Essential Wagner? I've only listened to ride of the valkyries.

That's john wayne

fuck wagner

Tristan and Isolde is great

>>68952068
Lohengrin probably

Tannhauser is a good choice

>>68952068
start with Beethoven, end with Verdi

>>68952068

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i0TnNI6U-w

sample stuff from here, go out and get the full recordings of whatever pieces you like.

>>68952068
Die Walkure is quite essential

Other than ride of the valkyries, these are my 2 favorite parts.

Act I Finale:
https://youtu.be/xxOguPSOfjk?t=2893

Act III Finale:
https://youtu.be/4tC41KK0RBM?t=3151

>>68952385
>Tristan and Isolde
i second this.

>>68952068
You don't, because wagner sucks.

>>68953075
>Thielemann
Thielemann's conducting is great, finale is great as well, but holy shit is he plagued by a bunch of unacceptable, unbearable singers. Sieglinde and Brünnhilde are preposterous, absolutely insufferable. Gould as Siegfried is meh, everyone else is meh or bad, only Wotan is pretty good.

>>68952068
Tristan und Isolde is his greatest and most compelling work. If that doesn't catch our interest, try the highlights of the Ring.

File: Seriously+bro+you+could+do+so+much+better+_b4ea1a5a1778bf7ba355079ef631f263.jpg (42KB, 627x626px) Image search: [Google]

42KB, 627x626px

>>68954352

>>68952068
everything from tannhauser up to and including parsifal is absolutely essential. enjoy!!

lohengrin is a great place to start.

http://www.classical.net/music/rep/lists/rom.php#wagner
Check that wesite or download something like Penguin's guide to recorded classical or something to get "the essentials" of an artist. There's tonnes of resources out there that'll can give you more comprehensive recommendations made by way more informed individuals than those on /mu/.