My Father's Face

My Father's Face

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke has never been a fan of his own singing, observing once that it resembles "geese farts on a foggy day." Be that as it may, his voice (both vocally and lyrically) is an essential element of his persona, one he's too-often neglected. This cogent 1989 collection balances the Minnesotan's trademark knuckle-busting 12-string exhibitions ("William Powell," "Theme from 'The Rick and Bob Show'") with memorable lyric-based songs. The latter are what make My Father's Face such an appealing album. Kottke bares his grim northern soul on "Everybody Lies" ("I don't remember what it was like to go back home/I only know it was cold and white and I was alone"), while "Why Can't You Fix My Car?" and "Jack Gets Up" are sardonic statements on the quietly desperate lifestyle. Producer T Bone Burnett's select sidemen (David Hidalgo, Michael Blair, Edgar Meyer), meanwhile, are unfailingly restrained and tasteful. In the end, you're left with a fuller sense of Kottke. He's smart, funny, a bit gloomy ... and, yeah, he plays a mean guitar, too. --Steven Stolder

My Father's Face,Leo Kottke,Private Music,Contemporary Folk,Folk,Folk & Traditional,Pop,Popular Music

LIL WAYNE DA DROUGHT 3 (MIXTAPE) 2 CD SET
Average customer rating:

Fire

Beast

Ballin'

Very Impressive

LIL WAYNE DA DROUGHT 3 (MIXTAPE) 2 CD SET

Manufacturer: Song List
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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LIL WAYNE / THE EMPIRE - THE DROUGHT IS OVER PT.2 (CARTER 3 SESSIONS MIXTAPE!)

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Dedication, Vol. 2

T.I. vs T.I.P.

ASIN: B000PV12JC

Product Description

New mixtape from Lil Wayne Da Drought 3. What you have been waiting for one of the biggest mixtape releases for 2007. 2 disc set.

Customer Reviews:

Fire.......2007-08-01

Lil Wayne can't be touched in this rap game right now, he's simply the best rapper alive...

Beast.......2007-07-24

LIL WAYNE HAS EVOLVED FROM A RAPPER INTO A BEAST!!
HIS LYRICAL SKILLS ARE UNBELIEVABLE...HE CAN MAKE SENSE OUT OF NON SENSE!!
I WISH I HAD ANOTHER SET OF HANDS SO I COULD GIVE THIS MIXTAPE 4 THUMBS UP!!

Ballin'.......2007-06-13

Wayne truely is the best rapper alive he can take anyones beats and make them his own..... Like he once said "i can say don't rhyme and it rhyme" he's right..... this cd is dope and i would suggest it to anyone who likes Lil Wayne

Very Impressive.......2007-05-24

Lil Wayne Is in my opinion, the king of mixtapes right now. He is avereging about 1 mixtape every three months. This Mixtape is Awesome. Alot of his other mixtapes have people from his record label, and you only get to hear Weezy on one of the verses. However, on this mixtape he does it mainly by himself. This is more like a full cd or two. Great punchlines, I had to rewind a couple of times because I was dumb founded. Definitely worth the buy. Cant wait for his next mixtape!

Average customer rating:

Creative guitar-work at its best
Acoustic guitar pinnacle
Fabulous song
WHOSE FACE
A great starting point

My Father's Face
Leo Kottke
Manufacturer: RCA Victor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
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6- and 12-String Guitar
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ASIN: B0000000J9
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Times Twelve
Everybody Lies
B.J.
Why Can't You Fix My Car
Theme From 'The Rick And Bob Report'
My Aunt Francis
William Powell
Back In Buffalo
Mona Ray
Jack Gets Up
Doorbell

