5 comments about Highlights from Der Ring des Nibelungen.

1. this is a good way to see why it is worth getting the full Der Ring opera--all 15 CDs! having just the highlights shows you the power and majesty of Wagner's music, but skips the depth and true emotion you get out of listening to the whole opera.



2. Admittedly, it is a daunting task to try to "get into" opera, and even more so with Wagner's Ring. This CD is perfect for the beginner and the more experienced listener for various reasons. First of all, it spoils you somewhat in presenting you with the best pieces of the various operas. These "bleeding chunks" certainly give you a wonderful introduction to the various motifs, and most importantly, are very long pieces. The CD manages to capture several of the different flavors present in Wagner's opera.

   Secondly, the CD is worth its price mainly due to Karajan's conducting. After listening to Solti's version of the Ring (also wonderful), I was suprised by the subtle hints he seems to charge through. You can literally hear the galloping of the horse, or subtle musical hints which add a great appreciation and character to the opera. Thus, if you have experienced several other conductors, but have not had the pleasure of Karajan, it would be worth the price.

   Unfortunatly, some of the singing is kinda weak. Again, after Solti's Valkyries, you will have a hard time getting into the singing. And again, Karajan's Brunhilde isn't as strong as Solti's, but she still holds her own. Loge, here, sounds like a trickster (though he does sing/speak his words), and the Wotan's are alright.

   In conclusion, this is perfect if you want to add flavor to your Wagner listening experience, or just want to know what the big deal is. I, of course, suggest getting one of the DVD's to get the big picture of what is going on (Levine's MET is a good start). So buy and enjoy.




3. This is absolutely the best "highlight" collection out there -- no others come close to the range and depth of material provided. But beware, this is not an "introduction to The Ring", as some claim -- the notes are skimpy, the titles of the excerpts are untranslated, there is no libretto, no description of the excerpts -- their context or meaning -- so what you have is a great summary of the works -- one that is most useful if you already know them -- something to take along with you in the car or while jogging or walking the dog to remind you of the real thing. Bear in mind that whatever the deficiencies of this collection, the others have the same faults also.



4. I can't find any of the four Ring operas here at amazon.com. This is very peculiar, but in case you, too, are looking for them, I can say that the Rheingold and Die Walkure are superb, but the Siegfried is vocally a catastrophe, beginning with the woeful Jess Thomas in the title role, and the Gotterdammerung is hampered by an inedequate Siegfried and a not veyr inspired dernesch as Brunnhilde. DG has remastered them all at mid-price, and the mid-Sixties analog sound was good to begin with.



5. One could debate for a brief eternity which conductor should be labeled "the best." Numerous magnanimous interpreters come to mind: Gustav Mahler, Arturo Toscanini, Otto Klemperer, Carlos Kleiber, Karl Böhm, Herbert von Karajan, Sir Georg Solti, Claudio Abbado, Pierre Boulez, Daniel Barenboim, Giuseppe Sinopoli, and James Levine are just a potpourri of renowned orchestral masters. Toscanini and Karajan were probably the most influential in redefining the nature in which one should approach a piece of music; both insisted that traditional conducting, in which a piece was essentially performed in the same manner continuously, was neither healthy nor appropriate for the music in question and, they laid the foundation for conductors to develop their own characteristic conducting and interpretative styles.
   
   One now comes to Richard Wagner, often considered the master of Romantic music and one of the definitive composers to ever set foot on the soil of this planet. If one were to painstakingly evaluate the two conductors' collective Wagnerian works, one would most likely come to the conclusion that Hungarian-born Sir Georg Solti was a "more perfect" Wagnerian conductor than the Austrian musical megalomaniac Herbert von Karajan. Solti's style of conducting, which lent itself to the works of Ludwig van Beethoven, Mahler, and Richard Strauss, was obviously within the atmosphere of Wagner, and his John Culshaw-produced rendering of Der Ring des Nibelungen can easily be considered one of the greatest achievements in modern recorded sound. Nonetheless, Karajan's brilliance came not from his ability to conduct Wagner perfectly, as one might arguably suggest for Solti, but rather from his ability to approach every composer with a certain level of comfort and singularity while simultaneously retaining his format of interpretation. Karajan was just as comfortable with the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as he was with Jean Sibelius and Arnold Schoenberg, and his expertise transcended every medium, from choral works and masses to symphonies to operas to concerti. It was also his singular smoothness, his uncanny ability to gloss and refine the roughest and most vulgar of music (which, occasionally, in a work such as Carmen, had a derogatory effect) which made his Wagnerian music so spectacular a beacon and link within the chain mail of the musical world.
   
   This is the reason why this recording of Der Ring des Nibelungen features what critics have called a "chamber music approach" to the Wagner score; Karajan dissected the music (as he did with everything he conducted) and took every measure to present, at all times, the beauty inherent in the music, even at the most violent and explosive instances. No fault is obvious in this, and with the operas of Rossini or Donizetti, no problem would have occurred; however, with Wagner, placing too burdensome an emphasis on beauty could, possibly, have an acidic effect on the overall drama of the work. This became an almost debilitating fault near the end of his illustrious career, but here the results are stunning. Karajan's interpretation is not sluggish (by the standards set by Solti, it is actually fairly brisk) and the orchestral performance from the imperial Berliner Philharmoniker is beyond betterment.
   
   Thus, one must wonder why this recording of the Ring Cycle, with arguably the best conductor in the world leading one of the finest groups of musicians ever assembled, is frequently dogged by critics as weak and woefully idealistic. The answer lies in Karajan's casting which is, overall, inferior to Solti's. However, jewel-bedecked performances can be found in Karajan's cast with which Solti's cannot compete. Jon Vickers and Gundula Janowitz bring new definition to the twins Siegmund and Sieglinde. Operatic roles may have existed which Vickers did not perfect, but those which he performed (Peter Grimes, Samson, Tristan, Aeneas, Otello, Don José) were forever standardized by his interpretation. Siegmund is no exception, and though James King was a golden-toned, amorous youth on the Solti Die Walküre, Vickers is mightily Zarathustran and gloriously introspective during "Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond." Janowitz, who could make the harshest, most brutal German phrases drip with the smoothness and creamy elegance of French, brings radiance and gleaming simplicity to her Sieglinde which no other soprano could dare attempt. Their ecstatic, and eventually orgasmic, love duet ("Du bist der Lenz" ... "O süsseste Wonne! Seligstes Weib!" ... "Siegmund, den Wälsung, siehst du, Weib!") may be the greatest moment of Karajan's entire Ring Cycle.
   
