Classical music reviews

Looks like a good bit of people bought this for the same reason. Anna from the end episode "La Douleur Exquise!" of season 2 of Sex and the City. Aparently other songs from teh CD were in the show too.

I had to do a good bit of googling before I finally found out the song and artist. Listening to the whole song is no disappointment...

...however the other CDs advertized by this artest seem inordinanly different... I heard somewhere that this song was made because it did a better job of representing what the artists grandmother would have liked (who gave him everything she owned when she passed away simply because she loved the fact that he wanted to study music)...

Anyhow, the end result was a very good song.

Like a lot of other people, my intention in purchasing this album was to hear the 'Anna' track that I had heard and fallen for on a particular Sex and the City episode. Turns out the rest of the tracks are just as magnificent. I'd highly recommend this to anyone seeking some truly touching and pleasant sounds.

I first heard Gunnar Madsen on Sex and the City. I couldn't figure out what song it was, but I would play it over and over with Carrie's voice over and everything. Then I figured out it was "Anna" and a moment later bought this CD. It is better than I expected, only having heard "Anna." I play this CD all the time. It is perfect for when I'm reading, driving, cooking, doing anything. It's fabulous!

Rox takes sharp witty sardonic look at man and brings his charged and challenging use of language to buzzing electric life with original music and unique delivery. Highly recommend this as a reminder to look at yourself, your values then to enjoy what life really is, in his words, from the poem Immaterial Witness:
"exactly perfect in your own imperfection" :-)

at first i didn't get it. i wasn't listening close enough. by the third time i was hooked.if he's ever in your town make sure you catch his performance. his voice reminds me of a beautiful,soulful,romantic leonard cohen. this man is truly gifted!!

Saw a few amazing shows in Vancouver this summer, the most electrifying, a night of spoken word with Roxword and Canadian sound poet legend bill bissett. Roxword ranted, whispered and exploded on stage. Haven't experienced something as wild and intoxicating in a long time. Left thirsty for more poetry and whisky or ale, as Roxword resurrected `The Ghost of Dylan Thomas' beautifully. A highlight of the show. Just recently purchased, "Spiritual Demons," a wild ride into the wisdom and humour of this artist. Throw Burroughs, Bill Hicks, Sam Beckett and Duchamp into a petri dish and see Rox emerge, smiling.

Everything other reviewers have written here about this remarkable recording (a live perfomance) is true and worthy of all the stars given it. Varnay proves herself THE Elektra of the 20th century, along with Borkh and, some will add, Nilsson. This cast of Varnay, Rysanek, Fischer and Hotter (at his prime) cannot be matched today, unfortunately.

Rysanek filmed Elektra early in the 1980's, to leave her own legacy of this great role (along with all her Chrysothemis's). If you're a Rysanek fan, like most opera lovers, try the Orfeo disc which features her in all three roles, taken from various recordings and the film. A stunt, no doubt. But what other soprano has sung all three roles in this difficult opera. The film, by the way, features Rysanek as Elektra and Varnay as Klytomestra; it's available on DVD.

A final word: this Gala recording is no longer available in the US because it uses about forty minutes of pirated selections from a Met broadcast of "Rosenkavalier" as filler material (Varnay as the Marschallin and Rise Stevens as Octavian -- talk about luxury!). But it's easy to find at UK web mail order sites, air-mailed to the US at about $20.

Elektra is a fascinating opera. These days, the title role is frequently sung by sopranos who have thick and harsh voices, strained at the top. While the quality of recording has improved,the quality of singing has declined. So what's the answer? Yes, this recording of Elekta is the answer!! It is the only Elektra that can stand on its own along with Decca's Elektra with Nilsson. That says a lot about how good this is.

This recording, in mono, in 1953 puts DDD productions in shame. UNLIKE many mono recordings, this mono is NOT DRY - it is superb mono and there is almost no tape hiss AT ALL. This is one of the great Elektras of the 20th century, don't miss the performance - there are no modern stereo digital Elektras that can compete with this recording - only the Solti and Bohm Elektras can beat this.

This was very much worth the price. I have listened to it many times, but never tire of it. I would highly recommend this CD to anyone.