Amazon.com essential recording

Guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke has never been a fan of his own singing, observing once that it resembles "geese farts on a foggy day." Be that as it may, his voice (both vocally and lyrically) is an essential element of his persona, one he's too-often neglected. This cogent 1989 collection balances the Minnesotan's trademark knuckle-busting 12-string exhibitions ("William Powell," "Theme from 'The Rick and Bob Show'") with memorable lyric-based songs. The latter are what make My Father's Face such an appealing album. Kottke bares his grim northern soul on "Everybody Lies" ("I don't remember what it was like to go back home/I only know it was cold and white and I was alone"), while "Why Can't You Fix My Car?" and "Jack Gets Up" are sardonic statements on the quietly desperate lifestyle. Producer T Bone Burnett's select sidemen (David Hidalgo, Michael Blair, Edgar Meyer), meanwhile, are unfailingly restrained and tasteful. In the end, you're left with a fuller sense of Kottke. He's smart, funny, a bit gloomy ... and, yeah, he plays a mean guitar, too. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

Creative guitar-work at its best.......2004-10-05

Here's Kottke's finest work - and definitely one to start with if you're new to him.

His rich compositions here encompass solo guitar (tracks 3, 5, 6, 7, 9) and songs (2, 4, 8, 10) which he sings with his own guitar accompaniment and backing musicians. Tracks 1 and 11 feature just his guitar and the musicians.

Every track is simply first class.

His playing is cleaner than before (following a period of revising his technique) but retains his distinctive energy and attack (`Times Twelve') and the CD illustrates his quirky innovation - `Twelve' features guitar and timpani drum!

The `Theme From The Rick and Bob Report' is melodic and beautifully optimistic; `William Powell' an absorbing, deft tune; `My Aunt Francis' and `B.J.' are complex pieces - `B.J.' being rounded off with a subtle, perfectly executed ending. `Mona Ray' is a superior rendition of an earlier recording - light, nimble, understated.

`Why Can't You Fix My Car?' and `Jack Gets Up' reflect his lightly cynical, teasing wit. `Back in Buffalo' has a superb melody hidden under his twisting, shuffling, discordant guitar work.

Kottke's famous self-effacement about his vocals is nonsense - his singing on `Every Body Lies' is exceptional - the song also demonstrates how sadly underrated he is as a songwriter/lyricist.

What do you get when you mix American folk and blues, throw in little tinges of jazz, country and pop, add truly original, exceptional steel strung acoustic guitar playing, dazzling technique, great singing, novel compositions, sharp lyrics, plus unconventional, happy wit? -

- why Leo Kottke of course.

Acoustic guitar pinnacle.......2003-07-04

I'll start out by saying I am a devoted Kottke fan, but if given the unfortunate task of selecting only one album from this seminal master, I would prolly select this one. My enduring favorite is 'Aunt Francis'... this tune will grow on you given a few listens....If not, listen again!

Fabulous song.......2002-10-06

I've been a Leo Kottke fan for thirty years but this album may be the best ever, simply on the strength of "Mona Ray," the most exquisite song I've heard him do...this is "Echoing Gilewitz" with the mystery but not the sadness. What a treat...

WHOSE FACE.......2001-01-29

This album was my intro to Leo Kottke. A local radio station had for many years used the "Theme from the Rick and Bob Report" as its intro. The infectious and upbeat melody always appealed to me. One day, I was privileged to learn the title and artist; within 30 minutes, I had my first Kottke CD. I have never looked back.

This CD is in my opinion an excellent introduction to Kottke. The fretwork is amazing but not overwhelming despite the virtuosity. The voice is unusual as always but so appealing when you get used to it.

The "piece de resistance" is "Jack Gets Up". My kids ( all 5) still laugh when they hear it. To them, it's the "snort fort song". I just smile.

If you love acoustic guitar, buy this album. In fact, any kind of music. I defy anyone to listen and not fall in love with the fingers from Minnesota. I sure did.

Many CD's later, it's still my father's face, just like Leo. And the thin grin too.

A great starting point.......2000-12-30

I was first introduced, like most, to Mr. Kottke's music by being invited by a friend (his daughter) to his concert. I remember thinking beforehand, 'oh gee great, an acoustic guitar player, right down my alley'. I was not expecting this to be my cup of tea.

