What are you listening to?

[Jose Echenique]

Finishing off with some Schubert....





The beautifully melodious Arpeggione Sonata played by Anner Bylsma on violoncello piccolo (five-stringed) and Jos van Immerseel on fortepiano.

How we miss L´ Archibudelli!

[Jose Echenique]

Today is Giuseppe Verdi´s 200 anniversary, a composer that Carlo Maria Giulini described as the greatest composer ever born in Italy, a composer that Nikolaus Harnoncourt described as one of the 3 greatest composers for the stage, the other 2 being of course Mozart and Monteverdi.
So it´s only right to start the celebrations with one of his greatest operas, Don Carlo in the justly famous 1964 Solti recording, a version that in my humble opinion has stood better the test of time than any of Solti´s Wagner recordings. Just listen to the Don Carlo/Posa duet with master singers Carlo Bergonzi and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, they just don´t sing like this anymore.

[fergus]

Today is Giuseppe Verdi´s 200 anniversary, a composer that Carlo Maria Giulini described as the greatest composer ever born in Italy, a composer that Nikolaus Harnoncourt described as one of the 3 greatest composers for the stage, the other 2 being of course Mozart and Monteverdi.
So it´s only right to start the celebrations with one of his greatest operas, Don Carlo in the justly famous 1964 Solti recording, a version that in my humble opinion has stood better the test of time than any of Solti´s Wagner recordings. Just listen to the Don Carlo/Posa duet with master singers Carlo Bergonzi and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, they just don´t sing like this anymore.

Just looking at the time of posting on that one my friend....you are up either very early, or very late LOL!!! A touch of insomnia???

[Seán]

Today is Giuseppe Verdi´s 200 anniversary, a composer that Carlo Maria Giulini described as the greatest composer ever born in Italy, a composer that Nikolaus Harnoncourt described as one of the 3 greatest composers for the stage, the other 2 being of course Mozart and Monteverdi.
So it´s only right to start the celebrations with one of his greatest operas, Don Carlo in the justly famous 1964 Solti recording, a version that in my humble opinion has stood better the test of time than any of Solti´s Wagner recordings. Just listen to the Don Carlo/Posa duet with master singers Carlo Bergonzi and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, they just don´t sing like this anymore.

Just looking at the time of posting on that one my friend....you are up either very early, or very late LOL!!! A touch of insomnia???

An early Mexican evening I expect. ;)

[Jared]

Great performances if you do not know this CD Jared.

thanks Fergus; I don't doubt it. As you know, I'm a very big fan of Brahms' chamber works, however this isn't an area of my collection which will see much expansion in the foreseeable future. Purchases will become more restricted in the future, primarily owing to funds and space...

that said, I have been exploring the following Baroque disks recently:

Bach: Complete Flute & Viola da Gamba Sonatas (Philips)
Bach: Cantatas BWV:122, 110 & 57 (Herreweghe)
Biber: Requiem a 15 (Savall)
Handel: Alexander's Feast (Christophers)
Handel: Ode Queen Anne/ Utrecht Te Deum & Jubilate (Preston)
Telemann: Complete Tafelmusik (Goebel)
Vivaldi: Motets, Stabat Mater, Magnificat, Concerti (Alessandrini etc)

These have been my companions over the past few weeks of relative quiet on this forum, in a small bid to enlarge my Baroque repertoire...

[Jared]

Today is Giuseppe Verdi´s 200 anniversary.

an occasion we had hope to mark yesterday, when the Watkins Court Opera Club were due to meet to enjoy a performance of Rigoletto, however pressing social commitments amongst my gang of pensioners has meant that it has been postponed to Weds 16th!

[Jose Echenique]

Today is Giuseppe Verdi´s 200 anniversary, a composer that Carlo Maria Giulini described as the greatest composer ever born in Italy, a composer that Nikolaus Harnoncourt described as one of the 3 greatest composers for the stage, the other 2 being of course Mozart and Monteverdi.
So it´s only right to start the celebrations with one of his greatest operas, Don Carlo in the justly famous 1964 Solti recording, a version that in my humble opinion has stood better the test of time than any of Solti´s Wagner recordings. Just listen to the Don Carlo/Posa duet with master singers Carlo Bergonzi and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, they just don´t sing like this anymore.

Just looking at the time of posting on that one my friend....you are up either very early, or very late LOL!!! A touch of insomnia???

After going to downtown in the morning I listened to the first cd last night. Today I´ll continue with the rest of the recording. It´s a feast of incredible Verdi singing. I have never been a great fan of Renata Tebaldi, but this is one of her finest recorded performances, for some reason in the studio she seems to give more in roles that were not in her repertoire (as Elisabetta in don Carlo was not). Carlo Bergonzi as usual is a model of Verdi singing, his musicianship was just exquisite. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau first sang Posa in the late 40´s in Berlin with a very young conductor called Ferenc Fricsay, so he is in total command of his role. Grace Bumbry in her prime was a tigress of an Eboli, few if any better in the discography. And what can one say of Nicolai Ghiaurov as Philipp II? the most awesome basso profondo voice of his time, his encounter with Martti Talvela as the Grand Inquisitor is thrilling music theater.

[mcq]

Finishing off with some Schubert....





The beautifully melodious Arpeggione Sonata played by Anner Bylsma on violoncello piccolo (five-stringed) and Jos van Immerseel on fortepiano.

I have to say that one of the best purchases I've made over the past few years has been the 50-CD Vivarte box set that Sony released a year or two ago. Very, very well chosen selections.  I decided not to buy the DG Archiv or the Das Alte Werk box sets because I wasn't impressed by many of the selected performances.  But, with the Vivarte set, every CD is an utter delight.  The original liner notes have also been thoughtfully reproduced in the booklet.  There are arguably too many mammoth box sets being released by the major record labels but this is one instance where a lot of thought has gone into the selected performances.  I would strongly recommend a purchase if you don't already own many of these recordings.  It is a limited edition so it won't be around forever.  

[fergus]

Bach: Complete Flute & Viola da Gamba Sonatas (Philips)
Bach: Cantatas BWV:122, 110 & 57 (Herreweghe)
Biber: Requiem a 15 (Savall)
Handel: Alexander's Feast (Christophers)
Handel: Ode Queen Anne/ Utrecht Te Deum & Jubilate (Preston)
Telemann: Complete Tafelmusik (Goebel)
Vivaldi: Motets, Stabat Mater, Magnificat, Concerti (Alessandrini etc)

These have been my companions over the past few weeks of relative quiet on this forum, in a small bid to enlarge my Baroque repertoire...

No wonder that you have been relatively quiet; some wonderful music there Jared!

[fergus]

I have to say that one of the best purchases I've made over the past few years has been the 50-CD Vivarte box set that Sony released a year or two ago. Very, very well chosen selections.  I decided not to buy the DG Archiv or the Das Alte Werk box sets because I wasn't impressed by many of the selected performances.  But, with the Vivarte set, every CD is an utter delight.  The original liner notes have also been thoughtfully reproduced in the booklet.  There are arguably too many mammoth box sets being released by the major record labels but this is one instance where a lot of thought has gone into the selected performances.  I would strongly recommend a purchase if you don't already own many of these recordings.  It is a limited edition so it won't be around forever.  

High praise indeed! I do not know of the box set so I must have a look; thank you Paul.