Reviews
November 1, 2011
Version française...
Flash version here.
Aldridge: Elmer
Gantry
Florentine Opera Company; Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra/William Boggs
Naxos (2CD) 8.669032-33 (2 h 21 min 38 s)
One wonders why record companies still insist on producing opera recordings
when a production is much more interesting to watch on DVD. This is
what comes to mind when listening to this particular Elmer Gantry
(from the eponymous novel by Sinclair Lewis, the first American writer
to win a Nobel Prize), especially as it is a live recording and the
audience’s reactions suggest that it was an entertaining creation.
Furthermore, visuals might have given us a fuller understanding of this
rich and detailed libretto. We are left with only the music, which is
frankly traditional, along the lines of Gershwin, Copland, and Floyd.
Far from revolutionizing the genre, Robert Aldridge’s score is nonetheless
colorful and appropriate to the theatre. The various traditional religious
hymns and gospel songs are so compelling that one must admire the composer’s
skill in juggling with these musical idioms of a bygone America. A good
voice cast and orchestra are well blended. While not a must, this opera
will appeal to those interested in the American repertoire or who are
eager to hear a work rich in historical references. Éric Champagne
Beethoven: String
Quartets Op. 18, No. 3 and No. 5 and Op. 135
Artemis Quartet (Natalia Prischepenko, Gregor Sigl, violin; Friedemann
Weigle, viola; Eckart Runge, cello)
Virgin Classics 50999 0708342 6 (78 min 34 s)
As is the case with the previous volume in their series of Beethoven’s
complete works, one can admire Artemis’ mastery of technique without
subscribing to its overly spectacular concept of Beethoven’s string
quartets. The performance of the last movement of Quartet No. 3 (“Presto”)
is similar to that of Prazak—a comparison that does it no favours.
Despite Artemis’ stunning performance—not without certain moments
of confusion, due in part to reverberation on the recording—the Prazak
Quartet, without taking away from the brio of the piece, takes the time
to give it meaning and strength, with a clarity of instrumental dialogue
and awareness of the melodic line that its rival doesn’t possess to
the same extent. As for the last Quartet, Op. 135, it is full of joy—
or of suffering, depending on the listener’s point of view—characteristic
of the German ensemble’s approach. Alexandre Lazaridès
Beethoven: 33
Variations on a waltz by Anton Diabelli in C major, Op. 120
Beth Levin, piano
Centaur CRC3046 (69 min 38 s)
Though not mentioned in the booklet, this is a live performance of Beethoven’s
renowned “Diabelli” Variations. The tiny, very noisy audience (of
friends or students, perhaps?) makes it difficult to hear the piece.
However, Beth Levin’s courage is commendable. With just one chance
to get the difficult parts right, she plays the whole without a single
false note. She is nervous at the start and it shows: for the first
few pages, her hands are unsynchronized and the sound is slightly too
harsh. Despite her good intentions and obvious respect for the piece,
Levin doesn’t manage a convincing performance. The tempi are all too
slow, draining the virtuosity of the works altogether and, even worse,
the rhythmic beat all but disappears in some of the slower movements.
In addition, the American pianist’s technique is not always up to
the task, the trills are colourless and the main themes often under-emphasized.
Lastly, the main disadvantage of a live recording is submitting the
listener to a piano that goes out of tune after the first third of the
long suite of variations. Normand Babin
Brahms: Symphony
No. 3 Op. 90 – Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 Op. 74
“Pathétique”
Novaya Rossiya State Symphony Orchestra/Yuri Bashmet
ICA Classics ICAC 5023 (81 min 28 s)
Yuri Bashmet is well known as a viola soloist but, at least in Russia,
he spends much of his time conducting. He has been conductor of the
Novaya Rossiya (New Russia) Symphony Orchestra for the past ten years.
On the basis of these performances he is one of the most compelling
musicians to mount a podium in the past quarter century. While one may
take issue with some interpretative choices—the huge crescendo in
the brass in the opening bars of the Brahms, for example—there is
never any doubt that a powerful creative imagination is at the helm.
The writer of the liner notes (David Nice) keeps invoking Evgeny Mravinsky
for comparison, yet I was reminded of Furtwängler. It is not just the
tempo fluctuation; it is also the energy and precision in the playing.