But his songs, lyrics, and random train of thought discussion between songs immediately win you over. Completely disarming, the music reminds me of two guitar players strumming something waltzy in nature. That's sounds bad doesn't it? It's actually quite awe inspiring.

He captures a wide range of emotions from goofy humor to melancholy sadness. All the time you'll find your toe tapping and your head bobbing and your brain anticipating the next odd lyric. This will always be my favorite LK album for its accessibility. And my friends, who range from hardcore metal heads to punkers to n'sync listeners all find this album incredible.

Hymns Through the Centuries 2
Average customer rating:

Somewhat disappointing

Hymns Through the Centuries 2
Recorded Sound , R. Osborne , J. Reilly Lewis , and Cathedral Choral Society
Manufacturer: Gothic Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Abide With Me

ASIN: B00007K2GE
Release Date: 2003-01-07

Tracks:

Peal Bells
Jesus, My All, To Heaven Has Gone
Our Thanks We Give For Love And Hope
In The Bleak Midwinter
Creating God, Your Fingers Trace
Rejoice, Ye Pure In Heart!
Let All The World In Every Corner Sing
Ar Hyd Y Nos (Organ Solo) - Eric Plutz
Of The Father's Love Begotten
Come Down, O Love Divine
Spirit Of God, Descend Upon My Heart
God Is Love
What Wondrous Love Is This!
All My Hope On God Is Founded
Leoni (Carillon Solo) - Edward M. Nassor
O God Of Our Divided World
Christ, Mighty Savior, Light Of All Creation
Breathe On Me, Breath Of God
I Vow To Thee, My Country
The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended
Lord Of All Hopefulness
O Brightness Of The Immortal Father's Face
O Praise Ye The Lord!
Hyfrydol (Bagpipe Solo) - John G. Sprague

Customer Reviews:

Somewhat disappointing.......2005-09-25

There are some unique and interesting songs of this album. Unfortunately the performance does not shine. I found the singing and accompaniment a bit slow and monotonous and uninspired. Furthermore, it was difficult to understand the words at times (indistinct enunciation). There are a few exceptions: tracks 3, 4, 9, 20, 21 I gave 3 stars in iTunes; all the rest got two stars or less. If you want beautiful, traditional choral music, I recommend any of the albums featuring the Cambridge Singers over this collection.

The Complete Gilbert & Sullivan (Box Set)

Average customer rating:

Don't underestimate those "unknown" Operettas!!
A few details
Wonderful set, if a little inconsistent at times.

The Complete Gilbert & Sullivan (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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The Complete Annotated Gilbert & Sullivan
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Gilbert & Sullivan - H.M.S. Pinafore / Trial By Jury - David Hobson, Anthony Warlow, Colette Mann, Tiffany Speight, John Bolton Wood, Richard Alexander, Opera Australia, State Theatre, The Arts Centre Melbourne
Gilbert & Sullivan - The Mikado / Eric Idle, Lesley Garrett, Richard Van Allan, Felicity Palmer, Richard Angas, Bonaventura Bottone, Susan Bullock, English National Opera

ASIN: B00008LJEO
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Customer Reviews:

Don't underestimate those "unknown" Operettas!!.......2005-07-07

This is, as far as I know - the only way of buying the "official" recordings of "The Grand Duke" and "Utopia" - which seem to be otherwise out of print!! Several of the others are not that easy to get either.

In any case - most people getting this set will already have the Mikado, and very probably Pirates and Pinafore for that matter, so you're really getting it for the others.

So just for the record - someone has to say this!

The Mikado is (of course) a wonderful piece, but it enjoys its long running status as the most successful of all the G&S operettas very largely for "extra-musical" reasons. It is visually so wonderful, with all those great authentic costumes, and the whole idea of satirising English institutions by pretending they are Japanese is of course brilliantly funny.

Again, Pirates and Pinafore enjoy a lot of their acclaim simply because we have heard them so often. And at least part of the initial success of these (admittedly very funny and entertaining) pieces was the vogue for "nautical drama" on the popular Victorian stage.

