Customer Reviews

Twilight of the Gods: The Essential Wagner Collection

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

What the Amazon.com reviewer said about "Wagner served in bleeding chunks" is absolutely right.

Now let's "dissect" that comment, shall we? Suppose you wanted to buy COMPLETE versions of all the operas represented on this double-CD. It would cost a few hundred dollars, right? When faced with that argument, this CD, for those who only want the best, makes sense.

However, suppose you decided to read Charles Dickens the same way? A couple chapters out of A Tale of Two Cities, maybe 3 from Oliver Twist, a half dozen each from Great Expectations and David Copperfield (sort of equivalent to Der Ring), and then a few pages ripped out of Bleak House. What would you have? Certainly great writing, but no context. The writing would prove unfulfilling and deeply lacking, certainly a disappointing choice.

Well, this "Essential Wagner Collection" is even worse. Not only does it slice and dice story lines, but it often doesn't even give you entire scenes; artistic glory and achievement is tossed aside in favor of a sloppy fade-out. And this isn't the exception, it's the rule.

Out of the 27 tracks on this double-CD, an egregious 19 are listed (covertly, and in teeny tiny letters) as "extract"s, often with unsettling fades and cuts on both ends.

And of the recordings that aren't "extract"s, the highly-touted Ride of the Valkries just doesn't deliver (at least, not in Antal Dorati's sloppy reading of it), and the magnificent version of Siegfried's Funeral March is ruined by being chopped off in the worst of places.

I really regret buying this CD. All in all, it adds up to a musical Frankenstein; made of the choicest parts, but hideous when stitched together in such a haphazard and disrespectful way.

I see the point of view from both previous reviewers.

1. First off, I understand how to a Wagner "fan" or "lover," theres something missing here. I experienced this with John William's music - I loved the star wars and et music, and when I got a two cd "essential collection" of JW, I was disappointed by the cuts/artificial reverb/changed tempos etc... in the tracks that I knew well. However, the tracks I didn't know well sounded fine, until I got the real soundtrack - i.e. Schindler's list - the tempo waaay to fast etc...

2. Secondly, I'm no wagner critic/fan, so I have a different perscpective on him. I love this "essential collection" set, and think that some of the pieces are incredibly moving. I cannot distinguish where the piece has been chopped up, etc... So, I guess for someone not that aquainted with Wagner, this is a perfect set. But for someone that has listened to whole operas from Wagner, this is probably like going back from some the entire "Empire Strikes Back" album to a weird recording of the imperial march...

In conclusion, I would highly recommend this album to someone interested in Wagner, but for someone that already knows him well, this is by no means an "essential collection."

Although these pieces are gathered from excellent recordings, the hideous ways in which they are truncated makes them very nearly worthless. This disc has works of 15 and 20 minutes original duration slashed to 7, 5, maybe even as little as 4 minute chunks. It might serve as an introduction to someone who has never heard Wagner before, but for anyone who already loves this music, it is appalling. I suppose I shouldn't have expected much from any Wagner CD with a picture of helicopters on the cover. Wagner is wonderful, but there are MANY better choices than this most UN-essential collection.

And boy, does Disc 1--"Power, Conflict & Death"--rock! From "Ride of the Valkyries" to "Entry of the Gods into Valhalla", it's Wagner in all of his glory. Perfect for the neophyte to Wagner or classical music, or the fan of rock 'n' roll music (whom this set is geared to. Successfully, I might add). Disc 2--"Love, Ecstasy & Redemption"--is less "Ring" heavy (ah those overtures!) but ends appropriately with "Death of Isolde." If your heart hasn't been put through the ringer by now, I don't know what will. The performances are uniformly excellent. Caveat emptor: there are a few abrupt fade-ins & outs, but they don't detract from the overall picture. Buy a few, give some to friends, and crank it up. Two hours and 17 minutes of magic for the price of one CD. A sure-fire winner!

If you have any interest in discovering (or rediscovering) the classical music of Richard Wagner, I would highly recommend you purchase this CD set. The selections are not complete by any means--many of them are excerpts from the full-length operatic or orchestral works, but even this shortened format provides a pretty comprehensive overview to Wagner's music. Also, the price will be hard to beat for a 2-CD set like this one. (By the way, if you think you don't have much familiarity with classical music and are looking for an "intro" CD, you will be pleasantly surprised by how many familiar tunes you will find here--tunes that you might never have associated with Wagner, but which you have heard many times.)

By the way--does anyone have any idea where I can find a CD with Wagner's "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral" on it, in a full orchestral version? All I can find are recordings done by brass ensembles, and it's not really the same!

One would think from the title that I am about to rave about a Mozart CD that I happened across. But instead, let me sing (pardon the pun) the praises of "Twilight of the Gods" a wonderful double CD set of the music of Richard Wagner.

My favorite types of music come from the classical and baroque eras, and my favorite composers are Bach, Mozart and Handel. The cerebral nature of their music attracts me, and makes them primus inter pares in my personal musical firmament. And as mentioned before, Bach's Goldberg Variations are my favorite work of music--ever.

But that doesn't mean I don't like music from the Romantic Era. Chopin and Liszt are wonderful at satiating my desire for dazzling piano music. Brahms' orchestral works are grand and haunting. Schubert's string quartets show an astonishing range of power and depth.

And Wagner . . . Good Lord, Wagner is amazing.

Of course, I love, as does everyone the famous "Ride of the Valkyries." But there is so much on this double CD set that is just jaw-dropping in terms of the genius that it contains. "Siegfried's Funeral March"--which was part of the soundtrack for the movie "Excalibur"--is awesome and majestic in its tone and scope. The music from the "Transformation Scene" in "Parsifal" is utterly beautiful--there are no other words to describe it. And the music marking "The Entry of the Gods into Valhalla," from "Das Rheingold" has always been one of my favorites ....

Two pieces that I was introduced to upon the purchase of the CD set are "The Sailors' Chorus," from "The Flying Dutchman," and "The Entry of the Guests" from "Tannhauser." "The Sailor's Chorus" is wonderful, especially because it doesn't sound like a bunch of opera stars singing it. Instead, it really does sound like carousing sailors bawling out a tune, but doing it in a manner that makes one respect their musical talents and their voices. The singers don't sound like professional opera stars who are incidentally playing sailors. Instead, they sound like sailors who really can sing. The result is delightful.

As for "Entry of the Guests," the flourish played by the brass that begins the piece gives it a regal air, and the singing gives it a warm and welcoming feel. Combining these two emotions into one piece takes a lot of work and imagination, and yet Wagner pulls off the task flawlessly. The piece also evinces Wagner's maturity in composition, as he successfully manages a complicated harmonization with flair and aplomb.

After listening to both CDs (exhaustively, I might add), I can now fully understand why people would want to engage in a Wagnerthon--attending consecutive performances of his major operas in a manner that would exhaust and drain a normal human being. It's because while the performances may drain, they also revitalize. The music virtually sweats genius. One gets wet and soaked by it just from listening. It seems like it would be easy to replicate Wagner, but if it is possible, I have yet to meet the modern composer who can. When a CD player is turned on, and such timeless talent oozes through the speakers, the only hope that can be entertained is that we will find something to excel at in our lives, as Wagner excelled in music.

...

Do those infotainment marketing mavens ever get it right? Talk about Hollywood disconnect! Not only are the helicopters irrelevant, but to quote from the gushy drivel on the jacket, "The gripping power of Richard Wagner's music was demonstrated with spectacular effect in...Apocalpse Now, when the "Ride of the Valkyries' became synonymous with the chilling journey of Marine 'Huey' helicopters into battle..."

Marine? Marine? Them Hueys in the movie was ARMY Air Cav, slick! "First of the ninth--air mobile." If you're going to dally down that primrose path, at least get it right.

Better yet, drop the choppers. Most people who listen to Wagner probably realize that quality of an artistic work has a mystically inverse relationship to the number of helicopters contained in it.

As for the music, it is good, but the operatic equivalent of sound bites, which may be just right for people who are new to Wagner or just can't take very much of him. Hmm...perfect for a helicopter ride, perhaps?

The point is well taken that one should not listen to this sort of highlights compilation at the expense of Wagner's larger works. But in so far as we allow that this sort of collection exist and be heard at all, "Twilight of the Gods" is one of the best. The selections are Wagnerian standards with a few brilliant "bloody chunks" thrown in such as Brünnhilde's Awakening scene and the Sailor's Chorus from the Flying Dutchman. These are rare and evocative snipets to show up on this sort of mishmash CD. I think the CD packaging with the helicopters and the talk of Apocalypse Now is downright misguided - the "soundtrack age" of classical music does not need to extend to Wagner as well! But the recordings are great - throw away the cover and enjoy this quick tour of Wagner's music!

This CD takes the place of all my other Wagner music. VERY well done. Somehow I didn't realize that there were two cds in the package--what a pleasant surprise! Of the two cds, I like the first one best, but they are both good. I listen to this cd daily on my way to work. Stirring! I am so glad that I purchased this. Some purists might have a problem with the fact that some of the selections are not there in their entirety. I have no problem with that though. I recommend this to anyone who loves Wagner.

I can't tell you how much I really hate this album. Everything but the cover was a mistake (and yes, it DOES have a cool cover!). The selections are so often wrong because there are too many boring numbers and when an exciting piece of music has been selected it's been cut up (even though there is still plenty of room on both CDs for complete pieces).

If you haven't heard Wagner before this isn't the one to start with. If you DO like Wagner you will be terribly disappointed.