This CD is truly one of the bettar CD's containing not only Tchaikovsky, but also Borodin and Rimsky-Kosakov. The most powerful peice is hard to choose, but the quick paced, Marche Slave Op.31 is sure to draw your attention. But how could we forget the classic 1812 overture with its famous cannon barrage, and the many other terrific pieces, pointing out specifically the Capriccio espagnol op. 34. I strongly suggest this CD, as with all Deutsche Grammophon(as they are superbly recorded), I am sure any lover of the great Russian Composer's will enjoy this CD.

Estas grabaciones son geniales desde un principio, son obras conocidas pero que aparecen con algo adicional.
La obertura 1812 incluye el coro en una forma impresionante, ca�ones reales y campanas de la gran catedral de Gotemburgo, es excepcional (igual o mejor que Ormandy).
La gran Pascua rusa y el capricho espa�ol, suenan increible, una orquesta soberbia para m�sica que debe hacernos sentir el vigor de su composici�n. Les estepas de Asia central es una obra peque�a en el conjunto pero necesaria para el contexto de estos compositores rusos debia estar aqui, la Marcha eslava esta casi siempre donde su hermana mayor la obertura 1812 aparece, tiene sus propios meritos como el bello motivo que la inspira en su totalidad.
Se incluye ademas las danzas polotvsianas que tienen en esta versi�n que presupondriamos orquestal a un solista de excepci�n.
M�sica rusa en plenitud y majestuosidad incomparable.
Neeme J�rvi sencillamente grandioso.

.
Source: Studio recording made at Kingsway Hall, London on June 21-23 and June 25-29, 1956. Originally issued by EMI on Lps in 1957.

Sound: The booklet accompanying this issue has this to say: "This recording was made in 1956 in the early days of stereo. As a consequence, the listener may notice some slight technical flaws that derive from the original tapes." This set was digitally remastered in 1999 with considerable success. Audiophiles who spend far more time listening to hisses and joins than they do to performances may cavil, but it sounds fine to me.

Cast: Sir John Falstaff - Tito Gobbi; Ford - Rolando Panerai; Alice Ford - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf; Nanetta Ford - Anna Moffo; Meg Page - Nan Merriman; Mistress Quickly - Fedora Barbieri; Fenton - Luigi Alva; Dr. Cajus - Tomaso Spataro; Bardolfo - Renato Ercolani; Pistola - Nicola Zaccaria. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus. Producer: Walter Legge.

Format: Disk 1 - Act I, Part One, tracks 1-4; Act I, Part Two, tracks 5-12; Act II, Part One, tracks 13-20;55:04. Disk 2 - Act II, Part Two, tracks 1-10; Act III, Part One, tracks 11-16; Act III, Part Two, tracks 17-26; 64:38.

Documentation: Libretto in German, Italian, English and French. Short synopsis of the plot. Photographs of the conductor (of course!) and the principal singers. Track list that identifies characters singing, provides timings and the page of the libretto on which the text is to be found. Richard Osborne contributed a brief history of the opera and a gush of adulation for von Karajan. (Not recommended for readers who must control the sugar in their diet.)

Let me be up front with this: I consider "Falstaff" to be one of the two greatest operas ever written. I am fully aware that it is not and has never been especially popular with audiences and I think that a dirty rotten shame.

This is far and away the best stereo "Falstaff." No subsequently recorded Jack Falstaff approached Gobbi in the part: Taddei in Karajan's second stereo version was caught too late in his career; Terfel lost the character amid the mugging; Evans was good but no match for Gobbi in either voice or style; Fischer-Dieskau was inherently mismatched and miscast in Italian opera.

No subsequent recording musters an ensemble of singers that even comes close to the 1956 cast assembled by producer Walter Legge. Beside the extraordinary Gobbi were the equally impressive Panerai as Ford and Anna Moffo as Nanetta Ford. Luigi Alva was certainly one of the best light tenors of the day. Merriman was an old pro as Meg Page, having served under Toscanini in the same role. Barbieri was a tremendous Mistress Quickly. Her hilarious variations on the greeting, "Reverenza," ring in the mind. Schwarzkopf was an exquisite and sharp-witted Alice Ford.

