French Archive
Streams and Podcasts for 26 November 2017
This week’s Music Treasury will feature Paul Paray, the distinguished French conductor, organist, and composer. Paray’s long life (over nine decades and through two world wars) saw him active in Europe and the United States, as well as Israel, with premier orchestras in New York, Detroit, San Francisco, Boston, Monte-Carlo, and others. Paray conducted the breadth of orchestral music, and he particularly specialized in French symphonic literature. This week’s show will feature recordings of pieces by Chabrier, Rimsky-Korsakov, Mendelssohn, Handel, and Strauss (Richard), concluding with end of Mahler’s Symphony Number 5. Hosted by Dr Gary Lemco, the show can be heard on 26 November 2017, between 19:00 and 21:00 PST, as well a streaming broadcast through kzsulive.stanford.edu.
MEDTNER: Piano Concerto No. 2 in c; RACHMANINOV: Piano Con. No. 3 in d – Marc-Andre Hamelin, p./ London Philharmonic Orch./ Vladimir Jurowski – Hyperion
Hamelin exhibits colossal technique and vitality in two Russian concertos that lack the magic of a live concert. MEDTNER: Piano Concerto No. 2 in c, Op. 50; RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No. 3 in d, Op. 30 – Marc-Andre Hamelin, p./ London Philharmonic Orch./ Vladimir Jurowski – Hyperion CDA68145, 82:09 (3/31/17) [Distr. by HM/PIAS] ****: The music of Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951) seems to enjoy a kind of renaissance, especially as the more familiar keyboard works from the Russian repertory become tired. Often referred to as “the Russian Brahms,” Medtner (rec. 7 March 2016) scores his works into a classical structure rife with rhythmic propulsion and thick harmonic syntax, but almost always within a conservative, tonal parameter. The Second Piano Concerto (1920-27) bears a dedication to Serge Rachmaninov, and it arranges its three movements as a kind of bravura dance suite: Toccata: Allegro risoluto; Romanza: Andane con moto; and Divertimento: Allegro risoluto e molto vivace. The piano constitutes the main ingredient in the Second Concerto, and is virtually ever-active. Only prior to a cadenza entry does the piano remain silent. The attraction of the first movement lies in a clearly Russian, militant character, offset by a folksy lyricism. Medtner seems to favor […]
BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata in A Major; Violin Sonata No. 4 in a; Violin Sonata No. 6 in A Major – Zanta Hofmeyr, v./ Ilia Radoslavov, p. – Blue Griffin
Energetic, well-crafted readings of three selected Beethoven sonatas for violin and piano. BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata in A Major, Op. 12, No. 2; Violin Sonata No. 4 in a, Op. 23; Violin Sonata No. 6 in A Major, Op. 30, No. 1 – Zanta Hofmeyr, v./ Ilia Radoslavov, p. – Blue Griffin BGR425, 57:45 (1/9/17) [Distr. by Albany] ****: Recorded 13-15 March 2016, these three Beethoven sonatas from these two gifted enthusiasts, Zanta Hofmeyr and Ilia Radoslavov, enjoy an immediacy of effect quite captivating, given the crisp articulation from their respective instruments. The 1799 A Major Sonata (dedicated to Antonio Salieri) sails in easy, neat triplet figures between the two principals in its opening Allegro vivace, whose “striving for strange modulations” irritated one contemporary reviewer of the work. Like the opening movement, the Andante proceeds by patient imitation, intoning a sweet tune in a minor and then weaving a lyrical aria, dolce et legato, between them. Beethoven saves his quietly revolutionary new style – at least insofar as Mozart and Haydn had been predecessors – for his Allegro piacevole finale, in which syncopations and shifts in dynamics keep both players and listeners absorbed. Beethoven’s sense of humor exhibits itself in the […]
ELGAR: Enigma Variations; In the South, Carillon; etc. – BBC Scottish Sym. /Brabbins – Hyperion
Need another Enigma Variations? Listen to this one. ELGAR: Enigma Variations, Op. 36; In the South “Alassio”, Op. 50; Carillon, Op. 75; Une voix dans le desert, Op. 77; Le drapeau belge, Op. 79; Pleading, Op. 48 – Florence Daguerre de Hureaux, narrator/ Kate Royal, sop./ Yann Ghiro, clar./ BBC Scottish Sym. Orch./ Martyn Brabbins – Hyperion CDA68101, 81:57 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: When an English orchestra takes up the Enigma Variations, the record company must have put a great deal of thought behind it. After all, this venerable piece has been carved out (and up) by virtually every British conductor and orchestra for the last 80 years. Toscanini had the first really great one years ago with the BBC, and there is a special pride that comes with being the only nation qualified to accurately interpret this work. Maybe. Leonard Bernstein came up with one for the ages, and they hated him for it. Slatkin they loved. Sargent, in my opinion, still has the best one on record. But one of two things has to be English—the orchestra, or the conductor. Here we have both, sort of. Since the Scottish attempt at independence failed, I guess we can […]
The Girl on the Train, Blu-ray (2017)
A daring thriller without the usual gun play. The Girl on the Train, Blu-ray (2017) Cast: Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Haley Bennett, Justin Theroux Director: Tate Taylor Studio: Universal Studios Home Ent. 61179949 (1/17/17) (2 discs) Video: 1.85:1 for 16:9 screens, color HD Audio: English DD 5.1 & 2.0, French DD 5.1, Spanish DD 5.1, Spanish DTS-HD 5.1 Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish No region software Extras: Digital copy, UltraViolet, Deleted and extended scenes, The Women Behind the Girl, On Board the Train, Commentary track with director Great job of acting for Emily Blunt as the girl destroyed by her recent divorce, spending her daily commutes (even though she was fired for being an alcoholic a year ago) fantasizing about the seemingly perfect couple living in a house her train passes each day. Things change when she sees something shocking there and becomes entangled in the mystery that unfolds. It concerns her probable guilt in killing another woman because this lady was having an affair with her husband. But as it has turned out in other films, she did not kill anyone, and it was her own ex-husband who was the killer. The actress playing the local policewoman is also […]
Star Wars, remastered – (A New Hope – IV 1977, The Empire Strikes Back – V 1980, Return of the Jedi – VI 1983), Blu-ray (2011)
The first three Star Wars films in their improved digital versions, and on Blu-ray. Star Wars, remastered – (A New Hope – IV 1977, The Empire Strikes Back – V 1980, Return of the Jedi – VI 1983), Blu-ray (2011) Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fischer, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse Directors: George Lucas – IV, Irvin Kershner – V, Richard Marquand – VI Music: John Williams Studio: Lucasfilm/ 20th Century Fox (3 discs) (9/16/11) Video: 2.35:1 for 16:9 screens, HD color Audio: English and made-up languages, DTS-HD MA 5.1, French DTS 5.1, Spanish DTS 5.1 Dubbed: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish Extras: Commentary tracks (2) incl. actual interviews with the cast and crew Length: TT: 387 min. Rating: ***** It was a more than worthwhile thing to experience the epic story of Star Wars with high definition, re-done cgi digital effects, and pure digital surround sound. (Even though I am much more of a Star Trek fan.) Lucas transformed his films into “special editions” with new scenes and special effects, which were greeted with shrugs by most fans. Lucas also made the new remastered versions the only ones available. […]
Audio News for December 30 2016
The 2016 Year in Classical Music – Two of the most influential musicians of both centuries took their final curtain calls during 2016: Pierre Boulez (who blew minds in conservative classical music with his compositions) and Nikolaus Harnoncourt, the Austrian cellist, conductor, music researcher and founder of historic performance practice. Also deceased was Peter Maxwell Davies, Master of the Queen’s Music at the British court and composer of symphonies, concertos, operas, ballet and film music. South African tenor Johan Botha also died, a celebrated singer of Wagnerian roles. Terrorist and other attacks in other Bavarian cities affected the 2016 Bayreuth Festival. German conductor Hartmut Haenchen stepped in with little rehearsal time and was well received, but the same didn’t go for the new stage director Uwe Eric Laufenberg. The Salzburg Festival had a varied program, including works by Thomas Ades and Friedrich Cerha. The Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival revolved around the central theme of Joseph Haydn. Next year it will be Maurice Ravel. At Bonn’s Beethovenfest, director Nike Wagner present a program with the theme “Revolutions.” A number of prizes were handed out: Greek-Russian conductor Teodor Currentzis got one, as did Cecila Bartoli and German conductor Thomas Hengelbrock. Turkish pianist/composer Fazil […]
