john
Senior Member
Posts: 119
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Post by john on Feb 24, 2008 23:19:02 GMT 1
There are no borders, boundaries or politics here, only the love of music, karajan and genius. these have no boundaries.
They/we are all one.
Just my observation.
John
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Rosy
Senior Member
Posts: 540
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Post by Rosy on Feb 28, 2008 18:32:10 GMT 1
We continue in the great italian Opera tradition, through Karajan's Interpretation
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Pietro Mascagni-------------- Cavalleria Rusticana
Ruggero Leoncavallo-------- Pagliacci
Teatro alla Scala, Milano, 1967
Recorded by Unitel, 1968 ****************************************************************************
In karajan's interpreting, does't prevails the technique; it's more accurate to say that, through the use of the Orchestra, and the deep knowledge of the score, he seized the fundamental side expressive, sometimes adding a drammatic intensity, that even the Author would have ever dreamed itself. Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, shine forth a new and unespected light. His interpretation is clear and clean, it eludes the trap of pathetic. It's easy to became trapped in forced reading, with the Opera verista, expecially Cavalleria. Instead, each instrument presents stamp at most hedonistic stage; the beauty color, built on the perfection of instrumental sound and balance of levels, supplements instrumentation a little miserable.
Despite the last sentence, I like Cavalleria Rusticana very much!!!
Rosy
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Rosy
Senior Member
Posts: 540
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Post by Rosy on Mar 3, 2008 19:40:08 GMT 1
Giuseppe Verdi,
Quattro pezzi sacri:
" Te Deum "
Orchestra della Rai di Roma, 20 / 5/ 1965
Solista: soprano Helen Donath
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Every time I hear the " Te Deum ", I feel transported to somethng Great and Beneficial. My eyes fill tears, because the emotion is so high reaches levels that can be expressed only with a silent tears. Listening to everything that the Maestro get out, with mastery, from the Author, for me it's violent emotion it's fire, passion alive, vibrant, that creeps inside me to turn on all the senses.
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Rosy
Senior Member
Posts: 540
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Post by Rosy on Mar 6, 2008 19:23:54 GMT 1
...... The years of maturity and beyond
Reflections. With the advance of the years, inevitably, sometime changed in the relationship with the score.
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The " natural " habitat of Karajan is the second part of eight hundred and first part of nine hundred; from Brahms to the latest Operas of Verdi, to Mahler, Puccini, Strauss. This is inconfutable. especially in the last years of life of the Maestro, when his time underwent a dilatation, almost to express anguishes and nostalgias belonged at the end of that wordl. Listening in comparative Falstaff, Rosenkavalier, and Brahams Symphonyes, in the first and last records, we may note that in the years, the vision of Karajan is become more melancholic, poignant, resigned; but also fully lived, mediated, profound; the final fugue of Falstaff, it's now, for Karajan, the end great italian melodrama; the " terzetto " of Rosenkavalier, closes an era really, a wordl really; as the exasperated lyricism of 4* Symphony of Brahms.
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Rosy
Senior Member
Posts: 540
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Post by Rosy on May 11, 2008 17:48:20 GMT 1
Reflections with the invaluable help of E. Stinchelli's Book "I Grandi Direttori d'Orchestra", Gremese Editore, 1987
"I don't think that someone cannot disagree for the choise of timeing and dynamic ( we think the Trovatore, Don Carlo, Aida...), but only for the extraordinary quality sound and some magistral intuitions, or better, revelations, produces in the listener that is present in room, a range of very strong feelings: drunkenness ( Finale 4th Tchaikovsky), infinite despair (Allegretto 7th Beethoven), disbelief (Don Rodrigo's death, in the Don Carlo, Salzburg, 1986; beautiful legato executed by Cappuccilli and BPO), deep emotion (Mozart's Kronungmasse, performed before Pope John Paul II, Basilica of St. Peter, 29 June 1985). This film is extremely moving, I strongly recommend it. ********************************************************************************* We cannot absolutely consider Karajan a purely technical conductor: would be more accurate to say that, though the total and expert of the Orchestra and the knowledge of any detail in the art of rereading a score, Karajan inevitably arrives at the essence, he captures with great skill and sensivity, the fundamental side expressive, something adding an intensity and dramatic force that the Composer himself would not have even dreamt! Think of "Cavalleria rusticana e "Pagliacci" Opere that shine a unsuspected brilliance thanks to rereading of Karajan!"
Rosy
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Rosy
Senior Member
Posts: 540
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Post by Rosy on May 11, 2008 18:17:23 GMT 1
......Reading some interesting posts of my friends Forum members, I rethought at my ancient considerations which still deem valid or at least likely. I remember a double CD containing the Preludes and Overtures of the Opere by Giuseppe Verdi, under the Herbert von Karajan's baton. I don't know how many times I listened to them!
Recording Berlin Philharmonie, 9/10 1975- DG
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An example:
Overture (called "Symphony") from "La forza del Destino"
I carryover equal-equal my old written that I have kept and that goes back several years ago. Compared with other famous interpreters, Karajan seem to slow down the time, especially at the beginning (please, if you can, listen to it!). The sound expands and the same time drops in depth. Magnificent!. In this way, is put into evidence the drama of the wonderful Symphony. The time dilation is such that, if made by another conductor, would be disastrous! With Karajan this not happen, indeed, in this way is accentuated the dept of sound and consequently of meaning. ..............more...........