Iolanthe, Ruddigore, and Yoemen are all MUCH stronger musically than any of what another reviewer here keeps calling the "trilogy". Patience, Princess Ida, and the Gondoliers all excel either "nautical" operetta, at least musically, although not, perhaps, the Mikado. And I have had a lot of fun listening to my recording of the Sorcerer - although I think most at least of the other G&S operettas are even more interesting.

As for "Trial by Jury" it is really another thing altogether - but in its kind the most perfect thing either Gilbert or Sullivan had anything to do with!

This leaves Utopia and the Grand Duke.

Both of these were produced after the long running friendship between G&S had soured, and they have been sadly neglected ever since. Utopia is none the less both musically beautiful and very funny, and well worth taking an effort to come to grips with. The main point of the satire (which many commentators and reviewers seem to miss) is the way that the English language and British (especially English) institutions were being adopted, often rather uncritically, by countries around the world (most, but not all, of them members of the British Empire, of course). India is perhaps the country Gilbert had most in mind, but you could set it in any of a dozen other countries. The residual problems this has left in the post-colonial world ensure that this work is still far from dated. In some ways this operetta is about globalisation! What could possibly be LESS dated than that!

The Grand Duke, on the other hand, is a bit of an odd man out - I suppose you still have to say it is the weakest of all the G&S efforts. It's the ONLY one that didn't score a very respectable run on its first outing. Surprisingly, however, if an attempt is made to duplicate the musical and (especially) dialogue cuts that G&S would have done themselves if they had not by this time been at each other's throats all the time, a very entertaining piece can be made of it. I was very agreeably surprised by the Ohio Light Opera recording, which does just that - and I am coming round to the idea that the only thing really wrong with the Duke is that it is too long.

ANYWAY:

For all people (especially callow youth) who remain convinced that G&S only wrote three operettas worth listening to - all I can say is, buy this set, and give the lesser known ones a chance. Make sure you have a libretto in your hands as you listen, of course. It may even just need a single hearing in some cases, but otherwise, be patient. In the meantime, you really cannot have any conception of what you are missing.

A few details.......2004-03-28

This 24-CD album consists of 12 plastic cases, each with a thin booklet giving background and plot summaries for the works on its 2 enclosed CD's. Most of the album consists of 15 operettas, 2 of which (Cox and Box, The Zoo) have texts not by Gilbert and 7 of which (The Sorcerer, Princess Ida, The Mikado, Ruddigore, Yeomen of the Guard, Utopia Limited, The Grand Duke) omit most of the spoken dialogue. Before listening to any of these operettas that you don't know well, you'll want to obtain a copy of its text so you can read along and not miss any of the words or the wit.

Wonderful set, if a little inconsistent at times........2003-07-07

If you thought that the Sargent set of G&S opera recordings was gargantum enough, then this D'Oyly Carte cycle is even more gargantum. Although it is more expensive (because of the four extra operas that the Sargent cycle did not include), this complete 24-CD set is like a joy to behold. There is a debate as to whether this is better than the Sargent cycle, but I like to think that this is a delight from first disc to last, because of the idiomatic sense of polish that these recordings seem to have, and are given a life that makes them able to breathe well. This is all thanks to Isidore Godfrey and Royston Nash's conducting. I know that the performances may not be entirely consistent (this is evident when you compare the performance and recording quality of Mikado and Pirates with those of Gondoliers and Pinafore), but this is only a matter of personal preference. The 1960s performances were given more sumptuous and well-detailed recordings than the 1970s recordings, made when the performing style was not so fresh. But anyway, I still think that this is definitely a good buy for anyone who loves G&S. Even with the consistency of Sargent's cheaper EMI set, I would still say: do go ahead to invest in the set because of the liveliness and style in this complete G&S cycle that Sargent never (hardly ever) tackles. The only thing is: I would also like to suggest complementing it with the 1957 Decca D'Oyly Carte recordings of Mikado and Pirates, recently released by the Sounds on CD label, so that these recordings can do justice to the enormous spirit of these operas.

