Customer Reviews

Wagner: Preludes & Orchestral Excerpts from Die Meistersinger, Lohengrin, Parsifal, & Tristan und Isolde

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These are splendid performances of Wagner's preludes and suites from his operas. I doubt I have heard better chemistry between young Maestro Thielemann and any orchestra he's conducted before. The Philadelphia Orchestra plays with ample brilliance and warmth, at a level comparable to its peers in Germany and Austria. It is a pity that the Philadelphia Orchestra isn't as well recorded today as it was when Ormandy and Muti were its music directors; this could easily still be the finest symphony orchestra in America. Thielemann feels more at home with Wagner's scores than with Beethoven's; possibly this is due to his duties as director of the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. Of course the sound quality is exceptional. Anyone seeking a great recording of Wagner's orchestral music will want to purchase this CD.

That's how I would sum up this disc by the Philadelphia Philharmonic and young Christian Thielemann. Although there are many CD's on Amazon that are hyped as excellent intro's to Wagner's music, I'd have to say that this is by far the finest recording I've come across not just for quality of presentation but also for exposure. From "Die Meistersinger" to "Tristan und Isolde" to "Parsifal" and "Lohengrin" this disc contains all the essentials one needs to gain a foothold of this man's magnificent works. I find the Prelude to Lohengrin Vorspiel 1 to be particularly moving, almost heart wrenching and comparable to Solti's presentation of the same piece. I suppose if I could find a similiar CD by the same orchestra under Eugene Ormandy's direction I'd recommend it highly as well, however for the beginniner or serious Wagner enthusiast like myself this is a must have for your collection.

I have a few collections of Wagner's overures and preludes, but I would have to say that this is one of the freshest performances that I have heard for a long while. Thielemann and Philadelphia make an excellent combination. Thielemann writes in the sleeve notes that very few takes were done on each piece and the flow and energy comes right through. My highlight of the album is the Parisfal Perlude - there is a great mystical quality to this piece. Overall, vey well played and recorded. Buy it, it's worth it.