Wagner Ring, Bohm, Bayreuth 4 Box Sets 16 LPs Pristine

$

31

This is a rare, complete set of the four Wagnerian "Ring of the Nibelung" operas. These wonderful records have only been played once! (I played them only to tape them.) The performances date from 1973, and come in four box sets containing 16 LPs. This is the first Bayreuth Ring officially recorded, and is still considered one of the best Ring cycles available. These records are European pressings, imported from Holland.

It is certainly authentic: the performances are LIVE, at the Bayreuth Festival Theater, the theater Wagner had built for the performance of these operas. The performers are legendary: Karl Bohm, Birgit Nilsson, Wolfgang Windgassen, Thomas Stewart, Dorothea Siebert, to name a few. Production and Staging of the recording is by Wieland Wagner, the grandson of the composer! The record numbers are:

Das Rheingold - Philips 6747046, 3 LPs

Die Walkure - Philips 6747047, 4 LPs

Siegfried - Philips 6747048, 4 LPs

Gotterdamerung - Philips 6747049, 5 LPs

PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK to see large photos: http://gallery.me.com/mitchmorgan#100075

Click on Slideshow to see the photos in large format.

Here are some of the performers in alphabetic order:

Karl Böhm (Conductor), Bayreuther Festspiele Orchester (Orchestra), Anja Silja (Freja), Annelies Burmeister (Siegrune), Birgit Nilsson (Brunnhilde), Danica Mastilovic (Gerhilde), Dorothea Siebert (Woglinde), Elisabeth Schartel (Grimgerde), Erika Koth (Forest Bird), Erwin Wohlfahrt (Mime), Gerd Nienstedt (Hunding), Gertraud Hopf (Waltraute), Gustav Neidlinger (Alberich), Helga Dernesch (Ortlinde), Hermin Esser (Froh), James King (Siegmund), Josef Greindl (Hagen), Kurt Böhme (Fafner), Leonie Rysanek (Sieglinde), Wolfgang Windgassen (Siegfried), etc.

I am the original owner. I remember swallowing hard before buying them, because to buy the complete Ring was a big splurge for me. (They were my most expensive record purchase.) I treated them reverently when I was an active opera listener, and have stored them carefully ever since. Note that three of the boxes (Die Walkure, Siegfried, and Gotterdamerung) have holes punched through them in the upper left corner. I guess they were closeouts. Obviously, the holes only go thru paper, not thru the LPs!

As you can see from the photos, these box sets are like new. Each box contains a comprehensive book (which range from 30 top 43 pages each) which has a comprehensive history of the opera with illustrations, and the complete libretto. Also included are the registration card and the original record sleeves. Everything is in perfect condition, including the records themselves. (I photographed one that I picked at random.) I played them very little on a well-adjusted Philips GA 212 (which I still own!) using a high quality Ortofon stylus.

Here is a link to a site where the CD version of these recordings are being sold. (You don't get these big illustrated libretto books when you buy CDs!) You can read reviews of the performances there: http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Der-Ring-des-Nibelungen/dp/B000025ESY

This is a No-Reserve auction. These LP box sets are available for 100 euros each ($128 at today's exchange rate) from several European sellers. If you buy this complete set from me at the Buy It Now price, you will save $112 plus a lot of individual shipping charges.

We are a non-smoking household.

Please note: I work hard to make every sale perfect, and look forward to glowing feedback from each of my buyers.  If you do not intend to leave me feedback after the sale is over, please do not bid!  Thanks.