I Think of You? - Gertrude Lawrence
Girl That I Marry - Ray Middleton
Nobody Else But Me - Jan Clayton
Carousel Waltz - Orchestra
Dites-Moi - Barbara Luna
Ol' Man River - Kenneth Spencer
Summertime
Many a New Day - Joan Roberts
Blow High, Blow Low - Murvyn Vye
It Takes a Long Pull to Get There - Edward Matthews
You've Got to Be Carefully Taught - Billy Tabbert
We Open in Venice - Alfred Drake
I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair - Mary Martin
Who Do You Love, I Hope? - Kathleen Carnes, Robert Lenn
I've Never Been in Love Before - Robert Alda
Tom, Dick or Harry - Lisa Kirk
I Whistle a Happy Tune - Gertrude Lawrence

Tracks:

New York, New York - Lynn Murray, Lynn Murray
Almost Like Being in Love - Marion Bell, Dave Brooks, David Brooks
Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered - Vivienne Segal
Beat out Dat Rhythm on a Drum - June Hawkins
How Are Things in Glocca Morra? - Ella Logan
Old Devil Moon - Ella Logan
South American Way - Carmen Miranda
September Song - Walter Huston
This Is the Army, Mister Jones - Irving Berlin
Takin' a Chance on Love - Ethel Waters
My Heart Belongs to Daddy - Mary Martin
Anything Goes - Jeanne Aubert & The Four Admirals
You're the Top - Jeanne Aubert & The Four Admirals
I Get a Kick Out of You - Ethel Merman
Night and Day - Fred Astaire
I Got Rhythm - Red Nichols & His Orchestra
Someone to Watch Over Me - Gertrude Lawrence
Fascinatin' Rhythm - Adele Astaire, Fred Astaire
Strike Up the Band - Red Nichols & His Orchestra
Makin' Whoopee - Eddie Cantor
Heatwave - Ethel Waters
Easter Parade - Clifton Webb
She Didn't Say Yes - Peggy Wood
I've Told Every Little Star - Mary Ellis
Johnny One Note - Lynn Murray, Lynn Murray

Album Description

Import exclusive, budget price compilation featuring Broadway classics like 'You'll Never Walk Alone', 'Summertime', & There's No Business Like Show Business', performed by Ethel Merman, Gertrude Lawrence, Celeste Holm, & many more. 75 tracks in all. Standard double jewel case. Disky. 2001.

Album Details

3 CD set

Customer Reviews:

A bargain collection of showtunes.......2005-08-19

This bargain collection of showtunes is highlighted by the composition of Kurt Weill and the uniquely rolling tongue of Colette Lyons. I have a complaint about this compilation. It includes "Ol' Man River", but it excludes Al Jolson's rendition of "Ol' Man River." Otherwise, this collection gives you ample bang for your buck.

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A Rose By Any Other Name...
"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!
Free at last!
I Love This Recording
The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered

Wagner: The Rhinegold
English National Opera
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
Wagner: The Valkyrie

ASIN: B00005B550
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Customer Reviews:

A Rose By Any Other Name..........2007-07-02

The figure of speach may not be completely correct in this instance, but, well, I hope you get the point. In any case, for a Dutch speaking person, like I, to hear 'The Ring' in a language other than the original German feels - almost shockingly(?) - natural. Certainly, this modern English translation, to me, is as least immediate, and probably even more immediate, than the original (archaic) German text. And in music drama, immediacy is essential. Maybe it is also the wonderfully natural translation, I don't know, but it works for me, the Ring in English.
But most of the credit has to go to the music, the singers, and the recording as such. I believe that this (originally analogue) remastered recording has one of the best recorded sounds and acoustics of any Ring, studio or 'live'. It is wonderfully clear but warm, kind of velvety (very unlike Solti), with beautifully natural balaces between voices and orchestra. Audience noises can be heard (including a delightful little ripple of laughter) but never really obtrusively so, thankfully. And I love the thunderclap-sound effect when Donner strikes his hammer against the rocks - very tastefully done, and lending extra power to the scene.
All the time one reads in reviews everywhere of the very slow speads at which the music is conducted by Sir Reginald Goodall. Well, that may be so, but I, for one, am certainly endeared to Sir Reginald Goodalls 'caressing' of the music, as a result of which wich the Leitmotifs come out more clearly than ever. The slow - but nonetheless very concentrated, and always involved - playing has, to me, an almost mesmerizing effect. Certainly, compared to many other recordings, the music may sound stretched almost beyond breaking point. But in the end, I think it is really just that: a matter of speed, no more. The concentration never falters and the dramatic arc never saggs. There is live 'music magic' going on here, I feel, even if the English National Opera Orchestra may not be (as precise or as diciplined as) a Wiener Philharmoniker or a Bayreuther Festspielorchester. Certainly, Sir Reginald Goodall must have loved this music and these opera's: one feels a slowly beating but constant loving pulse that energizes the drama and the music.
But we also have the singers. And what a great singers! While the best may be yet to come (with Alberto Remedios as Siegmund and Siegfried, and Rita Hunter as Brunnhilde), we here, in The Rhinegold, already have one of the most commanding of Wotans (Norman Bailey, with wonderful burnished timbre). Also, Emile Belcourt stands out as a wonderfully sleek but full-voiced Loge. Derek Hammond-Stroud's Alberich may not be as black as Gunther von Kannen's (for Barenboim), for example, but there is enough anguish, frustration and anger to lend his character a convincing reality and depth. And the giants too, are a winning pair. Especially Fafner (Clifford Grant) is as imposing and powerful as one may ever wish.
With all the rave reviews, here and elsewhere I can't wait to hear The Valkyrie, (especially) Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods. This certainly is a winning 'Ring', to be kept alongside any other 'great' recorded 'Ring' out there, IMHO. To me, it can hold its own alongside any other favorite recordings.
Please, sample this Ring (try for example the Chandos website for fragments of all of the music) and decide for yourself. Highly recommended.

"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!.......2007-06-12

Okay, so we have the Solti, Bohm, Karajan, Goodall, Boulez, Janowski, Levine, Haitink, and Sawallisch Rings on the market (I haven't listened to the other Ring recordings yet, sorry to say). And all of these leave me to one conclusion: the many differences lead me to believe that all of these ring sets have their own authenticities and setbacks. And here they are:

TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Boulez's Ring: 13 hours, 40 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Haitink's Ring: 14 hours, 10 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes

CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.

Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.

Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.

Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: nothing is faster than andante. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.

Boulez: Here it is, folks - the controversial Centennial Ring. To fit the Ring Cycle in the industrial age, Boulez gives it a very Schoenbergian, Bartokian atmosphere. Much of his tempi are very quick, very Bohm-like, though they're still not as fast as Bohm. Keep in mind, though, this live Ring works only if you hear AND see it (the DVD's work best).

Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".

Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.

Haitink: This might be seen as a disappointment. If you want great conducting, then this is for you. If you want a persuasive array of singers, look somewhere else. Haitink's conducting saves this work from being a total flop. There is nothing quite like his Rheingold & Gotterdammerung ("Siegfried's Rhine Journey" is a bit forced, but magnificent nonetheless).

Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.

ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.

Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.

Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.

Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act Two Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.

Boulez's Bayreuth Festival: While it doesn't really pack the same punches as Bohm's Bayreuth, it still delivers a stunning performance. Orchestral interaction between characters (Ex. Siegfried's motifs mixed in with Mime's motifs) fares better than Berlin's and English National's. Rhine maiden motifs are given more wit, while the Dragon motifs are played with less eeriness. Beauty makes up for the irritatingly quick "Wotan's Farewell".

Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Boulez's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are heard clear in this Ring. The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.

Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.

Haitink's Bavarian Radio Symphony: This may very well be like Metropolitan, only this sounds much more poignant. The strings sound better and the percussion sound clearer. The leitmotivs are almost never screwed up. First scene of Rheingold will take one's breath away.

Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.

SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).

Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.

Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".

Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.

Boulez: If you watch Donald McIntyre on the Centennial Ring production, then you can tell that he's a fine "industrial" Wotan. If you just hear him on CD, then you'll be disappointed. His diction is weak, his emotions are forced, and his voice sounds robotic. The DVD's will do.

Levine and Haitink: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's and Haitink's Ring.

Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.

-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.

Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).

Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."

