James Taylor
@jdtaylorwagner.bsky.social
'There is a God! And he's a gag-writer!'
Richard Wagner Society.
Titanic Historical Society.
Member of general human society (reluctantly)
Richard Wagner Society.
Titanic Historical Society.
Member of general human society (reluctantly)
Why is it not an international holiday?
December 16, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Why is it not an international holiday?
Going through these tapes I'm reminded again how marvellous the Marek Janowski 'Ring' from Dresden is. What a great orchestra, and with none of Solti's hard-driven conducting (or silly sound effects).
And of course always nice to be thrilled by Wagner's masterwork once again!
And of course always nice to be thrilled by Wagner's masterwork once again!
December 13, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Going through these tapes I'm reminded again how marvellous the Marek Janowski 'Ring' from Dresden is. What a great orchestra, and with none of Solti's hard-driven conducting (or silly sound effects).
And of course always nice to be thrilled by Wagner's masterwork once again!
And of course always nice to be thrilled by Wagner's masterwork once again!
Manflu still rages on...time to get out the heaviest drugs....
December 10, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Manflu still rages on...time to get out the heaviest drugs....
Caught the manflu. Obviously I'm suffering in unimaginable pain, but fortunately there is relief.
December 8, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Caught the manflu. Obviously I'm suffering in unimaginable pain, but fortunately there is relief.
Wow I didn't know Solti had composed The Planets!!
Oh wait, the real composers name in a tiny font right up in the corner....
Oh wait, the real composers name in a tiny font right up in the corner....
December 5, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Wow I didn't know Solti had composed The Planets!!
Oh wait, the real composers name in a tiny font right up in the corner....
Oh wait, the real composers name in a tiny font right up in the corner....
Karajan in Dresden around 1980, looking at plans for the rebuilding of the Semperoper (and clearly got a bit hammered the night before).
December 4, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Karajan in Dresden around 1980, looking at plans for the rebuilding of the Semperoper (and clearly got a bit hammered the night before).
Postcard of the shrine.
December 3, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Postcard of the shrine.
Cathedral moments.
November 29, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Cathedral moments.
Nice to see it back again in P-boro!. Tiny classical section but very decent DVD and Blu-ray choices, and nice to see a fair bit of Chomsky amongst the books!
November 29, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Nice to see it back again in P-boro!. Tiny classical section but very decent DVD and Blu-ray choices, and nice to see a fair bit of Chomsky amongst the books!
If I'm going to listen to Wagner on old East German cassette box sets it's probably only right I do so on a bright orange retro 1970s style player.
Nice solid build quality, but they don't make cassette players as good as they used to... #oldschool #oldman
Nice solid build quality, but they don't make cassette players as good as they used to... #oldschool #oldman
November 29, 2025 at 2:12 PM
If I'm going to listen to Wagner on old East German cassette box sets it's probably only right I do so on a bright orange retro 1970s style player.
Nice solid build quality, but they don't make cassette players as good as they used to... #oldschool #oldman
Nice solid build quality, but they don't make cassette players as good as they used to... #oldschool #oldman
The booklet essay for this 'Ring' box set leaves you with no doubt which Germany this originated from
November 26, 2025 at 9:23 PM
The booklet essay for this 'Ring' box set leaves you with no doubt which Germany this originated from
Boring audiophile collectors post - Wagner's 'Ring' box set on 19 cassettes, the Janowski cycle from Dresden. An original from the GDR 😎 Yes the boxes are as utilitarian as you can get but the Chrome tapes mastered in Dolby Stereo are pretty luxurious...dare I even say bougie! But a fine set.
November 26, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Boring audiophile collectors post - Wagner's 'Ring' box set on 19 cassettes, the Janowski cycle from Dresden. An original from the GDR 😎 Yes the boxes are as utilitarian as you can get but the Chrome tapes mastered in Dolby Stereo are pretty luxurious...dare I even say bougie! But a fine set.
Gustav Mahler being told the same 'funny story' he's heard a billion times before.
