 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: wjk
Date: 2004-01-18 23:40
Which Wagner compositions do others enjoy/find moving?
Any suggested CDs/performances?
Thanks---
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Author: Micaela
Date: 2004-01-19 01:39
I am personally not a Wagner-ite. I find Mark Twain's comment about nice moments and bad quarters of an hour very apt. However, I played his Siegfried Idyll in orchestra this fall and fell in love with it. If doesn't have any painful poetry and actually has a few cadences. It's just 20 minutes of peaceful, atmospheric beauty. I recommend the live recording by the Swarthmore Orchestra. However, if that's not available in a store near you, try Karajan with the Berlin Philharmonic.
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-01-19 03:48
I own 7 complete Ring Cycles ... I guess that means I like them. I like Siegfried and Gotterdamerung the best of the four, and the Met recordings (James Levine) are simply wonderful. I'm also a big fan of Beyreuth recordings (always live).
If you want to listen to the Ring and enjoy it and you're not fussed with authenticity ... English National Opera have recorded it in English. Very fine translations and superb recordings (both orchestrally and vocally).
Without music, the world would be grey, very grey.
Post Edited (2004-01-19 04:40)
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2004-01-19 04:36
We're playing the Sigfried Idyll at our next concert. Over the years, I think it has probably ranked as my favorite Wagner work pretty much for the reasons Micaela gives. IMO, best when done with small orchestra as in the original performance. Quite a present.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-01-19 12:56
There's a wonderful, super-cheap Sony CD of "bleeding chunks" (miscellaneous orchestral excerpts) with Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra. Lots of solos by Marcellus and Leon Zetzer, the CO's great bass clarinetist.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-01-19 15:04
Tristan und Isolde is easily one of the greatest clarinet books of all time, with super bass clarinet parts....try the Furtwangler Flagstad record on EMI in superb mono sound. This is easily one of the greatest Wagner records made and is a great testament to the greatest Wagner conductor of all time.
As to other great records, Solti's Ring in Vienna is the record with with finest Ring orchestral playing of all time...here the Vienna brass and woodwinds are incredible...they are also featured in the film Apocalypse Now in the Ride of the Valkyrie.
My favorite exerpts are the set done by Philharmonia with Klemperer on EMI
For Parsifal(great bass clarinet here) go the Hans Knappersbusch record with the Bayreuth Festpiel which is now in very good sound on EMI...the bass clarinet is increble here!!
As the finest set of chunks I find the Szell sound a bit dry, and easily find Klemperer more human....however, I do admire the Bass clarinet of the Cleveland orchestra greatly.....I am also listening more to overall orchestral playing rather than just clarinets....
David Dow
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-01-19 16:11
My first thot was to suggest the Sieg. Idyll, Forest Murmers, Gods into Valhalla [is my German ancestry showing??]. Then the other Wagner operas, as above mentioned, which also have great music, not as well-known perhaps, occurred to me. I guess my only complaint is to the "slow-motion" character, lengthy attention requirement of many of his great compositions. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-01-19 18:53
For those unable to afford the Solti Ring, there is the Bareuth Ring done in 67 with Karl Bohm which is certainly fiery and has some incredibly well done clarinet work, which moves along at a faster clip then Solti's....
as to other magnificent recordings, the Tristan on DG with Karl Bohm featuring Windgassen and Nielsen is certainly the most superlative newer versions in Stereo sound, with a very good sound for the Bayreuth Festpielhaus....well worth lsitening to to any clarinet player who likes opera recordings...
in fact Die Miestersinger from Karl Bohm in 1938 on Pearl is one of my all time favorite recordings....however, the sound of the orchestra is not so good....
there are some great Bass clarinet spots in the Solti Parsifal from the early 60s as well!!! the Vienna Phil Bass clarinet player is hot on this one!!!
David Dow
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-01-19 19:59
D Dow ... you mention that wonderful Karl Boehm recording with Beergut Nilson ... also one of my favourtie Ring recordings ... my only small criticism with Beyreuth is that they are recorded live (not a problem) but that the prompt is often way too audible ...
Larry ... I too own that Maazel recording of the Ring if half an hour (Berlin Philharmonic) ... I'm afraid they really needed a bit more rehearsal before heading into the studio for that ... there's some almost unbelievably bad playing for such a supreme orchestra, however, I still listen to it fairly often.
There is also another "Ring in 30 minutes" arrangement by a Ductch arranger that Edo de Waart tortured the Sydney Symphony with not that long ago, I love it but can't remember the name of the arranger.
I attended a concert performance of Act 3 of Walkure last July and took a friend as a birthday present ... they had a huge orchestra (obviously) including the six harps all in a row at the back (behind everyone) and slightly raised on podiums - it was fantastic both visually and otherwise.
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Author: Tim2
Date: 2004-01-20 01:46
Overture to Tannhauser - I don't listen to much Wagner but this music is quite grand and special.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-01-20 14:29
I vaguely recall something from Lohengrin, ta dum di dum, a favorite of some women! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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