   The character of Wotan, the ruler of the gods, should, theoretically, be performed by a commanding, sonorous bass-baritone such as George London, Hans Hotter, Theo Adam, or James Morris, the most superb modern Wagnerian baritone. However, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who was so praised for his vocal delicacy and aristocratic gentility, is surprisingly successful as the ambitious god whose ageless wisdom was blinded by his opulent rapaciousness in Das Rheingold. Fischer-Dieskau was often fussy and blusterous on the operatic stage, but brief instances of vocal waywardness are often excusable through Wagner, and he will have no difficulty pleasing the most caustic critic during his wondrous musing as the gods enter the celestial fortress of Valhalla ("Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge...So grüss ich die Burg"). Thomas Stewart, a severely under-recorded American baritone, excels as Wotan in Die Walküre and Siegfried. Wotan's eminent farewell to Brünnhilde in Die Walküre ("Leb wohl, du kühnes, herrliches Kind!...Der Augen leuchtendes Paar") could easily buckle many baritones; Stewart, however, sings with unfettered passion and mournful abandonment as the pained father. He is less thrilling (due to the context of the music, not his voice) in his conjuring of Erda in Siegfried ("Wache, Wala! Wala! Erwach!").
   
   Gerhard Stolze, the consummate character singer, is not featured on this set of highlights as Mime, Alberich's toiling, gnomish brother, in Siegfried; his unique caricature of Loge in Das Rheingold is inserted instead. Loge, the mischievous demigod of fire, is a part usually performed by a heldentenor, such as Wolfgang Windgassen, Set Svanholm, or Siegfried Jerusalem, and for those strictly concerned with vocal beauty, these singers would be highly appropriate. However, for those seeking a more burlesque, stupendously acted performance (merely listen as he warns the gods not to enter Valhalla ["Ihrem Ende eilen sie zu"]), Stolze is perfectly idiomatic and certainly does not "bark" his lines, though he is occasionally criticized for doing so. Hungarian bass-baritone Zoltan Kélémén's career began, for the most part, with Karajan casting him as Alberich. The most inimitable interpreter of the dwarf fiend was Gustav Neidlinger; his Alberich was explosively, thunderously vindictive, a Caligulan nemesis. Kélémén's Alberich was a twisted, grisly deuce, and though he may have lacked the vocal robustness of Neidlinger (and the malignant guffaw), his retort against the mocking of the Rheintöchter ("Der Welt Erbe gewänn ich zu eigen duch dich") is a petrifying outburst. Helen Donath, Edda Moser, and Anna Reynolds are the most perfectly tuned Rheintöchter available on disc. No other trio can compare with their beguiling chatter in the first scene ("Lugt, Schwestern! Die Weckerin lacht in den Grund") nor with their wrathful longing in the finale ("Rheingold! Rheingold! Reines Gold!"). Liselotte Rebmann, Daniza Mastilovic, Ingrid Steger, Lilo Brockhaus, Carlotta Ordassy, Barbro Ericson, Cvetka Ahlin, and Helja Jenckel are similarly victorious during the Walkürnritt ("Hojotoho!"), which is sure to conjure an image of helicopters napalming seaside Vietnamese villages vis-à-vis Francis Ford Coppola or hellish, armed and armor-bedecked maidens soaring about on flying horses.
   
   Josephine Veasey possessed an elegant, matronly tone which was perfectly suited for Fricka, Wotan's bickering wife, the goddess of marriage. Donald Grobe, a Karajan regular, is insipid but secure as Froh in his brief monologue ("Zur Burg führt die Brücke"). Martti Talvela and Karl Ridderbusch (another Karajan regular) shared the four main bass roles in the saga: Fasolt, Fafner, Hunding, and Hagen. Talvela is noted as one of the most sympathetic Fasolts on record; one must wonder how Talvela, the gargantuan Finnish bass, could not be suitable as a giant in any opera. His performance is woefully truncated here, alas. His Hunding, which was surely brutish and bovine, is not heard at all. The iniquitous villain Fafner's greatest moment comes not in Das Rheingold as the bellowing lummox but in Siegfried as the leering, yawning dragon; this is also left out of the collection. Ridderbusch's performance as Hagen, often heralded as one of his finest, is represented here by little more than his final outburst of "Zurück vom Ring!" After Dame Joan Sutherland's "cameo" appearance as the Waldwogel in Sir Georg Solti's Siegfried, all other performances are bound to fall short. Nonetheless, Catherine Gayer is notably lovely and chirpy.
   
   Most criticism concerning the soloists is invested in insulting Jess Thomas, Helga Dernesch, and Helge Brilioth. Thomas, a regal Lohengrin and Tannhäuser in his youth, has forever been the recipient of spiteful banter reviling his performance as Siegfried in the third opera of the cycle. It is true that Windgassen owned the role in much the same way that Birgit Nilsson was the executor of Brünnhilde (after Flagstad and Varnay); however, their performances were sublime in the locality of their vocal precision and dramatic prowess, which were sublime. In the sector of vocal attractiveness (which is, one must concede, Karajan's principal area of focus), Windgassen fell short of the golden-throated Thomas, and Nilsson's steely voice, though it possessed its own rampageous eroticism, was also inferior to Helga Dernesch's richer and milder tone. As examples, Thomas is marvelous during the darkly impressionistic, meandering Waldweben ("Dass der mein Vater nicht ist"); Dernesch is ravishing in the Awakening Scene ("Heil dir, Sonne! Heil dir, Licht! ... Siegfried! Siegfried! Seliger Held!") and in the apocalyptic finale of Götterdämmerung ("Starke Scheite schichtet mir dort...Fliegt heim, ihr Raben!"). Poor Brilioth is often criticized for simply sounding dull and inadequate as Siegfried in Götterdämmerung, and one must concede that it would have been more prudent for Karajan to cast Windgassen. [Régine Crespin, who is not featured on this collection, performed Brünnhilde in Die Walkure. This had mixed results, for most held her performance as the Valkyrie in juxtaposition to her gorgeous interpretation of Sieglinde on the Solti recording. I, personally, found her Brunnhilde delightfully witty and humane.]
   
   Perhaps the greatest fault of this collection of highlights is that it is what it is: a collection of excerpts. Der Ring des Nibelungen is an expansive masterpiece which is not suitable for a two-disc collection of noteworthy tracks. This compilation, nevertheless, is indeed superb (as are most Deutsche Grammophon/Panorama releases), as is the set of highpoints from Karl Böhm's Ring Cycle, released through Philips. One should, by all means, disregard the hateful criticism placed upon Karajan's work here. It is not his finest, but it is Karajan, and his worst level is a pinnacle of excellence which most conductors can only hope to achieve, particularly in a Wagnerian sphere.

4 comments about Rock Follies.

1. Could it really be over 25 years ago when America finally got a taste of The Rock Follies?

   Long before CD's and other goodies, Island Records released an imported version of the soundtrack from the Thames television program detailing the adventures and risks of three women out to make it in the world of rock.