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Blu-ray (2016)
A classic that has been seen by millions—now in your living room. George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Blu-ray (2016) TCHAIKOVSKY: The Nutcracker (Live from Lincoln Center) Performers: The New York City Ballet Director: Katherine E. Brown Producer: John Goberman Studio: C Major 738704 2016 [Distr. by Naxos] Video: 16:9 HD Blu-ray Audio: PCM Stereo 2.0, DTS-HD MA 5.0 Subtitles: Italian, German, English, French No region code Length: 100 min. Extras: Behind the Stage (10 min.) Rating: ***** Balanchine’s Nutcracker has been a staple for 64 years at the New York City Ballet. It’s seen by over 100,000 people annually, and countless versions of it have been given throughout the United States, popularizing the work in a way that Tchaikovsky could never imagine. It’s no secret as to why this particular vision of the piece has proved so enormously widespread—the fanciful delights of this rabidly gorgeous production, the inevitable deliberateness of the dance numbers that are perfectly executable yet still breathlessly entertaining, and the magical atmospherics add up to a production that is fully worthy of the accolades received over the years. It’s about time we had this on Blu-ray, in stunning sound and superb color, with a bonus segment that takes […]
MONDONVILLE: Trio Sonatas – Johannes Pramsohler/ Ens. Diderot – Audax
MONDONVILLE: Trio Sonatas Op. 2 – Johannes Pramsohler/ Ensemble Diderot – Audax 13707, 67:22 (11/8/16) ****: World premier chamber music from the twilight era of the French Baroque led by researcher/performer Johannes Pramsohler. (Johannes Pramsohler- violin/ Roldan Bernabe – violin/ Kristen Huebner – transverse flute/ Gulrim Choi – baroque cello/ Philippe Grisvard – harpsichord) Johannes Pramsohler, the leader of Ensemble Diderot, has dedicated a couple of recent recordings to unknown or neglected works from the Baroque period. Early Music fans will certainly welcome the findings, especially as in this case, they consist of the most central chamber music of the time–the trio sonata–and are by a composer who is not at all a minor figure, Jean-Joseph Mondonville. How these pieces have lain about unnoticed is beyond me, for they are quite good. Mondonville was the director of the Concert Spirituel around the middle of the century and is known primarily as a composer of grand motets. His instrument, however, was the violin, which is the dominant voice the works under review here. Mr. Pramsohler plays a Rogeri 1713 baroque violin, which blends nicely with Roldan Bernabe’s 1992 instrument modelled on a period violin. In fact, it is occasionally hard to […]
Le Chienne (The Bitch), Blu-ray (1931-2016)
One of the first sound films of Jean Renoir and a realistic analysis of life of Montmartre as well as Renior’s push for naturalistic on-site audio. Le Chienne (The Bitch), Blu-ray (1931-2016) Cast: Michael Simon, Georges Flamant, Janie Marese Director: Jean Renoir Studio: Janus/Les Films du Jeudei/The Criterion Collection 818 (6/14/16) Video: 1.19:1 for 16:9 screens with large side dark areas, B&W Audio: French PCM mono Subtitles: English Extras: 1961 introduction to the film from Renoir; Renoir short of 1936: Une partie de campagne; complete film of On purge bebe also of 1931, Renoir’s first sound film; New interview with Renoir scholar Christopher Faulkner; 1967 French TV chat between Renoir and actor Michael Simon, dir. by Jacques Rivette (95 min.); Poster artwork and essay by film scholar Ginette Vincendeau Length: 96 min. Rating: **** The long conversation between Renoir and actor Michael Simon, who had not seen one another for a decade, is an absolute kick. They discuss everything under the sun, and Renoir’s interest in nature, the environment and fighting cruelty to animals comes out, especially in his recommending Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring to Simon. His first 1931 sound film is only 60 min. long, and mainly concerns a […]