While Bashmet conducts Brahms with heart and soul and great passion,
there is also a beauty of phrasing that is exceptional.
The Tchaikovsky is thrilling in its intensity with supercharged trombones
at the climax of the first movement. I look forward to more, much more,
from conductor Yuri Bashmet. Paul E. Robinson
Capricho Latino
Rachel Barton Pine, violon
Cedille 125 (79 min 11 s)
Discs dedicated to the repertoire for solo violin are few; rarer still
are discs of Latin works for solo violin! Rachel Barton Pine
loves exploring the untrodden paths of concert music, a source of pleasure
for the enquiring music lover, and what’s more, she does it with great
passion and conviction. Featured on this disc are familiar composers
such Albéniz (Asturias, in a very successful arrangement), Rodrigo
(“Presto” excerpt from Capriccio), Piazzolla (Tango Etude
No. 3), and Tarrega (Recuerdos de la Alhambra), as well as
others, somewhat more obscure, such as Espejo (Iberian Prelude),
White (Etude No. 6), or the contemporary Ridout (Ferdinand
the Bull). It would take too long to comment on every piece of this
extensive program, but, suffice to say, each is performed with panache
by Ms. Pine and all would be of interest to the informed music lover.
Frédéric Cardin
Concord Chamber
Music Society: Brubeck, Gandolfi, Foss
Concord Chamber Music Society
Reference Recordings RR-122 (63 min 30 s)
The Concord Chamber Music Society presents three contemporary American
works, in a decidedly consonant and accessible aesthetic. Though the
work of Michael Gandolfi (Line Drawings, for clarinet, violin,
and piano) seems to be the most complex compositionally, it is interesting
and very catchy nonetheless. Chris Brubeck (son of jazz pianist Dave
Brubeck) offers up a delightful blend of classically structured Latin
rhythms. Written for six musicians, Danza del Soul is an accomplished
work, consistent and a pleasure to listen to. The fun continues with
the last recording on the disc, Lukas Foss’s Central Park Reel
for violin and piano. Yes, this is indeed a reel, but far from being
folksy, the piece has some surprising changes, always holding the listener’s
attention and even raising a smile here and there. The musicians are
of the highest calibre (some are members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra!)
and their performance is both polished and riveting. An appealing and
entertaining disc. Éric Champagne
Debussy: Orchestral
Works Volume 6 (Suite bergamasque/Petite Suite/En blanc et noir/Printemps/Symphony
in B minor)
Orchestre National de Lyon/Jun Märkl
Naxos 8.572583 (74 min 21 s)
The sixth and presumably last volume in this series contains orchestral
transcriptions of piano pieces, some done by Debussy’s colleagues and
others in our own time. The Suite bergamasque in four movements
is one of the composer’s most accessible works and includes the ever-popular
“Clair de lune.” But it well deserves its popularity and one could
hardly imagine a more accurate orchestration than the one given it here
by Andre Caplet. Similarly, Henri Büsser’s orchestration of the Petite
suite captures perfectly the music’s evocative charm.
It is also Büsser who orchestrated Debussy’s more impressionistic
Printemps, and again he finds the ideal range of subtle colours.
En blanc et noir is a far stranger set of pieces, and Robin Holloway’s
2002 orchestration underscores that strangeness. I suspect that Caplet
or Büsser would have softened the edges.
Finally, we have Debussy’s very early attempt at a symphony. He was
18 when he started on it. He got as far as writing most of a first movement
for piano duet then gave it up. Tony Finno has done the recent orchestration.
His work adds to our understanding of Debussy but fails to convince
us that this is a neglected masterpiece. The performances throughout
the CD are merely adequate. Paul E. Robinson
Echoes: Classic
Works Transformed
Seattle Symphony Orchestra/Gerard Schwarz
Naxos 8.559676 (53 min 41 s)
The idea was entertaining—ask contemporary composers to use their
imagination to transform a work from the classical repertoire. However,
the result is rather uneven. Some composers limited themselves to creating
orchestrations that were fairly tame (like the Intermezzo by Brahms
chosen by Bright Sheng) or somewhat flavourless arrangements (like the
Concerto Grosso by Handel arranged by conductor Gerard Schwarz). Perhaps
the most disappointing is a piece by Aaron Jay Kernis, an orchestration
of his own string quartet—not bad, but not exactly a classic revisited.