Boulez: How can anyone not be impressed by the Brunnhilde of Gwyneth Jones? One can almost feel her excitement during Siegfried Act Three, and her fear in Walkure Act Three. Her weakest point is probably during her Gotterdammerung Prologue (a bit too stressed).

Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.

Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).

Haitink: Hmph. I was hoping that Eva Marton would do well here. I was seriously let down by her strained singing. She does okay in "Annunciation of Death", but she is at her worst in "Immolation".

-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm, Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Peter Hoffman for Boulez, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, Reiner Goldberg for Haitink, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jeanine Altmeyer for Boulez, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, Cheryl Studer for Haitink, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Three exceptions, though: Goldberg and Schunk don't sound heroic enough, and Norman for Levine doesn't sound young and innocent enough.

-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.

Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.

Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.

Boulez: Is Manfred Jung a good tenor? Yes. Is he a good Heldentenor? NO. He doesn't have that heroic voice like Windgassen and Remedios. Again, the DVD's are your safest bet.

Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.

Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. Levine should've chose Kollo or Jerusalem when he recorded his studio Ring.

Haitink: Have you ever seen Siegfried Jerusalem on the Levine/Metropolitan DVD? Well, here he is again, and this time, he sings with more valor and enthusiasm. Bravo!

-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").

Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.

Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.

Boulez: What we have here is the weak Alberich of Hermann Becht. When he's in Nibelheim, the authority isn't there. When he's in the Neid-Hohle forest, the creepiness isn't there. And when he's near the Gibich house, the misery isn't there. Even on DVD he's unsatisfactory.

Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.

Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.

Haitink: No offense, but Theo Adam as Alberich? Come on . . .

-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.

Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.

Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.

Boulez and Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent Mime, VERY fun to listen to. There is much humor and eccentricity in his voice, and that's what makes his dwarf much more compelling than Dempsey's dwarf. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. He is equal to Zednik when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.

Haitink: Peter Haage sounds like he's entertaining young kids. His version of Mime is a bit childish, and the dark humor that the dwarf brings out sounds-over-the-top here. Nonetheless, he is still entertaining to listen to ("Wer halfe mir?" has never sounded better).

Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.

-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on during the Trilogy.

Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Again, another Loge that's marred by lack of cunning.

Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. He has the wit, the craftiness, and the untrustworthiness that the character deserves. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.

Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.

Boulez and Haitink: I can summon Heinz Zednik's performance in just three words: Brilliant Beyond Belief!

Janowski: Peter Schreier is the most eccentric out of all of them, and that's a fact. Much of his singing involves imagination, peril, vengeance, and deviousness. Belcourt and Zednik depend only on vengeance and deviousness, Stolze only imagination and deviousness, Windgassen and Svanholm only peril. His odd conversations with Alberich and the gods/goddesses are classic.

Levine: Siegfried Jerusalem doesn't seem like a good choice for Loge. He's better off playing Siegmund or Siegfried, but not a demi-god.

Sawallisch: Robert Tear is on par with Stolze and Zednik. Sometimes he takes things too low, but all is forgiven with his management of character development.

-Everyone Else
Uh-huh, what can I say? Everyone else does a good job in all Ring recordings. Matti Salminen is the perfect Hagen (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch), while Kirsten Flagstad is the most brilliant Fricka (Solti). Anja Silja is the most memorable Freia (Bohm), while Kurt Moll makes the most fabulous Hunding yet (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch). The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm, Goodall, and Boulez. The only flawed Erda is Anne Collins (Goodall), maybe too light and too heavy at times. All in all, no one here is graded C or lower.

CONCLUSION: I have yet to listen to Barenboim's Bayreuth presentation, Neuhold's Badische version, and the essential mono recordings (Furtwangler, Krauss, etc.), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the industrialized Boulez, the truthful Janowski, the unhurried Levine, the abnormal Haitink, and the serious Sawallisch Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.

The Box Set: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Free at last!.......2004-09-18

I've enjoyed listening to the Ring cycles by Solti, Bohm, and Furtwangler, but my pleasure has always been dampened by the necessity to follow the dramas with a German/English libretto. This performance freed me from that burden and allowed me to listen to the Ring with my ears alone for the first time. And what a delightful experience it was! I found I could understand about half the words the first time through. but that was enough for me to understand what the characters were saying and concentrate on Wagner's great music. Some of the characters (Loge and Alberich, for example) are almost perfectly comprehensible, while others (Fricka in particular) might as well be singing in German. The sound itself is superb, with perfect balances between orchestra and voices. Goodall's conducting is famously slow (about half an hour longer than usual), but he is never slack and he reveals a wealth of detail in the orchestration. The singers are a mixed lot, with Loge, Alberich, and Mime particularly effective. Bailey is hardly the grandest of Wotans, but he is solid and convincing. In any event, for us non-German listeners, this recording is a real treat. I would not recommend it as a first Ring (Bohm is a good choice, though some of his tempi are rather hectic), but as a supplement to a recoding in the original language, it is hard to beat. Give it a try! As for me, I'm ready to go on to "Die Walkure" (pardon me, "The Valkyrie").

I Love This Recording.......2002-04-05

I was a little suspicious when approaching this English-language version of Das Rhinegold. I was considering assembling this as my third RING set (behind Solti and Levine) and had listened to THE VALKYRIE (Die Walkure) with a little initial disappointment. Although the live sound quality was very interesting, the tempo was much slower than I was used to and thus a little disconcerting, and the English words were harder to understand than I had hoped. Nevertheless, I persevered and listended to THE RHINEGOLD (probably my favorite of the four RING operas, although I know this puts me in a minority) and was amazed. Best of all, after listening to this album I revisited the Goodall VALKYRIE and discovered a new appreciation! Now the Goodall set ranks as one of the best I've heard. It just needed to get under my skin a bit.

What's so good about it? Three things stand out for me: First, the slow tempi that were a litle rough at first actually allow, upon repeated listenings, a new discovery and understanding of Wagner's unfathomable genius. Every nuance is slowed down just enough to be fully accessible. Second, the modern English translation really does make this a different experience...my initial mistake was thinking that English lyrics could allow me to listen to this as background music, and that's not the case. However, if one devotes the same attention to this as a German recording, the time wil be richly rewarded. Finally, the smaller orchestra creates an almost chamber music-esque setting, which compliments the music in an undefinable way. Despite being in English, this is almost more Germanic than original-language recordings.

I still probably wouldn't get this as the first foray into Wagner's RING (I still think Solti or Levine are the choices for that). But for someone who already has some familiarity with the work, this will provide a lifetime's enjoyment. Cudos to Chandos for resurrecting these recordings!

The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered.......2001-06-08

I have been curious about this for years. When I saw the packaging, I wondered whether this was the same Ring that has been kicking around for a couple of decades from the Sadler's Wells performances of the mid-70s. News flash: It's the same. However, the box says that it's been re-mastered with something called 24-bit digital mastering. Since I never heard the old records, I have no idea if this is better. Judged on its own, the sound is terrific. This live recording really places the listener in the theater with clarity and authentic spaciousness. So often, a live recording will capture the audience up close, then the orchestra, then the singers, cataloguing every throat being cleared and every bow being tapped. Somewhere in the distance, the singers voices follow their heavy tread over the stage. Not here. There is an intimacy to the sound here that approximates sitting in about the tenth row back in a large hall. It doesn't sound like the opera's being played in your room; it sounds as though your room has been transformed into a medium sized theater. I found it uncanny.

As to the experience of the drama in English, that too is remarkable, at least for someone like me whose home-tongue is English. The drama takes on an immediacy that I have never experienced before. This factor alone is why you should explore this Ring. I can't overemphasize the impact on me that this recording had on me because it was in English and because it was well-acted. Surely this is what Wagner meant, at least dramaturgically (obviously allowing that you can't actually see the action).

Overall, the singing is competent, and in some places, it's excellent. None of the cast really stands out musically. Norman Bailey's wobbly Wotan could have certainly benefitted from a deeper, richer tone. Still, and perhaps more importantly, he creates a god who is clearly unsure of where the moral highground is, even when he's standing on "an open space on a mountain summit." Everyone, for that matter, is dramatically convincing, especially Emile Belcourt (Loge) and Derek Hammond-Stroud (Alberich) and Robert Lloyd (Fasolt), all of whom, by the way, have excellent diction. And speaking of diction, I almost could have done without the libretto when the men were singing. Not so with the women, whose diction was uniformly wanting.

