Customer Reviews

Wagner: Der Ring Des Nibelungen

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I decided to add another Ring to my collection (I have Solti's and Bohm's recordings) and the choice was between a more historical recording or Levine's (I once had Karajan's desperate mess and sold it). I am not a digital whore, but I ultimately decided on Levine's because of what I've read about the superb orchestral playing! Now, on to my thoughts...

There's been a lot of talk about Levine's "plodding tempos" on here and reviews I've read through other sources. This morning, I did some research and compiled a timing list for some of the more popular Ring's. Levine's Ring is 90 minutes SHORTER than Goodall's. It is only 24 minutes longer than Karajan's, 34 minutes longer than Solti's, and 103 minutes longer than Bohm's. We're talking 24, 34, and 103 minutes over the course of 14 to 15 hours. Yes, the slower tempos are noticeable compared to Bohm, but they are certainly not noticeable compared to Karajan and Solti. 24 and 34 minutes over 14 to 15 hours amounts to seconds when it comes to each individual track. Not noticeable - a non-issue!

What is said about the orchestral playing is superb. I am absolutely floored by the stunning beauty with which the Met orchestra plays. It's breathtaking, from the first note of Rheingold until the last note of Gotterdammerung! The sound is clear, beautiful, and lush. Gorgeous!

The cast does have some issues. Solti provides the only near perfect cast IMO (save Hotter in Walkure). Bohm features the same two major players (Windgassen and Nilsson) as Solti. Of course Goldberg and Behrens don't measure up to these two giants, but they are both more than sufficent for their roles. Vocally, Goldberg is good, but something is missing. Behrens seems to struggle at moments, leaving me vocally disappointed during the finales of Siegfried and Gotterdammerung! However, it's nice to have another Brunnhilde and Siegfried on disc.

James Morris is a triumph as Wotan! The best I have ever heard, bar none! I literally listened to his final passage in Walkure about 15 times in a row. It will light your heart on fire. Norman is wonderful as Sieglinde! It's true her voice is perhaps a bit too large for the role, but what a treat it is to hear Sieglinde sung so powerfully and beautifully. It's a nice change, and the ACT I of Walkure is breathtaking. Studer is great as Gutrune and I love Zednik's Mime. Battle as the Woodbird and Moll as Fafner represent two other roles that are wonderfully sung.

All in all, the Walkure is the best I have heard, and the Gotterdammerung falls short of Solti's, however, it's definitely worth owning! Solti has the definite edge in Siegfried and Rheingold.

In short, would I recommend Levine's Ring to someone who is approaching the work for a first time? NO! I would certainly recommend Solti's, for many reasons. However, if someone already had Solti's and was looking for another (recent) Ring, I would absolutely recommend Levine's over both Bohm's and Karajan's, which is saying a lot, because while I loath Karajan's effort, I love and applaud Bohm's!

On a side note, Deutsch Grammophon has repackaged this Ring at mid-price (also found on Amazon), with no librettos. Although there are several used recordings for sale here, with librettos, you'd be better off buying the newly repackaged set and use the money you save to purchase Rudolph Sabors commentaries on the Ring as a whole and each of the four operas individually. Not only does he include the original text, with English translation side-by-side, he also includes a running commentary with loads of interesting information, including pointing out the motifs. These 5 volumes can be purchased used (on Amazon.com) very cheaply.

After having listened to Solti, Karajan's, Bohm, and Levine's version of the ring, this is the one that I must pick. First of all, the recording itself is purely beautiful and well-recorded digital sound. It gives it a warmpth that analogue couldn't do. Given, it is a bit slower than the other ones, but that makes it quite majestic and adds a feel to it. Bohm's i my second favorite, but that one is MUCH faster, with Die Walkure alone being 40 minutes shorter. James Morris if the best Wotan of the last two decades, and Hildegard Behrens is perfect. The Rheinmaidens are superb, Alberich is well performed, and Siegfried is very good, but has been sung better. Overall it is an excellent recording.

The Metropolitan Orchestra under the direction of James Levine gives an outstanding performance throughout the four 'Ring' cyle operas. The often slower tempi adopted by Levine in my opinion, brings out the beauty in Wagner's music because every note and all the harmonies can be heard. Note that tempi should not be at the detriment of the drama. Fortunately I find Levine's tempi undetrimental to the drama and for this, his interpretation gets a thumbs up from me. At times, I found that the brass section was down in the mix (e.g. the opening of Act 2 of 'Die Walkure'). Overall, the digital recording was superb: the strings sounded great and the low double bass sounds from the recording should scare anybody who's in a dark room!

