If I Could Fly [CD-single]

If I Could Fly [CD-single]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
First single off the German metal veteran's forthcoming album, 'The Dark Ride'. Tracks, 'If I Could Fly', 'Deliver Us From Temptation' and 'If I Could Fly' (Extended Version). 2000 release. Standard jewel case.

Tracks:

The Man from Snowy River (Bruce Rowland)
The Winds of War (Bob Cobert)
Blue Velvet (Angelo Badalamenti)
Witness (Maurice Jarre)
Raising Arizona (Carter Burwell)
Pee Wees Big Adventure (Danny Elfman)
Halloween (John Carpenter)
A Nightmare On Elm Street (Charles Bernstein)
The Fly (Howard Shore)
RoboCop (Basil Poledouris)
The Empire Strikes Back (John Williams)
The Right Stuff (Bill Conti)
The Final Conflict (Jerry Goldsmith)
The Abyss (Alan Silvestri)
Brainstorm (James Horner)
Peggy Sue Got Married (John Barry)
My Left Foot (Elmer Bernstein)
The Dead (Alex North)
Stanley & Iris (John Williams)
The Milagro Beanfield War (Dave Grusin)
Driving Miss Daisy (Hans Zimmer)

Tracks:

Steel Magnolias (Georges Delerue)
Unforgiven (Lennie Niehaus and Clint Eastwood)
Raggedy Man (Jerry Goldsmith)
The Grifters (Elmer Bernstein)
Green Card (Hans Zimmer)
City Slickers (Marc Shaiman)
Father Of The Bride (Alan Silvestri)
While You Were Sleeping (Randy Edelman)
Babe (Nigel Westlake)
The Adventures Of The Great Mouse Detective (Henry Mancini)
The Adventures of Robin Hood (Erich Wolfgang Korngold)
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (Laurence Rosenthal)
The Secret Garden (Zbigniew Preisner)
A Little Princess (Patrick Doyle)
Rudy (Jerry Goldsmith)
Iron Will (Joel McNeely)
Memphis Belle (George Fenton)
Eye Of The Needle (Mikl)
Total Recall (Jerry Goldsmith)
Back To The Future Part III (Alan Silvestri)

Tracks:

To Die For (Danny Elfman)
The Player (Thomas Newman)
Black Robe (Georges Delerue)
Medicine Man (Jerry Goldsmith)
2001 (Alex North)
Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire (Joel McNeely)
The Crow (Graeme Revell)
Blade (Mark Isham)
The Omen (Jerry Goldsmith)
Vertigo (Bernard Herrmann)
Scream (Marco Beltrami)
The Sixth Sense (James Newton Howard)
Xena: Warrior Princess (Joseph LoDuca)
Air Force One (Jerry Goldsmith)
Starship Troopers (Basil Poledouris)
The Matrix (Don Davis)
The Iron Giant (Michael Kamen)
Youve Got Mail (George Fenton)
A Little Romance (Georges Delerue)
Pleasantville (Randy Newman)

Tracks:

Sunset Boulevard (Franz Waxman)
L.A. Confidential (Jerry Goldsmith)
Rounders (Christopher Young)
The Score (Howard Shore)
The Replacements (John Debney)
Gone In 60 Seconds (Trevor Rabin)
The Bourne Identity (John Powell)
Rush Hour 2 (Lalo Schifrin)
XXX (Randy Edelman)
Die Hard (Michael Kamen)
The Last of the Mohicans (Trevor Jones)
Moby Dick (Christopher Gordon)
The Mists Of Avalon (Lee Holdridge)
Cleopatra (Alex North)
Life As A House (Mark Isham)
Emma (Rachel Portman)
In The Bedroom (Thomas Newman)
Cast Away (Alan Silvestri)
One True Thing (Cliff Eidelman)
Unfaithful (Jan A.P. Kaczmarek)
Far From Heaven (Elmer Bernstein)
Ice Age (David Newman)
Shrek (Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell)

Customer Reviews:

A good value.......2007-05-17

I wasn't expecting to have 4 discs for this price, and the music is a quality selection of film music, giving a good scope of the genre, and a very listenable transfer.

The Sound Track Since Bernard Hermann.......2006-07-25

This collection is bound to capture your heart and evoke a tin ear on successive tracks. I found much to like and some duds - easy to skip over.
Very good value.

Good mix of film music.......2006-07-02

Good mix of films!
I'm a big fan of this soundtrack music and will be looking for more CD's like this.

A mixed collection of movie music.......2006-02-23

For the price, this CD is a great bargain. The musical selections, as you might expect, are mixed in quality ranging from extraordinary to so so, the balance being worthwhile and interesting. Sonically the CD is excellent.