Goodall's pace is notoriously glacial. Still, it's interesting to hear it parsed in this way, and I never had the feeling that I was going to fall off the world. Which is to say that the tempos were deliberate, not affected. This was definitely a labor of love for RG and the English National Opera. The orchestra is a little thin sounding, and perhaps, not entirely up to the score. Occasionally a horn mis-blew and a cello creaked. This is unavoidable in live performances, I suppose. Still, there is a surprising sense of smallness to the ensemble, even though there's never a moment when the balance between singers and players is lost. As a result, the overall effect is a balance of clarity and urgency that is clearly the upside of Goodall's idiosyncratic "vision" of the score. Not a huge or "erotic" sound, but always committed, intelligent, and sometimes impassioned.

Tracks:

The Circle of Life - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
I Just Can't Wait To Be King - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Can You Feel the Love Tonight - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
The Lion Sleeps Tonight - City of Prague Phil/Colin Frechter
Hakuna Matata - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Carnival of the Animals: Introduction-Royal March of the Lion - American PO/Barry Faldner
Carnival of the Animals: Wild Asses - American PO/Barry Faldner
Carnival of the Animals: The Aquarium - American PO/Barry Faldner
Carnival of the Animals: Aviary - American PO/Barry Faldner
Carnival of the Animals: The Swan - American PO/Barry Faldner
Carnival of the Animals: Finale - American PO/Barry Faldner
William Tell Overture - Ljublijana SO/Anton Nanut
Radetsky March - Sofia SO/Barry Faldner
Give a Little Whistle - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
When You Wish Upon A Star - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
I've Got No Strings - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Turn Of The Old Music Box - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Hi Diddle-dee-dee (an Actor's Life for Me) - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
When You Wish Upon A Star (reprise) - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Symphonie Fantastique: March of the Scaffold - Ljublijana SO/Anton Nanut
Hebrides Ov Op.26: Fingal's Cave - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Magic Flute Ov, K.620 - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih

Tracks:

(Just) Whistle While You Work - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
I'm Wishing - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
With A Smile And A Song - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Some Day My Prince Will Come - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
One Song - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Heigh-Ho - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: Miniature Ov - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: March - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: Russian Dance - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: Arabian Dance - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: Chinese Dance - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: Dance of the Pipe Flutes - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Nutcracker Ste, Op.71a: Waltz of the Flowers - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
Colonel Hathi's March - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
The Bare Necessities - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
I Wanna Be Just Like You - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
Poet and Peasant Ov - Ljublijana SO/Anton Nanut
'L'Arlesienne' Ste No.2: Farandole - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
The Love of Three Oranges March - American PO/Barry Faldner
Finlandia - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' (A Little Night Music) (Ser in G, K.525 Allegro) - Ljublijana SO/Alexander Von Pitamic

Tracks:

Belle - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Beauty and the Beast - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Be Our Guest - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
The Sleeping Beauty Ballet Ste, Op.66: Introduction, The Tree Fairy - Volgograd SO/Edward Serov
The Sleeping Beauty Ballet Ste, Op.66: Adagio, Pas d'action - Volgograd SO/Edward Serov
The Sleeping Beauty Ballet Ste, Op.66: Pas de caricature - Volgograd SO/Edward Serov
The Sleeping Beauty Ballet Ste, Op.66: Panorama - Volgograd SO/Edward Serov
The Sleeping Beauty Ballet Ste, Op.66: Waltz - Volgograd SO/Edward Serov
Arabian Nights - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Prince Ali - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
A Whole New World - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
One Jump Ahead - Kingston SO/Glen Fast
Scheherazade, Op.35: The Sea and Sinbad's Ship - Ljublijana SO/Anton Nanut
Dumbo Overture - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
March Militaire - Sofia SO/Barry Faldner
'Peer Gynt' Ste No.1, Op.46: In The Hall of the Mountain King - Ljublijana SO/Andrew Schenck
Light Cavalry Ov - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih

Tracks:

If I Knew You - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
Just Around The River Bend - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
Colours Of The Wind - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Andantino (Peter) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Allegro (The Bird) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Moderato No.11 (The Cat) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Poco Pin Andante No.15 (The Grandfather) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Andantino, Come Prima No.17 (Peter) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Andante No.18 (The Grandfather) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Andante Molto No.19 (The Wolf) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Andante No.24 (The Duck) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Vivo No.30 (The Bird) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Poco Meno Mosso-Moderato No.35 (Peter) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Allegro Moderato No.39 (The Hunters) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Andante No.41 (Peter) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Sostenuto-Listesso Tempo No.48... - American PO/Barry Faldner
Peter and the Wolf (Symphonic Tale for Children), Op.67: Andante-End No.53 (Peter) - American PO/Barry Faldner
Swan Lake Ballet: Scene (moderato) - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
Swan Lake Ballet: Waltz - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
Swan Lake Ballet: Swan Dance (allegro moderato) - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
Swan Lake Ballet: Scene (andante) - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
Swan Lake Ballet: Czardas (moderato) - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
Bibbidi-Bobbodi-Boo - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
We Can Do It - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
So This Is Love (Cinderella Waltz) - City of Prague PO/Colin Frechter
'Carmen Ste' No.1: The Toreadors - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
In the Steppes of Central Asia - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
1812 Ov, Op.49 (finale) - Ljublijana SO/Marko Munih
Marriage of Figaro Ov, K.492 - Ljublijana SO/Anton Nanut

Customer Reviews:

A little something different.......2007-01-10

I enjoyed this music and am using some of it to choreograph a little different "Disney" for my students.I think it will come in handy in the future as well.

Average customer rating:

Superhits: 1967 (Time Life Music)
The Bee Gees , Stone Poneys , Harpers Bizarre , Bobby Vee and the Strangers , The Casinos , Petula Clark , The Monkees , Bobbie Gentry , The Young Rascals , and Spanky and Our Gang
Manufacturer: Time Life Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000SJUXGE

Product Description

Released by Time Life Music . SONG LIST :1. Up-Up And Away---The 5th Dimension 2.Happy Together--The Turtles 3.Daydream Believer--- The Monkees 4. Dedicated to the One I Love---The Mamas and The Papas 5. How Can I Be Sure---The Young Rascals 6. Sunday Will Never Be the Same--- Spanky and Our Gang 7. I Second That Emotion---Smokey Robinson and The Miracles 8. 98.6--- Keith 9. I Say a Little Prayer--- Dionne Warwick 10. To Love Somebody---The Bee Gees 11. Tell It like It Is--- Aaron Neville 12.Windy---The Association 13.Don't Sleep in the Subway--- Petula Clark 14. Come Back When You Grow Up--- Bobby Vee and The Strangers 15. Different Drum--- Stone Poneys 16. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)--- Harper's Bizarre 17. The Rain, the Park And Other Things---The Cowsills 18. Love Is Here And Now You're Gone---The Supremes 19. (The Lights Went Out In) Massachusetts---The Bee Gees 20. Green, Green Grass of Home---Tom Jones 21. Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye--- The Casinos 22.Ode to Billie Joe- Bobbie Gentry

Puccini - Madam Butterfly / Cheryl Barker, PO, Yves Abel [in English]

Average customer rating:

A touching English Butterfly

Puccini - Madam Butterfly / Cheryl Barker, PO, Yves Abel [in English]
Giacomo Puccini , Yves Abel , Cheryl Barker , Paul Charles Clarke , and Simon Birchall
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Turandot (Chandos Opera in English)
Puccini - La bohème / Haymon · O'Neill · Opie · McLaughlin · A. Miles · Dazeley · Shore · PO · Parry
Verdi: La Traviata
Tchaikovsky - Eugene Onegin / Te Kanawa · Hampson · Rosenshein · Gedda · Sir Charles Mackerras [in English]

