The Complete Wagner

[ARBurton]

Completists would also like to add Die Feen, Das Liebesverbot and Rienzi.
Does anything remain of Die Hochzeit?

Yes indeed. Some years ago, a record label MRF issued (probably unauthorised) LP sets of BBC recordings of Die Feen, Liebesverbot, and Rienzi. (Downes conducting.) Either the Die Feen or the Liebesverbot set (I forget which) also included an extra LP of recordings of the surviving music from Die Hochzeit plus Wagner`s "insert arias" for Don Giovanni, Gluck, etc. I don`t think it has bene released on CD.

[akiralx]

I'd strongly agree with this. The Solti box is definitely the best for the Wagner neophyte - even if you don't care for Solti's approach to the scores, these recordings are worth having a) because of the stunning, demonstration standard sound and b) the incomparable casts.

But of course his Tristan is a weak link. The Lohengrin is great though. I preferred his earlier Meistersinger but I think the Chicago SO one is in the boxset.

[Chris Newman]

Hi Mario,
I hope you are still enjoying your tour through the works of Wagner. I feel like the Flying Dutchman myself as I first set off sail listening to Ride of the Valkyries and Siegfried's Rhine Journey over 50 years ago. Just to let you know there is a beautiful shortened Ring Cycle (no it is not sacrilege) available for a few weeks as a download. I first saw it live 20 years ago in a school hall; it is designed for touring to small towns. I think it conains some promising future Wagner singers. Here are the links:

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?3955-Jonathan-Dove-s-Reduced-Ring-by-Wagner-(from-Nimes)

I hope it is warmer in Malta.
Bws
Chris.

[Auferstehen2]

Hello Chris,

Kind of you to contribute thanks. Stunning sunshine currently here, and yes, some Brits are still swimming, making us locals (who think it’s far too cold) look like wussies – no, I’m not tempted to dive in and join them!

Malta being such a small country makes it difficult for us to download music readily available elsewhere, for example iTunes Malta is VERY limited, and Spotify is simply not available. Sky too is not available here, at least officially. The internet speeds here however, are excellent.

It really is difficult deciding which Wagner opera to listen to next, and I’m tempted with Tristan only because of that Liebestod – no I don’t know the story, or what that word means, but I do know that piece of music, where the violins’ yearning climbing ever higher remains for me very special.

Best wishes,

Mario