CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen

CD-Charts > Music > Baritones
by: Deryck Cooke, Georg Solti, Wiener Philharmoniker, Anita Valkki, Berit Lindholm, Birgit Nilsson, Brigitte Fassbaender, Christa Ludwig, Claire Watson, Claudia Hellmann, Dame Gwyneth Jones, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Eberhard Wächter, George London, Gerhard Stolze, Gottlob Frick, Grace Hoffmann, Gustav Neidlinger, Hans Hotter, Helen Watts, Helga Dernesch, Hetty Plumacher, Ira Malaniuk, James King, Jean Madeira, Joan Sutherland, Kirsten Flagstad, Kurt Böhme, Lucia Popp, Marga Höffgen, Marilyn Tyler, Maureen Guy, Oda Balsborg, Paul Kuen, Régine Crespin, Set Svanholm, Vera Little, Vera Schlosser, Waldemar Kmentt, Walter Kreppel, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Release Date September 13, 2005
In order to understand Wagner's ring you may simply listen to his work, about 15 hours, but some explanation can be of great help. And that is the purpose of these CD's, where a narrator uses short music examples (motifs) to give an insight of how it all fits together. In books, you often get only written music scores, and the author expects you to understand them. Here, the music itself is used. Again, this is a spoken book on 2 CD's presenting and explaining some of the ring's music themes. It was a great help for me.

CD-Charts Position 2
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Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor / Sutherland · Pavarotti · Milnes · Ghiaurov · ROH Covent Garden · Bonynge

CD-Charts > Music > Baritones
by: Richard Bonynge, Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Covent Garden Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Sherrill Milnes, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Ryland Davies, Pier Francesco Poli, composer: Gaetano Donizetti, conductor: Richard Bonynge

Release Date August 12, 1985
What Pavarotti does here is totally amazing. For me, the highest point of the opera is "Tombe degli avi miei" and "Fra poco a me ricovero". It is a riveting scene, when Edgardo sings next to the tomb of his ancestors his love and inevitable sacrifice to Lucia, who, unknown to him, was already dead. Sutherland is a joy to hear too. Pavarotti and Sutherland made various records together for Decca in the 70s and this one is by far the best of the lot.

CD-Charts Position 3
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Carmen / Troyanos, Domingo, van Dam, Te Kanawa; Sir Georg Solti

CD-Charts > Music > Baritones
by: Georges Bizet, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Tatiana Troyanos, Plácido Domingo, Sir Georg Solti, José van Dam, Kiri Te Kanawa, Norma Burrowes, Jane Berbié, John Alldis Choir

Release Date October 25, 1990
First of all, History:

Carmen is not a grand opera. The belief in the opposite is one of the most artistically catastrophic malapropisms in the history of Western music. Georges Bizet, the greatest French composer of his day (in the world of Charles Gounod and Jacques Offenbach), is remembered today as a tiger of a conductor, an unbending an inflexible stalwart of musical realism, anti-establishment, and verismo (that red-blooded dramatic art perfected in part by Puccini and Mascagni). He composed Carmen in the tradition of the opéra-comique, an operatic sphere dating back to Mozartian comedy a la Le Nozze di Figaro, with musical sections accompanied by spoken recitatives or dialogues.

The Homeric tale of opera's creation, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
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Songs of Free Men/ A Paul Robeson Recital

CD-Charts > Music > Baritones
from: Sony

Release Date December 09, 1997
Really enjoyable set of songs. I never tire of hearing Robeson sing. These songs are my constant delight while on the road.

CD-Charts Position 5
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Bryn Terfel - Handel Arias / Scottish CO, Mackerras

CD-Charts > Music > Baritones
by: George Frideric Handel, Charles Mackerras, Bryn Terfel, Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Release Date October 14, 1997
Bryn Terfel's flexible, powerful, and velvety (give me a better adjective for this) voice is well suited to navigating the variety of bombastic and melodramatic arias characterizing Handel's various offerings. These are well punctuated by more tender passages which the composer was equally adept at producing. All in all a most satisfying recording that I seem never to tire of hearing.

CD-Charts Position 6
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Tannhäuser / Domingo, Studer, Baltsa, Salminen, A. Schmidt; Sinopoli

CD-Charts > Music > Baritones
by: Richard Wagner, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Plácido Domingo, Cheryl Studer, Agnes Baltsa, Matti Salminen, Andreas Schmidt, Barbara Bonney, Clemens Bieber

Release Date September 27, 1989
I had just seen Tannhauser and this was better even without the visuals. The music was hauntingly beautiful and the cast far more even. Domingo, Studer and Baltsa were excellent.

CD-Charts Position 7
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Orff: Carmina Burana / McNair, Aler, Hagegard; Slatkin

CD-Charts > Music > Baritones
by: Carl Orff, Leonard Slatkin, Sylvia McNair, John Aler, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Hakan Hagegard

Release Date October 11, 1994
This is the first Carmina Burana I heard, so I'm attached to it, and a little biased. After listening to a number of recordings out there, I'd say that it's still my favorite as far as intensity and passion--some of the tempi are a little far out, but I think that suits the spirit of the piece. McNair and Hagegard are phenomenal, and the tenor Aler acquits himself well with this insanely ranging tenor solo.

I think it's an excellent first recording, but perhaps not *absolute* perfection. The cover is a bit silly, but perhaps the composer would approve--it is, after all, a ribald and orgiastic romp through some very sensual text and music.

CD-Charts Position 8
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Donizetti - Maria Stuarda / Sutherland, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Bonynge

CD-Charts > Music > Baritones
from: Decca (Universal)

Release Date May 16, 1990
only one question - where is opera and drama ? i'm tired of Dame Joan boring singing! this is exhibition of high notes! and for her it doesn't matter what is this opera about or what senses are expressed by music."La Equally"

CD-Charts Position 9
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Wagner - Der fliegende Holländer / Morris, Voigt, Heppner, Rootering, Groves, Svendén, MET, Levine

CD-Charts > Music > Baritones
by: Deborah Voigt, Richard Wagner, James Morris, Ben Heppner, James Levine, Brigitta Svendén, Paul Groves, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Jan-Hendrick Rootering

Release Date April 15, 1997
This recording, featuring noted Wagnerians James Morris and Deborah Voight, is a great recording of Dutchman. I can't figure out why there are so many negative reviews here.

Morris' Dutchman is nothing short of stunning and Voigt makes an amazing Senta (her rendition of Senta's Ballad is just perfect). Dismiss the naysayers and add this to your collection.

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Wagner: Lohengrin

CD-Charts > Music > Baritones
by: Richard Wagner, Sir Georg Solti, Plácido Domingo, Jessye Norman, Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Staatsoperchor, Eva Randova, Hans Sotin, Siegmund Nimsgern Anna Gonda, Peter Jelosits, Thomas Mohr Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

Release Date October 25, 1990
First let me point out this opera is one of my favorites. I do prefer it live and exciting. Generally I don't care for studio recordings at all. This recording has Solti/Domingo and that is special right there. In the early 1960s I found Solti's work wonderful and exciting. Here I find it easy going with toned down climaxes. I blame a portion of it on those Decca/London studio engineers. Like Solti's Ring I find too much sound and not enough spontaneity. Domingo is a great singer, perhaps the greatest to come out of the last half of the twentieth century. Watch the dvd Abbado/Domingo what a difference! Domingo pours out glorious sound not only in the solo moments but in the big ones as well. A riveting performance with Abbado.The rest of Solti's recording is fine even with a dull Norman. Funny ... Read More: