Which Wagner recordings are the best? See what several Wagnerians say and let us hear your opinion.
Some recommendations here:
http://www.wagneropera.net/Recommendations/Recommendations-2008.htm

All recordings I've heard with Waltraud Meier. I think that ''Tristan'' with Meier/Jerusalem, conducting Barenboim, is the best ever. And of course Flagstad with Furtwaengler. The Ring - live recording from Bayreuth with Barenboim. I like very much Pappano's Tannhauser, Sawallich's Lohengrin, Karajan's Parsifal.

Of the Ring cycles, I think that Solti is overrated. Too brash, crass, and sometimes just plain silly (those Hollywood sound effects). I prefer either Karajan or Janowski though both have their strengths and weaknesses. Anyway, the best very cycles don't come from the studio but from Bayreuth. The recent Keilberth '55 on Testament is excellent but very expensive. Even better from a performance perspective is Krauss on the Archipel label. I'm currently listening to Knappertsbusch '57 on the super budget WALHALL label which boasts surprisingly excellent sound. I find this cycle superior in nearly every way to the much lauded Kna' 56 on Music and Arts. Overall, I think Bohm's cycle from '67 is probably the best all around for performance and sound.

Gotta agree with the preference above for the Karajan or Janowski 'Ring' over the over-amplified, overdone Solti - too many silly sound effects and too much aggressive conducting for my liking. Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden produce the most beautiful sound and it's well-recorded in early digital sound. They also excel with Karajan in the 1970 'Meistersinger' recording, one of the most wonderful recordings of any opera. Best 'Parsifal' of course rests with Knappertsbusch, 1962. :)

I agree that the 57 KNA Ring is remarkable and superior to the other two sets available, although for some reason it is often overlooked by critics. Moralt's 48/9 Vienna set also has surprisingly good sound and a generally good performance at budget price. For the really adventurous, and those able to live with severely compromised sound, try the historic Naxos Ring with Melchior, Schorr, Flagstad etc. Mindblowing, if never a first choice. For studio Rings I prefer Levine or Karajan, and agree that Solti is a bit brash although no doubt great for its time.

Fritz Reiner's Tristan from the 30s is astonishing, although I'd say Furtwangler is still tops overall. For Meistersinger I would try 52 live KNA from Bayreuth or Karajan's 70s studio performance. Both excellent. Virtually any of the Knappertsbusch Parsifals are worth considering, but I also think Solti did excel himself with that work. Krauss and Goodall are also first rate.

For Dutchman I haven't heard better than Sawallisch from Bayreuth in 61. There are two amazing historic Tannhausers: Elmendorff Bayreuth 30 and Leinsdorf NY Met 41 - both have perfectly acceptable sound but there is also the Solti as backup. Lohengrin I think is best heard live with Keilberth 53 and in the studio with Rudolf Kempe.

Going with studio recordings most folks have access to,cause thats what i had when i didn't care about people on the internet talking about their Wagner recordings

Holl'der - Dorati for Rysanek and London or (gasp) Dohnanyi, yes, for Behrens and VPO&D'yi
T'Hauser - Konwitschy, Grummer and a passionate(drunk?) Berlin outfit, heavenly
L'grin - Keilberth Steber WIndgassen, or th Abbado/Jerusalem/VPO for the great Waltraud Meier
Tristan - Bohm
hate meistersinger, sorry
Ring - Furtwangler first, then Goodall, then Solti
falParsi - Goodall

just realised Keilberth Furtwangler and Goodall are all live, cept for Goodall Parsifal! stand by it though

It is not fair to judge the recordings- we sholud be thankful for every single recording, because each has its own pros and cons. I like the Metropolitan Ring on DVD, Karajans Lohengrin with Rene KOllo, or Böhms Tristan with Nilsson and Windgassen, but I am aware of the fact that there are many wonderful recordings of the same operas and I hope that I am gonna buy all of them as soon as possible.

ring Solti
tristan Furtwangler,Karajan
parsifal Boulez
meisters. Sawallisch, Karajan
tannh. Sinopoli

I have Tannhäuser with Sinpoli and Domingo, as well as Parsifal with Boulez. Both are unique.

Ring-Solti & Keilberth
Tristan-Bohm & Furtwangler
Parsifal-Goodall, Knappertsbusch (plus I quite like Thielmann's)
De Meistersinger-Karajan

i must listen to the Thielemann parsifal...

I'm sure no one means to offend, Herr Wagner - we wouldn't be here if we didn't love it!

Very good choice George, I have also that Parsifal recording with Thielemann (I suppose you mean the one with Domigo and Meier from the Wiener Staatsoper)- it has beatiful sound and Thielemann is conducting perfectly.
And I am aware of the fact that noone intends to offend, but each recording has a certain value and we have no fixed criteria by which we judge the recordings. The only thing, of which there is no doubt, is that no recording is perfect and nobody can say that for example Solti Ring is the best only because it is his favourite Ring.
There only a few people that have heard more than ten Rings and I think that this people have the right to choose the best. But the best way for us is to sum up the pros and cons of the recordings we have experienced and to serve as advisors for those who are looking for the appropriate recordings for themselves. It is unneccesary to reduce the highlights of Wagner discography to some ultimate titles. But on the other hand I have nothing against various opinions, only our CD hitparades are annoying me :-)