What are you listening to?

[jaybee]

the coronation mass only!!

[Jose Echenique]

Imperial Court Poet Pietro Metastasio wrote just 2 dozens of opera libretti, but they were set to music by literally hundreds of composers. One of his most popular was L´ Olimpiade, originally written for Antonio Caldara. Taking advantage of the London Olympic Games, Naïve had the "great idea" (????) of making a pasticcio L´ Olimpiade using arias from the many versions of this libretto. First of all, it´s not really a pasticcio, since no recitatives are included, just a succession of arias, making this recording just an aria recital.
The composers include Caldara, Gassmann, Hasse, Jommelli, Leo, Myslivecek, Paisiello, Cimarosa, Galuppi and Cherubini. Antonio Vivaldi is also included, but after all we do have several recordings of his L´ Olimpiade.
I think it would have been more interesting to get a complete L´ Olimpiade from one of these great composers, especially the Hasse or Jommelli settings, but maybe in another lifetime.
At least Naïve got some splendid singers for the enterprise, especially soprano Karina Gauvin, mezzo Franziska Gottwald and alto Romina Basso. The excellent ensemble is Andrea Marcon´s Venice Baroque Orchestra, but conducted this time by Greek cembalo player Markellos Chryssicos.
So even though there´s some marvelous music on offer here, one feels frustrated, even more when both cds add up to only 2 hours. They could have given us some 40 minutes more of music.

[Jared]

I have just been listening to an interesting disk, for which there is no official cover:

Anglea Hewitt: NOT Bach.

It is the extra, 'free' CD included in her 14 CD Boxset on Hyperion of Bach Piano music, I have been enjoying greatly over the past few weeks...

77 mins of Handel, Couperin, Rameau, LvB, Chopin, Schumann, Chabrier, Ravel & Messiaen.

Needless to say, it's great up to Schumann and not at all to my taste thereafter... don't think I'm up to giving the Messiaen a 2nd listen through, still it's a lovely touch all the same to include it in the box set.

now:



the most complete traversal of these Concertos to my knowledge, sensitively done on period instruments, with a very high quality of recording.

[Jared]

not listening, but have just watched...



it's of very good quality and I quite enjoyed it (although La Trav is the only opera I've quite enjoyed in the past, so you never know...)

anyway, I got through it all in one sitting; Pepe will be proud of me!!

[Jose Echenique]

not listening, but have just watched...



it's of very good quality and I quite enjoyed it (although La Trav is the only opera I've quite enjoyed in the past, so you never know...)

anyway, I got through it all in one sitting; Pepe will be proud of me!!

I am Jared, good for you!
Now it´s easy to take La Traviata for granted, and we tend to forget what a striking piece of musical theater it was for it´s first audience. A well to do young man living together with a whore? That was beyond shocking in the mid XIX Century.

[Jared]

I am Jared, good for you!
Now it´s easy to take La Traviata for granted, and we tend to forget what a striking piece of musical theater it was for it´s first audience. A well to do young man living together with a whore? That was beyond shocking in the mid XIX Century.

Thank you Pepe. I went into a charity shop recently, and to my surprise found 6 opera DVDs on the shelf for £1 each, which I couldn't believe. Even then, I was in two minds purchasing them because I have long struggled with the medium (as you know!). I bought them all however determined that if ever there was an opportunity to try and get into it, this had to be it. I was tempted by the above because I was always a fan of Franco Zeffirelli's 'Romeo & Juliet', and I must admit the production itself is very well presented. I have always found the story of La Traviata to be simple yet a powerful one and for the most part, the music is compelling.

With that in mind, which of Verdi's Operas would you recommend the complete novice to attempt next? Falstaff? I'm a great admirer of Falstaff's antics in Henry IV Parts I & II & The Merry Wives Of Windsor, leadfing to his emotionally charged 'betrayal/ disassociation' by Hal at the start of Henry V. Would this chime with me? I don't mean to ask a leading question, and I'd be grateful for your thoughts.

Next up, is one I approach with trepidation and might watch it tonight:



... hey, I didn't choose which 6 operas should be in the charity shop!

I remember attempting to watch the Proms performance of this (sans setting, naturally) a couple of years ago and was frankly quite bored. That said, I know and adore LvB, so I'm hoping that some degree of concentration on my part may yield fruit.

[fergus]

[fergus]

The playing is beautiful, how you manage to direct an orchestra while playing I don't know!

I would bet that Claudio Abbado taught her something of that skill....

[fergus]

I heard that CD many years ago but I do not have it.

[jaybee]

I heard that CD many years ago but I do not have it.

It's the only classical guitar performance I still own, so I can't make any direct comparisons, but it sounds lovely, I can only compare from memory but I would say that it is a slightly more deliberate performance than say John Williams ....

The Walton takes a bit of getting used to!!