What are you listening to?

[fergus]

Interesting....one does not see or hear of the Bilson/Gardiner versions of the Mozart Piano Concertos any more. They were one of the cycles to have at one point in time!

[fergus]

Both vinyl....

[Jose Echenique]

I imagine this 2 cd highlights set of the new MET´s Ring is meant for the newcomer rather than the cognoscenti. We get bits and pieces of the 4 operas in a way that is rather difficult to digest when you know the Ring. I would have been much happier if, for example, the whole of Act 1 of Die Walküre had been included, especially since Jonas Kaufmann is obviously one of the main attractions. Instead we only get the end which is mighty frustrating and unsatisfactory. That the prelude of Das Rheingold was going to be beautifully played is no surprise, but it´s very difficult to make highlights of Das Rheingold, still Dwayne Croft´s Heda! Hedo! is indeed a highlight.
When Deborah Voigt launches into her cry of battle it´s sad to hear that the beauty and steadiness of a once exceptional voice is no longer there, and it´s obvious too that Terfel is struggling with Wotan´s music. And it´s too much of a good thing to hear Brünnhilde`s "Hojotoho!" followed so closely by the Ride of the Valkyries.
In the second disc the selections of Siegfried and Götterdämmerung are somewhat more sensibly chosen. Pity that Jay Hunter Morris´s voice doesn´t take too kindly to the microphone, and Luisi is nowhere as thrilling a Wagnerian as Levine.
I´ll say that the orchestra and the voices are decently recorded, the real problem of recording live at the MET is the acoustic, it lacks ambiance and warmth, especially when compared to Bayreuth and the Bavarian State Opera.
This could have been a more useful and treasurable highlights collection if we have gotten all the hanky-panky of the incestuous twins and the wrath of Hunding, but what we get is frustration and some less than memorable Wagner singing, go figure.

[fergus]

Vinyl....








....the Schuricht is a little cracker!

[jaybee]

just landed in the door... sounds good...

[fergus]

Cecilia Bartoli would like us to believe that she is resurrecting late XVII Century composer Agostino Steffani (1654-1728), but the truth is that he is hardly an unknown quantity, I have at least 10 recordings totally dedicated to his music, including 2 operas (Alarico il Baltha and Orlando Generoso) and a beautiful religious music disc with the Neue Hofkapelle München.
In this recording Bartoli sings arias and a few duets with countertenor Philippe Jaroussky from several operas, including Alarico. What a pity that she didn´t include any of his duetti da camera, one of Steffani´s specialties, but some of them have been recorded with John Elwes, Carolyn Watkinson, Daniella Mazzucato and Paul Esswood for Archiv.
Bartoli sings Steffani with care and dedication. She lavishes her machine gun coloratura with generosity and abandon. I just wonder if her peculiar way with coloratura is right for Steffani. It´s hard to believe that it was done the same in Steffani´s and Rossini´s time.
Bartoli certainly knows who to work with, and this time she chooses the brilliant Swiss ensemble I Barocchisti and their conductor Diego Fasolis, excellent partners for the Italian diva.
At over 80 minutes the disc is generous. Bartoli fans will be pleased, she still sounds fresh and vital. Her detractors will also find plenty to hate: her obsession with milking everything till the last drop, her crooning, and that alarming coloratura, but hell, that´s Cecilia, take it or leave it.

I had the opportunity to listen to this CD recently Pepe. I really liked the music I must say. It was very charming and engaging and I was quite surprised and delighted to hear that the forces were so small and intimate. I Barocchisti certainly is a wonderful ensemble.
The duets with Philippe Jaroussky are delightful and the two voices complement each other very well.
The presentation of the music is very fresh and exciting and there is no doubt that Bartoli has a wonderful voice but I do agree that the amount of coloratura is a bit excessive and does get a bit tiresome after a while.

[fergus]

just landed in the door... sounds good...

I have a small number of Medlam's presentations and I really enjoy them. I think that he has a great touch. I am sure that you will continue to enjoy that interesting looking CD.

[fergus]

These would probably be my favourite performances so far of the Brahms Piano Concertos that I own by a long way. They are assertive performances by both the soloist and the orchestra. I have not come across the name of Moravec other than by his association with these two works but he plays wonderfully and the orchestral playing in more than equal to him. These are bold, robust performances that are to be greatly admired and definitely give an edge to the music of Brahms.

[jaybee]

just landed in the door... sounds good...

I have a small number of Medlam's presentations and I really enjoy them. I think that he has a great touch. I am sure that you will continue to enjoy that interesting looking CD.

I've only listened while making breakfast... but sounds wonderful... maybe not as delicate as a manze version, but with Mozart that could be a good thing!!!!

[DaveF]

Symphonies No.3 & 5



A terrific cycle this. Brilliant performances all round and great sound engineering make for a hugely enjoyable listening session. There are better individual recordings out there but this set is consistantly great from start to finish.