How Many Rings Do You Need?

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  • Mandryka
    • Nov 2024

    How Many Rings Do You Need?

    There are now so many Ring cyles - both official and bootleg - on the market, that deciding which ones you actually need to own or hear can be a fraught business.

    However, I think it's possible to narrow it down to three:

    1) Solti (Deccca, 1958-66). Yes, I know there are multiple problems with Solti's recording (as there are with all Ring recordings), but it's the one I keep returning to, and I suspect I'm not alone in this. It wasn't the first cyle I heard (Karajan's was) and I can remember being vaguely disappointed by Solti's hard-driven approach, particularly in the first two operas recorded. What makes this outstanding, though, is the level of orchestral detail revealed by the recording - things that you either don't hear, or that are elided over in other recordings. The cast is a mixed bag - with an on-form Nilsson matched with a just past-it Hotter and a soon-to-be-past-it Windgassen (who, nevertheless, pulls out all the stops in Gotterdammerung); unforgettable (and possibly unimproveable), though, are Frick as Hagen and Crespin as Sieglinde. Solti's breathless approach tells us that this is the work of a (still) comparatively young man and his approach becomes audibly more relaxed as the cycle progresses, but I have to say that this is still the benchmark Ring, for so many reasons.

    2) Karajan (DG, 1967-70). The antithesis of Solti's version, Karajan goes (as always) for beauty of sound over drama and makes some bizarre (though sometimes triumphant) casting decisions. It's a pity that none of his Siegfrieds or Brunnhildes sound completely relaxed inside their roles, though, and that his younger cast doesn't generally measure up to Solti's. However, I have a preference for Karajan's overall conception, which seems to have been thought through and executed more thoroughly than Solti's.

    3) Furtwangler (either La Scala 1950, or RAI, 1953). Boxy mono sound, undistinguished orchestras and some swingeing cuts in the La Scala Siegfried notwithstanding, you really do need to hear Furtwangler conduct the Ring! I'm more familiar with the La Scala performance than the RAI one (the latest non-remastering of which I've just ordered - anyone heard it? Is it any good?) and would not be without it, even though Max Lorenz is clearly too long in the tooth to be singing the Gotterdammerung Siegfried.



    Of others that are frequently recommended, I have this to say:

    Bohm (Phillips, 1967) - exciting, but a bit superficial and roughly recorded. The ideal Ring for car journeys, though!

    Janowski (Eurodisc, 1980-83) - the lack of a strong personality on the podium here can be refreshing but at other times comes close to sounding anonymous. Good cast, though.

    Keilberth (1953) - overpraised on its eventual appearance, Keilberth's 'Italianate' approach is not altogether to my liking and sometimes the orchestra seems to part company with the singers. It's also overpriced!

    Goodall (1973-77) - everyone should probably listen to this cylce once out of curiosity, but Goodalls' elephantine conception of the score doesn't come off, to my ears. Plus, the fact that its sung in Andrew Porter's dreadful English 'translation' rules it right out of court.
  • Chris Newman
    Late Member
    • Nov 2010
    • 2100

    #2
    Looking at your list, Mandryka:

    These are not number orders just me being tidy.

    1) Solti. I do not like the hard driven, stop-start style over long periods. I dip in sometimes.

    2) Glossy and rather shallow. I did not relace it when I changed to CD. The Mantovani Orchestra version.

    3)I love the Furtwangler La Scala. Very rough and ready in places but gorgeous.

    4)I like your "The ideal Ring for car journeys, though!" I imagine if we had heard it in the theatre we would have loved it.

    5)I do not know the Janowski.

    6) Keilberth. I agree there are awkward moments but I love it more than Karajan. It is real Wagner.

    7) Mehta/Valencia: I have this on DVD and am thrilled. ROHCG or ENO should borrow it. If it were not for the Proms I would be listening/watching it again.

    8) Knappertbusch: Real Wagner again.

    9) Goodall. It may be slow but most of the others are too fast. The critic from Berliner Zeitung would laugh your comment about the translation out of court. He wrote words to the equivalent of "Please would somebody get Andrew Porter to retranslate his version back into German so that we confused Germans can make sense of what Wagner wrote?"
    Last edited by Chris Newman; 05-09-11, 18:51. Reason: punctuation

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    • Al R Gando

      #3


      One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them,
      One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

      Comment

      • Mandryka

        #4
        Interesting comments, Chris.

        I briefly owned Knappertsbusch's 1960 cycle (with Vickers as Siegmund) but had to return it to MDC (RIP) because of a manufacturing fault. Sadly, they were never able to replace it, but I remember being impressed by it.

        For me, one of the pleasures of Wagner is that I don't actually know German to a sufficent standard to do without a libretto and I think the stabreim has a strong appeal. I'd rather listen to it this way than have to put up with talk of 'boobies' and 'pernicious nixies'.

        Comment

        • verismissimo
          Full Member
          • Nov 2010
          • 2957

          #5
          Not sure when enough is enough, Mandryka.
          Karajan was my first and I still love it, though the casting is spotty IMO.
          Furtwangler/La Scala was next - fabulous in every way except the sound on those long-sided LPs. (Anyone recommend a best CD transfer?)
          Then the 1927-32 HMV "potted" Ring. Such a cast - Leider, Schorr, Ljundberg, Widdop, Austral, Melchior etc. Fabulous!
          Fourth was the Keilberth on Testament, which I love to bits. So exciting. .
          Fifth is Goodall. Wish someone would bring out Mackerras with the same production/cast. It exists!
          And most recently Bohm at Bayreuth, which I've yet to listen to properly.