   This album consists of highly intelligent lyrics, memorable lines and wonderful orchestrations, The Rock Follies still plays as one of the finest blends between a soundtrack and pure British Rock.

   Vocals are brilliantly led by Julie Covington who is ably supported by Charlotte Cornwall and Rula Lenska (Yes. That Rula Lenska). The album, even today, not only tells a story about hopes, dreams and aspirations, but with the benefit of CD technology, it reminds us again what real rock music was all about.

   BONUS: This album not only contains the original 12 songs from the LP but a bonus track that was on the television show but not the album: War Brides.

   A fantastic CD and well worth the wait!




2. This CD brings back so many memories. I remember watching the TV show religiously when it was originaly on and also when it was repeated. Although I was probably too young at the time (9) to understand the show itself, I still remember all the great music twenty five years later.

   We originaly had the sound track on cassette but as we all know these don't last for ever and I was very excited to learn that the soundtrack had been re-released on CD.

   On playing the CD for the first time and hearing the songs again for the first time in twenty years I was amazed by two things.

   Firstly the fact that it sounded so fantastic. Considering the last time a heard it was twenty years ago on an old 3 in 1 stereo, the sound and quality of the recording was obviously a hugh leap.

   Secondly I found that even after all of that time I could still remember all of the lyrics and could sing along to all of the songs (hopefully so no one else could hear), and even knew the order of the songs without refering to the CD cover. This is a great collection of songs sung be some very talented people. All of the song are instantly likeable and highly memorable.

   The only thing I can add here is that if you remember the show you will not be disapointed with this CD, and if you don't know the show give it a try.




3. Together with my wife and young daughters, I spent more than 2 months in London in '76, and this CD brought back many fond memories of that time. The CD has a bit of the ABBA flavor which, in my mind, makes the CD that much more enjoyable.



4. The rise and fall and sort of rise again of a girl singing group. The music is fantastic: well-composed, beautifully orchestrated, and superbly sung.
   
   The only improvement to "Rock Follies" would be to have more material on the performers, and a more complete story line in the notes.

5 comments about Zathura [UMD for PSP].

1. My family just loves this movie. It is an excellent action/sci-fi film that doesn't forget about a good story line. Ultimately it is the story of a broken family that finds healing with the help of a magical game.



2. 12 year old Walter (Josh Hutcherson) with his brother Danny (Jonah Bobo) as well their sister Lisa (Kristen Stewart) must take care of the house for the day while their father (Tim Robbins) goes to work. Danny's all board until when he is put down in the basement, he discovers an old board game called "Zathura" as him and his brother decide to play it. Unknown to them it is an enchanted board game as it takes them and their home away into Outer Space where they encounter deadly meteorites, vicious reptilian aliens, one maniacal Robot (voiced by Frank Oz), and a lost astronaut (Dax Shepard) as they must play the game to finish it in order to get back home.
   
   Charming and entertaining Sci-fi fantasy adventure from the author of "Jumanji" Chris Van Alsburg. Jon Favreau who directed the splendid "Elf" in 2003 has made yet another very good family film and is faithful to the book, i personally thought this was better then "Jumanji". If you want a good movie that the whole family can enjoy then i recommend this movie.
   
   This DVD contains good extras like an audio commentary, a behind the scenes documentary, visual effects documentary, cast and crew info, and a few more featurettes including interviews.



3. Great movie for bigger kids like 8 and up. It's like a Jumanji in space basically.



4. What a criminally unappreciated gem. My four year old will latch onto a movie and want to watch it dozens of times; this is one of his favorites. The quality of this movie is such that I never miss a chance to sit with him and enjoy the imagination and craft of the story. We've watched it 20 times, and I'll gladly sit with him next Saturday morning to watch it again. The retro design lovingly recalls the pre-WW2 Flash Gordon serials. What's more impressive is that most of the effects are done with physical models; CGI is only used as an embellishment.
   
   This was clearly an excellent primer for Jon Favreau, who went on to direct "Iron Man". Good for Jon for not getting railroaded into doing Elf 2, 3 and 4. He clearly has a love for science fiction adventure.
   
   Watch out, Sam Raimi...



5. Ever watch a movie that you really enjoyed from a long time ago and even though you have so much issues with it, you almost defend it anyway? One such film was "Jumanji" where the special effects have aged considerably since its release but the charm and even spectacle of it all makes it better even while you might scoff many times. Well essentially we have that movie set in space with this film, a "Jumanji: The Galaxy Edition" if you will, and while the similarities are quite obvious and the effects have gotten better, it still feels to familiar though kids might have a blast with it.
   
   Walter and Danny are 2 brothers dealing with their parent's divorce and father's working. Walter wants attention from his dad to play catch and wants nothing to do with his brother while Danny just wants his brother to play with him. But with dad gone and sister upstairs sleeping, they learn to work together when Danny finds a board game called "Zathura" that brings with it meteor showers and the house flying through space complete with strange and dangerous events every time one takes a turn.
   
   Yeah, you can see the parellels to Jumanji already huh? The board game, reading the next event (off a card instead of a glass center, the dealings with a cheater and someone who escapes from the game because of a roll, sorry...button press) and if you remember what happens when someone wins the board game in the other one well you can tell what's in this one. But aside from the similarities, the problem is the film is kind of - but not all the time - irritating, mainly due to the brother's. They spent so much time bickering and arguing that Tim Robbin's exasperation early on doesn't seem like an overreaction at all. While there's lots to ogle at, the characters themselves just don't have a lot of appeal.
   
   However, the film certainly looks great to look at with an early meteor shower, an encounter to close to a star and the end sequence being highlights. Since a good chunk of it was done without just going straight to the computers was everything is welcome. The acting when it's not being grating, works and looking at Kristen Stewart any chance I can made the film better but the lack of suspense throughout the whole film and just being little mini-episodes till the end hurts and the "villain" doesn't have a real sense of threat Jonathan Hyde brought to Jumanji. But I'm nitpicking and I certainly don't want to seem like I'm making that film to be perfectly awesome but when compared to this one, what it lacks in effects makes up for it in key areas.
   
   I'd recommend Zathura since ultimately it is a family movie and such criticisms tend to get thrown out the door when you watch but when you start really watching, then stuff gets noticed. So it's best to just go along with it.

5 comments about Der Ring des Nibelungen / Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic.

1. Firstly, let me state that I believe that any review needs to take as its starting point the music. Any review of the Ring, therefore, needs to take as its starting point the dots Wagner put on the page.
   
   Listening to this Ring is a seductive experience. The Berlin Phil are, without a doubt (and particularly under Karajan) the best sounding orchestra in the world. Additionally, Karajan's approach is generally very musically cogent. The 'chamber Ring' titles bandied about aren't without reason.
   