Legge and von Karajan put in a great deal of time and work into preparation of this performance and it all appears in the sound of the set. Seldom has any conductor achieved such accuracy and unanimity of purpose. The Philharmonia Orchestra was at its peak of prowess and sounds tremendous.

All these things fully justify a five star rating.

That said, I feel bound to point out that while Karajan's 1956 recording is the best stereo performance, it is not the best recorded performance. Karajan's handling of any opera always requires something of an acquired taste. The ensemble is good but not perfect. Alva was a fine technician but he lacked fire. Cesare Valetti would have been preferable and Ferruccio Tagliavini better yet. Schwarzkopf, Walter Legge's wife, was wonderful, but no-one would ever mistake her for a true Italian soprano or a natural Verdian. Tebaldi was tied to rival Decca Records and therefore unavailable, but there were other full-voiced sopranos at the time, such as Antonietta Stella or Caterina Mancini. Or Callas.

The best performance is Toscanini's 1950 mono version with Giuseppe Valdengo as the Fat Knight. (Some would argue that Toscanini's pre-war "Falstaff" is better still, but time and recording technology put that one out of the running as far as I am concerned.) Toscanini's cast is very nearly a match for Karajan's and his earthy, fiery conducting makes Herr Doktor K's seem restrained and over-refined.

A 1949 performance, in mono naturally, has strong claim to be regarded as at least an equal of the 1956 Karajan. It was led by Mario Rossi, a conductor who could find the fun in the score that sometimes eluded Karajan. It's excellent all-Italian cast included the Falstaff of the young Giuseppe Taddei, who understood the character as well as Gobbi and possessed a better singing voice.

The legendary producer Walter Legge was adored by musical artists because he demanded only the very best from them and ignored any resistance from corporate higher-ups complaining about costs or from the artists themselves, who often wound up recording late in the day after dozens of takes. Now we can be grateful that Legge went the extra mile. His opera recordings, especially the ones under Karajan, have rarely been equalled and never surpassed. In later lifeKarajan himself tried to repeat these early triumphs but never succeeded in artistic terms.

The other reviewers here have pointed out all there is to say in praise of this classic EMI Falstaff. The only reservation would be with Gobbi's voice, which isn't plush or rich and exhibits a fast beat. These shortcomings are more than compensated for by his vocal acting.

For what it's worth, Karajan recorded a second Falstaff on Philips with an aging Giuseppe Taddei in the lead, and it was not half as successful overall. Other eminent conductors, among them Giulini, Bernstein, and Abbado, have tried to find magic in this elusive score. The Giulini is too straitlaced, the Bernstein has a woefully wrong Fischer-Dieskau in the lead, and the Abbado showcases Bryn Tefel's signature portrayal, currently the best in the world if you like his extreme overacting, but the rest of the cast is forgettable. Karajan and Legge got everything right five decades ago, and in that they are unique.

Reference recordings are the touchstone by which all others are judged. The Callas-Gobbi Tosca is the universal example of a recording whose excellence so towers over the field as to bend the artistic vision of every subsequent laborer in the operatic vineyard in homage, conciously or not. Such recordings are extremely rare. Perhaps two dozen at best. By such rigorous standards this 1956 recording of Verdi's miraculous final Opera falls short of attaining the lofty status of Reference recording. Rather, it occupies that second tier of presumptive best for a large number (but not all!) of Opera devotees to whom the status of favorite recording is defended with a rabid zeal best reserved for fanatic warriors and religious zealots. Opera fans are a tough crew prepared to defend their favorites with a level of Mutually Assured Destruction not seen since the Cold War. It can get positively radioactive in the lobby of the Met between acts. I know. I've seen it.