          Comment

          • Mandryka

            #6
            Originally posted by verismissimo View Post
            Not sure when enough is enough, Mandryka.
            Karajan was my first and I still love it, though the casting is spotty IMO.
            Furtwangler/La Scala was next - fabulous in every way except the sound on those long-sided LPs. (Anyone recommend a best CD transfer?)
            Then the 1927-32 HMV "potted" Ring. Such a cast - Leider, Schorr, Ljundberg, Widdop, Austral, Melchior etc. Fabulous!
            Fourth was the Keilberth on Testament, which I love to bits. So exciting. .
            Fifth is Goodall. Wish someone would bring out Mackerras with the same production/cast. It exists!
            And most recently Bohm at Bayreuth, which I've yet to listen to properly.
            Verimissimo,

            For the Furtwangler La Scala, I'd go with the Gebhardt transfer - though you may not have too many options, as I think this may now be the only one extant. To my ears, it makes the best of what is there.

            Comment

            • Colonel Danby
              Full Member
              • Nov 2010
              • 356

              #7
              I do love both Solti and Karajan in their own different ways, but for a decent digital recording taken from the Bayreuth Festival, you cannot do better than Barenboim's Teldec account of the 'Ring': and look at the cast! Anne Evans/big John Tom/Graham Clark/Linda Finnie/Johansson/Svenden/von Kannen/Pampuch/Kang/Holle/Secunde/Elming/Jerusalem/Meier.

              What more could you possibly ask for? And going back to Mandryka's original question, just how many Ring Cycles do you really want? The Barenboim set will do very well for me. Besides, the cast are very largely the one that played Covent Garden, when I did my very first complete thing under Uncle Bernie Haitink, standing up for the whole shebang in the 90s. (I couldn't do that now of course!)

              Comment

              • Chris Newman
                Late Member
                • Nov 2010
                • 2100

                #8
                Oh, come on ,Colonel D. I have stood for twelve Proms this year and I am a pensioner with a pacemaker. I stood for Die Meistersinger last year and Les Troyens a few years back. They don't make em like they used to....lost the mould....
                Lance Corporal Newman.

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                • verismissimo
                  Full Member
                  • Nov 2010
                  • 2957

                  #9
                  Forgot to mention that I have the Barenboim on DVD.

                  Watched it with my daughter when she was seven. She enjoyed it - fairy story!

                  So that's seven. Enough for now...

                  Comment

                  • Dave2002
                    Full Member
                    • Dec 2010
                    • 18009

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Chris Newman View Post
                    Oh, come on ,Colonel D. I have stood for twelve Proms this year and I am a pensioner with a pacemaker. I stood for Die Meistersinger last year and Les Troyens a few years back. They don't make em like they used to....lost the mould....
                    Lance Corporal Newman.
                    Chris (also Colonel D)

                    Not sure if I could risk attempting to stand nowadays for the Proms. I do have a bus pass, but not a pacemaker. I think the last one I managed might have been Mackerras conducting Mozart's Mass a couple of years ago, and since then I've bought seats, though I have to say that climbing up to the Circle is now sometimes an effort. I did think of trying to Prom for one or two this year, when I couldn't get tickets - e.g the Beethoven Missa Solemnis and the Dudamel one. The Dudamel one seemed hopeless, and I managed to get returns for Prom 67.

                    I prefer to think about the music during the concerts, amongst other things, than whether my knees and legs are going to give out. Any ideas of what age the oldest Prommer has ever been?

                    Perhaps if I do more exercise during the winter months and next year I might manage to stand in the Arena again next year. I've already expressed my regrets over the removal of the fountain and the animal toys!

                    Comment

                    • Chris Newman
                      Late Member
                      • Nov 2010
                      • 2100

                      #11
                      Hi Dave,
                      A couple of weeks ago. I was standing with a lad of 84 at one of Bernard Haitink's Brahms proms. I remembered seeing him at Proms some 45 years ago and we got talking. He remembered Haitink when he was a guest conductor with the LPO. I was thinking he must be about 70ish until he said "Do you know, I am a year older than young Bernie?"
                      He stood through the Haitink concert and the late night BBCSSO one that followed.
                      bws
                      Chris.

                      Comment

                      • Barbirollians
                        Full Member
                        • Nov 2010
                        • 11669

                        #12
                        One is more than enough !

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                        • Ariosto

                          #13
                          How Many Rings Do You Need?

                          TEN. One for each finger ...

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                          • MrGongGong
                            Full Member
                            • Nov 2010
                            • 18357

                            #14
                            Like this you mean ?

                            Sväng plays Tango TaukoComposed and arranged by Jouko KyhäläThis song can be found in our newly released album Schladtzshe!Lights: Teemu KonttinenShooting as...

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                            • Tapiola
                              Full Member
                              • Jan 2011
                              • 1688

                              #15
                              In answer to the original question, I have no idea how many Rings one needs. I currently own 6 and have no plans to augment the collection.

                              I am surprised that no one has yet mentioned "The Miracle Ring" - the Krauss cycle from 1953. Despite the limitations in the sound and the recessed percussion and brass, this is, for me, flawlessly paced and beautifully sung (some raggedness and missed entries notwithstanding). My favourite Ring.

                              The Furtwangler La Scala reportedly has its best transfer in the most recent one from Archipel, of which I currently only own Rheingold. There is a clarity and depth of bass which is lacking on either of the other transfers I have heard (Falcon NM and Gebhardt).

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