   Upon opening the score, however, the gross inaccuracy of this Ring becomes immediately apparent. Karajan, either through his hubris-inspired need to be an auteur, or through his uncompromising pursuit of a beautiful sound, actively suppresses important lines on the page, ignoring the relevant dynamic markings. The Karajan Rheingold is the worst in this regard, with many important lines simply inaudible above what Karajan (not Wagner) deemed most important.
   
   Allow me to qualify this: Wagner's score is extraordinarily complex, with often multiple layers assigned the same dynamic. I recognise that a conductor (well... a good conductor, anyway) will produce a hierarchy of importance for these. What Karajan has not understood, however, is that they are all STILL IMPORTANT. To suppress a line to the point of inaudibility grossly misrepresents Wagner's intent which, for the most part, is relatively clear.
   
   Karajan's approach, particularly in the first two operas, is also a lot more recitative-like than most others. This works in some places, giving the voice absolute primacy over the music, but in others it interferes with the rhythmic flow Wagner has set up (Die Walkure, Act III Sc 1, and Das Rheingold Sc 1 come to mind here).
   
   Ultimately, this is probably the 'shiniest' Ring on record, but for me that is simply not enough.
   
   The Solti is, as many have pointed out, not always played so well (the intonation is shocking), but one always has the sense that he has understood Wagner much better than Karajan has. Furtwangler's RAI recording is masterfully interpreted (Das Rheingold sounds like a single, loooooong phrase - superb) but appallingly played. The Boulez is really quite remarkable. The singers are never fantastic, and the Chereau production downplays any heroism at all, but if you are looking for a 'chamber' Ring, this is the one. The forthcoming Adelaide Ring, conducted by Asher Fisch was truly breathtaking, and may become the definitive cycle of this era.
   
   I like to alternate listenings of Boulez and Solti - somewhere in between lies the perfect Ring.



2. There are a handful of estimable versions of Wagner's epic "Der Ring des Nibelungen." Solti's is one. Boulez' version has its advocates, too. But, among these, Herbert von Karajan's version must also be included. While some speak of his "chamber-music" approach, I cannot say that I fully get that. Listen to the end of Act I in "Die Walkure" or the conclusion of the "Immolation Scene" in "Gotterdammerung." Hardly soft, wispy pieces. However, von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra play in lustrous fashion. As the above "Editorial Review" states, "The approach has less to do with dynamics per se than it does with von Karajan's masterful balancing of voices and instruments." And that is what I hear when I listen to this version.
   
   Some have mentioned the importance of the instrumental work in the Ring series. Indeed, this is critical for any successful performance, given the long stretches of instrumental work (e.g., "Siegfried's Rhine Journey" in "Gotterdammerung"). And von Karajan conducts the entire series with style, intelligence, and musicality. Act I, Scene 2 of "Die Walkure" is one of the greatest moments in opera, And the Berlin Philharmonic with von Karajan at its helm plays this in a manner supporting the singers, consistent with the unfolding drama, and in with absolutely scintillating musicality. This segment represents one of the "greatest hits" in all of recorded opera.
   
   The pluses of this version include the conductor and orchestra, of course. Also, the stable of singers is up to the task. Jon Vickers makes for a credible Siegmund and Gundula Janowitz handles Sieglinde's role well. Regine Crespin, in "Die Walkure," is adequate as Brunnhilde, but Helga Dernesch really "steps up to the plate" in the later operas. Siegfried is sung by two different tenors--Jess Thomas in "Siegfried" and Helge Brilioth in "Gotterdammerung." Wotan is well sung by the great Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau in "Das Rheingold" and by Thomas Stewart in "Die Walkure" and "Siegfried." The secondary players are strong as well.
   
   The whole lives up to the hype surrounding this version. Again, this ranks as one of the premier recorded versions of the Ring cycle, with Solti's and Boulez' version (and one might also listen to Toscanini's 1941 recorded versions of Act I, Scene 2 of "Die Walkure" and two scenes in "Gotterdammerung," featuring Helen Traubel and Lauritz Melchior for some historical perspective). If one wishes to invest a fair chunk of cash in a recording of the full cycle, then this ranks as one of the best investments around.



3. Okay, so we have the Furtwangler, Krauss, Solti, Bohm, Karajan, Goodall, Boulez, Janowski, Levine, Haitink, Sawallisch, and Barenboim 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):
   Furtwangler's Ring: 15 hours, 0 minutes
   Krauss's Ring: 14 hours, 10 minutes
   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
   Barenboim's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
   
   YEAR(S) OF RECORDING
   Furtwangler: 1953
   Krauss: 1953
   Solti: 1958-1965
   Bohm: 1967
   Karajan: 1966-1970
   Goodall: 1973
   Boulez: 1980
   Janowski: 1980-1983
   Levine: 1987-1989
   Haitink: 1988-1991
   Sawallisch: 1991
   Barenboim: 1991-1992
   
   CONDUCTING:
   Furtwangler: The 1953 RAI Ring should be a must-have (even if you have another Ring on your shelf). Yes, it's true that Furtwangler favors slow tempi, but he makes even the slowest of his tempi intense and spine-tingling. Just listen to how he handles "Hagen's Night Watch" and "Descent/Ascent into/from Nibelheim". Now you can't call that atrocious, can you? I should remind you: there are two different box sets for this RAI Ring, one from EMI and one from Gebhardt. Best take the Gebhardt version because it has much better sound than EMI.
   
   Krauss: This is the first Bayreuth recording of the Ring, and it sure is one hell of an interpretation. Unlike Furtwangler, maestro Krauss goes for quicker tempi and greater suspense. Compare his "Siegfried vs. Fafner" and "Waltraute's Narrative" to later recordings and you'll see that he is a musical champion. There are about four different box sets that are out there right now, but you will only need one: the Opera D'oro release.
   
   Solti: Everyone knows that this is the first studio recording of the Ring. And everyone knows that Solti has become a famous name that's attributed to this. Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His "Donner's Song" & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly loud and 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 Rheingold Prelude). I especially like his "Flight of the Valkyries" & "Forging Scene"; 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 "Brunnhilde's Awakening") are controlled nicely. His "Entrance to Valhalla" and "Funeral March" 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 "Immolation". 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 better 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 Boulez's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".
   
   Levine: This conductor has his own fair share of lyricism, too. Only, his lyricism is softer and much slower than Karajan's. Sometimes you'll be annoyed at his plodding tempi in parts such as "Wotan confronts Siegfried" or "Loge confronts Alberich", but you'll be amazed by the stunning splendor of "Annunciation of Death" and "Forest Murmurs". Be on the sharp lookout, also, for Levine's perfect "Erda's Warning".
   