There is a Golden-Age warmth to this recording. EMI had perfected the business of Vocal recordings in the 1950's. Something in the water, perhaps. One can hear it in all
of EMI's classic Opera recordings of the era. Even the ones in Mono (for which we can thank Producer Walter Legge's alleged hatred of stereophonic sound). Recorded in London's Kingway Hall in June 1956 there is a Midsummer's magic in the sparkle with which Gobbi inhabits the role of Falstaff. Recording during those long days was an inspiration not to be ignored. Everything about this Opera screams "more light!" As if the 80 year old Verdi willed himself youth through art. Karajan in his youth - well before illness slowed him considerably - had a clarity of style I have always admired. Listen to the way the woodwinds cavort throughout this recording. They seem to speak, commenting on the action. Sometimes they merge with women's voices with truly magical effect. Afterall, this is an Opera of texture, of delicacy of sound prefiguring Webern by 30 years. In this it is truly modern: pointing the way to a new century while simultaneously (and literally) ending an era.

Sure it's tuneful. The tunes are shorter. It's as simple as that. Don't be put off by the lack of bang-up aria. The entire Opera is a song. Schwarzkopf, Merriman and Moffo (What a cast!) are suberb. They have rarely sounded so youthful yet wise. Vocal quality (to my ear at least) sounds easy and natural for each member of the cast. I cannot find a hint of Scarpia in Gobbi's performance. That's quite a feat since Gobbi is not a Falstaff that comes quickly to mind when discussing casting this role. Everything falls comfortably into place in this classic recording. It is a personal touchstone Opera performance.
In a review of Gardiner's recent recording of this Opera, I mention Toscanini's justifiably lauded performance as occupying one of the antipodes of Falstaff performance practice. Karajan's is unquestionably the other. Lighting the way for all that comes after. Not bad for a long day's work. I love this record. 5 out of 5 stars with no debate.

Power--power is the reason to buy this music. No classical composer captures the warlike, Nietzschean sense of glorified violence like Wagner; the gold-plating of the hard brass gives the music a brilliant, almost divine, armor. "Entry of the Gods into Valhalla" is so great that sometimes I play it again and again, reveling in its imperial grandeur.

This is a budget CD for a reason. However good George Szell was, I'm not szolld on this budget orchestral music. On my high-quality stereo system, the music plays like it's coming from the radio. The music is flat--its brass never busts out--meaning that this is merely a Wagner sampler; if you really like what you hear, you're going to have to buy another CD to maximize your listening experience.

Criticisms aside, this is a good CD. There are few Wagner CDs available with only orchestration, and none (except the other Sony Essentials) at this price. And it has a 76'44" run time. For the notes, Sony uses Wagner's own descriptions of the scenes he's depicting in music, which really helps me (at last I can almost see the Valkyries instead of Bugs and Elmer!) and makes me want to learn more about Wagner's wonderful mythical stories in addition to his majestic music.

Sony's "Essential Classics" line is not usually thought of as much of a hunting ground for audiophiles. In the eyes of the purists, the CBS engineers of the 60s and 70s were apparently guilty of all sorts of no-nos: compression, mid-band boosting, multi-miking the orchestra to bring out detail that wouldn't be heard in the concert hall, and so forth. But this recording defies all expectation, even in its budget incarnation. If you have a decent stereo system, this CD is magical. The illusion of concert-hall depth has to be heard to be believed. There is tremendous dynamic range and clarity to burn, even in the climaxes. The sound is detailed--occasional chair creaks are faintly audible--but not, to my mind, artificially so. And there is that sense of space around the instruments that sets apart the greatest recordings from the also-rans. (As an aside, I don't know how much of a role Bejun Mehta has in tweaking the sound of these old recordings, but I have noticed that if his name is in the engineering credits of a Sony CD it is likely to be well above average.) Anyway, this is a real sonic treat. And the music-making is of course superb!

For those who have the other CBS classic recording of overtures...this one is a must for any serious Ring collector. We have Szell on the top of his form giving an incredible performance...sonorities are clean and withouout the plodding sentimentality heard in the 20s. Szell is just the man to give us this music...he has a rather pristine view of Wagner textures...sound is always clean and the melody is allowed to come to the fore.


I have always liked this record...which far surpassed the crappy Ormandy Wagner album...that was a pretty banal attempt at Wagner. I found Ormandy more convincing in Sibelius.