Uplifts your soul, takes your mind into the heavens.......2006-01-06

I have been listening to great scores for many years and this collection is truly inspirational in so far as the choice of different scores takes you on a journey of listening pleasure matched by only a few collections.The price is incredibly reasonable for hours of listening pleasure. Don't pass this one up

Average customer rating:

this album is really really good
Try it - you might just like it
Upon further review....
A winner
A Marathoner Finishing Strong

If I Could Only Fly
Merle Haggard
Manufacturer: Anti
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Country | Styles | Music

Honky-Tonk | Country | Styles | Music

General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Haggard Like Never Before
Roots Volume 1
Serving 190 Proof
Peer Sessions
Going Where the Lonely Go/That's the Way Love Goes

ASIN: B00004YR5Q
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Wishing All These Old Things Were New
Honky Tonky Mama
Turn To Me
If I Could Only Fly
Crazy Moon
Bareback
(Think About A) Lullaby
I'm Still Your Daddy
Proud To Be Your Old Man
Leavin's Getting Harder
Thanks To Uncle John
Listening (To The Wind)

Amazon.com's Best of 2000

On his first new studio album in four years, Merle Haggard writes bluntly about his own life experience and his own thoughts--only now, at age 63, his thoughts have turned toward fatherhood, marriage, and the stability of home life. When Hag bares his soul as he does here, it still makes for gripping music, no matter what the themes may be. --Marc Greilsamer

Amazon.com essential recording

Merle Haggard is still singing about Merle Haggard, and the results are as compelling as ever. He still writes plainspoken, brutally honest lyrics and he still sings with passion. Above all, he can still skillfully combine them in ways that make the whole far better than the sum of its parts. There is still profundity in his economy of words and there is still an element of mythology in his honesty. If I Could Only Fly changes the man's perspective to be sure: no longer is he recalling his mama and daddy, his modest upbringing, his wild youth, and his outsider's fate. Instead, he grapples with aging, comes to grips with familial responsibilities, and learns to appreciate the wonders of home life versus the pitfalls of the highway. He boasts maturity that he was sure he'd never have, maturity that he paid dearly to attain. And while his diminished vocal range may be the cost of age, his singing now carries with it a conviction that is age's reward--in fact, this sort of tradeoff serves as a perfect analogy. The fact that Haggard has released this record on a punk label really comes as no surprise; if nothing else, it gave him and the Strangers an opportunity to craft a wise, tasteful, minimalist record in the friendly confines of Hag's home studio. But it's awfully sad that the country world has no use for Merle Haggard's hard-earned wisdom. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

this album is really really good.......2007-05-13

Merle, you have so much talent, I wish you the best luck and good times. Thank you for your music. It means so much to us, your fans. I wish the big labels would give you freedom to record new songs and the radio would play them. But anyways I'm happy that you seem to have found peace in your life, which I hear on this album.
I have listened to this album a lot during the last few years and I never get tired of it. Keep recording when the fish aren't biting. I'll be there to buy the album if you put another one out. I sure hope you do!

Try it - you might just like it.......2006-12-24

True, this is a different Merle we're hearing than the one most country fans are used to. And if you're a first time buyer of Merle's music, this one might not convince you that he is truly the legend he is. But real HAG FANS, and music fans willing to take a bit of a risk, will appreciate this side of Merle. His voice was not what it could have been at the time he recorded this, and we've later found that this was due to his dental problems that have now been repaired. But it's still Merle....the man with the golden pen who has an uncanny ability to capture emotions on a sheet of paper. I think anyone who REALLY listens to this album with an open mind and keen ear will agree that it's a beautiful collection.

Upon further review...........2006-05-17

I have read of the recent passing of Bonnie Owens, Merle's ex-wife, long time backup singer and touring partner. News accounts talk of her slide into the unfortunate abyss of Alzheimer's disease in the late 90's. Merle's wonderful voice came around on my computer singing "If I Could Only Fly" as I finished reading of Bonnie's passing. Wow... I know Merle didn't write this song. I also know that songs can mean many things to many people. But gosh, I just have to wonder if this isn't a perfect ode to Bonnie who couldn't join Merle on the road. Was Merle looking out a bus window on the road someplace thinking of Bonnie back home suffering from a debilitating disease with almost no chance of rejoining him? I can't say for you. Sure rings true to me. Try listening to the song in this context and see what you think. I'd bet well all know a "Bonnie". Sad? You bet it is. True as life itself? That too. This one song on the album is worth the price of the whole CD to me. I guess that makes all the rest of this great CD "Bonus Tracks". Doesn't get much better. Strong work, Merle.

A winner.......2003-05-23

I had never bought a MH album before, and never buy mainstream country. Heard something good about this one and gave it a go (first CD I've bought in months). Liked it so much I got Roots, which is another winner. It is rare to find people who can write songs these days, much less perform them with conviction, humor and taste. There's nothing fake here, including in the playing, which is both laid back and flawless. Thanks Merle, looking forward to the next one.

A Marathoner Finishing Strong.......2001-12-30

"Looking back it all looks like a marathon...", Merle sings. And somewhere in his seventh decade, Hag is still running it with the best of them. Subtract Turn to Me, a song and sound you've heard from a thousand other singers before, and this is a practically perfect CD of Haggard reflecting on his past, but mostly savoring a present of love and family. The "marathon" line is from Thanks to Uncle John, a tribute to the man who taught him his early chords. Three consecutive songs celebrate fatherhood, Lullaby, I'm Still Your Daddy (when a child learns of San Quentin and a not so perfect past) and Proud to Be Your Old Man. Two others lament the road which drags him away from home (and what a change that is from the younger Hag!), Leavin's Getting Harder, and the title cut, one of the CD's three best songs, though not written by Haggard. The other two bests are Wishing All These Old Things Were New, in which the past is always present as an undeniably attractive temptation, and Listening to the Wind, a lonely separation song, maybe of years, maybe of miles, maybe of both, but surely best heard in the fog of a Bakersfield winter night or on a long drive across Texas. The voice and the picking are impeccable as always on the best Haggard work. Like Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and George Jones to name three, Haggard is aging superbly with his talent still growing.

If I Could Only Fly: A Tribute to Blaze Foley

Average customer rating:

If I Could Only Fly: A Tribute to Blaze Foley
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Bongo Beat Records/Borderdreams
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music

General | Country | Styles | Music

General | Compilations | Country | Styles | Music

Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

Tributes | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Wanted More Dead Than Alive
Cold, Cold World
Live at the Austin Outhouse
Oval Room
Workbench Songs

ASIN: B000K7UFDK
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Tracks:

Blaze Ablaze - Jubal Clark
If I Could Only Fly - Kimmie Rhodes
Ooh, Love - Cody Hubach
Picture Cards Can't Picture You - Texana Dames
Lovin' You - Tom Smith
My Reasons Why - Mandy Mercier
Christian Lady - Michael Reed Barker
Darlin' - Pat Mears
Big Cheeseburgers - Blaze with the Hillbilly Band
I Should Have Been Home With You - Calvin Russell
Rainbows and Ridges - Rod Nunnelee
Small Town Hero - Timbuk 3
Wouldn't That Be Nice - Townes Van Zandt
Springtime in Uganda - Townes Van Zandt
Blaze Foley's 113th Wet Dream - Jubal Clark
Our Little Town - Blaze Foley & Friends

Tracks:

Let Me Ride in Your Big Cadillac - David Waddell
Clay Pigeons - Julieann Banks
It's Just You - Calvin Russell
Misty Garden - Shiva's Headband
Faded Love and Memories - Richard Dobson
Officer Norris - Dee Lewellen
The Way You Smile - John Casner
Alibis - Tom Smith
No Goodwill Stores in Waikiki - Jim Stricklan
Blue Love - George Ensle
Election Day - Sheri Frushay
Down Here Where I Am - Harvey Thomas Young
Oval Room - Rachel Rain
WW3 - The Rhythm Rats
Cold, Cold World - Elliot Rogers

Tracks:

123, 12345 - Gurf Morlix
Girl Scout Cookies - The Blazettes
Ain't Got No Sweet Thing - Ponty Bone & The Squeezetones
There Goes That - Deep In Cider
(New) Slow Boat to China - Misfit Zion
Crawl Back To You - Alan Smithee
Someday - Jimmy Lee Jones
Getting Over You - The Ramblers
Anything Less - Jon Emery
Where Are You Now My Love - Ricky Cardwell
Long Gone - Cody Hubach
If I Could Only Fly - Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson
Oval Room - Blaze Foley Live At The Outhouse (Bonus Track)
Loving You - Blaze Foley Live At The Outhouse (Bonus Track)
My Reasons Why - Blaze Foley Live At The Outhouse (Bonus Track)

Tracks:

DVD FEATURE: Oval Room (Live) - Blaze Foley
DVD FEATURE: Girl Scout Cookies (Live) - Blaze Foley
DVD FEATURE: Snowin' On Raton (Live) - Townes Van Zandt & Blaze
DVD FEATURE: Lovin' You - Tom Smith
DVD FEATURE: Picture Cards - Texana Dames
DVD FEATURE: Clay Pigeons (Live) - Blaze Foley
DVD FEATURE: Sam Brown (Live) - Blaze Foley & Calvin Russell

