Would not be surprised Dave if you may have one of the largest collections of classical music in the world! So much music to listen to, and not enough time I feel. Those new to Wagner would do well to give the highlight collections their introduction to his works. And your orange tabby is just so much like my Thor--I adopted him at 5 months, and he's not especially thrilled about being held, but is dear.
Some comments from a Wagnerian follower: The Walter Walküre Act I has a very nice sound for the era and it's not screechy at all. And it's terrific. The Carlos Kleiber Bayreuth Tristans are really fast, exciting and full of passion, even more than Böhm, but the best one is 1976 (with a much better Tristan, Spas Wenkoff) The 1951 Knappertsbusch Götterdämmerung is amazing, a cosmic experience, and the orchestra sounds great… because Karajan conducted all the rehearsals!
I bought this back in the 90s and Les Introuvables du Ring is one of the best music purchases I ever made. I have spent so much time with this set and in particular the Nilsson/Hotter conclusion to Walkure. That was the first Wagner I ever heard (it had been included on the Time Life music history on LP set in my high school library).
Phew! What a traversal. And it's just the overflow room one... I enjoyed watching the video, Dave, and especially was happy to see many recordings which I also have owned on CD (yes, I parted with almost all of them, except the Kubelik ones; the others I have as download now). I keep marveling at the fact that many great recordings are available today by clicking a button on my keyboard - while they were made well before or just after I was born. I may try to listen to Karajan's Dresden Meistersinger as background music soon and enjoy the "Wunderfarfe" (as Wagner called the Dresden Staatskapelle), as I will move to another rental unit soon and will unpack my boxes (same neighborhood, same rent, but much better quality, and no longer an Airbnb rental unit below mine in the house).
I must object to the title. It’s not a Wagnerian dose of Wagner unless the video is 4 hours long and has no humor at all. I think you’d have to be sedated.
Dave, I'm always intrigued to see what you've got in your collection, even if it's in the "overflow room." My interest in wagner peaked about 20 years ago. Since then, I've downsized my Wagner collection periodically. Two "big 10" sets remain: Solti and Barenboim, plus a few individual recordings (Knappertsbusch's 1951 Parsifal, Karajan's Parsifal, Jochum's Meistersinger and a box containing Böhm's Ring Cycle). Gone are all of the live air checks on pirate labels, and most of the "historical" stuff. I still listen to Meistersinger and Parsifal from time to time, but I can't remember the last time I went through the whole Ring cycle.
You DON’T have the 48 cd Knappertsbusch Parsifal box? For shame! Just kidding! Besides, that box is actually missing one version, Kna’s 1955 Bayreuth performance that Profil recently issued and I reviewed. Thank you for more fun in the overflow room!
I never look at the libretti, as all they say is "Kill the Wabbit, Kill the Wabbit.." Anyway. You sir, have the Valhalla of collections, but hopefully yours won't collapse as the Gods weep and whine.
Well Lord knows how many Wagner discs you have upstairs! As I have less space than you I have gotten pretty good at getting rid of excess Wagner and have heard but no longer possess a number of those recordings you were talking about. Still have too many Ring cycles though :-/ Had a bit of a lapse during lockdown and got and listened to a clutch of those Orfeo issues of Bayreuth performances, mono and stereo. So many recordings with the same people of course (hence numerous past purges) but I did particularly like Cluytens’ Tannhauser, Von Matacic’s Lohengrin (might be my favourite although mono) and Bohm’s Meistersinger fr I think 1968. The latter is very good, very well conducted, and is not the usual suspects in the casting. Gwyneth Jones as Eva, anyone? But it all works very well as an ensemble effort…
Shock horror! Did I miss hear or did you say that Goodall was an amateur? To have experienced his Ring with ENO at the Coliseum was to have lived. Slow yes, but relax float in the sounds. The final crescendo before the redemption theme was shattering in its power and brought the four evenings together. Sublime. But his work needed to be heard and seen live. OK I am biased, as very early in my career I was a dancer in the Meistersinger at Sadlers Wells when Goodall was 'rediscovered'.