When I fist listened to the clips from this CD on Amazon I wondered why on earth they put the patriotic songs at the end, and also wondered a little at the other non christmas songs. After listening to it several times however I realized why. They don't leave Jesus in the manger, but take him all the way up to today! Wow. To me that is totally amazing. There arn't many christmas CD's that do that, but I think it really balances things out. I really enjoyed the Drummer Boy, and all of the rest of the songs. I would definantly say that this was a good buy.

This recording is a wonderful addition to any Christmas collection. It has power, charm and just enough reverence! Anthony Kearn's "Lord's Prayer" is magnificent! Finbar Wright's "How Great Thou Art" is awe-inspiring! After four years with the "Irish Tenors" poor Mr. Wright still must endure the ignorance of a few "fans", being constantly compared to John McDermott. Finbar took the "Irish Tenors" to a new level, as acknowledged by both Kearns and Tynan. I wonder how long "Ringo" had to endure being compared to Peter Best? Get over it people!

In their second Christmas album, the three Irish tenors have another very lovely collection of Christmas favorites and a few not so well known. The duets are particularly beautiful and, while I, like other reviewers, would have preferred an all-Christmas album, the American anthems are stirring and well done. My only caveat is the absence of John McDermott, whom I miss. His voice added something less homogenized to the mix and although Finbar Wright has a more operatic tenor voice, I would prefer McDermott if I had my druthers. Nonetheless, this a a grand Christmas album and I recommend it enthusiastically.

I've been listening to this album in tandem with another favorite Liz story album 'Part of Fortune.' There are eight years between these albums and to me, at least, it seems that this dedicated pianist/composer has come full circle in that time period. Sometimes the same, but often the better for her explorations.

Still the same is Liz Story's light-handed style that roams the keyboard with a steady flow of notes. Sometimes letting the melody lead, and other times letting it break through the surface of the music almost porpoise-like, with the same wry smile.

Influenced by both Mozart and jazzman Bill Evans, she has developed a style that bridges the gap between chordal and arpeggiated harmonies that seems to be as much self-expression as it is music. One leaves a Story album with a sense of having met the performer and being happier for it.

Music varies from the humor of "Captain April" to the romantic of "Beginner's Mind." "Out of Time's" introspective shifts are balanced by the jazz-like tonalities of "The Promise." The concluding piece "Remember Me This Way" is a beautiful, tiny fragment - unforgettable, and perfect in it's way.

There is something about the way that Captain April begins that is precisely right. Real April begins the same way. This cd is captivating from the very first note. As a whole, I would be hard pressed to say that I have ever listened to an entire CD that has been more compelling. That is quite a statement to make. I am so very glad that heaven has graced earth with Liz Story, and that she has graced us all with her music. Both her perceptiveness and ability are remarkable.

I don't know why but beautiful music always reminds me of something and this CD reminds me of waterfalls splashing over rocks amongst misty meadows. It's got to be the piano and the way the melodies ebb and flow that just feels like the magic and serenity of rushing water. The music just seems to carry you away in a lovely enchanting dream.

Ok, I have to admit that I bought this CD only because my daughter had recently participated in a jazz concert at her high school with Cheryl Bentyne. I thought it would be fun to have a CD by someone that my daughter had performed with. It is not only fun to know that, but the CD is a pleasure to listen to as well!

Cheryl Bentyne epitomizes good music and her voice is simply marvelous. She sings these time-tested standards so beautifully. Having loved the music of The Manhattan Transfer in the eighties, I am not a new fan of Ms. Bentyne. She is indeed an awesome vocalist be it as a solo performer or with the Manhattan Transfer, which is very well-known for their hits and my favorites - the Grammy Award winning song "Birdland," "The Boy From New York City," "Shaker Song" and "Embraceable You." This unique ensemble has collected at least ten Grammy Awards to add to their credentials.

This recording is a testament that Ms. Bentyne possesses one of the most exquisite vocals in the jazz scene and her singing style is simply amazing. She is backed up by talented jazz musicians namely: Corey Allen (piano/organ) and he's also the album producer/arranger/director, Kenny Barron (piano), John Patitucci (bass), Lewis Nash (drums), Don Alas (percussion), David Newman (tenor sax), Chuck Mangione (flugelhorn-solo), Mark Kibble and Alvin Chea (background vocals).

