I am on holiday for the rest of the year!

Kicking it off with all 5 LPs from:

Richard

“Nuggets” On Original 1972 Vinyl. Artefacts From the First Psychedelic Era 1965- 68.

Graham,

On CD:-

On CD:-

Continuing with the new releases ....

Very relaxing.

On Vinyl. One of the best of 2012 IMO. 

Graham.

Very good music, wonderful case-resonances.

CD

vinyl...

In 1955, Decca took to Bayreuth to record the first ever Ring des Nibelungen, live. The performances were directed by Joseph Keilberth and a cast typical of the latest golden age of Wagner singing: Hans Hotter, Gustav Neidlinger and Wolfgang Windgassen are of course better known from their contributions to Solti's cycle but they are all in better voice here, especially Windgassen who by this time had none of the leathery quality he was to acquire soon. Astrid Varnay  is a bit matronly, but splendid Brunnhilde, not as steely voiced as Nilsson but more emotionally invested. Keilberth is consistently good. Sound is amazing, still wholly involving, with full midrange and extended top and bass. I wish they had cut the audience applause, but (apart from the noise machine in the middle of Rheinghold) otherwise this is fantastic.

After going to all the trouble and achieving a miracle as sound recordings go, it must have been a blow to the team when John Culshaw, who was planning a studio cycle, vetoed it. We had to wait until 2008 for a first issue, on Testament. Well worth it!

Cheers,

EJ

La Scala Milano, Furtwangler, great German soloist and Flagstad made a complete live recording rather earlier I think.

Dreadful sound, but great performances of Wagner's longest work, if you like that sort of thing, which I do not ...

ATB from George

Streaming from Qobuz ...

CD

Giving this a second spin in 2 days...

CD.

Graham.

Elvis & Friends 

Graham.

The King sure knew how to make friends!!!

Memories of watching her live at the Cottier Theatre in Glasgow (2002)

Vinyl;