Average customer rating:

Undine - Complete Opera in Four Acts

Manufacturer: Capriccio
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Cowboy | Country | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00002604Q
Release Date: 1995-12-12

Tracks:

Rhinestone Cowboy
Gentle on My Mind
By the Time I Get to Phoenix
Dreams of the Everyday Housewife
Heartache Number Three
Please Come to Boston
It's Only Make Believe
Crying
Blue Grass Medley
Milk Cow Blues

Average customer rating:

Sensational Vocal Album by Carole Farley and William Bolcom
Great Songs, but Mind the Singer
The Songs of William Bolcom

William Bolcom: Songs
Carole Farley , William Bolcom , Farley , and Bolcom
Manufacturer: Naxos American
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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William Bolcom: Music for Two Pianos

ASIN: B0009F4UBQ
Release Date: 2005-06-21

Tracks:

You Cannot Have Me Now - Or, the Military Orgy
Night, Make My Day
The Digital Wonder Watch
My Father The Ganster
The Last Days Of Mankind
This Is A Face
Since I Have You
The Rabbit
I Am Not Free
For Me
From Wandering
Beware
I Wouldn't Die
I Remember
For Everything
I Have Climbed
Pity Me Not Because The Light Of Day
How To Swing Those Obbligations Around
The Crazy Woman
Just Once
Never More Will The Wind
The Sage
O To Be A Dragon
The Bustle In A House
Night Practice
I Saw Eternity
The Fish
Costa Del Nowhere
Table
Mary
River Song
Messing About In Boats
Rat's Song
When We Built The Church

Customer Reviews:

Sensational Vocal Album by Carole Farley and William Bolcom.......2007-02-13

Carole Farley and William Bolcom have recorded this landmark CD, and I can easily understand why this CD received a GRAMMY nomination in the "Best Vocal Recording of the Year" and a 2nd GRAMMY nomination in the "Best Engineered Recording of the Year" category. It's indeed one of the best vocal albums of contemporary songs ever made. Carole Farley, who made her MET debut in the MET's first LULU production, seems to be just at home with Puccini, Poulenc, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and even Latin American popular songs (her Lecuona songs album is extremely beautiful).
William Bolcom's accompaniment is brilliant, and the songs are a revelation.
J.B. (Pittsburgh, Pa)

Great Songs, but Mind the Singer.......2006-07-04

This is one of those discs where the listener has to balance the advantages of the program with the disadvantages of the performance. Bolcom is one of this country's most versatile and brilliant composers, and those qualities are demonstrated to great effect in the songs on this album. His piano playing is, as one would expect, also solid and expressive. The drawback here is Carole Farley. Although her diction and intonation are good, as far as tone-color goes, she seems to be a one-trick pony; and if you don't like that trick (opera singer trying to sound like what she thinks a musical theater singer sounds like), listening to her can get very tiring. So while I highly recommend the disc for its content, I suggest listening to excerpts first before buying just to make sure that the singer's voice doesn't drive you batty.

The Songs of William Bolcom.......2006-02-14

The American composer William Bolcom (b. 1938) is best-known for his large-scale setting of William Blake's "Songs of Innocence and Experience," which is available on a 3-CD Naxos set. This new collection of Bolcom's songs also on Naxos shows the composers's lifelong fascination with Blake. It includes an early lyrical setting of Blake's poem, "Mary" which deals with a beautiful and intelligent young woman and her rejection by her society. In the several torch and cabaret-style works it includes, the collection also shows Bolcom's attempts to fuse classical with popular styles of music. Bolcom also has done so in his piano music, much of which is heavily influenced by ragtime.

The songs on this CD are performed and selected by soprano Carole Farley with Bolcom himself at the piano. Ms. Farley has also recorded for Naxos' "American classics" series a selection of the songs of Ned Rorem with Rorem at the piano. Ms. Farley and Naxos are doing listeners a service by introducing them to the world of the American art song.