I turn my attention now to the singing. Having gone through some other reviews to seek some alternative viewpoints before writing down my own, I was shocked at the complaints about the singing in this recording. But unfortunately, I must agree and may I also add that other 'Ring' recordings have singers who are also not up to the task or rather are overrated and don't sound as good as people describe them. The biggest dissapointment for me first up was Gary Lakes - listen to 'Wintersturme wichen dem Wonnemond' towards the end of Act 1 of the 'Die Walkure' - Gary Lakes is seemingly out of breath and unable to sing in tune (literally), there is no other way to describe it but a singer grasping for air and with this, the phrasing and dynamics go and ultimately, musically inadequate. Another thing, Jessye Norman is not a good Sieglinde, her singing is very good (in fact, the best out of the female cast) BUT, Sieglinde is not a Brunnhilde and thus, should not be sung like one. Norman's volume was just too loud and insensitive to the character of Sieglinde for me at times. Remember, Sieglinde is an innocent little girl, not a warrior. I think Norman is more suited to the role of Brunnhilde.

Hildegard Behrens, unlike other reviewers, I like quite a lot. At times, she struggles greatly with the part of Brunnhilde but fortunately, this negative aspect enhanced somewhat the drama of the opera (not all the time though!), I could feel the pain that Brunnhilde was going through in 'Gotterdammerung', literally!

Last comment is of James Morris, I think he is the perfect Wotan. His tone is authorative and unlike other reviewers, I think the drama that he injects into his singing is great. But once again, this is only my opinion.

Overall, the fantastic orchestral display cancels out all the negatives of the singing (I can already hear people beating me down for saying this!). For me, adequate singers I can stand but a bad orchestra, I can't, especially for a work like the 'Ring' which depends so much on the music. I would love to give 5 stars for the stunning orchestral playing but unfortunately, I can't because of the dissapointing singing. So I give it 4 because the orchestral playing alone takes it above a 3!

As Principal Keyboardist with The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and one who values beautiful ensemble playing, I can tell you that the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra sounds magnificent in these recordings. These are the only ring cycle recordings in which all Wagner's notes are played. Nothing is blurry because it was 'too hard' and there was not enough rehearsal time. The unanimity of singers and instrumentalists are a tribute to James Levine's leadership and his nourishment of the met orchestra as a prideful, supremely dedicated group of musicians. This is the only Ring Cycle worth owning if you want to hear what Wagner's music truly sounded like.

I became introduced to the Ring through this version. I did not think it bad at all at first. In fact, I thought it was unsurpassably beautiful, and that no other conductor could come close to Levine's achievement. I still do not think it a bad recording. Musically, it is nearly flawless. As a matter of fact, no member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra plays a single wrong note in the course of this fifteen-hour work. Some of the singers stand out above the rest and make this a worthwhile listen, namely Salminen, Studer, and Ludwig. However, now that I have managed to familiarize myself with the story of the Ring as well as with the music, I have many more criticisms of this rendition than I once did. Wagner was all about drama. One could even argue that he was more about drama than he was about music. The "whole tragedy of human history" is contained within the Ring Cycle, but one does not become convinced of this in listening to this version. As musically perfect as it is, one does not experience the effects that Wagner intended when he composed this grandiose epic. As pleased as one's ears may be with this rendition, one cannot possibly sense what one is supposed to sense--the world burning to ashes before him--nor can one become convinced of the feelings and emotions of the main characters, for nearly all of the voices lack the power necessary for an ideal Ring production. Hildegard Behrens, though always in tune, seems to be running out of steam in spots, and I was never once convinced of the pain that she was experiencing in Act II of "Gotterdammerung." Reiner Goldberg is not my first choice for the role of Siegfried. His voice is simply too weak, even though it provides the cheeriness that is one of the main aspects of Siegfried's personality. His intonation is off at times, usually in places where he cannot afford inaccuracy. Siegfried Jerusalem, though not a perfect singer, is better suited to this role. His voice is stronger and more dramatically convincing. The Immolation Scene does not build up as it should. Again, Behrens sounds like she is growing tired, and there are no tempo variations, dynamic changes, or sound effects. This scene, the climax, where Brunnhilde gives her life to redeem the world from the ring's curse, is treated no differently than any of the other scenes in the production. It is treated with the same smooth, mellow, dramatically unconvincing tone. When we consider Birgit Nilsson in this same role in Solti's rendition, we see a marked difference. Her voice brings drama and intensity to the work, and holds out till the very end, never once missing a note or sounding lethargic.

