What are you listening to?

[Jose Echenique]

Brandenburg Concertos performed by Il Giardino Armonico....





It has been a while since I have listened to this version. It is interesting because it has a great approach to this music and has something of a different “feel” to it. The main positive from this set for me is Concerto No. 6 which is for the lower register strings only (without violins). This work can oftentimes sound dull, lifeless and uninteresting but here the group play 2 x viola, 2 x viola da gamba, 1 x cello, 1 x violone, 1 x lute and 1 x harpsichord and the result can be quite revelatory; the mood is lighter and the textures are very much cleaner enabling one to clearly follow the various lines.

According to Harnoncourt the Sixth is the finest of the Brandenburgs, especially the last movement. I´ll say I agree.

[fergus]

It has been a while since I have listened to this version. It is interesting because it has a great approach to this music and has something of a different “feel” to it. The main positive from this set for me is Concerto No. 6 which is for the lower register strings only (without violins). This work can oftentimes sound dull, lifeless and uninteresting but here the group play 2 x viola, 2 x viola da gamba, 1 x cello, 1 x violone, 1 x lute and 1 x harpsichord and the result can be quite revelatory; the mood is lighter and the textures are very much cleaner enabling one to clearly follow the various lines.

According to Harnoncourt the Sixth is the finest of the Brandenburgs, especially the last movement. I´ll say I agree.

Yes, it was amazing what Bach did with a (intentionally) limited tonal range.

[fergus]

More music with (relatively) limited tonal range; Thomas Tomkins....

[Jose Echenique]

A few days ago I posted a few comments on Philippe Jaroussky´s new cd devoted to arias composed for Farinelli. Now the young Argentinian countertenor Franco Fagioli essays the music of Farinelli´s great rival Caffarelli (Seán must remember the name because during the music lesson in Rossini´s Il Barbiere his name is mentioned by Don Bartolo). This castrato must have been quite a character. Most castrati came from poor families who saw in musical talented children the opportunity to get rich. This was certainly not the case of Gaetano Majorano born in 1710. His grandmother left him 2 vineyards which produced enough money to let him study whatever he pleased, but he loved music so much that at age 10 he INSISTED on being castrated...and castrated he was.
Like Farinelli, he studied with Nicola Porpora at the San Onofrio Conservatory in Naples. Porpora described him as the finest singer ever born in Italy, and very soon he was a musical sensation all over Europe.
His problem was his capricious and diva-like personality, at his worst he was a nightmare, insulting everyone and making everybody miserable, but he must have been so good that even Handel composed for him Serse and Faramondo, (yes, he was the first to sing "Ombra mai fu").
The nickname of Caffarelli came from one of his most important patrons, a certain gentleman named Caffaro, and even Charles Burney, who heard him when he was long past his prime, described him as an exquisite, marvelous singer.
Franco Fagioli is also a prodigious, marvelous singer and a vocal phenomenon. He´s been singing for a while now, and has several recordings behind him, but it was with last year´s Artaserse by Leonardo Vinci that he was catapulted to stardom because of some of the most spectacular countertenor singing ever caught on disc. This new recital is absolutely amazing, what Fagioli does is unheard of in what we understand is countertenor singing. During a Harmonia Mundi meeting I attended in Arles, René Jacobs told me that he preferred females in castrato bravura roles, because the countertenor voice was so limited and fragile, and of course he was right. If you listen to David Daniels singing Rinaldo in the Hogwood recording the bravura arias are not really satisfactory, the vocal range is missing. But Fagioli has a unique voice, his low notes are real and sonorous, and the high notes are spectacular, almost to the point of being unbelievable, but he is not only a vocal freak, the musicianship is outstanding and he has the gift of being spectacular without being circus-like, this is virtuoso singing to rival Marilyn Horne or Joyce DiDonato.
The music is superb, we get some arias by Hasse, Leo, Porpora, Pergolesi, Vinci and Manna, and even though there´s no Handel, most of these arias are recorded for the first time. The marvelous ensemble Il Pomo d´Oro gives excellent support, all in all this a vocal display that must have left James Bowman, Paul Esswood and Rene Jacobs open mouthed in disbelief.

