That Hansjorg Albrecht is becoming increasingly involved with conducting, ever since his highly successful Braunfels orchestral songs, is no longer a secret. In the following...

That Hansjorg Albrecht is becoming increasingly involved with conducting, ever since his highly successful Braunfels orchestral songs, is no longer a secret. In the following recording, some of which was recorded live in Weimar, he has turned to Richard Wagner's Ring. He has once again selected the Staatskapelle Weimar for this task, an ensemble whose history extends all the way back to the year 1491. Thus this orchestra has one of the richest traditions of any ensemble in the world, and is more than familiar with the works of Richard Wagner.

REVIEW:

The sound is high-quality digital, with the Weimar orchestra as full and deep as on many audiophile recordings of Wagner, so the recording could only be improved with a multichannel version. Perhaps of greatest interest to newcomers is the inclusion of all the standard concert pieces, as well as generous portions of music that convey important aspects of the drama, though without any vocal parts. Maazel’s recording is still available, but Albrecht’s interpretation gives it a salutory renewal, so The Ring Without Words continues to make Wagner’s masterpiece accessible to listeners who haven’t taken the plunge.

– AllMusicGuide.com (Blair Sanderson)