Was the concept explained to him properly? Despite all of this, certain
pieces stand out. David Stock offers his vision of Clarke’s Trumpet
Voluntary with a surprising mastery of orchestral effects and John Harbison
brings us a symphonic rendition of the famous
“Ruby, My Dear” by Thelonius Monk. Though a bit subdued, the rendition
brings a certain class and touching elegance to this charming music.
The highlight of the project is probably David Schiff’s Infernal,
a jazzy version of “Infernal Dance” from Stravinsky’s Firebird
that has the benefit of being as original as it is interesting.
Éric Champagne
Elgar: In the
South – Introduction and Allegro
– Enigma Variations
Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (SWR)/Roger Norrington
Hänssler Classic CD 93.191 (70 min 16 s)
Norrington has been in charge of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony since
1998. By all accounts his regime has been a memorable one. His legacy
there is by now well documented on Hänssler Classics through a wide-ranging
repertoire. Music lovers brought up on the Boult Elgar recordings will
likely find Norrington’s Elgar much more robust. Norrington is not
shy about giving full weight to Elgar’s brass and percussion parts.
The sound perspective, probably due to the recording, gives very short
shrift to the strings. The opening of In the South has never sounded
so Straussian in my experience. But Norrington wrings every last drop
of sadness from the episode with the viola solo, too.
The Introduction and Allegro shows off the excellent Stuttgart strings
although once again the engineers don’t give them much warmth or depth.
The Enigma Variations is impressive for its vivid characterizations
of the personages portrayed. Paul E. Robinson
Ferrara: Fantasia
Tragica; Tempesta di Notte; Burlesca; Prelude
Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma/Francesco La Vecchia
Naxos 8.572410 (46 min 41 s)
Franco Ferrara (1911-1985) was a teacher and orchestra conductor and
also, apparently, a competent composer. Of course, the greatest example
of an orchestra conductor whose written work was later rediscovered
is Gustav Mahler. In recent years, however, scores by Furtwängler,
Szell, and even Serebrier have also been revived. While Ferrara was
not a famous conductor (illness prevented him from developing this talent,
but he was much sought after as a private teacher), he nonetheless left
his mark. His compositions are eminently enjoyable and accessible, while
firmly rooted in the 20th century. The Fantasia Tragica
builds slowly but inexorably to an emotionally charged conclusion and
has quite an appealing melody. Other works on the program are reminiscent
of Shostakovich, but lack the Russian composer’s vehemence. Frédéric
Cardin
Haydn: Symphonies
Nos. 104, 101 & 88
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra/Nicholas McGegan
Philharmonia Baroque Productions PBP-02 0945732 (62 min 14 s)
The Philharmonia Baroque (San Francisco) is one of the finest ensembles
devoted to early music, particularly the baroque. Nicholas McGegan knows
how to energize the works under his baton. These symphonies by the mature
“Papa” Haydn are no exception. Under McGegan’s spirited leadership,
the woodwinds soar, the strings quiver, and Haydn’s melodies take
a sprightly turn. The orchestra sometimes lacks the dynanism needed
to give balance to the desired effect, especially in the finales, but
the ensemble remains lively.
Frédéric Cardin
J. S. Bach and
I. F. Biber: Sonatas
Evgeny Sviridov, violin, Zita Mikijanska, harpsichord
Genuin GEN 11 207 (CD: 65 min 46 s)
The German label Genuin has reserved the usual celebrity treatment for
the winner of the Russian Bach International Competition, violin class,
held in Leipzig in 2000. Due to the layout and typography on the CD
cover, Sviridov’s name dominates the composers’. His accompanist,
a talented Latvian, is not even mentioned. Listening to it, such coverage
hardly seems justified. The two Bach sonatas (BWV 1016 and 1021) and
the Third Partita are supremely difficult works, and are rendered faithfully;
but the violinist’s performance lacks self-confidence. At times, the
upper register seems imperfectly mastered (the close sound recording
and acoustically live hall may have something to do with it). In the
two ingenious Biber sonatas, Sviridov at last shows greater self-assurance.
