What are you listening two?

[fergus]

More wonderful Schubert performances under Tommy Beecham....

[Jose Echenique]

Frans Brüggen seems to be revisiting repertoire he´s recorded before.

I have noticed that fact Pepe and I have wondered why that was the case. Is he trying to make a final statement on certain works I wonder?

Maybe he wasn´t satisfied with his previous recordings Fergus, sometimes we forget that artists are even harder on themselves than the most acerbic critics, but I still don´t find anything wrong with the earlier recordings. There are very few disappointing recordings in Brüggen´s discography, but if there is one work I would like to see him do again is Schubert´s Ninth, I´m sure there is a far greater Ninth in him than the one he released on Philips.

[Seán]

Frans Brüggen seems to be revisiting repertoire he´s recorded before.

I have noticed that fact Pepe and I have wondered why that was the case. Is he trying to make a final statement on certain works I wonder?

Maybe he wasn´t satisfied with his previous recordings Fergus, sometimes we forget that artists are even harder on themselves than the most acerbic critics, but I still don´t find anything wrong with the earlier recordings. There are very few disappointing recordings in Brüggen´s discography, but if there is one work I would like to see him do again is Schubert´s Ninth, I´m sure there is a far greater Ninth in him than the one he released on Philips.

I sincerely hope so.

[fergus]

Frans Brüggen seems to be revisiting repertoire he´s recorded before.

I have noticed that fact Pepe and I have wondered why that was the case. Is he trying to make a final statement on certain works I wonder?

Maybe he wasn´t satisfied with his previous recordings Fergus, sometimes we forget that artists are even harder on themselves than the most acerbic critics, but I still don´t find anything wrong with the earlier recordings. There are very few disappointing recordings in Brüggen´s discography, but if there is one work I would like to see him do again is Schubert´s Ninth, I´m sure there is a far greater Ninth in him than the one he released on Philips.

That is what I felt myself Pepe.

[fergus]

M9, Klemperer....

[Jared]

this has had a listen through this afternoon... even Purcell's hymns have a sparkle about them...

[Jose Echenique]

In Mexico there´s a long tradition of seeing on November 2nd, the Day of the Dead here, a dreadful XIX Century play on the legend of Don Juan called Don Juan Tenorio by Spanish playwright José Zorrilla, so rather than seeing that, I´m revisiting René Jacobs´Don Giovanni. It should have been a winner, but it falls in the category of "interesting" rather than great. As expected the playing of the Freiburger Barockorchester is beyond praise, but Jacobs´conducting has its hits and misses. His cast too isn´t uniformly satisfactory. The Norwegian baritone Johannes Weisser has a fine voice for a youthful don Giovanni, all he misses is the Mediterranean warmth and bravado of the best Giovannis on record. On the other hand you can´t go wrong with an Italian Leporello, and Lorenzo Regazzo is obviously an asset. American tenor Kenneth Tarver is a mellifluous and stylish don Ottavio, so, so far, so good, but the women are rather disappointing, especially considering the glorious ladies that have recorded donna Anna, donna Elvira and Zerlina. So, sad to say a mixed bag.
The glorious John Eliot Gardiner recording remains unchallenged after 20 years, since it is superbly sung, conducted and played. You will have to go back 50 years to the Giulini to find an even better Don Giovanni.

P.S. And don´t even bother with the dreadful DVD of this production. It´s so silly and perverse as to defy description.

[Peter]

Very enjoyable indeed this beautiful morning....

[fergus]

In Mexico there´s a long tradition of seeing on November 2nd, the Day of the Dead here, a dreadful XIX Century play on the legend of Don Juan called Don Juan Tenorio by Spanish playwright José Zorrilla, so rather than seeing that, I´m revisiting René Jacobs´Don Giovanni. It should have been a winner, but it falls in the category of "interesting" rather than great. As expected the playing of the Freiburger Barockorchester is beyond praise, but Jacobs´conducting has its hits and misses. His cast too isn´t uniformly satisfactory. The Norwegian baritone Johannes Weisser has a fine voice for a youthful don Giovanni, all he misses is the Mediterranean warmth and bravado of the best Giovannis on record. On the other hand you can´t go wrong with an Italian Leporello, and Lorenzo Regazzo is obviously an asset. American tenor Kenneth Tarver is a mellifluous and stylish don Ottavio, so, so far, so good, but the women are rather disappointing, especially considering the glorious ladies that have recorded donna Anna, donna Elvira and Zerlina. So, sad to say a mixed bag.
The glorious John Eliot Gardiner recording remains unchallenged after 20 years, since it is superbly sung, conducted and played. You will have to go back 50 years to the Giulini to find an even better Don Giovanni.

P.S. And don´t even bother with the dreadful DVD of this production. It´s so silly and perverse as to defy description.

That is interesting and disappointing Pepe. I only have the Gardiner version but If I was considering an alternative version Jacobs would have been one of the considerations. Not now!

[fergus]

That looks very tasty indeed Peter. I am a big fan of the Quatuor Mosaiques.