This is why I've gotten into collecting just the made-up 'suites' and 'symphonies' from Wagner operas, as well as a few 'highlights' disc. I want avoid collecting tons of historical stuff because of the singers, historical conductors, etc. Who has the time, much less the space! All this stuff is just going to end up on shelves of thrift stores, eventually.
WAGNER !!!!! and no ANNA RUSSELL? yuk yuk I'd be happy as a pig in _ _ _ _ if I had the collection of everything you have. ANOTHER NICE ONE, DAVE .......
I’m a great admirer of Klemperer including his Wagner including his Hollander. But the Walkure Act One just came too late. It’s not that the tempi are too slow-it’s that the conducting is aimless. You can almost hear the soloists wondering when to come in next. It just sits and was a terrible disappointment to me. He was able to record the Act One and Wotan Farewell before time ran out but the performance has a listless quality that hurts the music
You learn what a large record collection contains, and a great deal about the discographies of the composers and their works, all presented in a delightfully friendly and entertaining way. You also get to experience, even if vicariously, the joy of record collecting and you learn a bit about the history of the classical music industry in the CD era. If that's not for you, then feel free to skip this series. Many others seem to enjoy it.
thanks for answering - it was just this one video I could not quite get the learning points from. But I agree, it is a very interesting series, and being a collector, I really enjoy (most of the) videos. Hope I did not offend you or anyone else by my comment. @@DavesClassicalGuide
Would not be surprised Dave if you may have one of the largest collections of classical music in the world! So much music to listen to, and not enough time I feel. Those new to Wagner would do well to give the highlight collections their introduction to his works.
And your orange tabby is just so much like my Thor--I adopted him at 5 months, and he's not especially thrilled about being held, but is dear.
Some comments from a Wagnerian follower:
The Walter Walküre Act I has a very nice sound for the era and it's not screechy at all. And it's terrific.
The Carlos Kleiber Bayreuth Tristans are really fast, exciting and full of passion, even more than Böhm, but the best one is 1976 (with a much better Tristan, Spas Wenkoff)
The 1951 Knappertsbusch Götterdämmerung is amazing, a cosmic experience, and the orchestra sounds great… because Karajan conducted all the rehearsals!
I bought this back in the 90s and Les Introuvables du Ring is one of the best music purchases I ever made. I have spent so much time with this set and in particular the Nilsson/Hotter conclusion to Walkure. That was the first Wagner I ever heard (it had been included on the Time Life music history on LP set in my high school library).
Yes, that Nilsson/Hotter excerpt is one of the best Wagner recordings ever made.
I can hardly wait until you get to Verdi!
Phew! What a traversal. And it's just the overflow room one... I enjoyed watching the video, Dave, and especially was happy to see many recordings which I also have owned on CD (yes, I parted with almost all of them, except the Kubelik ones; the others I have as download now). I keep marveling at the fact that many great recordings are available today by clicking a button on my keyboard - while they were made well before or just after I was born. I may try to listen to Karajan's Dresden Meistersinger as background music soon and enjoy the "Wunderfarfe" (as Wagner called the Dresden Staatskapelle), as I will move to another rental unit soon and will unpack my boxes (same neighborhood, same rent, but much better quality, and no longer an Airbnb rental unit below mine in the house).
Love the cat
I must object to the title. It’s not a Wagnerian dose of Wagner unless the video is 4 hours long and has no humor at all. I think you’d have to be sedated.
I must object to your objection: it ain't Wagner unless it's 4 hours long and feels like 16! 😁
I have that Wagner "drek"" cd of marchs etc. It lives up to your assessment of it.
Dave, I'm always intrigued to see what you've got in your collection, even if it's in the "overflow room." My interest in wagner peaked about 20 years ago. Since then, I've downsized my Wagner collection periodically. Two "big 10" sets remain: Solti and Barenboim, plus a few individual recordings (Knappertsbusch's 1951 Parsifal, Karajan's Parsifal, Jochum's Meistersinger and a box containing Böhm's Ring Cycle). Gone are all of the live air checks on pirate labels, and most of the "historical" stuff. I still listen to Meistersinger and Parsifal from time to time, but I can't remember the last time I went through the whole Ring cycle.