   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.
   
   Barenboim: It's hard to describe Barenboim's Ring. I believe that he uses a little bit of everything: bombast, lyricism, intensity, beauty, fast tempi, slow tempi, measured phrasings, yada yada yada. And he uses all of them so well, that this Ring ranks with Furtwangler, Krauss, Bohm, and Janowski as one of the greats.
   
   ORCHESTRA:
   Furtwangler's RAI Rome: I think that much of the criticism that's been given to RAI are simply insensitive. Yes, it doesn't rank with other, more experienced orchestras, but what you get is the final result of what the great Furtwangler wanted. Woodwinds in "Wotan's Farewell" are marvelous, the brass in "Wotan Summons Erda" simply stunning. Maybe if people listened to the Gebhardt release instead of the EMI, then they would appreciate the orchestral playing a bit more.
   
   Krauss's Bayreuth Festival: Due to limited rehearsal time, the orchestra sounds robotic a few times. However, that's only a minor flaw: there's everything that you need for a 14-hour Wagner opera. From the thunderous brass to the smooth woodwinds, from the loud percussion to the saintly strings, it's [almost] everything that you need for a Bayreuth performance. "Magic Fire Music" in mono sounds even better than Barenboim's "Fire Music" in stereo.
   
   Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds aren't really the most beautiful in Solti's Ring, but they are still a plus. French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings 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 some of the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Scenes involving Erda and Three Norns aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tension. Overall, this orchestra is the most energetic.
   
   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 Act Two Scene One sounds very mysterious, very eerie.
   
   Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. "Forging Scene" doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act Two Prelude is the creepiest; Act Three Prelude is the dullest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.
   
   Boulez's Bayreuth Festival: Boulez turns this orchestra into an almost chamber orchestra (like Karajan's). 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 Rhinemaidens' motifs) fares better than Berlin's, but is crushed when compared to English National's. Rhine maiden motifs are given more wit, while the Dragon motifs are played with less eeriness.
   
   Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has only half the force & flair of Solti's Vienna, but Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. All the minor details that are found nowhere else are heard in this Ring. The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Karajan'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 a bit 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, because it sounds just as poignant. While the woodwinds are not as good, 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.
   
   Barenboim's Bayreuth Festival: Do I really have to tell you that Bayreuth in the really 90's still went strong after all these years? Do I really have to tell you that the brass and percussion are kept under control, and that the strings and woodwinds outstrip Berlin and Bavarian Radio? Do I really have to tell you that almost everything is as it should be? . . . Fine.
   
   SINGERS:
   -Wotan
   Furtwangler: Ferdinand Frantz has something that other Wotans can't touch. Maybe it's that when he sings "Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge" he makes people swoon (back in the day, of course). Maybe it's that when he sings "In eig'ner Fessel fing ich mich" he scares the hell out of people. I think it's that when he sings "Auf wolkigen Hoh'n wohnen die Gotter" amazement spreads like . . . I can't think of a perfect simile at the moment. So anyway, Frantz is a great Wotan.
   
   Krauss and Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Solti's Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs). It's true that he gives an utterly heartbreaking performance during "Der Augen Leuchtendes Paar", and it's true that he was well past his prime when he did Solti's Ring (but don't let that stop you from listening to his classic "Dir unweisen ruf' ich's in's Ohr"). Makes me wish I heard Keilberth and Knappertsbusch's Ring recordings sooner.
   
   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 ("Der Augen Leuchtendes Paar" is wobbly), 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. I enjoyed his singing during Siegfried Act One.
   
   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 and McIntyre pretty much throughout both Rings. His multi-dimensional performances are compelling in Walkure. "Nicht send ich dich mehr aus Walhall" should not be missed.
   
   Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his "Leb Wohl, du Kuhnes herrlisches Kind" wasn't enough to astound me.
   
   Barenboim: The rough, deep voice of John Tomlinson should keep people up during the night. You can tell right away after his entrance in Rheingold that he will be flawless later on in Walkure and Siegfried. No, he is not Hotter. And no, he is not horrible.
   
   -Brunnhilde
   Furtwangler: The only thing that Martha Modl's voice lacks is sensitivity. She's rough, she's sensuous, she's lyrical, and that's pretty much it. There seems to be no innocence or intelligence in the voice. But I could be wrong, since my ears are different than everyone else's.
   
   Krauss: Astrid Varnay matches Martha Modl, only that she is the one that has innocence in her voice. She gets five out of five stars from me.
   
   Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her "Soll fesselnder Schlaf fest mich binden" 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 Siegfried and 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".
   
   Barenboim: It sure feels like a cycle when Anne Evans sings as Wotan's favorite daughter. In Walkure, she sounds like a young girl, but as the story progresses, so does she. Her voice and personality changes dramatically during the Gotterdammerung Prologue and especially during the final days of the Gods. Absolutely striking.
   
   -Siegmund & Sieglinde
   Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have Wolfgang Windgassen for Furtwangler, Ramon Vinay for Krauss, 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, Robert Schunk for Sawallisch, and for Poul Elming for Barenboim. For the Sieglindes, we have Hilde Konetzi for Furtwangler, Regina Resnik for Krauss, 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, Julia Varady for Sawallisch, and Nadine Secunde for Barenboim. 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. Two exceptions, though: Goldberg doesn't sound heroic enough, and Norman for Levine doesn't sound young and innocent enough.
   
   -Siegfried
   Furtwangler: I'll just describe the singing of Ludwig Suthaus in three words: Oh So Good!
   
   Krauss and Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in the latter renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming. Be careful, though: during Krauss's "Forging Scene" he makes tons of mistakes, but they'll get used to later on.
   
   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. I like him better when he's performing as Mime in later Ring productions. 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 and Barenboim: 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 in both renditions. Bravo!
   
   -Alberich
   Furtwangler and Krauss and 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?"). Reminder: In Furtwangler, Neidlinger is replaced by Alois Pernerstorfer in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.
   
   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 . . .
   
   Barenboim: Gunther von Kannen doesn't completely eclipse Neidlinger and Wlaschiha, but he joins in with Nimsgern and Hammond-Stroud for his humane performance. "Bin ich nun frei?" was good, but not great.
   
   -Mime
   Furtwangler and Krauss: What do Julius Patzak (F) and Paul Kuen (K) have in common? Why, they both sing their parts without any caricaturing in the way. They both sound luminous and painless in every way possible. Kuen is slightly below Patzak's level, but that's okay. They're both excellent Mimes.
   
   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. But of course, Stolze's truly unsettling caricaturing of Alberich's brother will catch on after repeated listening.
   
   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 just above average, 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.
   