The highlight of this CD is the 20-minute song-cycle "I will breathe a mountain" in which Bolcom sets 11 poems by American women. The poems were selected by Alice Fulton, and they include Fulton's own "I will swing those obligatos around" in which the young singer describes a come-on from a boor. The song writing is declamatory in character with many twists, turns, and shouts in the vocal line. Only the setting of H.D.'s "Never More Will the Wind" is lyrical and flowing. Besides Fulton and H.D. the settings include poems by Millay, Gwendolwn Brooks (a poem called "The Crazy Woman" with appropriately wild shrieks) Anne Sexton, Denise Levertov, Marianne Moore (listen to what Ms. Farley makes of the poets wish to be a DRA' GON), Emily Dickinson (in a moving poem of the stillness of a home after death),Louise Bogan, May Swenson, and Elizabeth Bishop. "I will breathe a mountain" is an outstanding and moving contemporary American song-cycle and is in itself sufficient reason for hearing this recording.

The CD also includes a second exquisite cycle, "Songs to Dance" which sets ten miniature poems by George Montgomery. This is a work to be danced as well as sung, and it has apparently been performed live only once, by the composer, his wife, the soprano Joan Morris, and dancer, Dan Wagoner. It has never been recorded before. The work deserves to be heard and seen.

Many of the remaining works on this CD are cabaret-style theatrical pieces that Bolcom composed in collaboration with lyricist Arnold Weinstein. The best of these are two torch songs from a show called "Casino Paradise": Night Make my Day (a parody of the torch style which is sometimes performed straight) and "My Father the Gangster", in which a young woman laments how men are, understandably, worried about her father and afraid to approach her. The collection opens with a scream by Ms. Farley in the erotic novelty "You cannot have me now", about the affairs of the wife of a German officer, sung with a heavily inflected German accent and also set to words by Weinstein.

I enjoyed Bolcom's short setting of May Swenson's poem "The Digital Wonder Watch" with the tick-ticking in the piano. This song is a satire of technology, with the poet describing the features of her "wonderful watch" while asking: "Does it show how to wind up/a broken heart?" The other songs on the CD include the passionate "The Last Days of Mankind", conceived for rock singer Marianne Faithful, two eloquent settings of poems by Richard Tillinghast, and four concluding early collaborations between Bolcom and Weinstein.

This CD offers an opportunity to explore the world of American song in the works of a leading contemporary composer. The cycle, "I will breathe a mountain" will be a lasting achievement in American art song.

Robin Friedman

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
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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:

Oklahoma!: Oh, What A Beautiful Morning/Out Of My Dreams
Heather's Intro
West Point Story: Long Before I Knew You/Tea For Two: I Only Have Eyes For You
Tea For Two: Tea For Two
The Desert Song: The Desert Song/One Alone
Three Sailors And A Girl: Face To Face
About Face: Piano, Bass And Drums/Tea For Two: Crazy Rhythm
'Oklahoma!' Stories
Oklahoma!: The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
Oklahoma!: Oklahoma!
Carousel: Bench Scene/If I Loved You
Heather And Her Father
Carousel: What's The Use Of Wondrin'
Carousel: Soliloquy
Thanks You's The Last Night Of Eighty Eight's
The Best Things In Life Are Free: Look For The Silver Lining

Average customer rating:

Wonderfully fine performance
Not ideal, but all there is

Arthur Sullivan: Ivanhoe

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Arthur Sullivan: The Contrabandista, The Foresters
Sullivan: The Rose of Persia
Arthur Sullivan: The Prodigal Son; Boer War Te Deum

ASIN: B000000WWK
Release Date: 1993-01-21

Tracks:

