# "Rhinegold" - without stage noise?



## apbsen (Jun 14, 2013)

Can anyone recommend good recordings of "Rhinegold" - without stage noise?

Preferably recordings with great sound quality (ie. not historical recordings).

I have the Barenboim "Ring" which has a fair bit of stage noise. So I'd like to hear a great-sounding recording without any such noise.

I know of Solti's studio recording of course, but which other recordings without stage noise are recommendable?

Thanks a lot for any help!


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

Karajan's Rhinegold is the best part of his cycle, and it's a studio recording.

Most modern Wagner recordings are live or associated with live performances because of the costs of assembling a cast. They try to make a live cycle do double duty.


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## apbsen (Jun 14, 2013)

Excellent tip concerning Karajans Rhinegold - I'll definitely get hold of it. 

Thanks a lot for your recommendation, bigshot!


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

It's an easy recommendation... there aren't many studio Rings!


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Yes, beware that Barenboim set when driving. Those occasional stage noises had me thinking something was amiss with the car!

(Alas all my other Ring sets are on LP).


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

My favorite Rheingold:










Wotan: Theo Adam
Donner: Karl-Heinz Stryczek
Froh: Eberhard Büchner
Loge: Peter Schreier
Alberich: Siegmund Nimsgern
Mime: Christian Vogel
Fasolt: Roland Bracht
Fafner: Matti Salminen
Fricka: Yvonne Minton
Freia: Marita Napier
Erda: Ortrun Wenkel
Woglinde: Lucia Popp
Wellgunde: Uta Priew
Flosshilde: Hanna Schwarz

Staatskapelle Dresden

Marek Janowski

(High quality sound with full libretto both in German and English)


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## SilenceIsGolden (May 5, 2013)

Yeah, Solti, Karajan, and Janowski are the extent of your choices as far as studio Rings go. All three have their pros and cons.


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## expat (Mar 17, 2013)

I like the Janowski for the clarity of the voices. You can really make out what they say (sing).


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

I like Janowski's Siegfried a lot. But Karajan's orchestral sound in Rhinegold is totally unique. The descent to Nibelheim is amazing.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Karajan's Rhinegold is terrific. Probably the best unless you like the Sonicstage spectacular of Solti. But Karajan benefits from his long years in the opera house.
Janowski (first recording) is also very good too.
Avoid the Bohm is you are allergic to stage and audience noises. They start after about two seconds!


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Just curious. You didn't want the Solti?


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## apbsen (Jun 14, 2013)

Itullian said:


> Just curious. You didn't want the Solti?


Solti's recording is, of course, excellent - but I find his conducting can sometimes be a bit too "bombastic".

That's my purely subjective (and possibly uninformed!) opinion - but that's why I was looking for alternatives among modern recordings.


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## cournot (Jan 19, 2014)

I just recently acquired the Janowski Ring and while it isn't in my top list, it's a really clean and clear version that lets me hear new things (although the sound sometimes feels a wee bit sterile and flat). However, it's so ridiculously cheap that it's nuts for most Wagnerites not to have a copy today. I recently got mine as part of the Sony Great Recordings set which was selling for under $30 shipped from several sellers on Amazon and I'm really enjoying Janowski's restrained take on the whole cycle. I think that set is so cheap because it's so much worse than the EMI or DG Wagner opera sets (no Tannhauser, no Tristan!). Nonetheless you get some very interesting if flawed Wagner recordings along with the complete Janowski Ring for the price of a few movie tickets.


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## SilenceIsGolden (May 5, 2013)

cournot said:


> I just recently acquired the Janowski Ring and while it isn't in my top list, it's a really clean and clear version that lets me hear new things (although the sound sometimes feels a wee bit sterile and flat). However, it's so ridiculously cheap that it's nuts for most Wagnerites not to have a copy today. I recently got mine as part of the Sony Great Recordings set which was selling for under $30 shipped from several sellers on Amazon and I'm really enjoying Janowski's restrained take on the whole cycle. I think that set is so cheap because it's so much worse than the EMI or DG Wagner opera sets (no Tannhauser, no Tristan!). Nonetheless you get some very interesting if flawed Wagner recordings along with the complete Janowski Ring for the price of a few movie tickets.


I agree, his transparency with the score is refreshing, and at the price very much worth hearing.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

SilenceIsGolden said:


> I agree, his transparency with the score is refreshing, and at the price very much worth hearing.


The cast is also pretty good.


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