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The Scherzo op. 45 was previously recorded as part of a very fine Goldmark collection featuring the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Lanchberry. I still have the vinyl release from 1979.

It appears critical opinion will always be divided as to the merits of Rubinstein's music....so be it; but this recording is worth hearing, if only for the Moses of Stanislav Kuflyuk.  The music itself achieves a declamatory eloquence to match the finer pages of Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunov" (Weinstock & Brockway's "World of Opera" makes a similar claim for Rubinstein's "Kaloshnikov"), and Kuflyuk is electrifying in the title role.  I encourage you to stick with it; by the time Moses/Kuflyuk hurls his final thunderbolt ("Jehovah ist dein Gott") you may be ready to join the faithful.

You've come up with the perfect description of Rubinstein's music in general, and why I find it so appealing.....melodies galore!!

I haven't received my shipment yet, so I decided to 'treat' myself with the snippets available from prestoclassical.  It doesn't sound boring to me, but then, I like Rubinstein. As for the length, I got through all 24 pieces of "Kammeniy-Ostrov" in one sitting, so I don't find three hours of "Moses" at all intimidating.
Tchaikovsky made some snippy comments about "Neron" but the ballet music, as well as the various excerpts recorded by Caruso and Hvorostovsky, tell a different story.                              Best regards,     Gene Schiller

I just received my copy of "An Allem ist Hutchen Schuld" from Premiere Opera. Italy, and it's a beauty.  A fine recording with  lush, luminous textures, it's worthwhile for the orchestral performance alone. It's well sung too, and overall should give you a good impression of the score. Wagner-lite? Whatever. There's many a magical moment here....but hearing is believing.  Experience for yourself!

Re: Really? That's quite a claim....

Yes, it is...but, I think it will hold up in court.

While Charpentier's Louise was universally praised for it's orchestration, the vocal writing was criticized as being 'ugly' - at least back in the early 1900s.  But, as you mentioned, a Thill or a Domingo can make it sound good.

Regarding Richard Strauss, he frequently stretches the voice beyond its natural limits, for my taste.

"An Allem ist Hutchen Schuld" is an adult's "Hansel und Gretel" and probably the only opera by Siegfried that bears any relation to Humperdinck.  The vocal writing for the heroine, Katherlieschen, is exquisite, but the performance with Anneli Pfeffer may be hard to find. I had to join the Siegfried Wagner Society to get it!

So, let's keep this within the realm of possibility:  Roman Trekel's S. Wagner recital should be available.  Sample the selections from Sonnenflammen, Die Heidenkonig, and Herzog Wildfang, and then tell me that Siegfried doesn't write beautifully for the voice.

"Die Heilige Linde" can be easily obtained - check out the duet for Autonoe & Arbogast in Act 2.  It's luscious!

Siegfried's grand scenas for soprano are equivalent to Wagner's, not only in length, but quality. 

1) Der Schmied von Marienburg: Act II - Friedlind's scene (Andrea Trauboth, soprano) - again, I had to purchase this from the SW Society, but Dagmar Schellenberger on CPO is almost as good.

2) Der Friedensengel: Act II - Mita's scene (20 minutes with chorus & Interlude)-Hanne Lore-Kuhse (available as part of the complete recording).

If you can...try and find a recording of S. Wagner's "An Allem ist Hutchen Schuld"  - a live performance from Hagen (1997).  No one writes better for the voice (that is, no 20th century German composer) than Siegfried Wagner.  And Anneli Pfeffer, as Katherlieschen, is as good as it's ever going to get.  Don't take my word for it...to quote from Thomas Luys of Opera Magazine - the audience was thrilled with Ms. Pfeffer, "who raised the part of Katherlieschen into the soprano heaven with her bell-like tones." 
Regarding CPO's "Sonnenflammen" - I wish I could be more enthusiastic, but Siegfried Kohler's live concert performance from Wiesbaden is far more exciting; once you adjust your ears to the obvious sonic limitations, you can appreciate Kohler's exemplary pacing, along with thrilling contributions from Gerlinde Lorenz (Iris) and Sylvia Meinardus as the Temple Dancer.
"Der Friedensengel" is available from Living Stage, in a world-class performance featuring soprano Hanne Lore-Kuhse; Act 2 is a knockout!