ASIN: B00005QF3K
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

Act I: Introduction - Cheryl Barker
Act I: 'So The Walls And The Ceiling...' - Ann Taylor/Stuart Kale
Act I: 'I Think Your Honour's Smiling' - Jean Rigby/Ann Taylor/Stuart Kale
Act I: 'It Can't Be Much Further Now!' - Gregory Yurisich/Stuart Kale/Ann Taylor
Act I: The Whole World Over - Ann Taylor/Gregory Yurisich
Act I: 'Fate Can't Crush Him' - Ann Taylor/Gregory Yurisich
Act I: 'Is The Bride Very Pretty?' - Gregory Yurisich/Stuart Kale/Ann Taylor
Act I: 'True Love Or Fancy' - Ann Taylor/Gregory Yurisich
Act I: 'See Them! They're Climbing The Summit Of The Hill!' - Gregory Yurisich/Cheryl Barker/Gregory Yurisich
Act I: 'We Are Honoured' - Cheryl Barker/Ann Taylor/Gregory Yurisich/Stuart Kale
Act I: 'The Imperial Commissioner' - Stuart Kale/Ann Taylor/Cheryl Barker/Simon Birchall
Act I: 'Oh, Indeed, My Friend, You're Lucky!' - Gregory Yurisich/Cheryl Barker
Act I: 'Come, My Beloved' - Ann Taylor/Cheryl Barker/Stuart Kale
Act I: 'My Fate I Have To Follow' - Cheryl Barker
Act I: 'Silence! Silence!' - Stuart Kale/Roland Wood/Cheryl Barker
Act I: 'Congratulations' - Roland Wood/Ann Taylor/Gregory Yurisich/Frances Brett/Clive Bayley/Stuart Kale
Act I: 'Dearest, My Dearest, Weep No More' - Roland Wood/Ann Taylor/Jean Rigby
Act I: 'Evening Is Falling...' - Roland Wood/Ann Taylor/Jean Rigby
Act I: 'Child, From Whose Eyes The Witchery Is Shining' - Ann Taylor/Cheryl Barker
Act I: 'Ah, Love Me A Little' - Cheryl Barker/Ann Taylor
Act II Part I: 'Izaghi Izanami' - Jean Rigby/Cheryl Barker
Act II Part I: 'One Fine Day' - Cheryl Barker

Tracks:

Act II Part I: 'Come, Let's Enter' - Stuart Kale/Gregory Yurisich/Cheryl Barker
Act II Part I: 'Yamadori, And Has your Unrequited Love Not Yet Released You? - Cheryl Barker/D'Arcy Bleiker/Gregory Yurisich/Stuart Kale
Act II Part I: 'Now, At Last!' - Gregory Yurisich/Cheryl Barker
Act II Part I: 'Just Two Things I Could Do' - Cheryl Barker/Gregory Yurisich
Act II Part I: 'This Child! This Child, Then!' - Cheryl Barker/Gregory Yurisich
Act II Part I: 'Do You Know, My Darling' - Cheryl Barker
Act II Part I: 'I Must Be Going' - Gregory Yurisich/Cheryl Barker/Jean Rigby
Act II Part I: 'Ah! Ah!' - Stuart Kale/Jean Rigby/Cheryl Barker
Act II Part I: 'Look, It's A Man-of-war!' - Jean Rigby/Cheryl Barker
Act II Part I: Flower Duet: 'Shake The Cherry Tree' - Cheryl Barker/Jean Rigby
Act II Part I: Humming Chorus - Geoffrey Mitchell Choir
Act II Part 2: Prelude - Jean Rigby/Cheryl Barker
Act II Part 2: Daybreak Over Nagasaki - Jean Rigby/Cheryl Barker
Act II Part 2: 'It's Morning' - Jean Rigby/Cheryl Barker
Act II Part 2: 'Who Is It?...' - Jean Rigby/Ann Taylor/Gregory Yurisich
Act II Part 2: 'I Know For Such Misfortune There Is No Consolation' - Gregory Yurisich/Jean Rigby/Ann Taylor
Act II Part 2: 'Farewell, Oh Happy Home!' - Ann Taylor/Gregory Yurisich
Act II Part 2: 'Then Will You Tell Her?' - Ann Taylor/Jean Rigby
Act II Part 2: 'Suzuki, Where Are You?' - Cheryl Barker/Jean Rigby
Act II Part 2: 'You, Suzuki, You're Always So Faithful' - Cheryl Barker/Jean Rigby
Act II Part 2: 'Viper! I Want You To Answer' - Cheryl Barker/Jean Rigby/Gregory Yurisich/Ann Taylor
Act II Part 2: 'Your Little Fluttering Heart Is Beating' - Jean Rigby/Cheryl Barker
Act II Part 2: 'Death With Honour Is Better Than Life With Dishonour' - Cheryl Barker

Amazon.com

This performance, the only one available in English, is problematic. Best is Yves Abel's leadership of the orchestra, which sounds wonderful, imbuing Puccini's lush score with just the right exoticism and emphasis. But aside from Gregory Yurisch's fine Sharpless, the singers don't please. Paul Charles Clarke as Pinkerton is lacking stylistically and vocally, and as Butterfly, Cheryl Barker sounds under strain and never pretty. While she has the power and feeling for the big second-act climax (the sighting of the ship), she never for a moment sounds fragile or girlish, not even in the all-important early scenes. English or not, this set isn't in the running. Stick with Callas or Scotto in Italian, and follow the libretto. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

A touching English Butterfly.......2002-03-27

Anyone familiar with Cheryl Barker's Butterfly will be interested in hearing this recording. I have heard her in the role twice - in Auckland and London - and her voice has filled out as the years have gone on. She hasn't a large italianate soprano; the sound is too slender somehow. Yet there is the paradox - it has great carrying power and a decent cutting edge to make itself heard above the orchestral climaxes. What really impresses is the sense of vulnerability and moral strength she imparts, making sense of the big moments of the secong act. The sound in Act one is gorgeous (and a super D flat in theentrance aria) and she differentiates impressively between the child-bride and the embittered woman of the two acts.

She is surrounded by a mixed supporting cast. Jean Rigby is maternal, warm and affecting as Suzuki. Gregory Yurisich makes Sharpless' dilemma more understandable than usual, rather than being completely ineffectual. Paul Charles Clarke perhaps illustrates Pinkerton's arrogance with a degree of vocal swagger, but the sound is rough-hewn and unlovely save for some moments in the love duet. Stuart Kale's Goro is suitable ingratiating and oily.

Abel's conducting is the other chief draw of this set. That he has experience of the score in the theatre means that his pacing is really superb, and the lush orchestration is given its due, the potent intermezzo during the overnight vigil sounding suitably ominous.

Tracks:

Three Spirituals
Tell 'Em I'm Gone
You Can Tell The World
This Morning
O, It May Be
This Man Of God
When I've Done
I Want Jesus To Walk With Me
He's Got The Whole World
Mary And Martha Have Just Gone 'Long
Please Don't Let This Harvest Pass
I'm A-Rollin'
God Loves All His Many People
Welcome Table
Father's Got A Home
Come And Go With Me
Blow Yo' Gospel Trumpet
Can't You Hear
Holy, Holy
Let The Church Roll On
Glory, Hallelujah

Album Description

This album consists of one cantata, two suites and eight spirituals in choral settings by nationally acclaimed composer/arranger Alice Parker. The cantata "Listen, Lord" for solo contralto, chorus, and jazz combo sets the text of the opening prayer from "God's Trombones", James Weldon Johnson's imaginative recreation of sermons remembered from his youth.

