Masters Of Classical Music: Wagner

Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra (Artist, Orchestra), conductor Vassil Kazandjiev (Artist), Richard Wagner (Composer), György Lehel (Conductor), Vasil Kazandjiev (Conductor), Budapest Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Budapest Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: György Lehel, Vasil Kazandjiev
• Composer: Richard Wagner
• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: LaserLight
• ASIN: B000001VUA
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,334 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Tannhäuser, opera, WWV 70: Overture

2. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96: Dance of the Prentices

3. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96: Act 3. Prelude

4. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96: Aufzug der Meistersinger

5. Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman), opera, WWV 63: Overture

6. Lohengrin, opera, WWV 75: Prelude

7. Tristan und Isolde, opera, WWV 90: Prelude and Liebestod

8. Tannhäuser, opera, WWV 70: Arrival of the Guests at Wartburg

Editorial Reviews

1. Tannhäuser, opera, WWV 70: Overture Listen 2. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96: Dance of the Prentices Listen 3. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96: Act 3. Prelude Listen 4. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96: Aufzug der Meistersinger Listen 5. Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman), opera, WWV 63: Overture Listen 6. Lohengrin, opera, WWV 75: Prelude Listen 7. Tristan und Isolde, opera, WWV 90: Prelude and Liebestod 8. Tannhäuser, opera, WWV 70: Arrival of the Guests at Wartburg

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Weltanschauung..und...Weltansicht..., August 26, 2001

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Masters Of Classical Music: Wagner (Audio CD)

These are very good to excellent performances and interpretations...plus there is the added bonus that the placing of the microphones emphasizes portions of the orchestral sections' playing that you might not usually hear in "mainstream," brand-name orchestral playing and conducting...bands 1 through 4 are played by the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vassil Kazandjiev; bands 5 through 8 are played by the Budapest Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gyorgy Lethel... ...the string playing in the Prelude and Liebestod from *Tristan und Isolde* is a case in point...this combined piece is a long one for any orchestra...and to my mind and aesthetic hearing is an excellent test of an orchestra's and conductor's discipline, tonality, and ensemble cohesiveness...in this recording, the Prelude and Liebestod are played by the Budapest Symphony Orchestra as conducted by Gyorgy Lethel... the recording itself is excellent...excellent sound and microphone placement...the strings are "up front" so one gets a better presentation of their beauty and emphasis...while the woodwinds and brass are "behind" them...slightly less emphasized, but still very audible...the effect is different and more interesting than the usual recordings that one might listen to...which most often tend to be dull...as if the orchestra is simply going through the piece instead of intensely and passionately experiencing it...this recording is of the intensely experiencing sort...and all parts of the orchestra can be heard... even the low note emphasis of the large brass... ...the lowest and softest parts are still excellently audible, clear, and clean...not dampened into muted fuzziness or inaudibility...each portion of the melodic line as it interweaves through the sections is distinct, clear, and cohesively organic, passionate, "erotic," and involving...this is a beautiful, spiritual, yet compelling interpretation and performance...to my ears, it is better than Szell's and the Cleveland Orchestra's on "Wagner Without Words" (which sounds cold, objectified, distant...rather than close and intimate...); it is closer to that of Mariss Jansons and the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra on the Seraphim Classics "Wagner" (Jansons' version is a bit too treble and edgy for my taste)...though this version does NOT match the harmonic beauty and intensity of Karl Bohm conducting the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra on the "Prelude"...[Bohm's interpretation of the "Liebestod" with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra on the same 2 CD set by Deutsche Grammophone does not match the "Prelude"]...