Rosy
Senior Member
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Post by Rosy on May 12, 2008 18:07:42 GMT 1
Dear Lee, I'm immensely grateful to you for having asked to Giacomo Puccini!!!  Just I read your post, I decided to include an article on the great composer in the thread " The Italian Opera: G.Verdi and other great Author Rosy Your impression, Lee, it's the truth. We Italians love Puccini very much, but we always ahead G. Verdi, as if he were a national emblem! As I wrote you, I'll try to explain "the arcane". Meanwhile, I recommend to you a beautiful CD: Puccini - Catalani - Ponchielli, Per Orchestra: - Amilcare Ponchielli (1834/1886) Elegia- Alfredo Catalani (1854/1893) Contemplazione- Giacomo Puccini (1858/1924) Preludio Sinfonico in la magiore "Le Villi" Intermezzo (La Tregenda) Capriccio SinfonicoFilarmonica del Teatro alla Scala, Conductor Riccardo Muti, Sony, 1997 These songs have conquered; if you have occasion, purchase them! Rosy |
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lee
Senior Member
Posts: 187
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Post by lee on Jun 15, 2008 22:36:37 GMT 1
Hi Rosy
Thank you for your response and my apologies for the delay in replying.
I'm a fan of Riccardo Muti (to the extent that I wished he had succeeded HvK at Berlin, rather than Abbado) and your recomended recording is most welcome. That said, I have the recording by another of your compatriots - Riccardo Chailly - of these works; and very memorable they are too!)
Warmest regards,
Lee
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Post by stuartg on Sept 11, 2008 21:26:16 GMT 1
Dear all
I've just taken delivery of HvK's 1951 Bayreuth Das Rheingold on the Walhall label. I've only played it through once but, I think it's a very good performance.
In comparison to the studio DG Rheingold it is far more urgent and fleet-footed; Elizabeth Schwarzkoff is gorgeously, radiantly, young-singing!
It is akin to the Clemens Krauss recording from 1953 that I have (and adore). So different from the Furtwangler and Keilberth that I have been listening to a lot lately.
I can't call between this live version and the DG studio version. HvK brings something different to the studio, whilst there is a raw energy about the live (younger) HvK.
It is amazing that modern technology makes these recordings so available and affordable.
Regards
Stuart
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lee
Senior Member
Posts: 187
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Post by lee on Sept 11, 2008 22:32:43 GMT 1
Hi Stuart
Very pleased to learn that you have enjoyed Karajan's 1951 Rheingold so much - it is different from the later Berlin account, somewhat "bigger-boned" in my opinion, perhaps reflecting the influence of Knappertsbusch who of course conducted the other Ring Cycle at this festival. That said, I think the Siegfried from 1951 is even better - have you heard that yet ? Also, don't forget the live Salzburg performances (if you can find them) mentioned earlier in this thread with Jacques-Henri's memorable description of the "smoke literally rising from the pit and stage" - Act III of Gotterdammerug from those performances is a thing to behold !
Lee
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Post by stuartg on Sept 12, 2008 0:16:10 GMT 1
Dear Lee,
Thanks for your response.
Actually, I've never got on with Siegfried.
It is an opera that I have difficulty enjoying. The only part of 'Der Ring' that I get bored with (!?!)
Keilberth is the closest that I get to in terms of enjoyment.
Regards
Stuart
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Post by jhgaulard on Sept 12, 2008 8:31:18 GMT 1
Well, it is all a matter of taste but considering that in Götterdammerung we have rape, murder and suicide (in any order), Siegfried is a welcome relief. It is quite cool to have singing bird, dragon slaying, riddles and love duet with happy ending...Coming back to your point I am not a great fan of these two ('51 Rheingold+Siegfried) performances. I find them a bit restrained -- maybe that would have to do with the remastering? how present are the Valhall sounds? They differ in "temper" from the 51 Meistersinger (in my view best ever performance of this opera in CD, period -- and I listen to it pretty much every year, every year I wonder if I am going to like it less, every year I am charmed as on day 1). I hope some of you will agree it is one of the "sunniest", most colourful Meistersinger out there. There is much more "italianita" in there than in any bar of the 1937 Toscanini recording in Salzburg. And talking about that '51 Ring I am also a great fan of the Walkure Act III. And I can safely say that the 2007 EMI remastering in "Great Recordings of the Century" is worth every penny...Poor wallet...
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lee
Senior Member
Posts: 187
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Post by lee on Sept 12, 2008 10:23:02 GMT 1
Hi Stuart
Yes, it took me a long time to get to grips with Siegfried too, or at least the first couple of acts. Act III of course was written after Wagner's enforced sabbatical from The Ring, during which he composed Tristan and Meistersinger, and is of course on another level. I would personally buy the Karajan '51 (at it's modest price point) purely for the moment Brunnhilde first hails Siegfried - the orchestral explosion at this point is the best that I've ever heard, quite extraordinary.
Jacques-Henri
Agree, it is all a matter of taste. Personally, I struggle to appreciate the whole of Meistersinger - strange, the rest of Wagner's output is a thing of wonder for me (interesting, I have the same problem with Falstaff and Verdi; Rosy will never forgive me!). That said, my versions of the 1951 Rheingold and Siegfried are from the 1980's (Hunt) - not as smooth as the contemporaneous Meistersinger, or Die Wailkure Act III, but still quite "present". As for my wallet......
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Rosy
Senior Member
Posts: 540
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Post by Rosy on Sept 12, 2008 17:07:20 GMT 1
Jacques-Henri Agree, it is all a matter of taste. Personally, I struggle to appreciate the whole of Meistersinger - strange, the rest of Wagner's output is a thing of wonder for me (interesting, I have the same problem with Falstaff and Verdi; Rosy will never forgive me!). That said, my versions of the 1951 Rheingold and Siegfried are from the 1980's (Hunt) - not as smooth as the contemporaneous Meistersinger, or Die Wailkure Act III, but still quite "present". As for my wallet...... By this time I forgive you, Lee, my dear son! ( mio figliolo caro!) Verdi's Falstaff (source: "The Merry Wives of Windsor") is not easy to understand. It sounds like "Opera Buffa" and apparently it is, like all "Opere Buffe". But don't understand the Old Composer's "message", if there is a message! It's possible that he has taken a little game of us! I invite you to see it on DVD ( Riccardo Muti conductor!) and laugh without thinking what can hide! ************************ The great Gioacchino Rossini had incited him more times to try in that genre, so, after having left "strappalacrime"  * masterpieces, Verdi show is not to be second to anyone even in other genres. Ciao! Rosy*= works they do cry a lot! |
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Just I read your post, I decided to include an article on the great composer in the thread " The Italian Opera: G.Verdi and other great Author
* masterpieces, Verdi show is not to be second to anyone even in other genres.