He is a promising talent, and, for that reason, he would be worth listening
to again in a few years’ time. Alexandre Lazaridès
Max Reger: Four
Sonatinas
John Newmark, piano
XXI-21 Productions XXI-CD 2 1691 (CD1: 41 min 15 s; CD2: 45 min 11 s)
Since its creation, XXI has been reissuing rare recordings, working
to make them better known and allowing the listener to discover and
rediscover composers that are less known but no less interesting. This
time, it’s Bavarian composer Max Reger (1873-1916). Perhaps better
known for his variations and fugues on the themes of Bach and Mozart,
it is Reger’s short pieces for piano that show the full extent of
his talent and immense sensitivity. Pianist John Newmark recorded these
sonatinas by Reger in 1964 and, thanks to the team at XXI-21 Productions,
this intense yet tender music is a delight for today’s music lovers.
The box set of two CDs, simple and classic, won’t go unnoticed on
the shelves. Francine Bélanger
René
Maillard: Surviving after Hiroshima
Sarah Jouffroy, mezzo-soprano; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Dionysios
Dervis-Bournias
Naxos 8.572623 (71 min)
The life of a composer is not easy: many give up faced with the instability
of such a career. Charles Ives, for example, worked his whole life in
the insurance business, only composing on his vacations and in his free
time. French composer René Maillard, born in 1931, has a similar story,
despite the promise of his early career. He won the Prix de Rome in
1955 and his work was even commissioned by the State. Nevertheless,
he opted for a position as an executive for a pharmaceutical company
before returning to music upon his retirement, after 40 years of silence.
With its classic style, his music follows the French musical tradition,
somewhere between Dukas and Dutilleux. The cantata Survivre
à Hiroshima (Surviving after Hiroshima) is fraught with
sensitivity, while the two orchestral pieces that complete the programme,
Concerto grosso and Concerto da Camera no. 2,
are lighter fare. An impressive mastery of the orchestration makes up
for the simple, direct— and at times folk-like—musical ideas. Overall,
the inspiration is sincere and holds the listener’s attention.
Éric Champagne
Respighi: Aria
for Strings/Violin Concerto in A major/Suite for Strings/Rossiniana
Laura Marzadori, violin; Chamber Orchestra of New York “Ottorino
Respighi”/Salvatore Di Vittorio
Naxos 8.572332 (77 min 32 s)
Respighi composed over 200 pieces but he earned his place in history
with just two works: The Pines of Rome and The Fountains of Rome.
The hodgepodge of early Respighi pieces on this new CD does little to
enhance his reputation. Respighi later put together a fairly effective
Rossini pastiche in La Boutique Fantasque but Rossiniana is
not nearly on the same level. Among other qualities Rossini was known
for writing catchy tunes and for being funny. Respighi seems to have
found some of Rossini’s least inspired melodies and to have little
sense of humour himself.
The other pieces are also more or less based on the work of other composers,
most of them from the baroque period. They sound like student exercises.
Both the Violin Concerto and the Suite for Strings were revised and
completed by the conductor Salvatore Di Vittorio. Violinist Laura Marzadori
struggles with intonation in the Violin Concerto and in the final movement
the entire ensemble threatens to come apart. Elsewhere the orchestra
plays fairly well but the conductor does little to make these pieces
sound better than they are. Paul E. Robinson
Robert Moran:
Trinity Requiem
Trinity Choir & Trinity Wall Street/Robert Ridgell
Innova 244 (66 min 8 s)
The music of American composer Robert Moran, associated with the minimalist
movement (especially after a collaboration with Philip Glass), is characterized
by its minimalist tonal tendencies and its sensitivity. His Trinity
Requiem arrives just in time to commemorate the 10th
anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. With remarkable
serenity, this piece possesses the gentle aura of Fauré’s Requiem,
while maintaining an eminently American tone. The programme is completed
by two choral pieces that are emblematic of this composer’s work.
A highlight is Seven Sounds Unseen for mixed a cappella choir.
