Columbia K StereoJl
MS 7291
MASTERWORKS
Great Orchestral Highlights from the Ring of the Nibelungs
The Cleveland Orchestra Siegfried’s Rhine Journey and Funeral Music, Entrance of the Gods, Ride of the Valkyries, Magic Fire Music, and others
wmt'l »1 '*
X r ntt! 1 v * f, ■ JfffJ fi mR
| W; ■ /
W / i TJ. *#■/ ■ : f Of
Produced by Andrew Kazdin
WAGNER: GREAT ORCHESTRAL HIGHLIGHTS
from "THE RING OF THE NIBELUNGS"
THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA
GEORGE SZELL, Conductor
Side 1
ENTRANCE OF THE GODS INTO VALHALLA
from "DAS RHEINGOLD" (6:33)
THE RIDE OF THE VALKYRIES
from "DIE WALKÜRE" (5=23)
MAGIC FIRE MUSIC from "DIE WALKÜRE" (4:«)
FOREST MURMURS from "SIEGFRIED" (6:53)
Side 2
I— DAWN and SIEGFRIEDE RHINE JOURNEY
from "GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG" (12=01)
II— SIEGFRIEDE FUNERAL MUSIC and FINAL SCENE
from "GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG" pi-.ii)
The selections are in the public domain.
"The whole poem sets forth the necessity of recognizing and
yielding to the changeable, the many-faceted, the multiplicity,
the eternal renewing of reality and of life. . . . This is the lesson
that we must learn from the history of mankind—to will what
necessity imposes, and, thus, ourselves, to bring it about. . . .
In the person of Siegfried, I have sought to represent the per¬
fect human being whose highest intelligence acknowledges
that all consciousness must find its expression in present life
and action."
Such was Richard Wagner's own highly over-simplified
explanation in 1854 of his dramatization of some of the sagas
of Germanic, Scandinavian and Icelandic tradition that he was
to develop into the musical tetralogy Der Ring des Nibelungen
(The Ring of the Nibelungs). Out of this mythic world of
dwarfs, giants, gods, warrior-maidens and super-heros,
Wagner was to construct a musical drama that would tran-
scend the sum of its parts to achieve his ambition of a Gesamt¬
kunstwerk, a total art work. Four massive operas would issue
from his pen during the years 1853 to 1874—operas like no
others by any composer in any period of musical history. Four
stories were to be told musically and dramatically in a way
that would see each linked to the other but each capable
of standing on its own as a separate work. Ideally, each would
be performed in sequence in what would amount to an
operatic marathon. Only the genius that was Richard Wagner
could conceive, and carry through, such a complicated project.
Wagner began work on The Ring cycle in 1848 by writing
a dramatic poem called Siegfrieds Tod (Siegfriede Death).
When it was finished, he decided that it needed prefatory ex¬
planation and so produced Junge Siegfried (Young Siegfried),
which later became, simply, Siegfried. This, in turn, also
needed clarification, so two more dramas ensued. Die Walküre
(The Valkyries) and Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold). Eventu-
ally, Siegfrieds Tod metamorphosed into the cycle's climactic
opera, Götterdämmerung (The Twilight of the Gods). But,
although he wrote his dramas in reverse Order, Wagner com-
posed their musical settings in correct narrative Order.
The story line that finally evolved is so complicated that
it defies any brief synopsis. The four operas trace the effect
of a curse that falls upon gods and mortals alike when the
magic gold of the Rhine is stolen by a mortal described by
Wagner as "he who is willing to renounce love forever."
The sacred gold is finally returned to the care of the Rhine
maidens through "The Redemption of Love" of Siegfried and
Brünnhilde.
In the twenty-six years that passed between the beginning
of "Siegfried's Death" and the finishing of Götterdämmerung,
Wagner underwent many political and philosophical changes
of heart, many of them reflected in The Ring operas and many
a source of controversy during his lifetime. Today, of course,
these same "controversial" elements seem more to lessen the
dramatic effectiveness of The Ring rather than to deepen it
philosophically. But The Ring has survived all the discussion
that it first provoked and even misguided 20th-century
efförts to elevate it to the Status of political doctrine. It sur-
vives on the operatic stage not as the model of dramatic ideal-
ism that Wagner intended but as a triumphant musical experi-
ence, eloquent and powerful. Paradoxically, the four music
dramas of The Ring are perhaps best known today for the
hours of magnificent orchestral music that can be drawn from
them for presentation in the concert hall.