Well, you might as well accuse Verdi and Puccini of poor judgment as well.  Verdi praised 'Guglielmo' for its richness of melody and "throbbing passion."  Puccini described it as a giant step forward.

I'm surprised 'Margherita's Racconto' from Act IV is so seldom mentioned as a highlight; with its broadly arching phrases, it's the score's supreme inspiration.  It wasn't exactly cut from the premiere - the mezzo-soprano (Della Rogers) for that performance had lost her voice, so the orchestra played while she mimed her role! 
Actually, Mascagni claimed the orchestral part alone would make a perfect accompaniment to the play, and longed to perform it that way.
And I do think it contains Mascagni's greatest music; esp. from the scene at Black Rock (Act III) to the apocalyptic ending, there's nothing in Italian opera quite like it.

"Is it a Holy Roman Empire?" I didn't preclude the possibility....funny you should ask.

"Rapsodia Satanica" is not a symphony, a symphonic poem, or a rhapsody.  To say it sounds like movie music would also be a little off the mark; more accurately, it sounds like a 'movie,' a drama without words, which unfolds all the more vividly without the benefit of any visual aid.  It's fascinating and unique, and the performance on Capriccio is superb.  Recommended!     

Before you write off "Guglielmo Ratcliff" for good, I think you're listening to the wrong performance...and yes, pigs do fly.  Check out Catania (1990) with Vincenzo Scuderi, who sails through the title role like a house on fire, even interpolating a high C for good measure in the finale from Act 3; so much for the role being unsingable.  And no one conducts it like Gabor Otvos - an enormously dynamic reading. Sonic imperfections are irrelevant here; I can't imagine any fan of verismo not responding to this.
I'd recommend starting first with Acts 3 & 4; soprano Sandra Pacetti is excellent, and Elena Souliotis, though underpowered, manages to redeem herself with an unexpected reprise of her great scene near the end.          Best regards,  Gene Schiller

It's true, in verismo, the orchestra is half the story, but don't shortchange the singer.  In the heyday of verismo, the operas of Mascagni, for instance, were sung by the likes of Gigli (Piccolo Marat, Lodoletta), Caruso (Iris, Le Maschere), Hipolito Lazaro (Parisina), and De Muro (Isabeau), singers who combined suavity as well as power, much like the best Mascagni tenors of today: Pavarotti (L'Amico Fritz), Wolverton (Silvano), Di Stefano (Iris), Campora (Lodoletta), Scuderi (Guglielmo Ratcliff), Martinucci (Piccolo Marat).  There is no substitute for that kind of singing; without it you're missing a crucial aspect of what makes this music great.  And if you haven't heard the final acts of Guglielmo Ratcliff or Parisina, neither of which is available in a first-rate 'modern' recording, you don't know how powerful verismo can be. 

The commercial recordings which come closest to meeting your criteria for good/great singing and up-to-date sound are: L'Amico Fritz (Freni/Pavarotti-EMI), Silvano (Wolverton/Tiboris-Elysium), Iris (Tokody/Domingo-CBS-not the most inimitably sung, despite the stellar line-up, but still a fine recording), and Isabeau (Strow-Piccolo/Van Limpt/Bakels-Bongiovanni); and here's an unsung 'glory' from Cilea: Gloria (Roberti/Labo/Previtali-Bongiovanni - in excellent stereo sound). From the same era (it wasn't all verismo), I'd recommend two fine comic operas: Mascagni's Le Maschere, a first-rate performance (in stereo) from Fonit Cetra (Gallego/Lo Scola/Gelmetti), and Wolf-Ferrari's I Quattro Rusteghi (Noni/Corena), a marvelous performance from Cetra, released in the early '50s, in perfectly satisfactory monaural sound.       Best regards,   Gene Schiller

'Ilsebill' was so dull, it took me several weeks to get through it.  But, on second hearing I found myself more sympathetic.  It is, after all, a fastidiously crafted score in the Wagnerian manner; if not overly compelling, still a story well-told.  And the music occasionally borders on eloquence, particularly the poetic opening, and the interlude and final scene.  I don't think  anyone who enjoys Raff or Reger would have a problem with it.   Best regards,   Gene Schiller