Ivanhoe: Act One, First Scene: The Hall Of Rotherwood - Introduction; Each Day This Realm Of England Faints
Ivanhoe: Act One, First Scene: The Hall Of Rotherwood - Good Thane, Most Noble Thane
Ivanhoe: Act One, First Scene: The Hall Of Rotherwood - I See But One Thing Wanting To Our Fare
Ivanhoe: Act One, First Scene: The Hall Of Rotherwood - Drink, Drink Ye All... Then Fill The Cup, Fill High
Ivanhoe: Act One, First Scene: The Hall Of Rotherwood - The Palmer! The Holy Palmer!
Ivanhoe: Act One, Second Scene: An Ante-Chamber In Rotherwood - O Moon, Art Thou Clad
Ivanhoe: Act One, Second Scene: An Ante-Chamber In Rotherwood - Good Palmer, Thou Dids't Speak Of One
Ivanhoe: Act One, Second Scene: An Ante-Chamber In Rotherwood - Like Mountain Lark
Ivanhoe: Act One, Third Scene: The Lists At Ashby-de-la-Zouch - Will There Be No More Fighting?
Ivanhoe: Act One, Third Scene: The Lists At Ashby-de-la-Zouch - Plantagenesta!
Ivanhoe: Act One, Third Scene: The Lists At Ashby-de-la-Zouch - Isaac, My Jew, My Purse Of Gold
Ivanhoe: Act One, Third Scene: The Lists At Ashby-de-la-Zouch - What Means His Motto?

Tracks:

Ivanhoe: Act Two, First Scene: Friar Tuck's Hut At Copmanhurst - Strange Lodging This For England's King
Ivanhoe: Act Two, First Scene: Friar Tuck's Hut At Copmanhurst - There Is A Custom...I Ask Not Wealth
Ivanhoe: Act Two, First Scene: Friar Tuck's Hut At Copmanhurst - Not Bad, Say I...The Wind Blows Cold ('Ho, Jolly Jenkin!')
Ivanhoe: Act Two, First Scene: Friar Tuck's Hut At Copmanhurst - And Now For Combat!
Ivanhoe: Act Two, Second Scene: Castle Torquilstone - Will Not Our Captor Dare To Show His Face?
Ivanhoe: Act Two, Second Scene: Castle Torquilstone - Welcome, Sir Templar!...Woo Thou Thy Snowflake
Ivanhoe: Act Two, Third Scene: A Turret Chamber In Torquilstone - Whet The Keen Axes
Ivanhoe: Act Two, Third Scene: A Turret Chamber In Torquilstone - O Awful Depth...Lord Of Our Chosen Race
Ivanhoe: Act Two, Third Scene: A Turret Chamber In Torquilstone - Take Thou These Jewels
Ivanhoe: Act Two, Third Scene: A Turret Chamber In Torquilstone - What Sound Is That?

Tracks:

Ivanhoe: Act Three, First Scene: Room In Torquilstone; Assault; Burning Of The Castle - Happy With Winged Feet
Ivanhoe: Act Three, First Scene: Room In Torquilstone; Assault; Burning Of The Castle - Tend Thou The Knight Thou Lovest
Ivanhoe: Act Three, First Scene: Room In Torquilstone; Assault; Burning Of The Castle - How Cans't Thou Know?
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Second Scene: The Forest - Light Foot Upon The Dancing Green
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Second Scene: The Forest - Look, Where Thy Moody Father Walks Apart...Forgive Thy Son
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Second Scene: The Forest - How Oft Beneath The Far-Off Syrian Skies
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Third Scene: The Preceptory Of The Templars, Templestowe - Fremuere Principles
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Third Scene: The Preceptory Of The Templars, Templestowe - Thou Jewish Girl, Who Art Condemned
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Third Scene: The Preceptory Of The Templars, Templestowe - A Champion! A Champion!
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Third Scene: The Preceptory Of The Templars, Templestowe - Dead! He Is Dead!
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Third Scene: The Preceptory Of The Templars, Templestowe - See Where The Banner Of England

Customer Reviews:

Wonderfully fine performance.......2004-10-10

This is one opera I have been searching for for a very long time. I read about it in a book about Sullivan. Of course, when they wrote of the opera, they showed the scene, in drawing, where Rebecca informs Ivanhoe of the battle with the Black Knight. The drawing (based on the actual performance when it premiered) grabbed my attention completely. I just wondered what this composer could do with real opera (I loved his operettas completely, and they showed quite often Sullivan was quite capable of deep emotional pathose, even if in the end he was spoofing it more than reflecting it).

