Bottlehead Forum

General Category => Music => Topic started by: johnsonad on May 31, 2021, 11:34:48 AM

Title: Ring Cycles
Post by: johnsonad on May 31, 2021, 11:34:48 AM

For the classical fans out there, what is your favorite recorded Ring Cycle?  For me it's the Karajan.  The sound production is fantastic and it's a joy to listen to.  I have favorite singers in other cycles but as a whole, this one sounds fantastic. 

Title: Re: Ring Cycles
Post by: denti alligator on May 31, 2021, 01:17:20 PM

Not a huge Wagner fan, but Karajan is pretty great. Furtwängler‘s Tristan from 1952 is amazing. Not the Ring, I know.

Title: Re: Ring Cycles
Post by: Paul Joppa on May 31, 2021, 01:46:27 PM

I've been listening to the Solti classic for many decades. That and Bernstein's Mahler cycle are two that I keep coming back to. I'll keep an eye open for the Karajan!

Title: Re: Ring Cycles
Post by: Colonl_Charisma on June 02, 2021, 08:08:04 AM

I appreciate the recommendation, and I was able to locate this Ring recording on Spotify last night. I have always been intimidated by the length of the Ring Cycle so I have never given it a listen.

Do you have any tracks that you would recommend?

Title: Re: Ring Cycles
Post by: Doc B. on June 02, 2021, 09:01:07 AM

I have only von Karajan Die Walkure on tape. But I just realized I also have the London Solti/Vienna Die Walkure, Siegfried and Gotterdamerung on tape and Das Rheingold on LP. Serendipity!

Title: Re: Ring Cycles
Post by: johnsonad on June 03, 2021, 01:31:43 AM

PJ, the Solti is the only complete cycle I have on LP and it's a great recording.  I read somewhere it took Decca 40 years to recoup the cost from that production. On CD I picked up the Janowski/Dresden cycle though I listen to it infrequently.

Die Walkure is my favorite act of the cycle and if you're not into 14 hours of listening, it offers excitement and beautiful music.

Title: Re: Ring Cycles
Post by: Colonl_Charisma on June 03, 2021, 05:42:28 AM

Thanks! I now see that the tracks are divided up into Cycles. I found the Die Walkure Cycle, and I’ll definitely give that a listen.

Title: Re: Ring Cycles
Post by: johnsonad on June 03, 2021, 09:53:41 AM

Ross, all of the cycles are good, but some are slow. Wanger did a brilliant job of building the cycles. If you have a favorite opera singer(s), find a cycle they were part of.

On another note, i picked up the complete Karajan on LP today for $50. Looking forward to playing it all the way through on LP.