Richard Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - George Solti Blu-ray Audio

[Deciazulado]

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - Georg Solti Blu-ray

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - George Solti Blu-ray

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - George Solti Blu-ray

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - George Solti Blu-ray


Deluxe version

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - George Solti Blu-ray Review

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - George Solti Blu-ray Audio

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - George Solti Blu-ray Audio

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - George Solti Blu-ray Audio

Limited Edition of Georg Solti's complete iconic recording of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen on 1 lossless 24-bit Blu-ray Audio Disc exclusive to this edition, or 14CDs, plus:

• Double CD of Deryck Cooke's Introduction to the Ring
• CD of various Wagner overtures and orchestral works
• DVD of The Golden Ring - the BBC documentary about the making of the recording.
• Facsimiles of pages from Solti's rehearsal edition of the Ride of the Valkyries (exclusive to this edition)
• The Ring Resounding - John Culshaw's account of the entire project from inception to completion (exclusive to this edition)
• 5 exclusive art prints of photographs from the recording sessions (exclusive to this edition)
• 40 page brochure with facsimiles of the original Gramophone reviews and the adverts that were placed for the original releases (exclusive to this edition)

12" x 12" Hardcover book

[Russell_L]

Thanks, Deci. I've already pre-ordered this set via Amazon, even though the release date in the USA is a month away. (The set's already out in Europe.) A bit cheaper than ordering from the UK.

Here's a very positive mini-review of the set from someone in the UK who just got his copy:

http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/hi...27/279077.html

Russell

[JMK]

And here's a very positive maxi-review from right here at Blu-ray.com :

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - George Solti Blu-ray Review

[WileyWyler]

DAMMIT! I just want the Blu-Ray!! I wonder if there's a chance in hell they'll eventually release it alone? I just can't lay out that much cash to buy ANOTHER set of the Solti Ring Cycle. I'd gladly pay premium for the Blu-Ray alone, however.

[f451]

This is fabulous news. Is the BD remixed to 5.1?

[rock, stone]

Originally Posted by WileyWyler

DAMMIT! I just want the Blu-Ray!! I wonder if there's a chance in hell they'll eventually release it alone? I just can't lay out that much cash to buy ANOTHER set of the Solti Ring Cycle. I'd gladly pay premium for the Blu-Ray alone, however.

Yeah, I would pick up the Blu in a heartbeat. But my shelves are already bursting, I have no need to add 14 cds that I would just rip immediately and try to cram in a corner.

[Ebab]

Originally Posted by f451

This is fabulous news. Is the BD remixed to 5.1?

Nope, the Blu-Ray offers what they used to call stereo tracks (which I believe is the real deal; I could imagine a possible channel upmix as an additional option only). Actually, what seems like disappointing for some specification fetishists, the audio is 24 bit at “only” 48 kHz.

Still, if Jeffrey Kauffman recommends this release, it’s another strong indication to take it into consideration.

Personally, I’m a little put off by the cover artwork. Not only that it’s profoundly ugly, I’m unable to fathom which place those birds or howling winged wolfs(?) might occupy in the “Ring” universe. Seems rather mindless to me.

[john a hunter]

Can you play the BD like a CD without having to use a display to navigate?

[penguin]

I think it is lamentable that optional subtitles are not available on the Blu-ray. This would be so much better than struggling to keep one's place in a book. It is even more lamentable that the old DVD was not upgraded with subtitles as I find the sound in my copy was not all that good and one could not make out much of what was said. The Derreck Cooke CDs have been around a long time and again I found them a bit heavy after a while.

The real attraction would have been an upgraded sound with onscreen subtitles but that is not to be. A real shame and for me this set has little appeal. HOWEVER if the Blu-ray was reissued as a separate release with subtitles I would buy it like a shot and pay a good price for it. How about it Decca? This is where you can make your money!

[billyearle]

Anyone get to compare this with the SACD version from Esoteric? This looked so tempting, but I already have the SACD set which also includes the Golden Ring documentary DVD. I only miss having an English libretto. They even give you Culshaw's book, but in Japanese! I'm pretty sure the SACD would sound better, but would love to hear this version too.

[Paul.R.S]

Wow--not unlike with Mahler, all of a "sudden" there are lots of Ring BD releases to choose from.

Originally Posted by WileyWyler

DAMMIT! I just want the Blu-Ray!! I wonder if there's a chance in hell they'll eventually release it alone? I just can't lay out that much cash to buy ANOTHER set of the Solti Ring Cycle. I'd gladly pay premium for the Blu-Ray alone, however.

I'm another who just wants the BD. From Tom Petty's Live Anthology to the Lord Of the Rings Complete Recordings on DVD-A, I wish labels would stop bundling the high rez disc with CDs/vinyl/other effluvia. And rarely does the BD or other high rez disc get released a la carte later. What are they afraid of--that the a la carte disc might outsell/undercut sales of the (overpriced) uber box?

Originally Posted by penguin

The real attraction would have been an upgraded sound with onscreen subtitles but that is not to be. A real shame and for me this set has little appeal. HOWEVER if the Blu-ray was reissued as a separate release with subtitles I would buy it like a shot and pay a good price for it. How about it Decca? This is where you can make your money!

Thanks for highlighting the lack of subs. Definitely a factor for me as well when considering spending this "much" money.

[McCrutchy]

Great news, this is being re-released next month, apparently as a Blu-ray Audio + Book edition, for a cheaper price.

At Amazon, it is currently only available to pre-order in Canada, France and Germany.

However, specialty shop Presto Classical are offering it for just over US $85 shipped on special.

They also have this info in their product listing page:

Containing Wagner’s libretti, this audiophile edition offers something that is the supreme sound experience of what is generally acknowledged to be the greatest version of Wagner’s supreme masterpiece.

This release replicates the glorious 14CD deluxe edition (0028947837022), which sold 6000 units.

This release requires a Blu-Ray player, and contains no video content other than an on-screen menu. It plays on a standard Blu-Ray player, and is not restricted regionally in any way. A Blu-Ray player can be a very simple and affordable addition to any hi-fi system, enabling true 24-bit playback.

[McCrutchy]

The Blu-ray Audio + Book version will be released in the US on January 6, 2015:



Current price on Amazon is $80.98.

[sandman slim]

Just got this today; now all I need is fifteen hours free...

[f451]

Originally Posted by sandman slim

Just got this today; now all I need is fifteen hours free...

Try limiting yourself to one opera per day ; )

[Dubstar]

Bought this awhile back, and having just seen the San Francisco Opera / Kennedy Center (WNO) coproduction in its entirety (whew!) I'm looking forward to hearing this version

[f451]

Just curious. I just borrowed a DVD of "The Golden Ring" which contains as a bonus, 69 minutes of highlights from The Ring mixed to 5.1 surround sound. I've read elsewhere that the sound stage is full and airy, the quality is outstanding. Are there any (slow) plans afoot to remix the entire work to 5.1?

And, for some reason, I thought these multi-microphone recordings were reduced to two-track stereo at the time of recording but, given a 5.1 release, that must be an erroneous assumption. I'm thumbing through Culshaw's "The Ring Resounding" but haven't come across a section addressing the actual early stereo recording techniques.

Did Culshaw use an early 24 track recorder and post-mix? And I though I read somewhere that the original tapes have degraded somewhat. What is the current condition of the original master tapes?

Given that 5.1 highlights were released on DVD, why hasn't Decca/Universal released the entire Ring in that format? I think that would be a formidable aural experience.