The masterful writing technique and melodic touch combine to create
hypnotic and mesmerizing music, worthy of the Renaissance’s vocal
masterpieces. There again, the minimalist approach and the simplicity
of the sound hit the mark and touch the heart. The disc closes with
a strange tribute to composer Philip Blackburn, who creates a remix
of Trinity Requiem from various pre-recorded tracks. A curious
idea, but the result is true to Moran. A nice record, at once calming
and inspiring; a must for any fan of choral music. Éric Champagne
Schoenberg: A
Chamber Symphony No. 1,
Op. 9/Suite, Op. 29
Zahir Ensemble/Juan García Rodríguez
Naxos 8.572442 (CD: 56 min 52 s)
Although written and conceived for fifteen instruments (five strings,
eight woodwinds, and two brass), the Chamber Symphony No. 1
(1907) is presented in the transcription arranged by Webern for five
instruments, with the piano replacing the instruments left behind. This
transcription, lead with remarkable know-how and a profound understanding
of the Opus 9, highlights the structure and the themes, but sacrifices
the sonorities intended by Schoenberg, and maybe a bit of the iconoclastic
spirit that drove him, while more or less preserving the principal of
tonality. As for the Suite (1927), written for seven instruments (three
strings, three woodwinds, and piano) and made up of four movements,
it ironically subverts the suite of traditional dances, integrating
jazz and popular music without the usual pitfalls of mixing genres.
The Sevillian Zahir Ensemble, founded in 2005 by Rodríguez, champions
this music with conviction, but something a bit livelier would have
been preferable. Alexandre Lazaridès
Schubert: Symphony
No. 9 in C “The Great”
Royal Flemish Philharmonic/Philippe Herreweghe.
Pentatone Classics PTC 5186372 (57min 49 s)
In 1926, after several failed attempts, Franz Schubert finally finished
his “Great” symphony. At the time, it was judged too difficult to
be played well. Since then, it has been recorded more than once by renowned
orchestras. It is a majestic piece of regal proportions. Herreweghe,
best known as a choral conductor and specialist in baroque music, has
opted for a lighter approach: strings without vibrato, a smaller orchestra,
and fast tempi. His signature is evident right from the start: the purity
of the melodic lines, the clarity of the musical discourse, and the
incisive attacks from the orchestra. The conductor leads the Royal Flemish
Philharmonic with great energy and virtuosity. His aesthetic choices
might please and surprise upon the first listening, but they might also
disappoint those used to slower tempi and more general grandeur.
Thus, certain passages seem to lack lyricism and warmth. The listener
searches for drama and emotion in certain movements, but in vain. In
the louder passages, the orchestra’s sonority at times becomes clamouring.
Some false notes can be heard from the wind section. In the end, the
result is disappointing despite the aesthetic qualities mentioned. For
more depth, try Wand (RCA), Böhm (DG), or Blomstedt (BC). René
François Auclair
Schumann: Requiem
- Der Königssohn – Nachtlied
Sibylla Rubens, soprano; Ingeborg Danz, alto; Christoph Prégardien,
tenor; Adolph Seidel, baritone; Yorck Felix Speer, bass; Kammerchor
Saarbrücken; Deutsche Radio Philharmonie; Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern/Georg
Grün
Hänssler CD 93.270 (72 min 20 s)
This recording is an event in itself. Three little-known choral pieces
by Schumann are lit up with panache and sensitivity in this recording
that is nothing short of exceptional. Almost Mozart-like in its fatality,
this Requiem, composed in 1852 (four years before the composer’s death)
was never heard by Schumann. It is executed with ease and moderation,
the Schumannian equivalent, one might say, of the same exercise accomplished
by Fauré many years later. Here, Schumann seems to confide his soul
to its inexorable destiny, a far cry from the devastating torment of
his last years. This masterpiece of intimate spirituality is remarkably
beautiful. The fact that it has been all but forgotten, even today,
is totally incomprehensible. The ballad Königssohn
(the king’s son), Op. 116, is from 1851 and in six movements tells
the story of a king’s son who sets off penniless in search of a kingdom
to conquer. Typically romantic, the unveiling of the hero’s destiny,
of his courage and his success complete a kind of rite of passage characteristic
of ancient tales. Schumann accompanies the text with music that is edifying
and lyrical. Nachtlied, Op. 108, is a short piece for choir and
orchestra, full of subtle colours and harmonic and vocal contours.