The selections in this album follow the sequence of the
operas in narrative Order. The "Entrance of the Gods into
Valhalla" occurs at the end of Das Rheingold in a scene of
eloquence and beauty as the mighty god Wotan leads a
procession across the rainbow bridge into the home of the
gods, the castle of Valhalla. "The Ride of the Valkyries,"
is one of the best-known of all Wagner works. It opens the
third act of Die Walküre and depicts the exultant ride of the
warrior-maidens through stormy skies, bearing the bodies
of dead heroes into Valhalla. The "Magic Fire Music" accom-
panies the final scene in Die Walküre in which the Valkyrie
Brünnhilde, having broken Wotan's command, is put into
a charmed sleep and is surrounded by flames from which
only a fearless hero (Siegfried) can rescue her. "Forest Mur-
murs" is a lyrical episode from the second act of Siegfried in
which the young hero communes with nature, listening to the
calls of the birds, before learning of Brünnhilde's magic
sleep. "Dawn" and "Siegfried's Rhine Journey" are part of
the prologue to Act I of Götterdämmerung and are in marked
contrast to "Siegfried's Funeral Music" and the final scene
from Götterdämmerung that depict the death of the hero and
Brünnhilde's decision to die with her beloved—thus destroy-
ing the curse of the ring and bringing to mankind a new
age of sublime human love.
Engineering: Edward T. Graham and John Guerriere
Library of Congress catalog card number 70-75018 applies to MS 7291.
Other Wagner albums by George Szell and the Cleveland
Orchestra: Wagner Showpieces . . . MS 6971
Szell Conducts Wagner . . . MS 6884
MS 7291 Columbia
MASTERWORKS
5
COLUMBIA STEREO RECORDS CAN BE PLAYED ON TOD AYE MONO RECORD PLAYERS WITH EXCELLENT RESULTS. THEY WILL LAST AS LONG AS
MONO RECORDS PLAYED ON THE SAME EQUIPMENT, YET WILL RE VE AL FULL STEREO SOUND WHEN PLAYED ON STEREO RECORD PLAYERS.
Columbia
Here’s How Records Give You More Of What You Want:
The Best For Less. Records give you top quality for less money than any other recorded form.
They Allow Selectivity Of Songs And Tracks. With records it’s easy to pick out the songsyou want toplay, ortoplay again a particular songor side. All you have to do is litt the tone arm and place it where you want it. You can’t do this as easily with anything buta phonograph record.
They’re The Top Quality In Sound. Long-playing phonograph records /oo/cthe CT same now as when they were introduced in 1948, but there's a world of difference.
Countless refinements and developments have been made to perfect the long- playing record’s technical excellence and insure the best in sound reproduction and quality available in recorded form.
They’II Give You Hours Of Continuous And Uninterrupted Listening Pleasure. Just stack them up on your automatic changer and relax.
They’re Attractive, Informative And Easy To Store. Record albums are never out of place. Because of the aesthetic appeal of the jacket design, they’re beautifully at home in any livin-g room or library. They’ve also got important information on the backs—about the artists, about the performances or about the program. And because they’re flat and not bulky, you can störe hundreds in a minimum of space and still see every title.
If It’s In Recorded Form, You Know If71 Be Available On Records. Everything’s on long-playing records these days... your favorite artists, shows, comedy, movieSoundtracks, concerts, drama, documented history, educational material.. .you name it. This is not so with any other kind of recording.
They’re Your Best Entertainment Buy. once you’ve paid the price of admission, you
Every album is a show in itself. And can hear it over and over.
They Make A Great Gift. Everybody you know loves music. And practically everyone owns a phonograph. Records are a giftthat says a lottothe person you're giving them to. And they keep on remembering.