My personal favorites include one of the greatest songs ever written and composed by George and Ira Gershwin - "They Can't Take That Away From Me" which features the wonderful flugelhorn playing of one of my favorite jazz artists, Chuck Mangione, who is famous for his hit tune "Feels So Good."

You'll also enjoy listening to Ray Noble's beautiful song "The Very Thought Of You," which according to Ms. Bentyne is her very favorite song from this collection. It's so remarkable and this is the best female vocal version I've heard so far.

Her charming interpretation of "Love Me Or Leave Me" gave this song a whole new style and elegance. "These Foolish Things" is so delightfully sentimental that I had to hit the repeat button and listen to it again and again and again. Ditto with "It Might As Well Be Spring," which has a Latin flavor, kind of mambo-ish rhythm to it that makes it a real sheer beauty. I truly adore this version. The intro and arrangements are somewhat similar to "Shaker Song."

And . . . my absolute number one choice from this collection is "Girl Talk," a song composed and penned by Bobby Troup and Neal Hefti. Her interpretation and the arrangements are so sublime and I just loved the chorus. But let me tell you, I guess they love shopping for clothes, purses and shoes more than engaging in "Girl Talk." At least speaking for myself - I just have that "Mind Your Own Business!" philosophy.

"We like to chat about the dresses we will wear tonight
We chew the fat about our tresses and the neighbor's fight
Inconsequential things that men don't really care to know
Become essential things that women find so apropos
It's just a dame, we're all the same
It's just a game, we call it "Girl Talk"
"Girl Talk" . . .

We all 'meow' about the ups and downs of all our friends
The who, the how, the why
We dish the dirt, it never ends
The goddess touch, they love so much
All mortal males behold
And though we joke, we wouldn't trade you
For a ton of gold
So Honey stay, don't walk away
Just hear me say that after "Girl Talk,"
Talk to me."

In conclusion, I heartily recommend this jazzy and classy CD for your listening pleasure. It's the kind of music you will love to listen to forever and a day!

P.S. I couldn't wait until I get hold of her "Moonlight Serenade" CD.

* * * * *TEN STARS* * * * *

Cheryl Bentyne is super in this compilation that includes many old classics. As a follower of the Manhattan Transfer since the 70's and one privileged to see Cheryl in a solo concert in her home town, I am always in awe of her talent. Incredible!

Wagner wanted two singers in the roles of Tristan and Isolde who could be credible young lovers. However, he wrote vocal parts that only massive heldentenors and hefty Brunnhildes could sing. Kleiber decided to solve this dilemma through the magic of the microphone. You may think it works; I am not so sure.

Margaret Price is a Mozart singer, a Pamina whose lyric soprano gained more weight in later years. She has a uniquely fruity, somewhat hooty voice that still manages to sound fairly rich, and she is very feminine. She oculd no more sing Isolde on stage than Kathleen Battle could, but she gives it a game try here. Even in a studio under miked conditions she doesn't sound right; the volume is there, thanks to the engineers, but you don't hear a true Isolde.

Kollo is ocnsierably worse. He did sing Tristan on stage (or am I fantasizing that?), but he is possessed of a dry tone and often forces. He has no legato and not the slightest heroic "carry" to convince you that he is riding over a big orchestra.

Both do their best, and in aid of making this a thoroughly modern Tristan, as opposed to Furtwangler's, Kleiber keeps the pace going at a fast clip. There is no denying Kleiber's stature, and for a while I htought I oculd appreciate him and ignore the rest. In the end, however, a Tristan without singers can't be sustained.

I own Kleiber's and B�hm's Tristan and find them to be complementary. Kleiber's very lyric interpretation is best where the score calls for harmony (after drinking the potion in the first act and until being discovered by Marke in the second act), B�hm's very dramatic interpretation is best where the score calls for drama (until drinking the potion in the first act and after being discovered by Marke in the second act). The Kleiber recording is mellifluous where it should be - but a touch too lyric where the protagonists should be at the verge of madness. In contrast, the B�hm recording succeeds at conveying the deepest pain possible where it should but falls short at conveying utter one-ness of Tristan and Isolde.