To conclude, Levine's is not a bad recording of Wagner's Ring, but also nowhere near astounding. If one wants to hear an ideal Ring recording, I recommend Solti's. Solti's recording does everything Levine's does not--focuses much more heavily on drama and as a result convinces us that we are experiencing something far more than mere music.

I saw this on offer when I was looking to buy a copy of Solti's recording. I bought the Levine 5 years ago and I have listened to it several times. Superb orchestration, Goldberg has a true heldentenor voice. You can understand every word too.

I have seen live performances of die Walkure & Siegfried (SSO, at the Opera H). Behrens compares exceptionally well as a Brunhilde. This is a great recording, but I'm still buying the Solti as well! vive la difference!

i/ll go way beyond the previous review. levine and the met were *loving* doing this. the sound is *gorgeous*. levine conducts normally at a pace slower, more majestic than the solti we all grew up on (and, acourse, *way* slower than karajan/s speedfreak version). from the version/s i/ve heard, this one is indespensible. yeah, it/s pricey, but when the opening rhine music makes you feel you/re sitting in the middle of the cello section, it alone/s worth the price. a supremely well done set.

(just another remark - this was before i heard boulez, who takes #1 away - but it/s pretty much *only( if you like boulez/s mahler. and i got bohm/s in the mail but haven/t listened to it yet, so, to *me* it/s boulez, levine, solti. as of now.)

First of all, I want to say that I am simply amazed with what James Levine did with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. What he did is tantamount with what Karajan did with his Berlin Philharmonic and Solti with the Chicago Symphony. It is so beautifully articulated in orchestral terms that the score just sings. Some people say that Levine has plodding tempos. Perhaps his tempi are slower than many a conductor, but they are dramatically rich and beautifully played. Saying that, I have to say that this has to be one of the best conducted Rings, coming only below those of Solti, Karajan, Bohm, Krauss, and Janowski.

The cast is on a whole very good, with special mention going to James Morris' Wotan. Morris did a Wotan for Haitink, which in my opinion, was captured in a bigger tone than was in this recording, but his interpretation here is one of the jewels of modern day Wagnerian singing. His way with declamations, the quality of his voice, the Rheingold narration, the Abschied at the end of Walkure, the riddle scene with Mime, and the Siegfried confrontation are all magnificent, and perhaps constitute some of the best excerpts of the Ring. This has to be one of the greatest Wotans ever.

Christa Ludwig repeated the part of Fricka that she had sung with Solti about twenty years earlier, but her voice is surprisingly fresh here for her age. One can detect the lack of firmness and creaminess, but it is still the work of a supreme artist. Kurt Moll, as usually is with this great artists, makes great roles out of Hunding, Fafner, and Fasolt. He is partnered in Rheingold by Jan-Hendrik Rootering, who makes a very good Rheingold Fafner. Siegfried Jerusalem's heroic character tenor reminds us of Set Svanholm's magnificent portrayal with Solti, only better. He is probably one of the best sung Loge's on disc. Birgitta Svenden's amazing alto voice floods Erda's music beautifully, albeit sounding slightly young for the portrayal of mother earth. The Rhinemaidens on this recording, even if they don't reach the youthful musicality of Karajan's Rhinemaidens (with special mention going to Helen Donath as Woglinde), sound youthful and playful compared to other Rhinemaidens. The Valkyries are very well tuned in this recording, sounding robust, lusty, and young, and the Norns are simply sensational, with former Brunnhilde Helga Dernesch, Tatiana Troyanos, and today's Turandot of choice, Andrea Gruber. Another asset to this recording is Cheryl Studer's radiant Gutrune. It is perhaps the best portrayal of the role next to Janowitz's version with Karajan. I am also a fan of Bernd Weikl's Gunther and Hanna Schwarz's Waltraute. Both artists do amazing things with these secondary characters, especially Schwarz. Th

One of the merits of this recording is the singing of Heinz Zednik as Mime. I have never heard such a witty, funny, annoying little dwarf who sang the part (unlike Stolze's acid-voiced interpretation) with Zednik's combination of character-like vocalization. He is probably one of my favorite Mime's on disc. Another great singer in this recording is Mime's brother, Alberich played by Ekkehard Wlaschiha. In my opinion, his performance is on par with Gustav Neidlinger's portrayal of Alberich, even surpassing him in some instances. His curse in Rheingold has to be heard, and his confrontation with Mime and Wanderer are such funny moments in Siegfried. Of course, one of his most revealing moments happens in the beginning of Gotterdammerung's second act. His interaction with Hagen in the watch is simply brilliant. Speaking of Hagen, I believe the best singer after Morris in this recording is Matti Salminen in the role of Hagen. I have never heard a more malevolent, more sinister, yet conniving singer to the part of Hagen with an almost inhuman touch of evil due to his lack of vibrato. It is an amazing portrayal. He is probably the best Hagen in the discography, the equal of Gottlob Frick's evil interpretation on Solti's ring. He had recorded the part a few years earlier with Marek Janowski before he transformed the part into the diabolical role that we hear in this recording. Salminen would probably be another reason to buy this set after Morris' Wotan.

The Walsungen pair in this recording is well sung by two American artists, Gary Lakes and Jessye Norman. On paper, they offer very voluptuous, luxurious vocal performances, but they could have hyped the scenes they are in by adding a bit more drama. This could be said of Norman, but Gary Lakes' Siegmund is so beautifully vocalized that I can't help but love his performance.

Of course, a Ring would not be complete without a Brunnhilde or a Siegfried, and that is where this set fails. Hildegard Behrens has a most radiant upper extension that is only matched by Nilsson's, but the rest of her voice takes a weaker, more guttural quality once things get lower. Her immolation scene is amazing, and her hojotohos are brilliant. The love duet is gorgeous when she gets to top notes, but when expressing Brunnhilde's angst and anger, things get to get underplayed. She is a very interesting and youthful Brunnhilde though, and she is quite riveting to watch on stage.

Reiner Goldberg as Siegfried though, is much more problematic. Solti once called him as the ideal heldentenor voice, and the instrument is a very ideal one for this kind of repertoire, but he isn't as a great a singer as his vocal specifications would like us to think. I find it a very uneven performance. There are moments where you would find a true Siegfried, but a few moments later he gets into his ugly vocal mannerisms, of which there are many. His vocalizing is very rough, and the performance as a whole does not please the ear. He can also be a bore in the repertoire, and while this is acceptable with vocally nice Siegfried's, he could have made it better by using a better technique.

Overall, this Ring is an amazing account of Wagner operas in the 1980's. It is not going to be one of the essentials like Solti or Karajan's, owing that to the lack of a Siegfried and a Brunnhilde, but it has several interesting points that would make it a very well-balanced Ring.

I bought this "Ring" after buying the Met's video of the live production hoping for the same, but oh well. Levine's conducting is brilliant & balanced, but the climaxs' really aren't that exciting, also it sounds like it was conducted in a vaccum. The cast is excellent, notably the Rhinemaidens; Morris is THE Wotan of course, and Behrens shines as Brunnhilde. The major flaw is Reiner Goldberg: he just doesn't sound heroic enough for Siegfried, and his voice isn't strong enough. Siegfried Jeruselem is given Loge's role. I thought that was an insult, him and Golberg should have changed places. Besides all that this is quite a notable recording, and I would recommend it if you've listened to others and made a sound choice.

There is no perfect Ring cycle. There. I've said it. Even the beloved Solti recordings have their flaws, many of which have been enumerated over the years. Because we are chasing a Ring that is unobtainable, it is all too easy to create this model in the mind of that ideal Ring that each of us individually want to hear. I was discussing this very fact with a friend of mine who is a very skilled musician who has played in several orchestras who finally put me in my place regarding the chase for the brass ring of Rings. He said, "The true test of a Ring is not whether it is perfect in all its elements. Rather, the true test is this: Does this performance work as a whole?"

On that score, I have to give this Levine cycle five stars. The sonics of this recording are simply splendid. Levine's conducting is outstanding. The tempos that some call "plodding", I think give the music time to breathe. The singing is not perfect, although Morris' Wotan comes awfully close, but it is very warm and - to my ear - quite satisfying.

The production weighs easily on the ear and, overall, this performance works handily. If you are looking for a Ring recorded to today's acoustical standards, look no further.