Day 12

Piece: Gotterdammerung (Act III)
Conductor: Wilhelm Furtwangler
Recorded: Live 1950 at La SCALA in Milan

So this is it, this is the end, the end of one of the most famed opera cycles in history. I admit, I haven't digested it all. I can say that the final 40 minutes are amazing, just flat out beautiful. I can say is that there is this Soprano (most likely Brunhilde) who for about 20 minutes just captures any attention with what must be her sorrow and pain (according to the synopsis her lover just was murdered). I still get shivers just thinking of the vocal mastery, and the amazing composition of her soliloquy.

Besides the music, the one extremely impressive thing about the Ring Cycle is its length. Clocking in just over 17 hours (give or take an hour) there is very little to compare it to. Consider this, the Beatles released just 10 and half hours of music over their 22 singles and 14 albums, which is barely the first 2 and half operas Wagner used for this one cycle. Now we can all argue about quantity versus quality and so on and so on, but when was the last time you watched a movie that was over 4 hours long? Sat for two straight hours as a cast of characters belted words that you might not understand (remember writing an opera in anything other than Italian was taboo up until Mozart and I don't speak German as well I as used to)? But I'm straying from my point. I guess my question lies in with our video-on-demand, Internet wherever you go lifestyles, who's writing 17 hours worth of not just music, but also an accompanying story?

I'm impressed by the Ring Cycle, and one day wish to see it live, without interruption (OK one opera at a time) and to experience what it is supposed to be, a long, epic tale which took years to craft and needs almost a day to discover and possibly a year to digest.

Tomorrow brings something new, and (hopefully) something shorter; because seriously, when I'm trying to cram in an hour and half of music a day, it's hard to also catch all your favorite TV shows, blogs, twitter updates, live feeds and bathe. Luckily I've only had to cut out the bathing.

Day 11

Sorry for missing yesterday; I had timed out my evening in order to pick up my beautiful fiance at the airport and get back to the apartment with plenty of time to listen, only to have her flight come in 2 hours late.

Anyway, here I am, a day late and always a dollar short with the conclusion of the first act and the second act of Gotterdammerung.

Don't have much to say besides that it is good, and really I need to take the time one day to see this opera on it's own. So far, if I only had the chance to see one of the four operas in the cycle, it would be this one.

Piece: Gotterdammerung (Act 1 conclusion, Act 2)
Conductor: Wilhelm Furtwangler
Recorded: Live August 17th, 1950 at La SCALA

Tomorrow brings the final act of the opera and the finale of Wagner's famed Ring cycle.

Day 10

Today we return to Wagner.

Piece: Gotterdammerung (Act 1, first part)
Conductor: Wilhelm Furtwangler
Recorded: Live August 17th, 1950 at La SCALA

Going to be a short one tonight kiddies, not to say that the piece itself wasn't long (over 85 minutes) and good, but I must admit hunger forced me to make and eat dinner so I could not give my full attention to the music.

First off Wagner has finally composed an overture which sent a shiver down my spine. The themes are drawn out, Wagner takes the time to give a Soprano a 40 minute solo. Why can he do this, because the first act doesn't fit on the record, it is over 2 hours long! I have to admit though, one day I must give it the aural concentration this act deserves. The parts that I did listen closer to, seemed beautiful; I just didn't have the stamina to wait for the ideas conclusion 20 minutes later.