   Barenboim: Graham Clark is also like Schreier and Zednik. he's very VERY good. Again, nuff said.
   
   -Loge
   Furtwangler and Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegmund/Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a Walsung, or a son of a Walsung. All in all, a Loge that's marred by lack of cunning.
   
   Krauss: When listening to Erich Witte's Loge, I kept thinking to myself, "why doesn't he sound like Windgassen, and not a Norse clown?" I don't know, maybe Loge (or Loki) isn't supposed to sound like a clown, but maybe he is. I guess it's all up to the conductor's casting choices.
   
   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 greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on during the Trilogy.
   
   Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily one of the most entertaining Loges 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! Scene Two is when he's at his finest.
   
   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 imagination and deviousness, Stolze only vengeance and deviousness, Windgassen and Witte 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.
   
   Barenboim: Graham Clark? Well, he's no Gerhard Stolze, but he does stay in tune with most of the music in Rheingold. "Immer ist Undank Loge's Lohn" will certainly be somewhere in the top.
   
   -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 Christa Ludwig is the most brilliant Fricka (Bohm and Levine). Levine contains the most memorable Gutrune of Cheryl Studer, while the most brilliant Valkries are found in Krauss, Bohm, Boulez, and Haitink. Goodall, Boulez, Janowski, and Sawallisch contain the best Freias, Frohs, and Donners. The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Furtwangler, Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm, Boulez, and Barenboim. 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 Neuhold's Badische presentation, Haenchen's Netherlands version, and two more mono recordings (Keilberth and Knappertsbusch), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the legendary Furtwangler, the undeniable Krauss, the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the industrialized Boulez, the truthful Janowski, the unhurried Levine, the abnormal Haitink, the serious Sawallisch, and the futuristic Barenboim Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.



4. None of the reviewers mentions that this 14 cd set contains NO LIBRETTO. Repeat: NO LIBRETTO. Please print this information. Otherwise somebody's gonna get burned.
   
   J.W.T.



5. As far as I am concerned, there is one near-perfect ring; The 1955 Keilberth Ring. The Gotterdammerung and Siegfried are the finest recorded, the Walkure is second to only Krauss, and the Rhinegold is in the top five. The Krauss is the next best, and though the Keilberth may be finer, the Krauss in more enjoyable, only not in stereo sound. The Solti is superb, with a stunning Rhinegold(perhaps the finest) and Siegfried and Gotterdammerung to give the Keilberth a its money. Unfortunetly the Walkure(beside act I) is tarnished by a too far gone Hans hotter. The Bohm is near ideal with the exception of Theo Adam as Wotan. The Barenboim has the best Wotan since the Krauss, Keilberth, and KNA Hotter in Tomlinson and Siegfried Jerusalme is as fine a Siegfried as we could ask for today. Anne Evans is also a fine Brunnhilde, though not in the realm of Varnay or Nilsson.
   So now we are at karajan. The Rhinegold is excellent. Dieskau is, for the most part, superb as Wotan, far surpassing Theo Adam in Bohm and Janowksi's cycle. And Thomas Stewart, the Wotan for Walkure, is as unique and fatherly, yet not always domineering, but this is an interpretation free of tradition, a cast wholly his own and I applaud it. Brunnhilde is always marvelous in Walkure. If the rhinegold and walkure were to give any indiciation of how great this cycle would be, it would stand as one of the best by far. Unfortunetely, things change. Brunnhilde and Siegfried both switch characters and both times it is for the worse. Why dont they just leave things alone. I can understand the alteration of Wotan from Rhinegold to walkure-afterall some two decades have passed.
   The Siegfried is pretty bad and I dont turn to it often, if at all with the likes of Solti, Keilberth, Barenboim, bohm, etc. The Gotterdammerung is better, but in such a crowded field(again Keilberth, Solti, Levine, Barenboim, Bohm, Janowski, Krauss, KNA51 and 56 and 58) there is no need for this one.
   To summerize--Rhinegold and Walkre are exceptional. Even Marvelous and some of the best on the market. The same cannot be said of Siegfried or Gotterdammerung.
   Also the price is outragous. The Keilberth may be more expensive, but that is pure gold. This is more fools gold.
   At this point in Karajan's life, he seemed to regard his own opinions over the composers. His BPO play magnificently, though they never seem willing to play out the ugliness that the score requires sometimes.
   I cannot recommend this, especially for the outragous price-if you are going to spend that much on a recording-get the Keilberth(every single performance in every single role in better)

5 comments about Playing By Heart: Music From The Motion Picture.

1. This soundtrack is great. I originally bought it because Ed Kowalczyk sang on it. Of course, I love the track "Walk into This Room." It is just beautiful. Some of my other favorites on this soundtrack are "Cigarettes Will Kill You," and "Porcelain." This soundtrack really compliments the movie. You can see different aspects of the characters in the songs.



2. I got this for christmas and I haven't taken it out of my CD player yet. It is a wonderful eclectic mix of music. I love every track. It is the only CD I own that I listen to each and every track and truly enjoy. Buy it now and see the movie!



3. This CD is a really outstanding eclectic mix of music. You'll really enjoy this CD, even more than getting a gift certificate to Home Depot!



4. I like this CD a lot. I picked it up at a used CD store after having seen the movie, not expecting much of anything, and was pleasantly surprised. Overall, it's got a laid back vibe, but it's pensive somehow at the same time. Nice music for a rainy Sunday. Normally, lyrics are what sell me on a track, but the bulk of these tracks kind of just lull you into a mood rather than force you to take them literally. My favorites are "Drinking in LA", because it's just got an enjoyable tune, more electronic than I generally like, but Bran Van 3000 (the first I've heard of this group) makes it work. Also there's "Cigarettes will Kill You" which is the ultimate metaphor for getting in a relationship you intuitively know will just break you in the end. It's a great track by a guy named Ben Lee, whose CDs I'll have to check out in the future. In sum, good CD. See the movie, too.



5. From my favorite movie comes my favorite soundtrack. Unforgetable scenes such as Trent and Meredith's first kiss -- "Lover's Will" -- are captured perfectly. Buy it, blast it, and have a classically relaxing time!

5 comments about National Treasure.

1. First I must confess, that this score sounds a little repetitive if you listent to it for quite a while. The theme is present in nearly everyone of the tracks.
   
   
   Trevor Rabin previously composed the score for Armageddon. His work there parallels his work here. He uses classical, rock, techno, etc. and blends them together to make a grand sounding score - like Hans Zimmer and Harry Gregson-Williams.
   
   The theme is most present in "Ben" when his grandfather is telling him the story of the Knights Templar, the Freemasons, and how it got to the US. It also has its sentimental moments; most present in "Treasure" when the 4 characters are shocked by the huge size of the treasure room.



