tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post2612767653119385204..comments2024-03-28T12:59:05.739-07:00Comments on Iron Tongue of Midnight: Bargains: Hoisted from the CommentsLisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-45341207996086505212011-07-07T07:05:03.472-07:002011-07-07T07:05:03.472-07:00This is why I asked you about your priorities.This is why I asked you about your priorities.Lisa Hirschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-84766453294003073002011-07-07T07:01:46.806-07:002011-07-07T07:01:46.806-07:00"=->>You cannot, will not go wrong with..."=->>You cannot, will not go wrong with one of the Furtwangler Rings.<br /><br />But you said the orchestras sucked.Joe Barronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16638252347181688694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-40197315631462052862011-07-06T09:21:59.921-07:002011-07-06T09:21:59.921-07:00Joe, I am not much into telling people what to do....Joe, I am not much into telling people what to do. Tell me just a little bit about your priorities and I will try to narrow down the choices.<br /><br />However, given that my priorities are the conducting and singing, here are some easy recommendations - <br /><br />You cannot, will not go wrong with one of the Furtwangler Rings. I prefer the RAI Ring to the Scala, perhaps owing to the presence of the great Sena Jurinac in a bunch of smaller roles, but you will not go wrong with either the Scala for $28 at BRO or the RAI for $38 at MDT.<br /><br />Ferdinand Frantz is the Wotan on both of those sets, and I like him just fine; Flagstad is Brunnhilde on the Scala set, Modl on the RAI. <br /><br />f you want Hotter and Varnay, get the Krauss or the stereo Keilberth. Krauss is the better and more vivid conductor. <br /><br />Not discussed, Kna on Music & Arts, also with Hotter and Varnay and a great set. Not sure what it is currently selling for but I paid around $60.Lisa Hirschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-38068804851047767052011-07-06T08:51:28.598-07:002011-07-06T08:51:28.598-07:00Sigh. I have the Levine Met on DVD. Maybe I'll...Sigh. I have the Levine Met on DVD. Maybe I'll just stick with that.Joe Barronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16638252347181688694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-48020546101220855632011-07-05T17:30:53.513-07:002011-07-05T17:30:53.513-07:00I accidentally cut a crucial sentence:
I don'...I accidentally cut a crucial sentence:<br /><br />I don't have a favorite Ring. I think I have nine complete sets plus the Pearl Potted Ring, and there are good things on all of them - even the overrated Solti.Lisa Hirschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-70148608524621331592011-07-05T17:29:28.646-07:002011-07-05T17:29:28.646-07:00Gosh, no. The singing is best on the 50s Bayreuth ...Gosh, no. The singing is best on the 50s Bayreuth sets and maybe the Goodall, which is variable but has wonderful singers as Wotan, Brunnhilde, and Siegfried. <br /><br />I like the conducting of Furtwangler (both his live Rings) and Knappertsbusch the best. Janowski is also excellent and I have a soft spot in my heart for the eccentric Goodall. (I've never heard any of Haitink, Barenboim, or Dohnanyi's Ring recordings - Dohnanyi only got half way through - and while I'm sure the conducting is fine, the singers look....more variable than I would find tolerable.)<br /><br />The orchestral playing is good to great on most, with the exceptions being the scrappy RAI and La Scala orchestras for Furtwangler and the Sadler's Wells for Goodall. I'm willing to live with weak orchestras for great conducting, though.Lisa Hirschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-2718477580272465442011-07-05T17:20:05.856-07:002011-07-05T17:20:05.856-07:00You make it sound like buying a car. I thought at...You make it sound like buying a car. I thought at some point you were going to simply going to tell us which recording is your favorite.Joe Barronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16638252347181688694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-43956426217834651452011-06-30T17:17:04.052-07:002011-06-30T17:17:04.052-07:00Given the following parameters, what is the order ...Given the following parameters, what is the order of you priorities? <br /><br />Conducting <br />Sound quality (mono vs. stereo)<br />Singing<br />Price (name your limit)<br /><br />And do you have any preferences among Wagnerian singers and conductors?Lisa Hirschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-32845668235702271532011-06-30T17:13:40.133-07:002011-06-30T17:13:40.133-07:00With all due respect, Your Grace, I'm not real...With all due respect, Your Grace, I'm not really asking for ways to find deals. I'm asking fro which Ring you think I should get.Joe Barronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16638252347181688694noreply@blogger.com