Average customer rating:

"The death-doomed alone are destined to look on me."
Breathtaking, powerful, accessible, not just an alternative
Absolutely Breathtaking!
A powerful reading of the most moving opera in the Ring.
The power of Wagner's music drama is now fully accessible

Wagner: The Valkyrie

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
Wagner: The Rhinegold

ASIN: B00004YU6Z
Release Date: 2000-11-28

Tracks:

Act I: Prld - English Nat Opr Orch/Reginald Goodall
Act I, Scene 1: The Storm Drove Me Here - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 1: This House And This Wife - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 1: Evil Fortune's Never Far From Me - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 2: There He Lay, Feeble And Faint - Margaret Curphey/Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 2: Through Field And Forest - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 2: Friedmund No One Could Call Me - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 2: The Neidings Raided Again - Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 2: So The Norn Who Dealt You This Fate - Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 2: I Know A Troublesome Race - Clifford Grant
Act I, Scene 3: A Sword Was Pledged By My Father - Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: Are You Awake? - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: My Husband's Kinsmen - Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 3: Yes, Loveliest Bride - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 3: Winter Storms Have Vanished (Siegmund's Spring Song) - Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: You Are The Spring - Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 3: Oh Sweetest Enchantment - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 3: The Stream Has Shown My Reflected Face - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: Siegmund Call Me, And Siegmund Am I! - Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: Siegmund, The Walsung, Here You See! - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey

Tracks:

Act II, Scene 1: Go Bridle Your Horse, Warrior Maid! - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 1: Hoyotoho! Hoyotoho! (Brunnhilde's Battle Cry) - Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 1: The Usual Storm, The Usual Strife - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
Act II, Scene 1: Pretend That You Don't Understand! - Ann Howard/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 1: Now It's Come To Pass! - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 1: So This Is The End Of The Gods And Their Glory - Ann Howard
Act II, Scene 1: You Never Learn What I Would Teach You - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
Act II, Scene 1: What Must I Do? - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
Act II, Scene 1: Hiaha! Hiaha! Hoyotoho! - Rita Hunter/Ann Howard/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: Fricka Has Won The Fight - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: When Youth's Delightful Pleasures Had Waned - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: She Refused To Reveal More About It - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 2: There's More To Tell - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: Yet One Can Accomplish What I May Not - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: But The Walsung, Siegmund - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: Then Siegmund Must Fall In His Fight? - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: I Give You My Blessing, Nibelung Son! - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 2: No, Have Mercy - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey

Tracks:

Act II, Scene 2: So I Obey His Command - Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 3: Rest Here For A While; Stay By My Side! - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act II, Scene 3: Away! Away! - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act II, Scene 3: Where Are You, Siegmund? - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act II, Scene 4: Siegmund! Look At Me! (Announcement Of Death) - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
Act II, Scene 4: And If I Come - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 4: Then Greet For Me Walhall - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 4: Woe! Woe! Sister And Bride - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 4: Two Lives Now Lie In Your Power - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 5: Charms Of Sleep Are Sent To Still - Alberto Remedios
Act II, Scene 5: I Hear Your Call - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act II, Scene 5: Wehwalt! Wehwalt! - Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey

Tracks:

Act III, Scene 1: Hoyotoho! Hoyotoho! (Ride Of The Valkyries) - Katie Clark/Anne Evans/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Shelagh Squires/Anne Conoley
Act III, Scene 1: Shield Me And Help - Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne Evans/Sarah Walker...
Act III, Scene 1: Hear While I Tell You - Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne Evans/Sarah Walker...
Act III, Scene 1: Pray Suffer No Sorrow For Me - Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne...
Act III, Scene 1: Fly Him Swiftly, Away To The East! - Rita Hunter
Act III, Scene 1: O Radiant Wonder! (Parting Salute) - Margaret Curphey
Act III, Scene 1: Stay, Brunnhild! - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
Act III, Scene 2: Where Is Brunnhild? - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
Act III, Scene 2: Weak-Spirited, Womanish Brood! - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 2: Here I Am, Father - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 2: No More Will You Ride From Walhall - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
Act III, Scene 2: Did You Not Hear What I Decreed? - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
Act III, Scene 3: Was It So Shameful - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: I Know So Little - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: You, Who This Love Into My Heart Revealed - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: You Indulged Your Love - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: Unworthy Of You This Foolish Maid - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: You Fathered A Glorious Race - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: In Long, Deep Sleep - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
Act III, Scene 3: Farewell, My Valiant, Glorious Child! (Wotan's Farewell) - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: These Eyes So Warm And So Bright - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: Loge, Hear! Come At My Call! - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: Magic Fire Music - Norman Bailey

Customer Reviews:

"The death-doomed alone are destined to look on me.".......2007-06-12

Okay, so we have the Solti, Bohm, Karajan, Goodall, Boulez, Janowski, Levine, Haitink, and Sawallisch Rings on the market (I haven't listened to the other Ring recordings yet, sorry to say). And all of these leave me to one conclusion: the many differences lead me to believe that all of these ring sets have their own authenticities and setbacks. And here they are:

TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Boulez's Ring: 13 hours, 40 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Haitink's Ring: 14 hours, 10 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes

CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.

Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.

Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.

Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: nothing is faster than andante. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.

Boulez: Here it is, folks - the controversial Centennial Ring. To fit the Ring Cycle in the industrial age, Boulez gives it a very Schoenbergian, Bartokian atmosphere. Much of his tempi are very quick, very Bohm-like, though they're still not as fast as Bohm. Keep in mind, though, this live Ring works only if you hear AND see it (the DVD's work best).

Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".

Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.

Haitink: This might be seen as a disappointment. If you want great conducting, then this is for you. If you want a persuasive array of singers, look somewhere else. Haitink's conducting saves this work from being a total flop. There is nothing quite like his Rheingold & Gotterdammerung ("Siegfried's Rhine Journey" is a bit forced, but magnificent nonetheless).

Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.

ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.

Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.

Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.

Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act Two Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.

Boulez's Bayreuth Festival: While it doesn't really pack the same punches as Bohm's Bayreuth, it still delivers a stunning performance. Orchestral interaction between characters (Ex. Siegfried's motifs mixed in with Mime's motifs) fares better than Berlin's and English National's. Rhine maiden motifs are given more wit, while the Dragon motifs are played with less eeriness. Beauty makes up for the irritatingly quick "Wotan's Farewell".

Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Boulez's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are heard clear in this Ring. The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.

Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.

Haitink's Bavarian Radio Symphony: This may very well be like Metropolitan, only this sounds much more poignant. The strings sound better and the percussion sound clearer. The leitmotivs are almost never screwed up. First scene of Rheingold will take one's breath away.

Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.

SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).

Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.

Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".

Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.

Boulez: If you watch Donald McIntyre on the Centennial Ring production, then you can tell that he's a fine "industrial" Wotan. If you just hear him on CD, then you'll be disappointed. His diction is weak, his emotions are forced, and his voice sounds robotic. The DVD's will do.

Levine and Haitink: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's and Haitink's Ring.

Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.

-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.

Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).

Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."

Boulez: How can anyone not be impressed by the Brunnhilde of Gwyneth Jones? One can almost feel her excitement during Siegfried Act Three, and her fear in Walkure Act Three. Her weakest point is probably during her Gotterdammerung Prologue (a bit too stressed).

Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.

Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).

Haitink: Hmph. I was hoping that Eva Marton would do well here. I was seriously let down by her strained singing. She does okay in "Annunciation of Death", but she is at her worst in "Immolation".

-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm, Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Peter Hoffman for Boulez, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, Reiner Goldberg for Haitink, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jeanine Altmeyer for Boulez, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, Cheryl Studer for Haitink, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Three exceptions, though: Goldberg and Schunk don't sound heroic enough, and Norman for Levine doesn't sound young and innocent enough.

-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.

Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.

Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.

Boulez: Is Manfred Jung a good tenor? Yes. Is he a good Heldentenor? NO. He doesn't have that heroic voice like Windgassen and Remedios. Again, the DVD's are your safest bet.

Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.

Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. Levine should've chose Kollo or Jerusalem when he recorded his studio Ring.

Haitink: Have you ever seen Siegfried Jerusalem on the Levine/Metropolitan DVD? Well, here he is again, and this time, he sings with more valor and enthusiasm. Bravo!

-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").

Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.

Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.

Boulez: What we have here is the weak Alberich of Hermann Becht. When he's in Nibelheim, the authority isn't there. When he's in the Neid-Hohle forest, the creepiness isn't there. And when he's near the Gibich house, the misery isn't there. Even on DVD he's unsatisfactory.

Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.

Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.

Haitink: No offense, but Theo Adam as Alberich? Come on . . .

-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.

Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.

Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.

Boulez and Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent Mime, VERY fun to listen to. There is much humor and eccentricity in his voice, and that's what makes his dwarf much more compelling than Dempsey's dwarf. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. He is equal to Zednik when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.

Haitink: Peter Haage sounds like he's entertaining young kids. His version of Mime is a bit childish, and the dark humor that the dwarf brings out sounds-over-the-top here. Nonetheless, he is still entertaining to listen to ("Wer halfe mir?" has never sounded better).

Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.

-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on during the Trilogy.

Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Again, another Loge that's marred by lack of cunning.

Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. He has the wit, the craftiness, and the untrustworthiness that the character deserves. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.

Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.

Boulez and Haitink: I can summon Heinz Zednik's performance in just three words: Brilliant Beyond Belief!