As I haven't found the perfect Tristan yet (which probably doesn't exist), I enjoy next to perfect Tristan listening sessions by switching between the B�hm and Kleiber recordings at the points given above. The only part I am yet undecided about is the final part of act 1 (when the curtains are torn wide apart and Brangaene breaks in between Tristan and Isolde).

This Kleiber recording contains the best second act of Tristan I know. Throughout the recording, the main protagonists sing beautifully AND clearly. If you know your German but don't have your libretto at hand, you will find that you can easily do without reading the lyrics.

This version of "Tristan und Isolde" is a marvel in every respect. Listening to the great Prelude gives you a clear indication of what you are in for: forbidden love and hidden emotions are conveyed with playing of hushed mystery and hesitation, while the gradually exposed passion elicits white-hot execution by Kleiber and the Dresdeners. The extremes of the entire score are splendidly realized by conductor, orchestra and singers alike.

Some people seem puzzled by the choice of Margaret Price as Isolde, but the decision to use her was a brilliant one. Her singing is angry and defiant in Act I, whereas in the Act II love music it is sensuous and creamy. You can just hear Price's shifting of dramatic gears in the way she uses her voice. And her lyrical singing of Act III's Transfiguration is simply perfect. (For the record, I was raised on Bohm's 1966 version, but over the years I've grown tired of Birgit Nilsson's interpretation. She does indeed struggle with the many tender moments of the score. She provides the best Brunnhilde out there, I think, but there are certainly better Isolde's.) Rene Kollo as Tristan was in good form for this recording. He strains on a couple of notes in Act II, but on the whole, he provides all of the many emotions called for by this role. A few listeners hear the Kollo "wobble" happening, but I have no such problems with him here. For me the ability to *act* through singing is often more important than sheer beauty of tone. And Kollo acts this role as well as any Tristan I've heard, except perhaps Vickers. The marvelous Act III really belongs to Tristan, and Kollo especially shines here. Dietrich Fischer-Diskau is excellent as Kurwenal: yes, he is barky in Act I, but in Act III, where the depths of his character are truly reached, Fischer-Diskau does his usual superb work. Brigitte Fassbaender covers the range of Brangaene effectively; she is a fine complement to Price. I only find myself wishing for the impeccable Christa Ludwig during Brangaene's Watch Song of Act II. Okay, maybe I wish for Christa in general...but Fassbaender sings with real conviction. The smaller but important role of King Marke is wonderfully realized by Kurt Moll.

There can't be high enough praise for Carlos Kleiber or the Dresden Staatskapelle. As of "Tristan und Isolde," Wagner once and for all elevated the role of the orchestra to the forefront. Kleiber and company are in complete command of the enormous flexibility required by the score. This digital recording captures every nuance, no matter how small, but the overall sweep is never lost. The sound has fantastic balance, clarity and transparency. One nice touch, if you listen with headphones, was Kleiber's placing of the first violins somewhat to the left and the second violins to the right. This isn't to say that there is gimmicky sonic manipulation going on, a la Karajan. In this case, where Wagner frequently writes violin lines by interlocking and alternating the two groups, the light separation of sound only adds to the astonishing lucidity of texture.

Act III of this opera is especially awe-inspiring. Again, Kleiber and his forces are up to the task. The Prelude, for starters, is masterfully performed: dark, bleak, and desolate. At the opposite end, this recording's Transfiguration is the best I've heard. (I also own Bernstein's version of "Tristan." As much as I respect Bernstein and his many achievements, I am disappointed by his "Tristan." Enough said for now.)

Kleiber's enigmatic career, his perfectionism, sadly brought forth too few recordings. Everything he attempted seemed to wipe away all the interpretive encrustations. Here is his "Tristan," and it is simply a treasure. (And thank God for his "Freischutz.") If I had to recommend a single recording of Wagner's landmark, Kleiber's passionate, transcendent account would get the nod.