What are you listening to?

[Seán]

Franz Schubert
String Quartet No. 14 "Death and the Maiden"
Kodály Quartet

This is a very satisfying performance of Schubert's masterpiece.

[Seán]

Today, JS Bach and Vivaldi sacred music....

Oh, another Magnificat, one can never have too many of them, do you like it Fergus?

[Jose Echenique]

I listened to the First Act and really enjoyed it, particularly Di Stefano's singing, what do you make of it Pepe?

After the fabulous 1953 Callas/De Sabata Tosca, this is the best there is. Leontyne Price in her absolute prime is a glorious Tosca, not only she has an ideal voice for the role (and what a VOICE!!!!), but she sings with such raw passion, that she -almost- matches Callas, and that is saying something. Giuseppe Di Stefano of course had the most beautiful tenor voice ever, and even though he was beginning to develop vocal problems that led to a too early retirement, no one EVER has sung Cavaradossi with this Italianate passion. The great Giuseppe Taddei in one of his too rare recordings is an amazing Scarpia, and Karajan was a natural in Puccini. I have a very special affection for this recording because it was the one that introduced me to opera. The very first opera LP that I bought was an aria recital with Renata Tebaldi, that recital included "Vissi d´arte". I asked my brother to lend me a recording of Tosca and he handed me the Karajan. I was bowled over when I heard Di Stefano singing "Recondita Armonia" an " E lucevan le Stelle", and of course Leontyne Price quite surpassed Tebaldi in "Vissi d´arte".

Needless to say, it would be IMPOSSIBLE to find a cast like this today.

[Jose Echenique]

And since we are talking of the great Giuseppe Di Stefano, I´ve just received this live 1982 recital with the tenor that most remind us of his voice, José Carreras. He too, like Di Stefano developed serious vocal problems, especially after his Leukemia, and like Di Stefano it was because he foolishly decided to sing roles far too heavy for him.
But in this 1982 live recording we are reminded of just how beautiful his voice was, Time is unforgiving <sigh>

[Jared]

this evening consisted of 3 hours of Handel and a bottle of real ale.. :-)

[Jose Echenique]

Rodelinda is surely one of Handel´s top 5 operas, the others being Giulio Cesare, Alcina, Ariodante and Orlando.
I prefer the Glyndebourne production because obviously the smaller theatre is more accommodating to Handel´s music, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment is far more appropriate too.
Between Renée Fleming and Anna Caterina Antonacci is more up to taste and Andreas Scholl is common to both.

But what a great opera it is!

[Jared]

^^ would you put Theodora in the top 5? I have yet to see it, but I know it's highly regarded by many. Incidentally, I was woken up to an aria from Theodora this morning, by Lorraine Hunt Lieberson on R3, which was very beautiful.

Pepe, I'm afraid that thus far, I have only seen performances of Handel's Belshazzar, Rodelinda, Ariodante, Julius Caesar & Rinaldo, so I'm in no position to judge as to his overall output, although I do enjoy all of his that I see, and I'm quite sure many more will follow in time.

I understand your point about the intimacy of Glyndebourne compared with the Met and its suitability for baroque opera, but I did enjoy this performance; the stage sets were highly original and very convincing, and I thought the cast was very strong.

[Jose Echenique]

Oh but Theodora is an oratorio, not an opera, even if it´s been staged. Handel´s output is so enormous that if we are going to make top 5 lists, we´d better do them by genre. Top 5 Oratorios: CERTAINLY Theodora, Jephtha, Messiah, Belshazzar and probably Saul, though Solomon should be tied with Saul.

[DonKC]

Some exquisite performances of great music, even though some are almost too familiar.

Rossini Overtures V2 (with William Tell, Silken Ladder and Il signor Bruschino along with some unfamiliar ones.



Prague Sinfonia Orchestra Christian Benda

Naxos 8.570934

[DonKC]

From the familiar to the who???... Two symphonies by Heinrich Picot de Peccaduc, Freiherr von Herzogenberg (1843-1900) I found on Naxos Music Library.

Symphony # 1 op 50 1884 and Symphony # 2 op 70 1889

A contemporary of Brahms, but with a more Brucknerian language and sound to his works, both of these symphonies are often dramatic and colorful; the 2nd is a bit more pastoral in nature. If you like Brahms and Schumann or Berwald then these works are worth hearing.



Frank Beermann, conducting North German Radio SO
CPO 777122-2