Janowski: Peter Schreier is the most eccentric out of all of them, and that's a fact. Much of his singing involves imagination, peril, vengeance, and deviousness. Belcourt and Zednik depend only on vengeance and deviousness, Stolze only imagination and deviousness, Windgassen and Svanholm only peril. His odd conversations with Alberich and the gods/goddesses are classic.

Levine: Siegfried Jerusalem doesn't seem like a good choice for Loge. He's better off playing Siegmund or Siegfried, but not a demi-god.

Sawallisch: Robert Tear is on par with Stolze and Zednik. Sometimes he takes things too low, but all is forgiven with his management of character development.

-Everyone Else
Uh-huh, what can I say? Everyone else does a good job in all Ring recordings. Matti Salminen is the perfect Hagen (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch), while Kirsten Flagstad is the most brilliant Fricka (Solti). Anja Silja is the most memorable Freia (Bohm), while Kurt Moll makes the most fabulous Hunding yet (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch). The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm, Goodall, and Boulez. The only flawed Erda is Anne Collins (Goodall), maybe too light and too heavy at times. All in all, no one here is graded C or lower.

CONCLUSION: I have yet to listen to Barenboim's Bayreuth presentation, Neuhold's Badische version, and the essential mono recordings (Furtwangler, Krauss, etc.), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the industrialized Boulez, the truthful Janowski, the unhurried Levine, the abnormal Haitink, and the serious Sawallisch Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.

The Box Set: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
The Rhinegold (Part 1): Wagner: The Rhinegold
Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Breathtaking, powerful, accessible, not just an alternative.......2005-05-03

This is one of three Walkure's in my collection: the very underrated Leinsdorf, the thrilling Boehm and this one with Goodall. I believe Goodall is right up there with the best of them. Remedios, Hunter and Bailey sing beautifully and with sufficient drama. I'll go out on a musical limb and say I believe Bailey is one of the finest Wotan's on disc. Many will disagree but I think he has the measure of the role, the power to pull it off and a burnished timber that never becomes coarse under powerful climaxes... Remedios may well be the star of the trilogy along with Hunter and Bailey. His Siegmund is beautifully sung and his Siegfried by the way, is no mean stint either. Would that we had tenors that could sing Siegfried without sounding stretched beyond their limits. I am continually puzzled by the bad reviews that the orchestra playing receives from ARG, Classics Today and a few others. The ENO is not a Concertgebouw or Vienna Philharmonic but I think they play beautifully, a few clinkers notwithstanding. For a live show, they do a pretty d..... good job. THe sound from both orchestra and singers is exceptionally fine. This set belong in your collection if you like Wagner and, Die Walkure, in particular. If I had been at the performance in the 1970's I would have come home very happy, satisfied and richer for the experience.

Absolutely Breathtaking!.......2002-09-13

I had long cringed at the thought of this magnificant masterpiece recorded in English. Even after reading several rave reviews on this cylce that I've read by authoritive Wagnerites and critics, I was still skeptical. Finally, I decided to add Goodall's 'Ring' as my third complete cycle (after Solti & Bohm) for one reason: because it was in English and I felt it would enhance my understand of 'The Ring.' In fact, after achieving that "higher understanding" I was planning on selling this set on Ebay. That was, of course, before I heard this magnificant recording.

During the course of my research on 'The Goodall Ring' most of the praised seemed to heighten around 'Siegfried,' which is my absolute favorite of the cycle. That also helped to seal the deal. As the critics said, 'Siegfried' under Goodall is excellent, but not as monumental as Solti's reading, which IMHO is the greatest recording of 'Siegfried.'

The set that stands out, to me, in 'The Goodall Ring' is this recording; The Valkyrie. It is absolutely breathtaking. Not only is it my favorite of this set, it is my favorite Valkyrie recording period (I am very familiar with Boehm's, Solti's, Karajan's, Furthwanglers, Levines, and others). Alberto Remedios (Siegmund here and Siegfried in the last two operas) is truly magnificant. It is the best Siegmund I have heard on disc (and his Siegfried rivals Windgassen). Coupled with Margaret Curphey (Sieglinde), you get the most beautiful and moving duo I have heard on record. The duet in Act I is simply glorious. You also get the bonus of Norman Bailey's triumphant Wotan (and Wanderer too). He has such command and prescene. He sounds like a God. Throw in Rita Hunter, who holds her own as Brunnhilde, Goodall's miraculous conducting, and excellent playing by the orchestra and it all adds up to a stunning recording.

I can only say that in a way it's a shame this set is in English. Were it not, I believe Goodall's 'Ring' would be one of the most talked about, popular, and sought after complete recordings of the cycle. I can only say that I am so happy that I finally opened up to opera recorded in a different language than written.

I have fallen completely in love with Goodall's entire cycle. And, I have fallen in love with 'The Ring' all over again.

A powerful reading of the most moving opera in the Ring........2001-08-30

This performance of *Die Valkure,* the second and most popular opera in Wagner's Ring Cycle, is musically splendid. Its special significance, however, is that it is sung in English. An English performance of the Ring is perhaps more important than that of any other opera(s), because Wagner's libretti are suffused with his ideas about society, fate, justice, and love. Even if (at times) you need to read along to understand what the singers are saying, *hearing* the lyrics in English is truly stirring in a way that performances in your non-native language cannot match.
A particular stand-out on this recording is the Wotan. His timbre, diction, and delivery perfectly embody the troubled god who tries desperately, and in vain, to keep the world under his control. His angst and wrath are utterly convincing.

The power of Wagner's music drama is now fully accessible.......2001-01-30

I have never been a fan of opera in translation, but I must say that Andrew Porter's rendering of The Ring in English is amazing. He uses modern, not archaic, English, and the word choice is so very earthy and Germanic that the noble yet somewhat severe atmosphere of the Teutonic myths is conveyed perfectly. The sound, in other words, is an elegantly Germanic, and totally appropriate for the music and the Story it tells. It is not true that you can't understand the English anyway, because you can understand if you care to pay any attention at all. The translation is lucid, and so it the marvelous singing that conveys it.

Goodall's sense of music drama is lush, and takes some getting used to after the crash-and-burn Solti set, but after a time or two it seems just right. Goodall is not always slower than the rest, either; for example, the famous Ride of the Valkyries that begins Act III is quicker than Solti's surprisingly slow and heavy account. It is the most exciting that I have heard--and I have heard quite a few--but it is not so fast that the power is lost in favor of urgency.

This is not an urgent Die Walkure, and it is all the better for it. Goodall takes the time to actually tell the story, and is sensitive to the drama's needs over what could be called convention. For example, Wotan's Farewell doesn't thunder out after Brunnhilde's final declamation, like in so many recordings; rather, Goodall's interpretation is more dreamy, mysterious, and appropriately trance-like, in keeping with the action on stage.

Tracks:

'Happy End': Surabaya-Johnny (1929)
'Happy End': Bilbao-Song (1929)
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Alabama-Song (1930) - Lotte Lenya/The Three Admirals
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Denn Wie Man Sich Bettet (1930) - Lotte Lenya/The Three Admirals
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Alabama-Song (1930)
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Denn Wie Man Sich Bettet (1930)
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Ouverture/Moritat/Ballade Vom Angenehmen Leben (1931) - Kurt Gerron/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Liebeslied/Kanonensong (1931) - Kurt Gerron/Erika Helmke/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Chorus
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Die Seerauberjenny (1931) - Kurt Gerron/Lotte Lenya
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Erstes Dreigroschen-Finale (1931) - Kurt Gerron/Lotte Lenya/Erika Helmke/Erich Ponto
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Barbarasong/Eifersuchtsduett (1931) - Kurt Gerron/Lotte Lenya/Erika Helmke
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Abschied/Zweites Dreigroschen-Finale (1931) - Kurt Gerron/Erika Helmke/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Chorus
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Zuhalter-Ballade/Lied Von Der Unzulanglichkeit Menschlichen Strebens (1931) - Kurt Gerron/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Lotte Lenya/Erich Ponto
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Moritat/Schlusschoral (1931) - Kurt Gerron/Lotte Lenya/Chorus
Querschnitt, 1. Tiel: 'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny' (1932)
Querschnitt, 2. Tiel: 'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny' (1932)
'Happy End': Surabaya-Johnny (1943) - Lotte Lenya/Kurt Weill
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Denn Wie Man Sich Bettet (1943) - Lotte Lenya/Kurt Weill
Complainte De La Seine (1943) - Lotte Lenya/Kurt Weill
J'Attends Un Navire (1943) - Lotte Lenya/Kurt Weill
'Lost In The Stars': Lover Man (1943) - Lotte Lenya/Kurt Weill
'Lost In The Stars': Lost In The Stars (1943) - Lotte Lenya/Kurt Weill
'I've Got The Tune': And So The Last Thing, Too (1937 Interview) - Lotte Lenya/Marc Blitzstein/Shirley Booth