November 26, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Gustav Mahler being told the same 'funny story' he's heard a billion times before.
Not a fan of how Wagner's music is used in this film, obviously! But intrigued by a 12" record that plays at 45rpm, supposedly giving better sound quality. We'll see...
(And Sir Adrian was a pretty impressive Wagner conductor, shame we didn't get more from him)
(And Sir Adrian was a pretty impressive Wagner conductor, shame we didn't get more from him)
November 25, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Not a fan of how Wagner's music is used in this film, obviously! But intrigued by a 12" record that plays at 45rpm, supposedly giving better sound quality. We'll see...
(And Sir Adrian was a pretty impressive Wagner conductor, shame we didn't get more from him)
(And Sir Adrian was a pretty impressive Wagner conductor, shame we didn't get more from him)
ChatGPT starting a Wagnerian conspiracy theory... so my favourite Meistersinger isn't by Karajan at all but is actually a random East German recording EMI released and just pretended it was?! 😲😂
November 23, 2025 at 5:07 PM
ChatGPT starting a Wagnerian conspiracy theory... so my favourite Meistersinger isn't by Karajan at all but is actually a random East German recording EMI released and just pretended it was?! 😲😂
Rainy Saturday ... guess I'm staying in with Shostakovich.
November 22, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Rainy Saturday ... guess I'm staying in with Shostakovich.
Got this box set out intending to watch one of the films - went through a disc of cartoons instead. Laughed like an idiot. No regrets.
November 19, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Got this box set out intending to watch one of the films - went through a disc of cartoons instead. Laughed like an idiot. No regrets.
Time for the traditional Sunday Shosty*.
(*Traditional from hereon)
(*Traditional from hereon)
November 16, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Time for the traditional Sunday Shosty*.
(*Traditional from hereon)
(*Traditional from hereon)
I'm a vinyl fan but some of the pricing for this stuff is a bit ridiculous... I know it's all remastered and on high quality 180g vinyl, but still...
(I got the 1979 New Years Concert discs for a fiver at Notting Hill)
(I got the 1979 New Years Concert discs for a fiver at Notting Hill)
November 15, 2025 at 3:33 PM
I'm a vinyl fan but some of the pricing for this stuff is a bit ridiculous... I know it's all remastered and on high quality 180g vinyl, but still...
(I got the 1979 New Years Concert discs for a fiver at Notting Hill)
(I got the 1979 New Years Concert discs for a fiver at Notting Hill)
And the famous pictures of him composing in his fancy hat. I'll devote a whole evening of programming just to that, naturally - and a clip show with celebrity talking heads saying how great his works were (after showing them a 10 second clip beforehand that they'll talk about).
November 15, 2025 at 1:22 PM
And the famous pictures of him composing in his fancy hat. I'll devote a whole evening of programming just to that, naturally - and a clip show with celebrity talking heads saying how great his works were (after showing them a 10 second clip beforehand that they'll talk about).
As the shops have already started playing Christmas music guess it's not too early to start becoming obsessed with this again 😁
November 8, 2025 at 3:51 PM
As the shops have already started playing Christmas music guess it's not too early to start becoming obsessed with this again 😁
The quality of these restorations stills astonishes me (as do the performances themselves!).
Great box set full of glories.
Great box set full of glories.
November 6, 2025 at 2:55 PM
The quality of these restorations stills astonishes me (as do the performances themselves!).
Great box set full of glories.
Great box set full of glories.
Leipzig Opera House, 1976.
November 3, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Leipzig Opera House, 1976.
Karajan recording Meistersinger in Dresden, 1970.
November 2, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Karajan recording Meistersinger in Dresden, 1970.
Nice poster from www.richard-wagner-shop.de/en/index
(Ignore the blu tac marks, it will be cleaned up!)
(Ignore the blu tac marks, it will be cleaned up!)
October 31, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Nice poster from www.richard-wagner-shop.de/en/index
(Ignore the blu tac marks, it will be cleaned up!)
(Ignore the blu tac marks, it will be cleaned up!)