This collection of orchestral excerpts from Der Ring des Nibelungen by
Stephen Fissel represents some of the major portions of this great music
that Richard Wagner composed for low brass. The selection of these
excerpts comes from Mr. Fissel's own experience in preparing and
performing the Ring Cycle with Seattle Opera. In conjunction with Ring
performances in Seattle, he and his colleagues would often rehearse
these sections and present them in a concert along with commentary to
explain their importance, either elucidating a musical aspect or an
element of plot narrative, or from the standpoint of the development of
the low brass instruments of the orchestra.
For the serious orchestral low brass performer, Mr. Fissel's compilation
is a wonderful way to experience the highlights of Wagner's operatic
genius embodied in the four Ring Cycle operas: Das Rheingold, Die
Walkyrie, Siegfried and Gotterdammerung. There are 22 major
excerpts from the four operas for Bass Trumpet (part supplied for
original keys and transposed version in C or may be played by a Tenor
Trombone), 2 Tenor Trombones, Bass Trombone, Contrabass
Trombone (can be performed on a Bass Trombone as well), Tuba and a
coil bound full score. Included in the 22 excerpt Fissel compilation
are the following famous excerpts:
Ride of the Walkyrie, Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla, Wotan's
Farewell, Dragon Scene from Siegfried, Siegfried's Rhine Journey,
Siegfried's Funeral Music and Walhalla, Spear and Immolation Scene
(finale).