Tracks:

'Die Dreigoschenoper': Moritat (1955)
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Barbara-Song (1955)
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Seerauberjenny (1955)
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Havanna-Lied (1955)
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Alabama-Song (1955)
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Denn Wie Man Sich Bettet (1955)
'Happy End': Bilbao-Song (1955)
'Happy End': Surabaya-Johnny (1955)
'Happy End': Was Die Herren Matrosen Sagen (Matrosen-Tango) (1955)
'Das Berliner Requiem': Ballade Vom Ertrunkenen Madchen (1955)
'Der Silbersee': Ich Bin Eine Arme Verwandte (1955)
'Der Silbersee': Casar-Ballade (1955)
'Die Sieben Todsunden': Prolog/Introduktion (1956) - Lotte Lenya/Julius Kantona/Fritz Gollnitz/Sigmund Roth/Ernst Poettgen
'Die Sieben Todsunden': Faulheit (1956) - Lotte Lenya/Julius Kantona/Fritz Gollnitz/Sigmund Roth/Ernst Poettgen
'Die Sieben Todsunden': Stolz (1956) - Lotte Lenya/Julius Kantona/Fritz Gollnitz/Sigmund Roth/Ernst Poettgen
'Die Sieben Todsunden': Zorn (1956) - Lotte Lenya/Julius Kantona/Fritz Gollnitz/Sigmund Roth/Ernst Poettgen
'Die Sieben Todsunden': Vollerei (1956) - Lotte Lenya/Julius Kantona/Fritz Gollnitz/Sigmund Roth/Ernst Poettgen
'Die Sieben Todsunden': Unzucht (1956) - Lotte Lenya/Julius Kantona/Fritz Gollnitz/Sigmund Roth/Ernst Poettgen
'Die Sieben Todsunden': Habsucht (1956) - Lotte Lenya/Julius Kantona/Fritz Gollnitz/Sigmund Roth/Ernst Poettgen
'Die Sieben Todsunden': Neid (1956) - Lotte Lenya/Julius Kantona/Fritz Gollnitz/Sigmund Roth/Ernst Poettgen
'Die Sieben Todsunden': Epilog (1956) - Lotte Lenya/Julius Kantona/Fritz Gollnitz/Sigmund Roth/Ernst Poettgen

Tracks:

'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 1, Szene 1 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 1, Szene 2 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 1, Szene 3 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 1, Szene 4 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 1, Szene 5 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 1, Szene 6 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 1, Szene 7 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 1, Szene 8 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 1, Szene 9 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 1, Szene 10 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 1, Szene 11 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 2, Szene 12 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 2, Szene 13 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn

Tracks:

'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 2, Szene 14 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 2, Szene 15a (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 2, Szene 15b (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 2, Szene 16 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 2, Szene 17 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 3, Szene 18 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 3, Szene 19 (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Akt 3, Finale (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Chorus Des NDR/Max Thurn

Tracks:

'Knickerbocker Holiday': September Song (1957)
'Knickerbocker Holiday': It Never Was You (1957)
'Lady In The Dark': Saga Of Jenny (1957)
'One Touch Of Venus': Foolish Heart (1957)
'One Touch Of Venus': Speak Low (1957)
'The Firebrand Of Florence': Sing Me Not A Ballad (1957)
'The Eternal Road': Song Of Ruth (July Version) (1957)
'Street Scene': Lonely House (1957)
'Street Scene': A Boy Like You (1957) - Lotte Lenya/Darryl Richard
'Love Life': Green-Up Time (1957)
'Lost In The Stars': Trouble Man (1957)
'Lost In The Stars': Stay Well (1957)
'Lost In The Stars': Lost In The Stars (1957)
'The Eternal Road': Song Of Ruth (August Version) (1957)
'The Threepenny Opera': Pirate Jenny (1954)
'The Threepenny Opera': Solomon-Song (1954)
'The Threepenny Opera': Tango-Ballad (1954) - Lotte Lenya/Scott Merrill
'The Threepenny Opera': Lenya & Blitzstein TV Interview (1954) - Lotte Lenya/Marc Blitzstein
'Johnny Johnson': Mon Ami, My Friend (1956)
Young Blood (1969)
Welcome Home (1969)

Tracks:

'Die Dreigoschenoper': Ouverture (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Moritat (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Morgenchoral Des Peachum (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Anstatt-Dass-Song (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Hochzeitslied Fur Armere Leute (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Kanonensong (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Liebeslied (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Barbara-Song (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Erstes Dreigroschen-Finale (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Der Pferdestall (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Abschiedslied Der Polly (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Zwischenlied (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Ballade Von Der Sexuellen Horigkeit (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Die Seerauberjenny (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Zuhalter-Ballade (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Ballade Vom Angenehmen Leben (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Eifersuchtsduett (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Arie Der Lucy (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Zweites Dreigroschen-Finale (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Lied Von Der Unzulanglichkeit Menschlichen Strebens (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Solomon-Song (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Ruf Aus Der Gruft (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Ballade In Der MacHeath Jedermann Abbitte Leistet (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Der Reitende Bote (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Drittes Driegroschen-Finale (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...
'Die Dreigoschenoper': Schlusstrophen Der Moritat (1958) - Lotte Lenya/Erich Schellow/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch/Trude Hesterberg/Johanna Von Koczian...

Tracks:

'Happy End': Introduktion (Hosiannah) (1960)
'Happy End': Bilbao-Song (1960)
'Happy End': Der Kleine Leutnant Des Lieben Gottes (1960)
'Happy End': Geht Hinein In Die Schlacht (Heilsarmee-Lied 1) (1960)
'Happy End': Was Die Herren Matrosen Sagen (Matrosen-Tango) (1960)
'Happy End': Bruder, Gib Dir Einen Stoss (Heilsarmee-Lied 2) (1960)
'Happy End': Das Lied Vom Branntweinhandler (1960)
'Happy End': Der Song Von Mandelay (1960)
'Happy End': Furchte Dich Nicht (Heilsarmee-Lied 3) (1960)
'Happy End': Surabaya-Johnny (1960)
'Happy End': Das Lied Von Der Harten Nuss (1960)
'Happy End': In Der Jugend Gold'Nem Schimmer (Heilsarmee-Lied 4) (1960)
'Happy End': Die Ballade Von Der Hollen-Lili (1960)
'Happy End': Der Kleine Leutnant Des Lieben Gottes (1960)
'Cabaret': So What? (1966)
'Cabaret': It Couldn't Please Me More (1966) - Lotte Lenya/Jack Gilford
'Cabaret': Married (1966) - Lotte Lenya/Jack Gilford
'Cabaret': What Would You Do (1966)
'Cabaret': Finale (1966) - Lotte Lenya/Bert Convy/Jill Haworth/Jack Gilford/Joel Grey

Tracks:

Unter Der Linde (1958)
Menschlich Elende (1958)
Das Rosenband (1958)
Der Tod Und Das Madchen (1958)
Abendlied (1958)
Der Bauer (1958)
Lebenspflichten (1958)
Gesang Der Geister Uber Den Wassern (1958)
Aus 'Romische Elegein' (1958)
Gefunden (1958)
Wo Bist Du Itzt (1958)
Der Handschuh (1958)
Hyperions Schicksalied/Aus 'Hymnen Der Nacht' (1958)
Mondnacht (1958)
Das Schloss Boncourt (1958)
Kommen Und Scheiden (1958)
Auf Geheimem Waldespfade (1958)
Der Weiher (1958)
Das Verlassene Magdlein (1958)
Der Wirtin Tochterlein (1958)
Mit Dummen Madchen (1958)
Im Wunderschonen Monat Mai (1958)
Ich Wollte Meine Lieder (1958)
Nachtlich Am Busento (1958)
Kehr Ein Bei Mir! (1958)
Altassyrisch (1958)
Die Musik Kommt (1958)
Wer Weiss Wo (1958)
Der Romische Brunnen (1958)
Vereinsamt (1958)
Der Werwolf (1958)
Der Arbeitsmann (1958)
Die Bieden (1958)
Du Schlank Und Rein Wie Eine Flamme (1958)
Spanische Tanzerin (1958)
Ich Liebe Frauen (1958)
An Den Leser (1958)
Die Entwicklung Der Menschheit (1958)
Der Vater (1958)
Erinnerung An Die Marie A (1958)
Von Der Freundlichkeit Der Welt (1958)
Kinderkreuzzug (1958)

