Richard Wagner

Wagner wrote thirteen operas and almost nothing else, and they are long — the Ring alone runs to about fifteen hours. The catalogue is correspondingly dominated by extracts, arrangements and vocal scores.

Very little of what is sold under his name is what he wrote. The Bridal Chorus, the Ride of the Valkyries and the Tannhäuser march exist in hundreds of arrangements for every instrument and grade, and are the bulk of what changes hands. That is fine, so long as you know which you are buying: a listing giving four pages is not the orchestral score.

Singers approaching the roles need to be honest about voice type before spending anything. Wagner wrote for particular kinds of instrument, and a vocal score is an expensive way to discover a role does not suit you. The concert arias and the Wesendonck Lieder are the accessible way in.