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Rosy
Senior Member
Posts: 540
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Post by Rosy on Jun 28, 2009 17:53:25 GMT 1
Hello All, With great pleasure I recall the speech I started with the birth of this beautiful and very important place. I would like to tell about La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi, conducted by Herbert von Karajan at the Teatro alla Scala on December 17th, 1964: a flop announced, why? I know that all the biographies on Karajan mention that particular performance, especially Richard Osborne one, A life in music. First of all the cast: Orchestra and chorus of the Teatro alla Scaladirected by Franco Zeffirelliconducted by Herbert von Karajan Mirella Freni, (and then Anna Moffo) as Violetta Valery Renato Cioni as Alfredo Germont Mario Sereni as Giorgio Germont Giorgio Goretti as Gastone Nicola Zaccaria as Dott. GrenvilWhy was it a flop, the unique in the career of Karajan? The previous La Traviata was directed by Luchino Visconti, conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini and sung by Maria Callas! This explains many things. Nobody would have ever more able to do better. Maria Callas was/is Violetta and no one could aspire to be Violetta without being a copy of Maria Callas! Indeed, for the moment, better not try to venture into that role. Then, all aspirants as Violetta, like or not, would have imitated Maria Callas. These argument and more, Luchino Visconti wrote in a letter; and then, is it or not an affront to Giulini bring this Opera to Vienna? This sentence, in particulare, it refers to Karajan. Of course, Karajan asked Maria to interpret the role of Violetta, but the Wien Staatsoper not agreed to expensive request by the singer- Karajan instead had accepted it- so the Maestro entrusted the role to Mirella Freni; however, she didn't feel ready to deal with a role, but she accepted trusting in the Maestro. Unfortunately, Karajan, soon noticed to have himself some difficulties with the tempi written in the score. It's incredible, but he had to call, in the middle of the night, to a great friend of him from Trieste: Raffaello de Banfield. He took a train and went to Milano, where waited for him an anxious Karajan, and so together studied the score. What is impressive, is the great humility of Karajan in listening to the advices of his friend; so in the rehealsal everything went well; instead at the Prima of the Opera, the biased audience , felt the uncertainly of Mirella Freni, in the hall heard boos to Mirella Freni and to Karajan which returned to mistake the tempi. Perhaps, the public could not appreciate the wonderful moment such two Preludes!! Karajan, very sensitive person, was touched by this experience, otherwise I cannot explain his absurd assertion that La Traviata is a story lacks credibility. ********************** Rosy
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Rosy
Senior Member
Posts: 540
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Post by Rosy on Jun 28, 2009 18:21:04 GMT 1
La Traviata was re-proposed at the Teatro alla Scala only many years later by Riccardo Muti with young singers. ********************** Rosy
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Post by Catalin N. R. on Jun 28, 2009 19:31:48 GMT 1
Hi Rosy,
Scala December 17th, 1964: this is a historical moment. Do we have any recordings of this Traviata? I suppose the Maestro wouldn't be very happy if the recordings still exist. I've searched a Traviata conducted by Karajan, but didn't find yet.
Thanks and thank you for this tribute paid to Verdi.
Catalin
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Rosy
Senior Member
Posts: 540
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Post by Rosy on Jun 28, 2009 20:43:35 GMT 1
Oh, yes, we have that La Traviata! I will try to translate the letter written by Luchino Visconti. Richard Osborne had never seen it. ********************** Rosy
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Post by Catalin N. R. on Jun 28, 2009 22:57:12 GMT 1
I'm sorry to be a bother, but where can I find the recording of that interesting version of "La Traviata"? Is it perhaps among the CDs in The Complete EMI collection, Vol. 2, and I haven't noticed it?...
With kind regards, Catalin
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john
Senior Member
Posts: 119
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Post by john on Jun 28, 2009 23:05:44 GMT 1
Catalin/Rosy
Fortunately a 'live' recording of the Karajan La Scala exists, the sound is not brilliant but good enough.
I recently watched a DVD of Traviata from La Scala conducted by Lorin Marzel I have also watched one conducted by Solti from the Royal Opera House London. On both occasions the soprano was Angela Georgiou. Whist the La Scala performance was far superior to the London I found that the Karajan CD version was more favorable musically, but perhaps I am biased. However, I am always amazed at the opening scene after the initial prelude, Karajan conjours up such excitement and vivid pictures as to what is to come, and whilst no one can compare to Callas Anna Moffo sings as well as anyone.
I was fortunate last year to visit the Rome Opera for a performance of La Traviata, whilst the singers were ok the new production was absolutely stunning, Zeffirelli, the master who else!
John
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Post by Catalin N. R. on Jun 29, 2009 14:13:28 GMT 1
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lee
Senior Member
Posts: 187
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Post by lee on Jun 30, 2009 22:14:12 GMT 1
Hi John
I hope that you are well. I would never presume to be qualified to judge on the merits of any performance of La Traviata, as it is an opera that I really don't like much at all (Rosy will never forgive me!). However, have you heard the HvK Traviata with Freni which emanated from the same production with Moffo ? As I'm sure you know, the Freni performance is in actual fact a broadcast of the full dress rehearsal, Freni withdrawing due to nerves to be replaced by Anna Moffo for the actual run of performances. In my opinion the Freni performance is the better of the two. In particular in both performances, I appreciated the skill that Karajan brought to the final scene, the darkness that seems to swirl around Violetta as she dies, with the final pages almost brutal in their grief and shock of a young woman's death.
Best regards, Lee
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2009 12:09:17 GMT 1
Hi Lee,
Of course, remember that K didn't like Traviata either!
Also, just want to pile praise again to K's Nabucco overture - once heard never forgotten.
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