Tracks:

A Hunger Artist (1959)
An Imperial Message (1959)
A Fratricide (1959)
The Care Of A Family Man (1959)
Up In The Gallery (1959)
A Dream (1959)
The Bucket Rider (1959)
Vergnugungen: What I Enjoy (Last Song) (1962) - Diane Clark/Anne Jackson/Lotte Lenya/Viveca Lindfors/George Voskovec/Michael Wager
Inscription On A China Lion (The Lion) (1962) - Diane Clark/Anne Jackson/Lotte Lenya/Viveca Lindfors/George Voskovec/Michael Wager
'Die Dreigroscheneroper': The Solomon Song (1962) - Diane Clark/Anne Jackson/Lotte Lenya/Viveca Lindfors/George Voskovec/Michael Wager
'Buckower Elegien': Changing Wheels (1962) - Diane Clark/Anne Jackson/Lotte Lenya/Viveca Lindfors/George Voskovec/Michael Wager
Burning Books (1962) - Diane Clark/Anne Jackson/Lotte Lenya/Viveca Lindfors/George Voskovec/Michael Wager
Written On The Wall (1962) - Diane Clark/Anne Jackson/Lotte Lenya/Viveca Lindfors/George Voskovec/Michael Wager
Lied Der Courage (1962) - Diane Clark/Anne Jackson/Lotte Lenya/Viveca Lindfors/George Voskovec/Michael Wager
Song Of A German Mother (1962) - Diane Clark/Anne Jackson/Lotte Lenya/Viveca Lindfors/George Voskovec/Michael Wager
'Buckower Elegien': The Dog (1962) - Diane Clark/Anne Jackson/Lotte Lenya/Viveca Lindfors/George Voskovec/Michael Wager
To The Next Generation (1962) - Diane Clark/Anne Jackson/Lotte Lenya/Viveca Lindfors/George Voskovec/Michael Wager
Bad Times For Poetry (1962) - Diane Clark/Anne Jackson/Lotte Lenya/Viveca Lindfors/George Voskovec/Michael Wager
Und Was Bekam Des Soldaten Weib (1943) - Lotte Lenya/Kurt Weill
Wie Lange Noch (1943) - Lotte Lenya/Kurt Weill
Lied Einer Deutschen Mutter (1943) - Lotte Lenya/Kurt Weill

Tracks:

'Die Dreigroscheneroper': Moritat Von Mackie Messer (1960)
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Havanna-Leid (1960)
'Das Berliner Requiem': Ballade Vom Ertrunkenen Madchen (1960)
'Happy End': Was Die Herren Matrosen Sagen (Matrosen-Tango) (1960)
'Das Berliner Requiem': Zu Potsdam Unter Den Eichen (1960)
'Die Dreigroscheneroper': Die Seerauberjenny (1960)
'Happy End': Bilbao-Song (1960)
Carnegie Hall Introduction (1965)
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Alabama-Song (1965)
'Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny': Havanna-Song (1965)
'Das Berliner Requiem': Ballade Vom Ertrunkenen Madchen (1965)
'Das Berliner Requiem': Zu Potsdam Unter Den Eichen (1965)
'One Touch Of Venus': Speak Low (1965)
'One Touch Of Venus': Foolish Heart (1965)
'One Touch Of Venus': Bilbao-Song (1965)
'One Touch Of Venus': Surabaya-Johnny (1965)
'Love Life': Love-Song (1965)
'Love Life': Susan's Dream (1965)
'Happy End': Was Die Matrosen Sagen (Matrosen-Tango) (1965)
'Happy End': Der Song Von Mandelay (1965)
'Happy End': Das Lied Von Der Harten Nuss (1965)
'Happy End': Lilli Of Hell (1965)
'Knickerbocker Holiday': September Song (1965)
'Die Dreigroscheneroper': Barbara Song (1965)

Tracks:

Moritat (1965)
Moritat (German Version) (1965) - Lotte Lenya/Turk Murphy
Mack The Knife (1965) - Lotte Lenya/Louis Armstrong
Mack The Knife (1965) - Lotte Lenya/Louis Armstrong
Lied Der Courage I (1965) - Lotte Lenya/Harry Buckwitz
Das Lied Vom Weib Und Soldaten (1965)
Lied Von Der Grossen Kapitulation (1965)
Lied Der Courage II (1965)
Lied Der Courage III (1965)
Eia Popeia, Was Ras Im Stroh (1965)
Lied Der Courage IV (1965)
The Dick Cavett Show (1975) - Lotte Lenya/Dick Cavett
Start (1975) - Lotte Lenya/Dick Cavett
American Films (1975) - Lotte Lenya/Dick Cavett
The Opening Night Ot The Rise And Fall Of The City Of Mahagonny (1975) - Lotte Lenya/Dick Cavett
'One Touch Of Venus': I'm A Stranger Here Myself (1975) - Lotte Lenya/Dick Cavett
Anita Berber (1975) - Lotte Lenya/Dick Cavett
The Great Inflation (1975) - Lotte Lenya/Dick Cavett
Thoughts On 'Oh, Calcutta' (1975) - Lotte Lenya/Dick Cavett
Berlin Visit 1955 (1975) - Lotte Lenya/Dick Cavett
Introduction To 'Bilbao-Song' (1975) - Lotte Lenya/Dick Cavett
Bilbao-Song (1975) - Lotte Lenya/Dick Cavett
Introduction (1966)
'Knickerbocker Holiday': How Can You Tell An American (1966)
'Knickerbocker Holiday': September Song (1966)

Average customer rating:

Golden Age Singing
A GREAT PERFORMANCE

Bizet: Carmen [Highlights]

Manufacturer: Gala
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Te Kanawa, Kiri | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Carmen Highlights: But We Can't See Carmencita
Carmen Highlights: When I'll Love You
Carmen Highlights: Tell Me About My Mother!
Carmen Highlights: You Mother Was Coming Out Of The Chapel With Me'
Carmen Highlights: I See My Mother..
Carmen Highlights: Then Tell Her That Her Son Loves Her And Venerates Her
Carmen Highlights: Near To The Ramparts Of Seville
Carmen Highlights: The Lieutenant!...Attention
Carmen Highlights: The Sistrum Bars Jangled
Carmen Highlights: I Can Return Your Toast
Carmen Highlights: I'm Going To Dance In Your Honour
Carmen Highlights: The Flower That You Threw Me
Carmen Highlights: No, You Do Love Me!
Carmen Highlights: Hey There, Carmen! Hey there!
Carmen Highlights: Come With Us Across The Countryside
Carmen Highlights: Diamonds, Spades...Death!
Carmen Highlights: Speak, Speak again, my beauties
Carmen Highlights: I Tell Myself That Nothing Daunts Me
Carmen Highlights: So It's You?...Yes, Me

Customer Reviews:

Golden Age Singing.......2001-02-21

In very good live-performance sound, this generous (74 minutes) selection of highlights boasts the finest Carmen cast and conductor I have ever heard in one production. Verrett's is the only performance not duplicated on a commercial set, and she is spectacular--as close to the perfect "Carmen voice" as any I have experienced. Te Kanawa's gorgeous sound is likewise unmatchable, even on her complete recording with the same conductor. Van Dam is perfection, and Domingo even better than one has come to expect. A word about the excerpts: they include all of the big "numbers," as well as enough ensemble work to allow one to fully appreciate the conducting of the great Sir Georg. Considering the modest cost, this disc is unbeatable.

A GREAT PERFORMANCE.......1999-10-29

Verrett is the best Carmen imaginable, Domingo the best Don José, Kiri the best Micaela and Solti it's a grand conductor. The ideal Carmen.

Christian Music: