Customer Reviews

Wagner: The Compact Ring (Highlights from Der Ring des Nibelungen) / Levine; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

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Anyone that might be intimidated by the 4 operas that make up Wagner's Ring might find this on CD a great introduction to the Ring. It is 77 minutes of magic taken from all of the four operas: Das Rheingold, Die Walkure, Siegfried, and Gotterdammerung. Headliner singers like Jessye Norman, Christa Ludwig, Kathleen Battle and James Morris turn in performances that we are lucky to have on record. Perhaps the most important aspect of Wagner's Ring is the orchestra itself. Because of that, something must be said of James Levine and his Metropolitan Orchestra. From his orchestra, James Levine creates an environment in each scene that truly depicts what is happening. Though the music itself if just played strictly as written works well, when it's brought out intelligently and with emotion as Levine does, the Ring becomes something magical and the thought of gods, dragons, magical rings, etc. becomes believeable for the time that you're listening to it.

Perhaps the most involved, complex and definitely the longest of operas, the Ring is an achievement of a lifetime. It is something that should continue to live on through each generation. Here is a great summary to the monumental work. Try it out, and if you like it go for the real deal and get the whole thing. For the full Ring, either the full Ring by James Levine or George Solti's recording for Decca is recommendable.

OK, so you sort of like Wagner or are curious about it or want to learn about the Ring. Buy it and explore. Or you have already the whole Ring on countless CD but went to The Metropolitan Opera to attend a fantastically conducted performance by James Levine of a Ring chapter. You can get this as the perfect memento. Or there is that friend of yours that just needs a little help to get into Wagner. Perfect birthday gift. Or you travel a lot and carry your walkman everywhere but can only carry so many CDs. I can assure you that listeneing to a Ring selection in a busy airport while waiting for your connection can be quite an experience. In other words, rarely has quantity of quality ever been put on a single CD. A must.

I have the complete Ring cycle from which these highlights are taken. Chances are if you're browsing Wagner recordings you're already aware of how powerful and profound "Der Ring" is, so I'll just say what you want to know: BUY THIS CD. No other Wagner CD I've heard comes close. Usually I disagree with at least some tempo or phrasing choices of even the most famous conductors, but I must bow to Levine on this one. Not once did I ever think that I would've made a different choice, allowing me to become completely immersed in the music. For a classically trained musician like myself, this is no small feat since I've been conditioned to analyze what I hear almost automatically. The fact that these recordings are so good that they make me forget about mechanics makes this not only of the best Wagner recordings I have but one of the best classical CDs I own, period.

NOTE: If you like this CD, then trust me--just buy the whole "Ring" set conducted by Levine. It's expensive (over $100), but it's 14 CDs and one of the best musical investments you'll ever make.

I've had this cd for as long as I can remember and love it. Some compilations want $30 and up for a Wagner opera, but this has it all condensed into one cd and it's both beautiful and inexpensive.

Levine's Ring cycle was severely handicapped from the start by having no real siegfried and a Brunnhilde who is very musical but lacking a true Brunnhilde voice. Levine worked around these deficits, as every conductor since the heyday of Nilsson has had to do, with excellent musicianship and the wonderful MET Orchestra. HIs sound for Wagner is leaner than Solti's--one gets the feeling of an opera orchestra, not a huge symphony orchestra.
The cycle also suffered from Levine's extremely leisurely pace, which seems slack rather than profound.

That said, DG has made a silk purse of of half a sow's ear. These excerpts show off the best in Levine's approach and skirt the worst. One would have liked to hear much more of James Morris's Wotan, since he was by far the star of the show. Hildegard Behrens is heard to good effect in the Immolaiton Scene that ends the cycle, as well as the Awakening Scene from Siegfried. The orchestral excerpts are gorgeously played, and even though I would not rank any single opera from Levine's Ring as the best on record, this "compact Ring" is excellent on its own.

If you don't have the time or the money to indulge in the sixteen hour version, this disc is the way to go.

As an owner of the Levine Ring, I would recommend this particular CD to those who are haven't listened to Wagner's Ring Cycle and are interested in it. This CD contains "highlights" from the entire original recording that are worthwhile to the beginner. However, it would have been nice if the producers of this disc included "Erda's Warning" and "Hagen's Night Watch," both of which are some of the most beautiful interpretations in the entire Wagner discography. But at least "Wotan's Farewell" is included; it's conducted better than the ones in the Solti and Bohm Rings.

This particular Ring is basically much slower than usual, with a few sequences that even sound a bit dull. But on the other hand, what you get are some wonderful moments of awe and beauty. Like Karajan, Levine sacrifices drama and suspense to focus on the overall beauty of the 15-hour work, but unliked Karajan, it's not to the point in which everything sounds too ethereal and ambient. There is still some suspense hanging around in certain parts, and what you get in total is a grander and less personal rendition. The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra has got to be one of the best sounding orchestras for the Ring Cycle. Every instrument is handled with care. Some small details are really heard in some points, but the orchestra as a whole should easily please beginners. The singers, on the other hand, are not as great as the earlier, classic live Bayreuth recordings. James Morris is a steady and lyrical Wotan, and he's stands alongside Hans Hotter and Theo Adam as an ultimate Wagnerian baritone. Hildegard Behrens performs her part as Brunnhilde nicely, though she won't leave a steady impression that Birgit Nilsson and Gwyneth Jones left in their roles. Reiner Goldberg is NOT a terrific Siegfried, nor is he a good one. He has become one of the weakest points in the Levine Ring: they could have gotten Siegfried Jerusalem to play the part. The supporting cast do very well throughout.

Personally, I prefer Janowski for his clear and direct conducting, and Bohm for his fast and energetic approach. However, if you're looking for a slower and grander-sounding Ring, then have a listen to the Levine Ring. If you're satisfied with what you get from these "Highlights," then buy the complete box set any time (as long as you get the right amount of money for it).