Average customer rating:

Oakenfodld/Osbourne craft a Perfect Album
Good Classic from Grace and Oakenfold
I LOVE YOU GRACE
Perfect Union
The Best CD I Ever Heard

If I Could Fly
Grace
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Not Over Yet

ASIN: B000005JD1
Release Date: 1997-05-20

Tracks:

Not Over Yet
Down To Earth
If I Could Fly
One Day
You Don't Know
Orange
Hand In Hand
Love Songs
Don't Call Me (You're Not Mine)
Mineral
Skin On Skin
I Want To Live

Customer Reviews:

Oakenfodld/Osbourne craft a Perfect Album.......2005-11-01

Grace was the UK pop/dance project from Paul Oakenfold and Steven Oasbourne and fronted by singer Dominque Atkins. Released in the late 1990s the album is a seamless mix of club styles. From the epic vocal trance of hit single "Not over yet", the drum n bass sounds of "if i could fly" or the techno pop of "hand in hand" the album is a smart and well written mix of electronic music.
I originally purchased the cd on import when it was released and just recently pulled the cd out to listen to it recently. The album holds up well and doesnt sound dated at all. THe production is crisp and the album sequenced in such a fashion so as not to get dull. The song "one Day" is one of the best, a amazing chillout track before chillout was a buzz term. The track "Orange" is a instrumental work that is a variation on Oakenfold OSbourne's remix of U2's "lemon" which fits perfectly midway through the album.
The packaging on the album is also superb. The layout was done by top UK design firm FORM who have done award winning sleeve design for Evereything but the Girl and Depeche Mode (to name a few).
Overall a solid album and an amazing album compared to most disposable and same sounding dance albums out there. A really fantastic album.

Good Classic from Grace and Oakenfold.......2002-08-15

Perfect CD from Grace and Oakenfold.
Recomended for any one.
Luck
Hildely

I LOVE YOU GRACE.......2000-05-22

This Album contains great songs! The 7 (!) singles from this album went all Top 30 in the UK (except 2), and it contains the original version of 'I Want to Live', which is very different from the single version (I am referring to the German edition of this CD). Even though vocalist Dominique Atkins didn't originally sang 'NOT OVER YET', she does a good job on the album, which has only 2 songs which are not so good. If you are lucky enough to find the single releases you will find remixes that will haunt you, like almost every remix of 'Down to Earth', BT's Spirit of Grace ('Not Over Yet'), 'Hand in Hand' (Jam El Mar Remix, of Jam&Spoon), 'If I Could Fly' (though the only non-drum&bass remix is the Perfecto one), and all remixes on the (re)issue 'You're Not Mine/Down to Earth'. Also check out all of BT's works, other Grace collaboration on the Ministry of Sound Trace Nation (1) (track No.9 on CD1 - 'Invisible') and those Trance Nation compilations (M.O.S.), and procuction/remixes by Paul Oakenfold/Steve osborne like the remix of Olive's 'You're Not Alone'! (d_h_monroe@hotmail.com)

Perfect Union.......2000-04-13

Paul Oakenfold's talents as a dance music producer are perfect(o)ly showcased in this release, which stands out as the quintessential album of what was briefly termed "epic house". When you listen to it, you will know why. Soaring vocals and galloping trance-style rhythms dominate all the up-tempo house tracks, whereas vocalist Dominique Atkins is equally talented at bringing a bittersweet tone to the slower numbers. The standout track is obviously the huge hit "Not Over Yet", but all the other singles are equally impressive, and there isn't a wasted track on this album. Play it before you go out clubbing, and whatever music you hear there will be an anticlimax! They just aren't making dance music this good any more.

The Best CD I Ever Heard.......1998-11-07

Anyone who likes any type of music should own Grace: If I Could Fly. This celestial dance/techno music combines beautifully cosmic tracks with the heavenly angelic voice of the breathtaking Dominique Atkins. If you don't like dance/techno, buy the CD and hang the cover picture of Dominique on your wall. It's a win-win situation. Enjoy!

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.

I own the complete Solti Ring, but I must say I will be the first in line to get each new installment of this remarakable Ring as soon they hit the shelves. If you are new to Wagner, and are willing to make the plunge into a complete Ring, then start with this one and see if you want to continue. This recording is definitely one of the great Rings, and the superb translation will open up the work in ways that following the libretto just won't. I promise that you won't be able to put this one away easily. Get it!

If i Could Fly
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If i Could Fly
Helloween
Manufacturer: Phantom Sound & Vision
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000BRHTZG
Release Date: 2000-10-26