And Remember...lt Always Happens First On Records.
Manufactured by Columbia Records/CBS, lnc./51 W. 52 Street, New York, N.Y./® Columbia," [r] Marcas Reg. Printed in U.S.A, H HC 2
. WILLIAM WYLER RAY STARK Kenner
STRBSAHD _ SHARIF
BOS 3220
JOHNNY CASH THE HOLY LAND
including:
Daddy Sang Bass /A Mother’s Love
He Tumed The Water IntoWine
_Beautifi.il Words /AtThe Wailing Wall
KCS 9726
* t
Volume IV
Tony Bennetts Greatest
Hits including:
Für Once In My Life The ShadowOf
Your Smile A Time For Love
Georgia Rose People
CS 9814
CHICAGO INCLUDING:
l’M A MAN/SOMEDAY/BEGINNINGS LISTEN/LIBERATION
GP 8
PERCYFAITH HIS C )RCHF„STRA AND CHORUS
TI lOSKWTRT/nii: DAYS including:
Little Green Apples/Fool OnThe Hill
CS 9762
JOHNNY MATHIS Those WeteThe Days
including: Those WereThe Days/Little Green Apples This Guy’s In Love With You/Light My Fire
Turn Around Look At Me
%
tr-* Ezx? --t
CS 9705
INCLUDING: BROTHER JOHN SLEEPY EYES AND BUTTERFLIES FARTOO MANY CHANGES CAME
SISTER SALVATION/O,CHILD, IN TIME
CS 9803
INCLUDING: IT'S ABEAUTIFUL
DAY TODAY HOOCHIE
OOH MAMAOOH SEEING
BETWEEN THE LINES
MOBYGRAH'69
CS 9696
CS 9725
O.C.Smith For Once in My Life
Featuringlsn't It LonelyTogethei
including: Cycles Stormy Wifhitfl Lineman Hey Jude
CS 9756
including: V You've Made Me So Very Happy
Variations On ATheme By Erik Satie And When I Die/God BlessThe Child
CS 9720
LEONARD COHEN SONGS FR0MAR00M
INCLUDING: BIRD ONTHEWIRE
ABUNCH OF LONESOME HEROS YOU KNOW WHOI AM/LADY MIDNIGHT
SEEMS SO LONG AGO, NANCY
CS 9767
Robert Goulet Both Sides Now
including: Those Were The Days/Cycies
Les Bicyciettes De Belsize For Once In My Life
Thirty Days Hath September
CS 9763
Including:
GALVESTON l’VE GOTT» BE ME
YOU GAVE ME A MOUNTAIN
WICHITA LINEMAN
FORONCE IN MY LIFE
LITTLE GREEN APPLES
CS 9817
JerryVale/Till featuring: I Love HowYou Love Me
Abraham, Martin & John INCLUDING:
TILL/LITTLE GREEN APPLES THOSE WERE THE DAYS
CS 9757
aSacb’s GREATEST HITS voi.1
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring/A Mighty Fortress Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, and more
ORMANDY PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA E. Power BIGGS Pablo CASALS
Walter Carlos with
(Switched-On Bach)
_ :±.v- MS 7501 BOS 3260 BOS 3310
The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and AI Kooper
including: The Weight/The 59th Street Bridge Song Don’t Tnrow Your Love On Me So Strong
That’s All Right/Green Onions
KGP 6
The Buckinghams’ Greatest Hits
including: Kind of a Drag/Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
CS 9812
Willi ams
eart including:
For Once In My Life Little Green Apples Memories/My Way
Wichita Lineman Where’sThe
Playground Susie?
