Notes and Editorial Reviews
*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***
WAGNER
Die Walküre:
Ride of the Valkyries; Magic Fire Music.
Siegfried:
Forest Murmurs.
Das Rheingold:
Invocation of Alberich and Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla.
Götterdämmerung:
Dawn and Siegfried’s Rhine Journey; Siegfried’s Funeral March; Immolation Scene
•
Eugene Ormandy, cond;
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Philadelphia O
•
RCA-ArkivMusic 38286 (58:47)
The playing order of this disc is as given in the headnote; I suppose the operas were rearranged in order to start the disc off with the
Ride of the Valkyries
, which also serves as the title of the disc. All the music is strictly orchestral; where necessary, vocal lines are given to instruments. This hour (almost) of
Ring
bleeding chunks is glorious; of course, the Philadelphia Orchestra had been playing Wagner in various forms since the early Stokowski days. The
Rheingold
excerpt is probably his arrangement; it begins with the “Curse” motive, followed by the descent to Nibelheim, and segues into Donner’s call. The two
Walküre
excerpts are in the usual form, as is the
Forest Murmurs
. The
Rhine Journey
is given in a generous version that includes the climax and end of the Siegfried-Brünnhilde duet; it has a concert ending rather than the quiet music that leads into act I. Finally, the
Immolation Scene
, 7-1/2 minutes’ worth, begins with Brünnhilde’s call to Wotan’s ravens.
The
Ride of the Valkyries
and
Forest Murmurs
were recorded at Town Hall in 1969; the rest of the music was done at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in 1971. The sound is quite good, lacking only the last measure of immediacy; the brass section truly shines. If you like your Wagner in purely orchestral guise, this is a great way to get it.
FANFARE: Richard A. Kaplan
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Works on This Recording
1.
Die Walküre: Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner
Conductor:
Eugene Ormandy
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philadelphia Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1856; Germany
Date of Recording: 10/01/1969
2.
Die Walküre: Magic Fire Music by Richard Wagner
Conductor:
Eugene Ormandy
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philadelphia Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1856; Germany
Date of Recording: 03/1971
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