Wagner: The "Ring" Without Words

Richard Wagner (Composer), Lorin Maazel (Conductor), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Lorin Maazel
• Composer: Richard Wagner
• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B000003CUJ
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,795 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's the Reader's Digest Version of the Ring, June 1, 2001

By 

Trevor Gillespie "sol_man" (San Jose, California United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wagner: The "Ring" Without Words (Audio CD)

Being such a mammoth work, Wagner's Ring isn't something a person can easily jump into, enjoy, and fully understand. To this day, I still feel like a beginner to the work. However, there are a few things that can help a person get somewhat of a grasp on the wonderful music contained therein. This compilation is one of those crucial elements to understanding Wagner's Ring, because the music is where all the action is in the opera. The words are only part of the story. The music on this CD acquaints the listener with the gorgeous melodies and orchestral details in the Ring. Lorin Maazel has created a great synthesis of the four operas that make up this work. The sound is incredible (regardless of what other reviewers might have said, I find the sound to be incredible--detailed & vivid). The performance is excellent as well, which has become the standard of the Berliner Philharmoniker. If you're looking for a great overview of the Ring or are just looking for some wonderful music, give this a try. It's a sure pleaser as long as you're not anti-Wagner.

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Wagner CD ever, March 27, 2004

By 

Joe Vanderbilt (Irving, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wagner: The "Ring" Without Words (Audio CD)

Bought this CD 14 years ago when I was just out of high school. I've listened to it probably about 500 times. My favorite Wagner CD of all time, probably my favorite CD of all time. Why?

There are so many CDs out there which are simply outtakes of parts of the Ring (like Twilight of the Gods and innumerable others). This is the only one I know of where the conductor sought to spin a long, continuous tapestry of music spanning various parts of the complete opera from beginning to end, placing all the parts in the right order, making sure the end of one selection leads easily into the beginning of another. It's quite a feat and I think Maazel pulled it off exactly right.

The musical interludes they've chosen are weaved together so well you'll have a hard time recognizing that they've just switched from, say, one Act to the next or even one opera to the next.

Anyone who, after buying it, is surprised there is no singing in this CD should have their head examined. The title is "The Ring Without Words" for a reason, meaning there are no words. It's pure music. Occasional voice parts within the music have been replaced by an instrument. Elitists and purists will scoff at the notion of changing Wagner's score, but I say so what? The result is beautiful.

Words so often get in the way and start to crowd out the music, and Wagner's screeching sopranos are no exception. That said, what could be better to the ear for one who doesn't like opera but loves Wagner's rich, powerful music than this? A synthesis of the entire Ring Cycle compressed into a single CD.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent, though not ideal; fulfills the original intent, April 26, 2005

By 

Wade H. Rice, Jr. (Alexandria,, Virginia USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wagner: The "Ring" Without Words (Audio CD)

In having read the other reviews of this CD, I think many individuals failed to take note of the original intent behind this CD coming about in the first place. Lorin Maazel was commissioned by the recording company (Telarc) to come up with an arrangement of the prime orchestral excerpts of the "Ring," and his 4-step approach listed in the booklet, makes it abundantly clear that NOT ALL of the music commonly heard on other recordings of the orchestral music from the "Ring," would be heard in this arrangement. Also, it is to be inferred that Maazel knows, and obviously doesn't expect his arrangement to take the place of ANY complete recording of the "Ring."

I heard Maazel conduct his arrangement live with the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington, DC last year. Before that concert, I had never listened to this recording, but I knew about it. So I had the advantage of going into the concert with a fresh mind.

I came out of the concert with the feeling that others before me expressed -- that some of the transitions between familiar excerpts were smooth, some so-so, and others rather clunky. I think Maazel would be the first to admit that he was more successful in some areas of his arrangement, and not as successful in others. So be it. Wagner is tough for anyone and everyone delving into the complete operas, whatever their command of German and musical/orchestral principles.

So, my rating and review of this recording is confined to Maazel's task at hand. I give his effort four stars. Most of this "grade" is confined to the arrangement itself. I give the orchestral playing five stars.