Achtung! Der Ring ohne Wörter....?? (1 Viewer)

[Jagan Seshadri]

Heh heh. I always wanted to learn German.
Anyway, in my quest to get into non-wussified classical music, I picked up a second hand CD of Wagner orchestral music: Orchestral Music from Der Ring des Nibelungen / George Szell, recorded in 1968 and 1962.
What I'm wondering is which recording (CD or DVD-A) is the best in terms of sound quality and performance? I am only interested in a more recent recording of the orchestral music, not the operatic singers.
The others I've heard of are:
The "Ring" Without Words / Maazel, Berliner Philharmoniker (Telarc)
and
"The Ring - Orchestral Highlights (8.550211)" (Naxos)
Is there a superior version I should get?
-JNS

 

[Jaehoon Heo]

I have the CD from Telarc, and it is really recommendable to audiophiles. I love it. Another maybe from London/Decca, conducted by Georg Solti and recorded recently in CD era. Its sound is amazing too.

 

[Stefan A]

Some excellent recordings of Wagner excerpts are the newer Barenboim w/ Chicago recordings. The older Solti w/ Vienna are also excellent. A lot of people recommend choosing Telarc for great sound quality in orchestral recordings. I like a well recorded cd like anyone else, but if you take a substandard orchestra and conductor, and record them well, you still have a sub-standard recording. The point is, pay more attention with the level of orchestra before label.

Also, you can't go wrong with Bayreuth (sp) and Met recordings.

 

[Coressel]

Jagan, the Maazel/Berlin/Telarc CD is fantastic, although I do prefer the Szell performance.

Get the Telarc if you are looking for sound over substance, but keep the Szell in your collection!

 

[Jagan Seshadri]

If you take a substandard orchestra and conductor, and record them well, you still have a sub-standard recording.

So orchestras are just "cover bands" and their interpretations of songs are different from each other. What kinds of differences are we talking about that would make or break a performance? After all, classical works are transcribed, so how much variation could there really be?

What I'm asking is: How is the Telarc recording substandard?

Also, what are the great orchestras and great conductors (and great halls, for that matter)?

-JNS

 

[Jaehoon Heo]

I don't think the Telarc CD is a substandard. Maazel/VPO combination would be the best Telarc can get recorded, as well as Richard Strauss' Alpine Symphony by Previn/VPO. I know that Maazel's interpretation is quite different from Solti's or Boulez', but I like it, too, and who can question VPO's performance quality???
I don't think somebody above said Telarc CD's performance is a substandard, either...

 

[Coressel]

By "sound over substance" I mean that the sound quality of the Telarc CD is great, but it's not as substantial as experiencing the whole operatic cycle. The CD, by marketing design, is a "compact" Ring, saving you from having to go through the whole 20 hours.

Get the Telarc, but if you have Szell, keep it too for comparison. Maybe throw in a copy of the whole cycle just for laughs...

 

[Jagan Seshadri]

Twenty hours of German opera? Is that a symptom or a remedy?
-JNS

 

[Stefan A]

Also, what are the great orchestras and great conductors (and great halls, for that matter)?

This is completely a matter of personal taste - but there are some orchestras that are considered "great"

Chicago, Philidelphia, Cleveland, New York, and Boston, are considered the "big 5" in America. Although there are other great orchestras. Vienna, London, Berlin, Concertebou of Amsterdam are all considered great. Again, there are many World Class orchestras. I don't feel qualified to speak about halls. I bet there is a book about it somewhere.

 

[Stefan A]

Jagen,

Did you read the above. It was for you - since you asked.

 

[Jagan Seshadri]

Yes, Stefan, I did. I very much appreciate your detailed explanation. I thought I had replied to this, but I guess not.

Posts like yours are what make participation in this forum rewarding and enjoyable!

-JNS