Wagner: (Der) Fliegende Holländer

Advantages: The ultimate operatic experience
Disadvantages: It's complicated, but so was Wagner

...To the uninitiated, listening to the Ring Cycle first is not the best way to try and understand the world of Richard Wagner and his romantic notion of life on earth as we know it today. Something like reading Herman Hesse's Glass Bead Game first, then exploring his earlier works. That's a back-to-front approach. Likewise with Wagner. You need to start at the beginning and work your way through the elements of his creativity and composition. When you finally reach the Ring cycle, your love of the music will be enhanced and your understanding about a musical genius fully appreciated. So, let's take a tour of Wagner's operas and try to build a foundation of understanding of his operas from our listening point of view. Some commentators believe the Ring Cycle was clear in Wagner's mind before he started writing any operas... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Music to my ears
Disadvantages: Novocaine for my backside

...I'm sitting here about to write an opinion on Wagner's Ring and wondering seriously if a) I'm mad b) if I'll finish it before the end of my life, and c) whether it will be of any use to anyone else whatsoever. Nevertheless, my Ciao motto is "write what you know", and I know Wagner's Ring, and especially Solti's first, and benchmark, recording at least as well as the back of my hand. I recommend this glorious early sixties boxed-set over and above any other, since you have some of the last links here with singers that studied with those who had worked with Wagner. The glorious Norwegian soprano Kirsten Flagstad appears in one of her final recordings as Fricka in Das Rheingold (when she sat quietly knitting at a piano rehearsal, the general concensus was that "the old girl's past it" until she began to sing...), Hans Hotter turns... Read review

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Advantages: I am glad I was introduced to this one.
Disadvantages: One dodgy track could have been omited.

...Auf Der Maur were a band that I had not heard of before last week. It was not till I read a review by one-true-ben that they came to my attention. I was interested enough to investigate their web site and was very impressed and I downloaded the four available video's from there and have been listening to them for days while I have waited for the album to arrive. I am writing this as I listen to it for the first time because I wanted write it now to get my first impressions. I haven't even opened it yet. It says on the cellophane wrapper, 'Le premier album de Mellisa Auf Der Maur en collaberation avec les meilleurs musiciens du rock nord-american' The album arrived from CDWoW via airmail from Hong Kong, actually faster than the royal mail would have delivered it from next door, but that is beside the point. I am trying... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful