What are you listening two?

[Jose Echenique]

The ensemble Les Ambassadeurs made an auspicious CD debut accompanying soprano Sabine Devieilhe in her Rameau recital for Warner, their second CD was also accompanying another great singer, mezzo Blandine Staskiewicz in Glossa, and the impression was even greater, superb playing by any standard, and now for their first all-instrumental release for Alpha they chose Telemann. That their playing was going to be super virtuoso and of the utmost refinement was no surprise, but their playing is so characterful, so imaginative and inventive that it just demands to be heard. This is the best Telemann release since the Zefiro disc 2 years ago.

[Jose Echenique]

Of course the Freiburger Barockorchester uses XIX Century instruments, this is actually their second release of Romantic music with Pablito Heras Casado after a couple of Schubert symphonies. The problematic violin concerto receives arguably it´s finest recording ever. Isabelle Faust and his baroque friends not so much reinvent it, but find the right accents and a steady and reasonable tempo to make it work. Harnoncourt recorded it with Gidon Kremer and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, but they played it so slow that at some point they lost the music, it is good to hear a performance that finally makes this late concerto work.
The Trio is splendid too, and 2 other discs are promised with the piano and violin concertos and more chamber music.

[fergus]

Christa Ludwig had an extraordinary voice, and she could easily encompass low-lying soprano roles like Fidelio, but still her basic sound was mezzo which makes her sound a little matronly for the role. Rysanek, a true soprano, is radiant vocally and interpretatively, so I definitely prefer her.

Thank you for that Pepe; I understand what you mean.

[fergus]

Of course the Freiburger Barockorchester uses XIX Century instruments, this is actually their second release of Romantic music with Pablito Heras Casado after a couple of Schubert symphonies. The problematic violin concerto receives arguably it´s finest recording ever. Isabelle Faust and his baroque friends not so much reinvent it, but find the right accents and a steady and reasonable tempo to make it work. Harnoncourt recorded it with Gidon Kremer and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, but they played it so slow that at some point they lost the music, it is good to hear a performance that finally makes this late concerto work.
The Trio is splendid too, and 2 other discs are promised with the piano and violin concertos and more chamber music.

That looks like a promising start to a great series Pepe!

[Jose Echenique]

Christa Ludwig had an extraordinary voice, and she could easily encompass low-lying soprano roles like Fidelio, but still her basic sound was mezzo which makes her sound a little matronly for the role. Rysanek, a true soprano, is radiant vocally and interpretatively, so I definitely prefer her.

Thank you for that Pepe; I understand what you mean.

Don´t miss the Telemann disc dear Fergus, I´m sure you´d enjoy it. By the way, did you go to the NY Philharmonic concert with Joyce DiDonato in Dublin?

[fergus]

.... By the way, did you go to the NY Philharmonic concert with Joyce DiDonato in Dublin?

I was planning to go Pepe but I did not get there in the end as something turned up which stopped me from booking the tickets. I know two people who did go. They were both very, very impressed with the NY Phil. Both said that they were outstanding. Joyce DiDonato was also very impressive apparently but both of the people who went were bitterly disappointed that she only sang four relatively short songs for the entire night. Not a big return for a significant admission price. But, other than that, the performances of both orchestra and DiDonata were excellent apparently.

[fergus]

Glenn Gould playing Beethoven....

[Jose Echenique]

.... By the way, did you go to the NY Philharmonic concert with Joyce DiDonato in Dublin?

I was planning to go Pepe but I did not get there in the end as something turned up which stopped me from booking the tickets. I know two people who did go. They were both very, very impressed with the NY Phil. Both said that they were outstanding. Joyce DiDonato was also very impressive apparently but both of the people who went were bitterly disappointed that she only sang four relatively short songs for the entire night. Not a big return for a significant admission price. But, other than that, the performances of both orchestra and DiDonata were excellent apparently.

I only know she sang Strauss´Morgen dear Fergus, don´t know if the other songs were also by him. Not what you´d expect from her. In London she sang Ravel´s Sheherazade which might have been more interesting. This must have been a bittersweet tour for Alan Gilbert who just announced he is leaving the NYPO in a couple of years. Like Rattle in Berlin, it must have been very embarrassing for him to leave the orchestra so soon after a few seasons. The truth is they just couldn´t fill the shoes of Claudio Abbado and Kurt Masur. I have only heard Gilbert once, but with the Concertgebouw. The playing was glorious of course, but it would have been so even with me conducting, but I didn´t hear any personal ideas from Gilbert.
NY and Berlin need larger-than-life musical personalities, not just boys next door.

[mcq]

Listening tonight to Nicholas McGegan's glorious version of one of Handel's greatest works, Ariodonte.  Particularly notable for the heartstoppingly beautiful contributions of the great Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, but this is a wonderful ensemble performance from all concerned.  I also love the recordings by Marc Minkowski and Alan Curtis of this masterpiece but McGegan's version remains very special and a career highlight for the much missed Hunt Lieberson.



Followed by Roberta Invernizzi's tender, intimate, richly expressive recital of Italian music from the early 17th century with lutenist Craig Marchitelli.  An exquisitely beautiful performance from this exceptional singer.  I really hope that Glossa record similar recitals with this duo.

[DonKC]

Schubert Symphony # 8 in b minor "Unfinished"
Orchestra of the 18th Century/Bruggen

Is ok... Bruggen's style benefits the accompanying disc mate the "Little C major" 6th more than the larger boned 8th.