What are you listening to?

[Seán]

Robert Schumann
Symphony No. 3 & 4
Staatskapelle Dresden
Wolfgang Sawallisch - conducting.

[fergus]

Robert Schumann
Symphony No. 3 & 4
Staatskapelle Dresden
Wolfgang Sawallisch - conducting.

Blockbuster Schumann there Seán....did you enjoy it?

[fergus]

A small work by Monteverdi to finish up; Tirsi e Clori from this CD....





Wonderful!

[Seán]

Gioacchino Rossini
Il barbiere di Siviglia
Luigi Roni (Bass), Stefania Malagú (Mezzo Soprano), Renato Cesari (Baritone), Enzo Dara (Baritone), Luigi Alva (Tenor), Hermann Prey (Baritone), Teresa Berganza (Mezzo Soprano), Paolo Montarsolo (Bass)
London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado - conducting

[Seán]

Robert Schumann
Symphony No. 3 & 4
Staatskapelle Dresden
Wolfgang Sawallisch - conducting.

Blockbuster Schumann there Seán....did you enjoy it?

Indeed I do, that, and the Chailly Mahler Edition. I used to prefer the Chailly set but recently have gravitated towards the Sawallisch instead.

[Jose Echenique]

Gioacchino Rossini
Il barbiere di Siviglia
Luigi Roni (Bass), Stefania Malagú (Mezzo Soprano), Renato Cesari (Baritone), Enzo Dara (Baritone), Luigi Alva (Tenor), Hermann Prey (Baritone), Teresa Berganza (Mezzo Soprano), Paolo Montarsolo (Bass)
London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado - conducting

It´s hard to believe that Abbado´s was the first recording to use the then (1969) new critical edition of Il Barbiere.
What happened was that back in the early XIX Century there was no copyright, and so dozens if not hundreds of vitiated editions of popular works like Il Barbiere circulated all over the place. Musicologists like Philip Gossett and Alberto Zedda traced down the original manuscripts and corrected all third hand intrusions that crept into the first Ricordi published editions, yes, even such a respected publishing firm as Ricordi published for over a century scores that were not accurate.
The glory of the Abbado recording is the stunning Rosina of Teresa Berganza, none better anywhere. Her sheer musicianship, charm and out-of-this-world voice have not been bettered by anyone, not Bartoli, not Kasarova, no no one! Hermann Prey is more a Mozartean than a Rossinian, perhaps he misses some of the Italian bravado of the best Figaros on record, but he is never less than very musical. Luigi Alva who has recorded Almaviva no less than 3 times is always a pleasure to hear. And of course there´s the dashing young Abbado in his first opera recording. Lord, in the original booklet picture he looks about 20!!! (though he was really about 30).
A great Barbiere di Siviglia to be sure.

[Seán]

Gioacchino Rossini
Il barbiere di Siviglia
Luigi Roni (Bass), Stefania Malagú (Mezzo Soprano), Renato Cesari (Baritone), Enzo Dara (Baritone), Luigi Alva (Tenor), Hermann Prey (Baritone), Teresa Berganza (Mezzo Soprano), Paolo Montarsolo (Bass)
London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado - conducting

It´s hard to believe that Abbado´s was the first recording to use the then (1969) new critical edition of Il Barbiere.
What happened was that back in the early XIX Century there was no copyright, and so dozens if not hundreds of vitiated editions of popular works like Il Barbiere circulated all over the place. Musicologists like Philip Gossett and Alberto Zedda traced down the original manuscripts and corrected all third hand intrusions that crept into the first Ricordi published editions, yes, even such a respected publishing firm as Ricordi published for over a century scores that were not accurate.
The glory of the Abbado recording is the stunning Rosina of Teresa Berganza, none better anywhere. Her sheer musicianship, charm and out-of-this-world voice have not been bettered by anyone, not Bartoli, not Kasarova, no no one! Hermann Prey is more a Mozartean than a Rossinian, perhaps he misses some of the Italian bravado of the best Figaros on record, but he is never less than very musical. Luigi Alva who has recorded Almaviva no less than 3 times is always a pleasure to hear. And of course there´s the dashing young Abbado in his first opera recording. Lord, in the original booklet picture he looks about 20!!! (though he was really about 30).
A great Barbiere di Siviglia to be sure.

Well, I can say that for a novice it is very easy to listen to, so far, on one complete listen, Teresa Berganza and Enzo Dara have stood out for me.

[fergus]

[fergus]

Seán had me reaching for some of Rossini's music as I have not listened to any in quite some time. So double Rossini on vinyl....

[DaveF]

Some Mahler once again graces my living room....



and an old favorite....