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Wagner operas boxset

22K views 98 replies 20 participants last post by  SixFootScowl 
#1 ·
Hello everyone.
I'm looking for a comprehensive boxset of Wagner operas (not just the Ring). I've found the following options on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Op...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1343312280&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wagner-Oper...=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1343312280&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Co...=sr_1_9?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1343312280&sr=1-9

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Richard-Wagner-The-Complete-Operas/dp/B000BBQP5C/ref=pd_sim_sbs_m_h__3

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wagner-The-Opera-Collection/dp/B00006469R/ref=pd_sim_sbs_m_h__4

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wagner-Grea...r_1_48?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1343312360&sr=1-48

I'm looking for a collection with nice sound, although not necessarily state-of-the art.
Which one is recommended, from the above or not? The Barenboim, the Solti and the Decca seem to me the most promising.
Best regards, Luís Martins.
 
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#46 ·
Never heard the Solti recording. But i am put off after listening to his Strauss Salome with Nilsson. Did not like it at all!

Then you simply don't like Strauss and/or Salome because that recording is the absolute finest.
 
#47 ·
It could be that there are better recordings than Solti's for every single opera, although to handpick them you need to find which ones they are, and truth be told ask 5 people and you will get 5 different answers. Boxset to boxset though, which conductors have a more consistently good set of the 10 Wagners than Solti?

Bingo! And I would also suggest that Solti's recordings are among the finest 2 or 3 available of nearly every Wagner and Strauss opera that he recorded.
 
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#49 ·
Presto has the Solti Wagner box for 125d. amazing value
 
#67 · (Edited)
Just made a cool discovery......it will cost you money to read on :devil:



Amazon USA just recently started to carry these CD sets under Keilberth search......

These are from the 1952 Keilberth Ring at Bayreuth, and the live mono sound quality is very good, better than the 1953 Krauss Ring! Price is very cheap at Amazon sellers USA $6.99 each, another no brainer purchase, nice artwork using Rackman illustrations seals the deal

This does not spare you the duty to purchase the expensive 1955 stereo Keilberth Ring on Testament label, it is spectacular but this makes nice addition next to it on my shelf
 
#69 · (Edited)
Just made a cool discovery......it will cost you money to read on :devil:



Amazon USA just recently started to carry these CD sets under Keilberth search......

These are from the 1952 Keilberth Ring at Bayreuth, and the live mono sound quality is very good, better than the 1953 Krauss Ring! Price is very cheap at Amazon sellers USA $6.99 each, another no brainer purchase, nice artwork using Rackman illustrations seals the deal
Itullian you need these.......you will be very pleased, booklet gives track info only

Sound quality on 1952 Keilberth CD sets is better than you expect, list of singers is golden, this is a gift from the opera gods to mortal men!

One small catch.....no Walkure for this Ring release, but other three installments available for very very cheap price
 
#68 ·
i think the Solti box edges out the Decca. close though.
 
#72 ·
congrats Llyranor. great set!!!
 
#73 · (Edited)
looks like DGG is putting out a Wagner box too.
BIG errors imho though in choice of versions.
DGG is using Solti's Lohengrin and Parsifal which are also included in the Solti box.
duuummmbbbbb.
DGG should have chosen Abaddo's Lohengrin and Karajan's Parsifal and Solti's 2nd Meistersinger.
They would then have an ALL DIGITAL Wagner box.
Good selling point, no?

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/DG/4790502
 
#75 ·
DA... There's also a Keilberth Lohengrin from 1954 with a young Birgit Nilsson:



Same price.:eek:
 
#76 ·
the Met ring is pretty good and recorded beautifully.
 
#78 ·
The new Deluxe Limited Edition of Solti's Ring, just released by Decca is a "must" for Wagnerians. A more than great reissue to honour such a milestone of the recording history. The "Limited Edition" contains much more than the once more reissued and better transferred 14 CD Ring. It is the most comprehensive Edition one could expect from Decca on this matter.
Its quite high price is absolutely justifiable, at least to me. In any case it is much cheaper than the exorbitant skyrocketed price of the SACD edition of Esoterique, which, anyway, has been sold out at prices reaching almost $900-1000!

Principe
 
#80 ·
The main selling point is the final product (including the blue ray disc). Otherwise, to pay about $300 for (predominantly) the blue ray is a bit exorbitant.
By the way, the blue ray sounds really good. Surprisingly, even the newly "transferred" CDs sound better than before. However, I haven't ever heard the notoriously expensive and uniquely prepared SACD edition of Esoterique to tell the difference.
In sum: a great, extremely carefully and brilliantly prepared final product: a true superb tribute to this most monumental recording of the past century.

Principe
 
#84 ·
anybody interested in the new EMI,DGG complete Wagner opera boxes?
 
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