2. This motion picture soundtrack is the best! That`s my opinion anyway; the movie (National Treasure - Starring: Nicolas Cage) has been one of my top favorites ever since it came out. I also recommend the "Titanic" soundtrack as well if you are interested in this one. And if you have doubts as to whether or not to buy this CD, try listening to the clips. My personal favorite is: "National Treasure Suite" (Track 1). The Tracks: "Library of Congress" (Track 4), and "Declaration of Independence" (Track 2) are nice slower ones. Track: "Spectacle Discovery" (Track 10) is another one of my favorites also. Some of the tracks on this CD can be a little repetitive, but all in all, I think this CD is worth the money.



3. I fell in absolute love with the movie National Treasure after seeing it in the theater one time. I then went to see it two more times before it came out, and each time the storyline AND the music was just as exciting and fresh as the first time I saw it.
   
   Unfortunately, the soundtrack was nowhere to be found in my city. So, finally, after two years of searching I was able to retrieve my very own copy of the soundtrack. And let me tell you...it was worth the wait!!
   
   When I first listened to it all the way through with very little interruption, I walked out of my room and was like "That man is a genius." His music is SO good. It is so exciting and fast-paced. I use it to study. Studying can get old, what's wrong with adrenaline filled music to keep one pumped?
   
   All in all, great CD. I don't regret getting it at all.



4. First off, I just want to say I love Trevor Rabin's work. He has done a great job within the past few years and introduced some great themes. Especially this one. National Treasure's theme is starting to be a very recognized theme.
   Unfortunately, I find the rest of the album...lacking something. I'm not sure what it's missing..maybe originality. A lot of it was rather repetitive..a bit like today's dance remixes. The same beat, rythm and even tune over and over again. Okay maybe not that bad...but I find myself deciding to not listen to it more than making the decision to listen to it.
   It certainly is a must-have for Rabin admirers but ultimately...it could be better.



5. Some tracks are good, most are not so good. Can't compare to LOTR or Harry Potter, but there are a few good tracks.

5 comments about The Faculty (1998 Film).

1. Every song on this CD is worth listening to!! The movie was awesome, and the soundtrack fit it well. The only two songs I don't really like are numbers 11 and 12, but the rest of the CD makes up for them big time!! Buy this CD now!!!



2. I can't comment about the the rest of the songs but Creed's rendition of I'm Eighteen by Alice Cooper is just awesome. I used to love the old song but, dare I say it Creed's version might just be better



3. If your fans of Creed and the influx of alternative rock they brought with them then this is the soundtrack for you. With solid track by Stabbing Westward and Creed, not to mention Garbage and Neve this soundtrack sure does handle some heavy hitters, but thats not all it has...it also has some dead beats. Shawn Mullins bores, Crow doesn't fit and Class of '99, while turning out an impressive cover, gets tiresome by lending TWO tracks here instead of quiting while ahead. The Offspring hand over quality with "THE KIDS AREN'T ALRIGHT" while Soul Asylum neither impressess nor depressess with "SCHOOLS OUT". The only problem here is that with only 13 tracks you need to release 13 quality tracks and even though some tracks are better than others, none of them stand out like they should with the exception of Stabbing Westward, but every track of the Darkest Days album would have stood out. Pick this up if you're a fan of every track here, otherwise stay away. It just doesn't pack enough of a whallop to justify otherwise.



4. This is one of the best soundtracks ever put together, starts out with a nice remake of Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) by Class Of '99. Not a big fan of Creed so go ahead and skip that song if ya dont care for them. Stay Young by Oasis, The Kids Aren't alright by Offspring and Medication by Garbage are some highlights but the best songs on the CD are Maybe Someday by Flick (Which wasnt even featured in the movie just added to the soundtrack). Neve- Its over now is such a great song and the nice "Helpless" played when the lovely Josh Hartnett makes his presence known in the movie. All in all a very nice soundtrack I listen to it all the time!!!!!!!!!!



5. if you like the music in the movie this is a good buy.

5 comments about Highlander: The Original Scores.

1. I'll make this breif. The first movie was the best after that things go down hill. If you saw the first movie or the TV series and think this CD has the same music, you will be wrong. This cd does not contain the real soundtrack from HighLander. If you want to hear Queen's Princes of the Quniverse or the full version of Who Wants to Live Forver, Then buy the Queen CD "A Kind of Magic" that cd is the real soundtrack of highlander.



2. Stewart Copeland is one of the best musicians of our time. He has demostrate it since the extremely original Rumble Fish, The Rythmatist, The Equalizer, etc; but I can't recognize his style in the few tracks I've listen from this Highlander (and the other reviewers confirm that he's the author). I know about his abbilities as orchestral arranger through Dark Ships or Coco, but this score is so far from his style. Could he had developped it so radically or the production of the film gave him other people to work for him?. Surely this is not the fruit of his pure will but music guided by strict rules to follow. Anyway you can recognize clearly his hand behind the rythmical parts, so don't panic.
   I've read three of theese reviews and I couldn't believe they could speak about the movie. Don't you reallize this is a music site and you're supposed to talk about it?. Please, if you're a film fanatic search the video and get out of here, where the music lovers are trying to get any proper approach. And even I confess didn't heard the whole album, theese words could at least point to the material you're looking for and no to a cinema show this music surely enhances with it's quality.



3. "Who Wants to Live Forever" is probably one of the best songs on this CD. I also enjoyed "Love Theme and Shrine Fight" and "Swordfight at 34th Street" (Is it just me, or does this song sound very similar to Kamen's Robin Hood Prince of Thieves?)
   To tell you the truth, most of the tracks I liked best were the ones by Michael Kamen (That doesn't mean I don't like the other composers).
   Even though some tracks like "Shield Shatters" were a bit slow in capturing my interest, I like all the songs in the CD.



4. Although the scores from Highlander 2-3 are good, I always find myself stopping the CD after track 6 is done. Michael Kamen is a genius when it comes to composing, as seen in Band Of Brothers and Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves. I definitely recommend this CD to all Highlander fans, and fans of great classic music alike.



5. Without exception, Kamen's music for Highlander I is one of the best movie scores ever. In fact, New Line Cinema still uses it in (most) of their intros. However, in regard to the subsequent Highlander movies and scores, I find myself quite disappointed.
   
   Being a fairly hardcore Highlander fan, I generally disregarded Highlander II completely, finding it a complete and utter waste of time. Simply put, it's difficult to dress up a bad movie with good music. And, while the score is far from terrible, I don't find it nearly as inspirational as Kamen's score.
   
   As for Highlander III, it was the only film-based sequel I could stomach. In my opinion, it's unfortunate that Endgame and The Source seem to be nothing more than a blatantly poor attempt by Davis/Panzer to continually profit off of an inventive and intriguing storyline.
   
