# Which CD of Gotterdammerung?



## Truckload (Feb 15, 2012)

Please share with me your recommendation for the best CD of Gotterdammerung, and give your reasons for your choice. It does not have to be a complete cycle, just Gotterdammerung. 

My ideal recording would be 1) complete, 2) great sound, 3) big voices.

I like to follow in the score, and cuts are extremely annoying to me. I want the best sound possible. Not MP3 quality, but an actual CD, with pristine sound. Lastly, when it comes to Wagner, I prefer what might be termed the "traditional" big voices.

All help greatly appreciated.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Perhaps this will help you, if not, loads Wagner threads in the opera section.

http://www.talkclassical.com/38696-winners-thread-2015-talk.html


----------



## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Karajan's is beautiful. I haven't heard Solti's yet but his ring has been highly praised in general, and in specific I've read people like best his "outer" parts of the cycle, that being Rheingold and Gotterdammerung. Birgit Nillson is in Solti's Gotterdammerung and she is one of the best Wagnerian sopranos (by reputation, I confess that I've not listened enough to give a personal opinion).


----------



## Faustian (Feb 8, 2015)

I think Solti probably comes closest to meeting all of your criteria and is a safe recommendation. Karajan comes up short with the "big voices".


----------



## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Solti's is hard to beat by your criteria. He may lack a little (but very little) in inwardness and mystery, but the overall effect of his recording is epic. Nilsson is at her powerful best, Frick and Neidlinger are unbeatable as Haqen and Alberich, etc. etc.
The sound effects may annoy (I can do without the collapse of the Gibichung hall), but the overall effect is overwhelming.


----------



## interestedin (Jan 10, 2016)

Now that's a question we've never had before. Someone asking for the best recording of a Ring part.. The answer is Solti. It's always Solti. I find him boring but if you want good sound (excellent by 1960's standards) AND big voices, there you go. Although Böhm is not far behind and more alive.


----------



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Solti if you want a Studio recording.

If you want to hear the best then get Keilberth on Testament, the first Stereo recording live from Bayreuth and prepare to be amazed!


----------



## interestedin (Jan 10, 2016)

Keilberth is great, but really far away from pristine sound.


----------



## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Definitely Solti. Even detractors of his Rheingold, Walkure, and Siegfried recordings tend to concede that his Gotterdammerung is an outstanding recording. It's the benchmark.


----------



## Truckload (Feb 15, 2012)

Never have I experienced such a consensus on this forum.  I just ordered the Solti. Thank you.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Truckload said:


> Never have I experienced such a consensus on this forum.  I just ordered the Solti. Thank you.


That's the spirit.


----------



## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

I would have thought that for not much more than the cost of the individual opera you could have got the whole cycle somewhere.


----------



## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Barbebleu said:


> I would have thought that for not much more than the cost of the individual opera you could have got the whole cycle somewhere.


Especially since the entire Solti cycle is now available, at very reasonable prices, on either remastered CD or Blu-ray Audio.


----------



## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

truckload said:


> never have i experienced such a consensus on this forum.  i just ordered the solti. Thank you.


BUM, DAH BUM, BUM......*BAH DUUUUUUUUUUH!
**"HEEEEEEEIL! SIEEEEEEEEEGFRIEEED"


Good stuff.
*


----------