[Seán]

A few days ago I posted a few comments on Philippe Jaroussky´s new cd devoted to arias composed for Farinelli. Now the young Argentinian countertenor Franco Fagioli essays the music of Farinelli´s great rival Caffarelli (Seán must remember the name because during the music lesson in Rossini´s Il Barbiere his name is mentioned by Don Bartolo).

Pepe, I listen to Rossini's (Algeri &) Il Barbiere several times a week but I can't say I have noticed it. I do not have the libretto for Il Barbiere but I will listen to (the wonderful) Enzo Dara more attentively now that you mention it.

This castrato must have been quite a character. Most castrati came from poor families who saw in musical talented children the opportunity to get rich. This was certainly not the case of Gaetano Majorano born in 1710. His grandmother left him 2 vineyards which produced enough money to let him study whatever he pleased, but he loved music so much that at age 10 he INSISTED on being castrated...and castrated he was.
Like Farinelli, he studied with Nicola Porpora at the San Onofrio Conservatory in Naples. Porpora described him as the finest singer ever born in Italy, and very soon he was a musical sensation all over Europe.
His problem was his capricious and diva-like personality, at his worst he was a nightmare, insulting everyone and making everybody miserable, but he must have been so good that even Handel composed for him Serse and Faramondo, (yes, he was the first to sing "Ombra mai fu").
The nickname of Caffarelli came from one of his most important patrons, a certain gentleman named Caffaro, and even Charles Burney, who heard him when he was long past his prime, described him as an exquisite, marvelous singer.
Franco Fagioli is also a prodigious, marvelous singer and a vocal phenomenon. He´s been singing for a while now, and has several recordings behind him, but it was with last year´s Artaserse by Leonardo Vinci that he was catapulted to stardom because of some of the most spectacular countertenor singing ever caught on disc. This new recital is absolutely amazing, what Fagioli does is unheard of in what we understand is countertenor singing. During a Harmonia Mundi meeting I attended in Arles, René Jacobs told me that he preferred females in castrato bravura roles, because the countertenor voice was so limited and fragile, and of course he was right. If you listen to David Daniels singing Rinaldo in the Hogwood recording the bravura arias are not really satisfactory, the vocal range is missing. But Fagioli has a unique voice, his low notes are real and sonorous, and the high notes are spectacular, almost to the point of being unbelievable, but he is not only a vocal freak, the musicianship is outstanding and he has the gift of being spectacular without being circus-like, this is virtuoso singing to rival Marilyn Horne or Joyce DiDonato.
The music is superb, we get some arias by Hasse, Leo, Porpora, Pergolesi, Vinci and Manna, and even though there´s no Handel, most of these arias are recorded for the first time. The marvelous ensemble Il Pomo d´Oro gives excellent support, all in all this a vocal display that must have left James Bowman, Paul Esswood and Rene Jacobs open mouthed in disbelief.

[Jose Echenique]

After Rosina sings her second act aria, during the music lesson, her tutor says:

BARTOLO
Certo, bella voce,
ma quest'aria,
cospetto! è assai noiosa;
la musica à miei tempi
era altra cosa:
Ah! quando, per esempio,
cantava Caffariello
quell'aria portentosa
la ra la la la... sentite,
Don Alonso,eccola qua.
"Quando mi sei vicina,
amabile Rosina..."

Rossini is obviously making fun of Baroque opera, but when you listen to Fagioli´s cd there is no doubt that Caffarelli´s arias were indeed formidable.

[Seán]

After Rosina sings her second act aria, during the music lesson, her tutor says:

BARTOLO
Certo, bella voce,
ma quest'aria,
cospetto! è assai noiosa;
la musica à miei tempi
era altra cosa:
Ah! quando, per esempio,
cantava Caffariello
quell'aria portentosa
la ra la la la... sentite,
Don Alonso,eccola qua.
"Quando mi sei vicina,
amabile Rosina..."

Rossini is obviously making fun of Baroque opera, but when you listen to Fagioli´s cd there is no doubt that Caffarelli´s arias were indeed formidable.

Thanks Pepe.

[fergus]

After Rosina sings her second act aria, during the music lesson, her tutor says:

BARTOLO
Certo, bella voce,
ma quest'aria,
cospetto! è assai noiosa;
la musica à miei tempi
era altra cosa:
Ah! quando, per esempio,
cantava Caffariello
quell'aria portentosa
la ra la la la... sentite,
Don Alonso,eccola qua.
"Quando mi sei vicina,
amabile Rosina..."

Rossini is obviously making fun of Baroque opera, but when you listen to Fagioli´s cd there is no doubt that Caffarelli´s arias were indeed formidable.

A man who knows his Opera!!!

[fergus]

The wonderful music that is Swan Lake....

[mcq]

A few days ago I posted a few comments on Philippe Jaroussky´s new cd devoted to arias composed for Farinelli. Now the young Argentinian countertenor Franco Fagioli essays the music of Farinelli´s great rival Caffarelli (Seán must remember the name because during the music lesson in Rossini´s Il Barbiere his name is mentioned by Don Bartolo). This castrato must have been quite a character. Most castrati came from poor families who saw in musical talented children the opportunity to get rich. This was certainly not the case of Gaetano Majorano born in 1710. His grandmother left him 2 vineyards which produced enough money to let him study whatever he pleased, but he loved music so much that at age 10 he INSISTED on being castrated...and castrated he was.
Like Farinelli, he studied with Nicola Porpora at the San Onofrio Conservatory in Naples. Porpora described him as the finest singer ever born in Italy, and very soon he was a musical sensation all over Europe.
His problem was his capricious and diva-like personality, at his worst he was a nightmare, insulting everyone and making everybody miserable, but he must have been so good that even Handel composed for him Serse and Faramondo, (yes, he was the first to sing "Ombra mai fu").
The nickname of Caffarelli came from one of his most important patrons, a certain gentleman named Caffaro, and even Charles Burney, who heard him when he was long past his prime, described him as an exquisite, marvelous singer.
Franco Fagioli is also a prodigious, marvelous singer and a vocal phenomenon. He´s been singing for a while now, and has several recordings behind him, but it was with last year´s Artaserse by Leonardo Vinci that he was catapulted to stardom because of some of the most spectacular countertenor singing ever caught on disc. This new recital is absolutely amazing, what Fagioli does is unheard of in what we understand is countertenor singing. During a Harmonia Mundi meeting I attended in Arles, René Jacobs told me that he preferred females in castrato bravura roles, because the countertenor voice was so limited and fragile, and of course he was right. If you listen to David Daniels singing Rinaldo in the Hogwood recording the bravura arias are not really satisfactory, the vocal range is missing. But Fagioli has a unique voice, his low notes are real and sonorous, and the high notes are spectacular, almost to the point of being unbelievable, but he is not only a vocal freak, the musicianship is outstanding and he has the gift of being spectacular without being circus-like, this is virtuoso singing to rival Marilyn Horne or Joyce DiDonato.
The music is superb, we get some arias by Hasse, Leo, Porpora, Pergolesi, Vinci and Manna, and even though there´s no Handel, most of these arias are recorded for the first time. The marvelous ensemble Il Pomo d´Oro gives excellent support, all in all this a vocal display that must have left James Bowman, Paul Esswood and Rene Jacobs open mouthed in disbelief.

Have you heard Xavier Sabata's recital disc on the Aparte label, Jose?  Sabata was excellent in last year's recording of Handel's Alessandro under George Petrou (on Decca) and similarly rewarding, a few years ago, in a recording of Handel's Faramando under Diego Fasolis (on Virgin).  In this recording for Aparte, he is powerfully accompanied  by Riccardo Minasi and his ensemble, Il Pomo d'Oro.  Although he concentrates on villainous roles from a selection of Handel's operas, he takes care to portray these characters with sympathy rather than resorting to cartoonish stereotypes.  All in all, it is the best Handel recital disc I've heard since Bejun Mehta's superb Ombra Cara with Rene Jacobs a few years ago.  On the subject of Mehta, I really hope that he will record the complete Orlando with Jacobs at some stage in the near future.  There is something special, I feel, about Mehta.  He lacks the virtuosic flourish of a Cencic or Jaroussky, but I find him more thoughtful and emotionally affecting in his approach to the work.  I was enthralled by his Didymus  in a DVD performance of Theodora under Ivor Bolton (recorded at the 2009 Salzburg Festival) - his scenes were Christine Schafer were overwhelmingly powerful - and I hope to see him record more Handel in the near future.