   Regardless, all in all, the five Kamen and two Robinson tracks make the CD more than worth it to me.

5 comments about Glass: Einstein on the Beach (1993 Recording).

1. I seem to be in the minority, but I prefer the original recording. What this version gains in performance and sonics, it loses in bite and immediacy. I came to Glass from rock music. The earlier recording had attitude and human energy. This one is fine art. I guess it depends what you're in the mood to hear.
   
   The text has been altered quite a bit. I can live with everything except the new "Mr. Bojangles"; for some reason, Glass decided that the speaker should EMOTE in an odd self-conscious way. It doesn't work. The deadpan humor is gone.
   
   The new sax line in "Building" (formerly "Building/Train") seems to have wandered in from a different universe. We're zooming through a mathematical soundworld ... and there's Kenny G. This piece has been extensively revised. The old version suggested a train at full throttle. This version is much slower, with muted organ and a meditative vibe.
   
   The "Bed" aria is technically flawless (a definite "improvement"), but it doesn't have the plaintive, haunting feel of the first recording. This singer has a strong, formal, "operatic" style.
   
   Someone was wondering why the earlier version was a 4-CD set. The reason is, it was originally a 4-LP box. At the time, 4 vinyl records meant 4 shiny compact discs. CDs were still a strange new medium for rich people. It took a while for the public to demand longer discs and lower prices.



2. Einstein on the Beach is one of the great works of music/theatre (as opposed to opera, or even traditional "musical theatre") of the 20th century, but the rerecording suffers from the bloated, cheap pretentiousness that characterizes almost all of Philip Glass's later work. Dilettantes criticize the original for the "artificial" timbre of the synthesizers, ignorant of the idea that the sound of the synthesizers are part of the piece as a historical text, or that the grating sound of the original recording actually emphasizes the formal qualities of Glass's minimalism. Utterly lacking in the irony and wit that made the first not only fascinating, but a pleasure to listen to, the rerecording is just dull.



3. Before this, I'd only really heard Glass's solo piano music. Where I found his repetitive figures unmoving in that context, here - fleshed out with vocals and synths - they become something else, something hypnotic, beguiling and quite beautiful. Even over 3 hours, it is hard to tire of the gradually shifting rhythms, which move at break-neck speed.
   
   It is hard to grasp the effect the music has by listening to the samples above, and you shouldn't think, 'well, this is fine - but for 3 hours?!' - as it is much more than the sum of its parts. That effect is akin to a visual illusion on an epic scale. Only musical, if you will.
   
   This edition is hard to fault: it's very well recorded, despite the set being 14 years old and it's all very attractively packaged. The booklet is thorough, although I would have liked to see some colour photos from the performance, not just the badly reproduced black & white ones we are provided with. That aside, well worth the money.



4. Einstein On The Beach was first performed in 1976 and the first recording was released in 1979. This version of Einstein was release in 1993. To date, these existing reviews span a period of 8 years - which to me, is a testament to the significance of this masterwork.
   
   And in the same spirit as another reviewer, I too must confess that I prefer the original recording over this revised, modified and re-recorded version. I will say that this version is not at all "bad" - it is excellent. But to me the heart of the music lies with the original recording. I can understand the desire to release a "newer" version of this recording, but unfortunately in it's more polished form, it has lost a great deal of charm and, as has been mentioned, humor. Oddly the readings in this new recording sound very affected and almost pretentious. The music here - played with a digital perfection, has a sense of more mechanicality and a less human feel than the previous release (CBS Masterworks). Between the two versions, I think there are about 20 additional minutes on this re-recording than the earlier one, but for my taste this does not really add anything of startling consequence to the piece overall.
   
   It is said that all music is mathemetics. And since we all know about Einstein's love for the violin, it was an incredible intelligent idea to merge the two into a singular revolutionary operatic concept. As the reader is aware: it is now generally recognized that EOTB one of the most significant contributions to late 20th century music and performance, and simultaneously re-defined the potential of opera.
   
   So why buy this edition over the other? Honestly, I can't give you one solid reason. Both have positives and negatives. Get both. But listen to the earlier one first!



5. I own this version as well as the original version. I respect both of them. I owned it on vinyl in the seventies and found it to be an exciting discovery. On CD, I bought the Nonesuch version first. It was nice to be reunited with an old friend. A middle aged old friend. The Nonesuch version version has much richer tonality than the original recording. Do I go to Einstein on the Beach for rich tonality? No, I go to it for edgy relentlessness. Although the Nonesuch version is longer, it is much less relentless. It's pacing is more leisurely. It seems to be striving for stateliness, to be seen as a classic, which it now is. I later bought the original recording on CD and was reunited with a friend who hasn't changed, It is still an exciting discovery. I prefer the flat tone of the vocals on the original as well. The later version sounds more practiced to be sure, but with that practice came a desire to emote and vary tone. To "act". It's guilding the lily. Nevertheless, I like both versions and play both from time to time. This opera is a true classic. and much better than it's schmaltzy followups in the trilogy.

5 comments about Elmopalooza!.

1. Great music - our kids 1-3 have loved loved loved this one (it's their pre-bed time favorite each night for YEARS). They loved it so much we bought a 2nd copy when the first wore out. If Elmo annoys some parents, this is a happy compromise - much less Elmo talk, and more awesome songs.



2. My son watched this movie ALL the time when he was a toddler. So much that we wore the dvd out! Now we purchased another copy for my toddler daughter who is an Elmo fanatic. What a great kid's video! (Entertaining for adults too!)



3. Had I known Rosie O'Donnell was a musical(?) guest on the video, I would never have purchased it.



4. So this was a hit at my house. The 13mo old grooves and claps to most of the songs, and my 5yr old enjoys it too. The 5yr old follows the interim bits, and the baby doesn't need to be so glued. The older one started singing the songs around the house by the second watching. I don't mind the hearing the songs repeatedly in the background either. Rosie O'Donnell's song is the 5yr old's favorite (who's also been a big Jimmy Buffet fan and enjoyed seeing him,) and the baby goes nuts for the Fugees. This is my favorite Elmo simply by virtue of not leaving that awful "Elmo's World" song stuck on repeat in my head.... Elmo loves his goooldfish, his crayon toooo - Ack, I only had to think about it a second for it to happen. I might turn Elmopalooza back on.



5. WE ALL LOVE THIS VIDEO. IT IS NOT ONLY FOR CHILDREN, BUT ADULTS AS WELL. IT IS ONE OF FEW VIDEOS SHE WILL WATCH FOR SHE IS NOT A TV FAN. KEEPS HER ENTERTAINED WHILE I GET DINNER READY. ITS A MUST HAVE IN MY OPINION!!!!