6 albums that blew me away before 1990. No particular order.

[Mormon Red Death]

there was good music before 1990? I thought it was just hair bands and drug induced hard rock..

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

This past summer I got Wagner's Ring into my blood.

So did Grapevine.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

So did Grapevine.

I'd be surprised.

Actually, this is one of those instances where I think I'm doing my own, original thing, and it turns out that unwittingly I'm following a fad. Wagner's opera cycle der Ring des Nibelungin got a bad name for a few decades after the 1930's and '40's when Hitler made it virtually Nazi Germany's Illiad. He saw the entire cycle (about 20 hours long), some 60 times,and once said something like "if you want to understand Nazism you must understand the Ring" (I'm paraphrasing).

Now, however, the Ring is once again fully appreciated as the masterwork of a true genius. Wagner never knew Hitler, died long before he came to power, and the opera has no overtly anti-semitic or racist themes, certainly nothing to match C.S. Lewis' Narnia series which are Christian allegories. (Like most 19th century folks, not the least of them great artists and philosophers, he had some non-PC views, by today's standards.)

Wagner drew his myth that forms the story line of the opera from old Nordic chronicles and epic poems, just as Tolkein did in constructing his epic, and it's clear that Tolkein owes a large debt to Wagner (which he never explictly acknowledged). Many great western thinkers such as Neitzche and Shaw had a passion for the Ring.

For many years the Seattle Opera was about the only opera company outside Bayreuth, Germany that regularly did the entire Ring cycle from beginning to end--every four years, like the world cup. Over the decades they've finally nearly perfected it. Tickets are as scarce as Final Four tickets and people come from all over the world to see it. There are four operas shown, as long as five hours, over a six day period.

The Ring has always interested me because myths and their power to literally to catalyze the rise of civilizations (for better or worse) has always been a passion of mine--perhaps because of the way I was brought up. Anyway, a friend of my wife's family is on the Seattle Symphony board and he got me a ticket so I went. Before hand I studied up, listening to the entire cycle on CD's while following along with the libretto, read a couple of books, etc.

I thought I was being pretty original and eccentric. Alas, during my studies I learned that the Ring his exploding in popularity and now many opera companies all over the world are following the Seattle Opera's example. I understand one reason it's popular now is opera companies now provides subtitles translating the German to the native toungue of the audience.

I'm sure Statman knows more about this than I do by far.

[MikeWaters]

For the most part, I think we should look at art for its own sake, and not try to interpret it through the lens of the artists' life.

If Wagner was not the sort of person that one would want to be acquainted with, so what, to some extent.

Wagner, muscially, was a visionary. (I learned this in my Music 101 class).

[realtall]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

For the most part, I think we should look at art for its own sake, and not try to interpret it through the lens of the artists' life.

If Wagner was not the sort of person that one would want to be acquainted with, so what, to some extent.

Wagner, muscially, was a visionary. (I learned this in my Music 101 class).

In addition to the thematic & the storyline elements to his operas Wagner is also noted for scoring for full symphony orchestra in his opratic works. The orchestra music is so strong that it can stand independent of the opera. Because of this, you can often hear of orchestras performing music from Wagner opera x in a standalone concert. Wagner is also noted for using unusual or newly invented instruments in the orchestra(anvil, serpent, ophicleide, English bass horn, Wagner tuba to name a few) to create a certain atmosphere or aura appropriate to the scene.

Wagner's music is, of course, famous but never more so then when Elmer Fudd starts up with his 'Kill da wabbit' song.

[tooblue]

What's an album

Frankie Laine - On the Trail .... best album by far!

[tooblue]

man, I failed to read the entire string until just now ... you guys ahve missed out on some great music ... I don't know much about albums but what about bands such as:

ELO
Moody Blues
Yes
Super Tramp
Boston
The Smiths
The House Martins ...

[tooblue]

And for the love of Pete, NO Johnny Cash?

[tooblue]

Paul Simon - Graceland?


Bob Marely


Fairground Attraction


The Police?

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

For the most part, I think we should look at art for its own sake, and not try to interpret it through the lens of the artists' life.

If Wagner was not the sort of person that one would want to be acquainted with, so what, to some extent.

Wagner, muscially, was a visionary. (I learned this in my Music 101 class).

I agree, as implied in my post. I'd go even further and say art should not be judged by wether the critic personally agrees or disagrees with its thematic content--it's the execution that counts.