Well, all the years of searching and waiting to know were not a waste. Firstly, I have never been able to locate a score of this work (as I have done with many ancient operas or forgotten ones), so I was just as in the dark as anyone else as to what to expect. I was incredibly surprised, not to mention, thrilled with the results. No, Sullivan is no Wagner, nor is he even Verdi, but he is wonderfully beautiful in his own right. Why this work has not entered into the opera houses, I have no clue, excepting maybe because it is English opera, which never does well. Speaking of "ENGLISH OPERA", here we have a recording where for the most part we CAN understand the words (a thing I never seem to find in professional recordings of English opera, or American opera; they may as well sing in gibberish, for that is exactly what it sounds like -- perhaps the composers have no clue what works in their own language?). The performers, as we know, are not professionals, but rather semi-professionals. There are some uneven performances, and sometimes the characters are not quite as developed as one would like, there are even times the orchestra sounds like it lost the beat (but this is EXTREMELY RARE), the sound quality of the recording is OK, but nothing stellar, however, it is not bad either. Yet, in spite of these drawbacks, we CAN and DO understand the words, and for once a rather strange sounding English libretto sounds natural and unforced with stupid poetry that really leaves you laughing. These wonderfully dedicated performers, no matter their individual difficulties, give us a wonderfully vivid performance where we can finally understand the opera (like all our Italian friends do when Italian opera is sung for them). That was such a treat for me, to finally actually understand the words of opera sung in my own language.

What makes this opera such a thrill, at least for me, is the natural fall of the words and the music, especially in the recitatives. Unlike most English opera where the musical line sounds completely foreign to the natural lilt of the words, Sullivan has an uncanny way of writing lines, melodies, and recitatives that flow naturally from the language itself. That was a really exciting experience to endure. For once, I didn't wish that someone would teach the composers to listen to the flow of English to gain an insight into melody. Maybe it was all those operettas that he wrote prior to this "serios opera" that taught him what he knew, or maybe, he just had a good ear for his own language and enough sense to know that trying to graft Italian or German musical idioms onto things just wasn't the correct choice.

Is it a great work? Well, no, it will never get into the record books as a perfect opera, nor will it shove Mozart or Wagner off the stage, but it is really quite good just the same. Even with all the flaws this recording has, I am so glad it is out there so I could at last hear what music fleshed out that old drawing I saw in a book all those years ago. Though Sullivan's music is not anywhere near as dramatic as one may imagine it should be, it fits well with the scene and the over all concept of the work.

I really recommend this recording, for it, at least for now, is the only one we have (and if they make a professional one, I really hope they screen the singers well, no big names if they can't sing English so we can understand it; Sullivan, as with Wagner, you MUST understand the words or the meaning is completely lost). The entire recording is really quite enjoyable, and it doesn't disappoint.

Not ideal, but all there is.......2000-08-05

If you are interested in Arthur Sullivan's Music without Gilbert, this is one of the works you should have in your collection. Unfortunately the quality of the performance is inconsistent. The orchestra is at times good, at others sloppy. The soloists are also of varying quality. This is, after all, a recording by a semi-professional group. That said, if you are willing to accept the flaws, this is currently the only version on disc. Perhaps someday the BBC will record a version, as they did with Sullivan's "Rose of Persia". In the current recording, the most pleasing selections are: The Act 3 Scene 2 ensemble "Look where thy moody father walks apart", Friar Tuck's rollicking "Ho, Jolly Jenkin", The Templar's passionate scene "Woo thou thy snowflake", and Rebecca's evocative aria "Lord of our chosen race". Not all it could be, but it's all we've got.

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