Der Symphonische Ring Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra - Jonathan Darlington

• DER SYMPHONISCHE RING - Teil 1 Richard Wagner (1813-1883)
• 1 RING - Prelude Rhinegold 04:35
• 2 RING - The Song of the Rhine Maidens 00:55
• 3 RING - Alberich´s 'Curse of Love' 02:39
• 4 RING - The Gods´s castle 'Valhalla' 01:27
• 5 RING - The Forging 01:44
• 6 RING - Donner´s Call 01:37
• 7 RING - Prelude to The Valkyrie 01:08
• 8 RING - Siegmund and Sieglinde 02:51
• 9 RING - Winter Storms 03:59
• 10 RING - Siegmund and Sieglinde´s Escape 00:45
• 11 RING - Prelude to 2nd Act Valkyrie 02:12
• 12 RING - Wotan´s Rage 01:23
• 13 RING - Ride of the Valkyries (Prelude 3rd Act) 02:54
• 14 RING - Wotan´s Farewell 07:15
• 15 RING - Magical Fire 04:47
• DER SYMPHONISCHE RING - Teil 2 Richard Wagner (1813-1883)
• 16 RING - Prelude 2nd Act Siegfried 04:07
• 17 RING - Forest Murmurs 02:14
• 18 RING - Siegfried´s Fight with the Dragon 01:01
• 19 RING - Fafner´s Warning 01:40
• 20 RING - Prelude 3rd Act Siegfried 02:39
• 21 RING - Night on Bruennhilde´s Rock 01:50
• 22 RING - Sunrise 02:01
• 23 RING - Siegfried-Bruennhilde Duet 03:31
• 24 RING - Siegfried´s Rhine Journey 05:40
• 25 RING - Hagen´s Battle Summons 01:02
• 26 RING - Chorus of the Vassals 01:11
• 27 RING - Prelude to 3rd Act Twilight of the Gods 04:08
• 28 RING - The Murder of Siegfried 02:16
• 29 RING - Siegfried´s Memory of Bruennhilde 03:25
• 30 RING - Siegfried´s Death and Funeral Music 07:59
• 31 RING - Bruennhilde´s Immolation Scene 07:56
• Total Runtime 01:32:51

Info for Der Symphonische Ring

THE SYMPHONIC RING - an orchestral drama in two parts
Compilation and arrangement of the score by Friedmann Dreßler

A must for lovers of great orchestral symphonies: The highlights of Wagner’s compositional and orchestral artistry stylishly combined in a new adaptation by Friedmann Dreßler, based on Wagner’s fascinating orchestral sounds.

In this live recording, Jonathan Darlington conducts the first-class Duisburg Philharmonic with a keen sense for the great climaxes and impressive overall dramaturgy of the piece. An extraordinary music experience for audiophiles.

Single orchestral pieces from Wagner’s “Ring of the Nibelung” are frequently to be heard in the concert hall. However, a detailed symphonic pathway through the whole work requires intensive preparation of the musical material. This is particularly the case when – as here – the aim is to keep to the original as closely as possible, nothing being added in the form of new composition. Several stipulations must be considered: nothing may be changed concerning the chronological sequence of the pieces, however, the proportions must also be correct and the transitions must follow organically. The usable segments are therefore to be selected carefully, always regarding meaningful connections and the dramaturgy of the whole. Thus not all instrumental parts can be used. Ultimately further liberties arise from the use of segments with vocal participation which are reflected either in an instrumental line or are transferred onto an instrument. In the version recorded here Friedmann Dreßler has altered Richard Wagner’s ”Stage Festival Play for Three Days and a Preliminary Evening” into an orchestral drama: As a complete symphonic work the scenes from “The Ring of the Nibelung” proceed virtually seamlessly through the plot in a good one and a half hours. A division into two large segments resulted, so that the selections from 'Rhinegold' and 'Valkyrie' were combined, as were those from 'Siegfried' and 'Twilight of the Gods'.

Wagner`s “Ring of the Nibelung” in Extracts Richard Wagner worked on his Stage Festival Play “The Ring of the Nibelung” for a long time. Starting from the first drafts of the scenario in 1848 up to the conclusion of the score in 1874 no less than 26 years passed. The creative process reveals unusual methods. When working on the libretto Wagner began with the finale and step by step turned to earlier scenes, when composing the music however, he now worked in the usual direction –from the beginning to the end. After the first performances of 'Rhinegold' and 'The Valkyrie' took place in 1869 and 1870 against the will of the composer on order of King Ludwig II, the first complete presentation of the Stage Festival Play “The Ring of the Nibelung” followed in August 1876. Of course Richard Wagner preferred the complete performance of the 'Ring of the Nibelung”. Nevertheless, the composer knew that this effort would only be possible at few favoured places, and thus it may be surprising that exactly this ambitious and self-confident musician, who had encouraged a rejection of the division of operas into separate numbers, nevertheless allowed the performance of excerpts. The composer applied this practise from 1862 not least for advertising purposes. First impressions of Wagner's new sound world were therefore already to be had before the premieres of the four parts of the Stage Festival Play.

Duisburger Philharmoniker

Jonathan Darlington

Jonathan Darlington is music director of the Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra and Vancouver Opera. His demand for the highest level of professionalism and precision, infused with genuine enthusiasm, has ever increased the quality and popularity of both orchestras.

With the Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra, whose profile he has significantly moulded over the past years, he conducts eight subscription weeks each season in a broad range of symphonic repertoire, as well as concert tours, festival guest engagements and live recordings. With the Vancouver Opera, he conducts two new productions each season, together with gala concerts and “Opera in Concert” events.

His most recent operatic successes include the world première of Manfred Trojahn’s “La Grande Magia” with the Staatkapelle Dresden, Gustave Charpentier’s “Louise” with the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Strauss’ “Salome” with Vancouver Opera, “Beethoven’s “Fidelio” with the Opera Australia in Sydney, as well as the Robert Lepage directed Stravinsky’s “The Nightingale and Other Short Fables” at the Canadian Opera Company, Toronto. In March 2009 he also returned to the stage as accompanist for Schubert’s ‘Die Schöne Müllerin’ with the renowned baritone Dietrich Henschel. His most recent live recordings include Mahler’s Sixth Symphony, “Pelleas and Mélissande” by Schönberg and Fauré as well as the “Symphonic Ring” arrangement of Richard Wagner’s “Ring des Nibelungen”.

Sensitivity for depth and balance and an infectious dynamism are the hallmarks of Jonathan Darlington’s work. His vast symphonic and operatic repertoire ranges from the baroque to the contemporary, including lesser known works outside the European mainstream. He has a reputation for structuring programmes that take the listener on a fascinating musical journey, owing to their strong inner dramaturgy. He is especially committed to exploring connections between less easily accessible contemporary works and well known classical ones, surprising his audience with unexpected connections and resemblances. Fluent in several languages and at home in three countries, he thrives on the music making that comes as a result of the contact with different cultures and traditions.

Renowned for his broad repertoire, he gives regular guest appearances with major orchestras and opera houses the world over. Among the numerous orchestras where he is a regular guest are, to name a few, the Orchestre National de France, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, the Orchestra Sinfonica del San Carlo di Napoli, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, the National Orchestra of Taiwan, the Warsaw Philharmonic, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre National de Bordeaux-Aquitaine, the English National Opera and Sydney Opera. He is a regular guest of many major European festivals, such as Amsterdam, Montreux and the Piano Festival Ruhr (Germany), as well as the German cutting edge arts festival RuhrTriennale.

Jonathan Darlington began his career as freelance pianist, accompanist and repetiteur. Born in Lapworth near Birmingham, UK, he studied music at Durham University and piano at the Royal Academy of Music, London, winning several prizes especially for his Lieder accompaniment. After graduation, he moved to Paris, where, with Radio France, he had the chance to work with some of the most outstanding musical personalities of our time; Pierre Boulez (Le soleil des eaux), Riccardo Muti (Verdi Requiem) and Olivier Messiaen (Trois petites liturgies). As a freelance recitalist and accompanist, he travelled France and the UK, working for the Nancy Opera and the French experimental touring company ARCAL, which he soon took over as music director. As member of the music staff of the Aldeburgh School for Advanced Studies, he worked with such renowned singers as Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Ileana Cotrubas, Hugues Cuenod, Susanne Danko, Hans Hotter, Janet Baker and Peter Pears.

He made his conducting debut in 1984 at the Parisian Théâtre des Champs Elysées with Francesco Cavalli’s baroque opera “Ormindo”. An important stepping stone in his career was the Berlioz Festival Lyon, where he was assistant to Serge Baudo for “Les Troyens” in 1987, and later to John Nelson for “Benvenuto Cellini” (1989). In 1990 Myung-Whun Chung engaged Mr. Darlington as deputy to the music director at the Opéra de la Bastille, Paris, where he made his acclaimed debut in 1991 with “Le nozze di Figaro”, starring a dream cast including Renée Fleming and Cecilia Bartoli. He remained with the Paris Opera as deputy music director until 1993, conducting successes like “Die Zauberflöte” and “Das Lied von der Erde”. His “Swan Lake” with the Opéra de Paris was recorded for video in 1992.

Jonathan Darlington believes that music is at its best produced live and not in the studio, the audience being an integral part of the performance. His new series of audiophile live recordings with the label Acousence, recorded in the new Mercatorhalle, the Duisburg Philharmonic’s rebuilt and acoustically perfected concert hall, best meets this artistic credo.

He is also a driving force behind the DU Phil’s new media project, designed to reach out to new audiences and to bring classical music to the web 2.0. Darlington regularly writes for, and is featured in interviews and reports on the Duisburg Philharmonic’s new blog, “Dacapo”, and strongly supports the Vancouver Opera’s innovative online portal, “VOlive!”.

Jonathan Darlington holds the distinctions of a BA Honours degree of Durham University, a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, an Honorary LRAM and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, London (FRAM).

Booklet for Der Symphonische Ring