CS 9844
RAY CONNIFF AND THE SINGERS
I Love HowYou Love Me Featuring WICHITA LINEMAN THOSE WERE THE DAYS Hey Jude Little Green Apples Abraham, Martin and John
CS 9777
John Davidson
including: Both Sides Now
Stonny l’ve Gotta Be Me
Those Were The Days
Goodnight My Love
CS 9795
NASHVILLE SKYLINE BOB DYLAN
including:
Lay Lady Lay
KCS 9825
HARDIN SUITE FOR SUSAN
MOORE AND DAMION -WE ARE-ONE,
ONE,ALLINONE.
including: Question Of Birth
Once-Touched By Flame
Everything Good Becomes More True
One, One,The Perfect Sum
Last Sweet Moments
CS 9787
PETER NERO rVEGOTTABEME
featuring: Wichita Lineman /Soulful Strut including:
Rain In Mv Heart/Hey Jude
CS 9800
DR.BYBES&t,ffl.U7DE INCLUDING:
BAD NIGHT ATTHE WHISKEY/CANDY OLD BLUE/ DRUG STORE TRUCK DRIVIN’ MAN
THISWHEEL’SON FIRE
CS 9755
MNS-ELECTRONIC MUSIC PR0DUCTI0NS, INC.
SWITCHED-ON BACH VIRTU0S0 ELECTRONIC PERFORMANCES OF
BACH FAV0RITES ONTHE MOOG SYNTHESIZER
BOOKENDS SIMON & GARFUNKEL including: BookendsTheme/Overs
Fakta’ It/Old Friends A Hazy Shade of
Winter Mrs. Robinson
SPECIAL
BONUS
FULL
C0L0R
POSTER
INCLUDED
Andre Kostelanetz /Traces And His Orchestra
Featuring: IVe Gotta Be Me/Galveston including •
Traces/Fll Catch the Sun /Fool on the Hill Ibis Guys in Love With You
Try a üttle Tenderness
CS 9823
Ray Price Sweetheart Of The Year
including:
Sweetheart Of The Year / You Gave Me A Mountain
Lincoln Park Inn /ÖnThe South Side Of Chicago
I Wanna Be Around
CS 9822
HARD’N’HEAVY (WITH MARSHMALLOW)
FEATURING: MR. SUN, MR. MOON/CINDERELLA SUNSHINE
PAUL REVERE &THE RAIDERS FEATURING MARK LINDSAY
including: WhereYou GoinGirl/Call On Me/WithoutYou
CS 9753
JOHNNY WINTER including:
Mistreater
Backdoor
l'll Drown In My Tears
TIME OF THE SEASON
THE ZOMBIES ODESSEY& ORACLE
INCLUDING: CARE OF CELL 44/A ROSE FOR EMILY BUTCHERS TALE (Western Front 19141
THIS WILL BE OUR YEAR TIME OF THE SEASON
TES 4013
Tchaikovsky’s GREATEST HITS von
1812 Overture, Waltz of the Flowers, Andante Cantabile, and more
BERNSTEIN ORMANDY NEW YORK PHILADELPHIA
PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
MUSIC FROM BLOMDAHL'S OPERA ANIARA
AN EPIC OF SPACE FLIGHT IN 2038 A.D. ELECTRONIC AND CONCRETE EFFECTS BY SWEDISH RADIO
MS 7176
IORMANDY BERNSTEIN PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
«NS 2001A SPACE ODYSSEY FROM
WITH THE GREGG SMITH SINGERS ADDED ELECTRONIC EFFECTS BY MORTON SUBOTNICK
MS 7194 MS 7503
WAGNER: GREAT ORCHESTRAL HIGHLIGHTS
from "THE RING OF THE NIBELUNGS' THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA
GEORGE SZELL, Conductor
SIDE 1 XSM 139863
1. ENTRANCE OF THE GODS INTO VALHALLA from
‘DAS RHEINGOLD"
2. THE RIDE OF THE VALKYRIES from "DIE WALKÜRE"
3. MAGIC FIRE MUSIC from "DIE WALKÜRE"
4. FOREST MURMURS from "SIEGFRIED''
>77*
WAGNER: GREAT ORCHESTRAL HIGHLIGHTS im "THE RING OE THE N1BELUNGS'
THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA GEORGE SZELL, Conductor
SIDE 2 XSM 139864
DAWN and SIEGFRIEDE RHINE JOURNEY from
"GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG"
. SIEGFRIEDE FUNERAL MUSIC and FINAL SCEI
from "GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG"