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Product Description Here Wagner scholar Deryck Cooke offers an extensive audio appreciation of the composer's magnum opus Der Ring Des Nibelungen for the novice as well as experienced listener. His model is none other than arguably the greatest stereo recording of the work- that of Sir Georg Solti and the Vienna Philharmonic for Decca. The 193 musical examples Cooke sites here were either extracted originally from those sessions or specially recorded for this production. For all Wagner acolytes Cooke's introduction is indispensable. Amazon.com When Wagner set the Ring to music, he intended the orchestra to act in the fashion of a chorus from a classic Greek tragedy--setting the mood and commenting on the action. In order to allow a nonverbal musical line to reflect on the plot, Wagner developed a psychologically and musically complex symbology to communicate his thoughts to the listener. From the beginning the Ring has spawned numerous written commentaries on the relationships of the motif structure, but by using examples from the Decca Ring recording, Deryck Cooke's thoughtful spoken commentary is by far the most accessible guide for either the fledgling Ring enthusiast or the seasoned veteran. --Christian C. Rix