Frédéric Cardin
Tabarinades
Les Boréades/Francis Colpron
ATMA Classique ACD2 2658 (CD: 59 min)
Two precisions given by the programme notes explain this CD’s title:
“Music for the Tabarin theatre” and “French instrumental dances
and songs (1550-1650).” Here we have music for popular theatre: entertaining,
certainly, but also critical of the social shortcomings of the time.
Tabarin was the soul, and Molière didn’t miss seeing him for the
forerunner and inspiration that he was. This is festive music too, recreated
for us by Les Boréades, in top shape with their thirteen instrumentalists,
under the attentive baton of Francis Colpron. Some thirty pieces, of
which several have been adapted by the conductor, are signed by around
fifteen more-or-less well-known composers. Playful and very rhythmic
thanks to lively percussion, they all seem imprinted with nostalgia,
even melancholy. This is particularly felt in the pieces reserved for
strings alone, perhaps because of their husky tone. On the flute, Francis
Colpron thrills with his masterful chirps and twitters. A real treat
for the ears! Alexandre Lazaridès
DVDs
Aaron Copland:
Fanfare for America. A Film by Andreas Skipis
Arthaus Musik DVD 101 573 (60 min)
Copland is generally regarded as the man who all but created a distinctively
American music in the 1920s. This 2001 German-made documentary combines
live performances—mostly by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony led by Hugh
Wolff—with interviews and historic clips to tell his story. Although
it is reasonably well done, with a particularly imaginative video of
the Fanfare for the Common Man, the settings sometimes get in
the way of the story. Why is Copland biographer Howard Pollack always
photographed on a subway train?
As it happens, there is another Copland documentary available on DVD
that uses a similar format but does the job much better. It is called
Copland and the American Sound, part of the San Francisco Symphony’s “Keeping
Score” series. Conductor and host Michael Tilson Thomas knew Copland
personally and is able to quickly pinpoint important features in various
pieces either by playing them on the piano or conducting. In the same
length of time this documentary covers far more ground and takes us
closer to the man and his music. Paul E. Robinson
Argerich &
Maisky: Dvořák, Shchedrin, Franck
and Shostakovich
Martha Argerich, piano; Mischa Maisky, cello; Lucerne Symphony Orchestra/Neeme
Järvi
Accentus Music DVD ACC 20224 (111 min 36 s)
This is quite a novelty: Martha Argerich playing music by a living composer,
and a world premiere no less! She has made her reputation on the basis
of jaw-dropping performances of Nineteenth Century repertoire. But being
the great musician she is it should come as no surprise that she can
play anything. The only issue has been whether she wants to. In this
case Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin was inspired to write a piece
for Argerich and her long-time friend and colleague Mischa Maisky. After
two hearings I found the piece increasingly compelling. Lots of rumination
and lots of driving excitement. Will any other duo dare to play it after
hearing what Argerich and Maisky can do with it?
This concert given in Lucerne last year is oddly constructed but each
performance is a winner. Argerich and Maisky make the overplayed Franck
Sonata seem like one long inspired improvisation—a glorious performance.
Neeme Järvi and the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra—not to be confused
with Abbado’s all-star Lucerne Festival Orchestra—are somewhat overshadowed
in this company but make some great music too. The orchestra is excellent
and Järvi brings a master’s insight to the works by Dvořák
and Shostakovich. Paul E. Robinson
Beethoven: Missa
Solemnis Op. 123
Krassimira Stoyanova, Elīna Garanča, Michael Schade, Franz
Josef Selig; Dresden State Opera Choir, Staatskapelle Dresden/ChristianThielemann
C Major DVD 705408 (90 min)
Every February the Staatskapelle Dresden gives a Memorial concert to
commemorate the aerial destruction of Dresden and its opera house near
the end of World War II. Last year, principal conductor designate Christian
Thielemann directed the Missa Solemnis in the Semperoper. Although
Thielemann officially doesn’t take up his duties until next year he
is already a revered figure in Dresden.