A Webernian dose of Wagner is dose enough for me.
You DON’T have the 48 cd Knappertsbusch Parsifal box? For shame! Just kidding! Besides, that box is actually missing one version, Kna’s 1955 Bayreuth performance that Profil recently issued and I reviewed. Thank you for more fun in the overflow room!
This video's transcription is delicious 😂 (Got love Frick...)
I would love these CDs.
I never look at the libretti, as all they say is "Kill the Wabbit, Kill the Wabbit.." Anyway. You sir, have the Valhalla of collections, but hopefully yours won't collapse as the Gods weep and whine.
It's in a basement. It probably won't burn up, but it may flood.
“Shelf bully”… what an apt description!
Very impressive, but thought it would be a larger collection 🤣
Don't assume that your cats will stop growing at one year. Some of our kept getting bigger until they were two.
Well Lord knows how many Wagner discs you have upstairs! As I have less space than you I have gotten pretty good at getting rid of excess Wagner and have heard but no longer possess a number of those recordings you were talking about. Still have too many Ring cycles though :-/
Had a bit of a lapse during lockdown and got and listened to a clutch of those Orfeo issues of Bayreuth performances, mono and stereo. So many recordings with the same people of course (hence numerous past purges) but I did particularly like Cluytens’ Tannhauser, Von Matacic’s Lohengrin (might be my favourite although mono) and Bohm’s Meistersinger fr I think 1968. The latter is very good, very well conducted, and is not the usual suspects in the casting. Gwyneth Jones as Eva, anyone? But it all works very well as an ensemble effort…
You really love organ transcriptions except those, of course, by Hansjörg Albrechts’s of the Bruckner symphonies. They are a trial.
I enjoy transcriptions generally.
Shock horror! Did I miss hear or did you say that Goodall was an amateur? To have experienced his Ring with ENO at the Coliseum was to have lived. Slow yes, but relax float in the sounds. The final crescendo before the redemption theme was shattering in its power and brought the four evenings together. Sublime. But his work needed to be heard and seen live. OK I am biased, as very early in my career I was a dancer in the Meistersinger at Sadlers Wells when Goodall was 'rediscovered'.
Even amateurs do good work now and then.
Unless I missed it, all that and not one Lohengrin?:)
You missed it, twice.
@@DavesClassicalGuide lol I guess I shouldn't drive while watching your videos :)
At least three, actually.
That's a lot of Wagner!
This is why I've gotten into collecting just the made-up 'suites' and 'symphonies' from Wagner operas, as well as a few 'highlights' disc. I want avoid collecting tons of historical stuff because of the singers, historical conductors, etc. Who has the time, much less the space! All this stuff is just going to end up on shelves of thrift stores, eventually.
Where do you keep Anna Russell, upstairs?
Of course.
WAGNER !!!!! and no ANNA RUSSELL? yuk yuk I'd be happy as a pig in _ _ _ _ if I had the collection of everything you have. ANOTHER NICE ONE, DAVE .......
Bonjour, Finster !
I’m a great admirer of Klemperer including his Wagner including his Hollander. But the Walkure Act One just came too late. It’s not that the tempi are too slow-it’s that the conducting is aimless. You can almost hear the soloists wondering when to come in next. It just sits and was a terrible disappointment to me. He was able to record the Act One and Wotan Farewell before time ran out but the performance has a listless quality that hurts the music
what are we to be learned from this video?
You learn what a large record collection contains, and a great deal about the discographies of the composers and their works, all presented in a delightfully friendly and entertaining way. You also get to experience, even if vicariously, the joy of record collecting and you learn a bit about the history of the classical music industry in the CD era. If that's not for you, then feel free to skip this series. Many others seem to enjoy it.
thanks for answering - it was just this one video I could not quite get the learning points from. But I agree, it is a very interesting series, and being a collector, I really enjoy (most of the) videos. Hope I did not offend you or anyone else by my comment. @@DavesClassicalGuide