This performance is magnificent in nearly every respect. The choral
work is outstanding for its accuracy and beauty of tone. With the exception
of an occasionally strident Stoyanova the soloists are eloquent and
mellifluous. But what gives the performance unusual stature is Thielemann’s
conducting. He has an odd style of conducting which appears to favour
upbeats instead of downbeats and he can seem restrained to the point
of being robotic. There is no doubt, however, about the care that has
been taken over dynamics and balances. Above all, Thielemann brings
out the depth and drama of the score in full measure without the slightest
exaggeration. Audio and video are likewise ideal for the Missa Solemnis.
Paul E. Robinson
Handel: Theodora
Christine Schäfer (Theodora), Bejun Mehta (Didymus), Joseph Kaiser
(Septimius), Johannes Martin Kränzle (Valens), Bernarda Fink (Irene),
Ryland Davies (Messager); Freiburger Barockorchester, Salzburger Bachchor/Ivor
Bolton
Christof Loy, director
Cmajor 705708 (2 DVD: 189 min)
This 2009 Salzburg production proves that Handel was right to prefer
Theodora to his other compositions. This oratorio, rich in arias
and magnificent choral contributions, is delivered by a gamut of excellent
soloists, especially Schäfer, brimming with intensity during the highlight
of the second act, “With Darkness Deep as my Woe.” The Freiburger
Barockorchester is well-lead by the conductor, though it sounds perhaps
a bit heavy due to overemphasized basses. It remains that Theodora
is not an opera. Handel here subordinated the conflict between the two
Christian martyrs and Valens, the brutal Roman governor, with mystically
inspired introspection. To compensate for the lack of visual effects,
the director opted for an audacious modernization, almost forced, meant
to be read at another level than that of the libretto. Actors and bit
players are dressed informally, and certain performances lack interest
to say the least. From a dramatic standpoint, Septimus (a Roman officer)
and Irene (a Christian) lose their already questionable relevance. The
vast stage scattered with chairs and closed in by an immense organ is
the scene of multiple comings and goings, which the choppy video editing
makes difficult to follow. Alexandre Lazaridès
Verdi: Un ballo
in maschera
Placido Domingo (Gustavo), Josephine Barstow (Amelia), Leo Nucci
(Anckarström), Sumi Jo (Oscar), Florence Quivar (Ulrica); Wiener Philharmoniker/Sir
Georg Solti
Arthaus Musik 107 271 (145 min)
This Ballo was to have been conducted by Herbert von Karajan, who passed
away during the rehearsal period. Georg Solti saved the show by stepping
in at the eleventh hour. John Schlesinger and William Dudley created
an extremely lavish and totally conventional production that was revived
the following year and then consigned to history. It is not clear why
this astronomically expensive production had such a short lifespan,
but one could speculate that its ultra-traditional style was at odds
with the ethos of the artistic leadership. This Ballo uses the original
Swedish setting as intended by Verdi—thus Riccardo is King Gustavo
III and Renato is Count Ankarström. Solti’s conducting is incisive
and exciting, yet, one could argue, without the ultimate lyricism that
Karajan would have brought to the work. (For comparison, go to the studio
recording with Karajan conducting the same forces the year before on
DG.) The singing is overall very strong: Riccardo is one of Domingo’s
greatest roles, and he acted with intensity and sang with burnished,
ringing tone except for a few constricted top notes and the omission
of the high C in the love duet. Josephine Barstow is not a natural Verdi
soprano vocally, but she rose to the occasion and gave a respectable
performance. Leo Nucci was an excellent Renato; Florence Quivar, a Karajan
favourite, was equally fine as Ulrica. Sumi Jo (Oscar) sang with crystalline
tone but sounded small. No exact recording date is given in the accompanying
booklet but the performance here is likely a composite. The videography
is very good if a little dark. This is arguably the best Ballo on video,
with Domingo its chief pleasure. The tenor can also be heard and seen
in many other recordings of this opera. For a more youthful Riccardo,
his 1975 audio recording with Muti and the 1975 Covent Garden live performance
with Abbado are also great choices. Joseph K. So
Translations: Lindsay Gallimore, Aleshia Jensen & Lynn
Travers
Version française... |
|