BELLINI: I Capuleti e i Montecchi (2016)
BELLINI: I Capuleti e i Montecchi (2016) You might want to pass this one up… Performers: Chorus & Orchestra of the Zurich Opera House/ Joyce DiDonato, Olga Kulchynska, Benjamin Bernheim, Roberto Lorenzi/ Fabio Luisi (cond.)/ Christof Loy (stage director)/ Franck Evin (lighting designer) Studio: Accentus Music [9/30/16] Length: 139 min. Video: 1.78:1 for 16:9 screens, color Audio: DTS-HD 5.1, PCM Stereo Subtitles: English, German, French, Japanese Ratings: Audio: *** Video: *** One hopes the best for productions of Vincenzo Bellini’s operas, especially—unlike his Norma and il Puritani—the ones out of the repertoire. They still have marvelous music in them. I Capuleti e i Montecchi (1830) is his take on the famous story of Romeo and Juliet, quite different in plotting from Charles Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette (1867). (A contemporary reviewer called Gounod’s opera “always pleasing, though seldom impressive.”) Bellini’s version shimmers like a silver medallion given at an opera-writing competition. Bellini was just establishing his bel canto style and it shines on through. Cast as a “trouser role,” mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato does a splendid job as an indignant and feisty Romeo, more acting than acted upon (unlike Gounod’s Romeo). Olga Kulchynska’s Giulietta is marvelous in several notable arias: her […]
************ Multichannel Disc of the Month *********** * DEBUSSY: Images (complete); Jeux; La plus que lente – SF Sym./ Michael Tilson Thomas – SFS Media
The latest from MTT and the SF Symphony is an all-Debussy SACD. * DEBUSSY: Images (complete); Jeux; La plus que lente – San Francisco Sym./ Michael Tilson Thomas – SFS Media multichannel SACD 821936-0069-2, 62:31 (10/28/16) *****: More superb recordings and performances from one of the best orchestras in the U.S. – the San Francisco Symphony. The mastery of orchestration possessed by the French composer is exquisitely demonstrated in this collection of his impressionist style. French composers nearly always did the best job of portraying Spain in their music, and Debussy’s Images is a great example. Each one of the six parts of Images has its own national coloration. Iberia is the central panel of the Images, and is a sort of love song on a grand scale to the country which so engaged some French composers, including him. In the Night Fragrances section Debussy caresses us with the scents of oleander and sweet chestnut, wild rose and thyme. The score is marked “Slow and dreamy.” The last of the six parts, Rondes de printemps, is dedicated to the composer’s new wife, and quotes a French children’s song. It is actually a fierce little tone poem. Jeux is one of […]
TCHAIKOVSKY: The Nutcracker – complete ballet transcribed for piano – Stewart Goodyear – Steinway & Sons
An outstanding transcription for piano of a most beloved ballet score – it’ll have you dancing! PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY: The Nutcracker – complete ballet transcribed for piano – performed by Stewart Goodyear – Steinway & Sons multichannel SACD 30040, 82:21 [10/9/15] *****: Few people are neutral on the subject of Christmas: most either love it or hate it. I’m one who loves it, and I find the music of Christmas to be an enormously important part of the tradition. So I was excited when this transcription for solo piano of the full Nutcracker ballet score arrived. I had enjoyed for years the DGG recording by Martha Argerich and Nicolas Economou of the Nutcracker Suite (in Economou’s piano transcription, and paired with Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances), but that contained only the highlights of Tchaikovsky’s score. This is the whole thing! . . the whole story! Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893) was a unique composer – and the Nutcracker is unique among his works. His father was a mining engineer and his mother was of French background. The boy was destined to be a civil servant, and indeed completed full training at the St. Petersburg School of Jurisprudence at age 19. But […]
The Wild Life, Blu-ray (2016)
Another great animated family feature, this one from Belgium. The Wild Life, Blu-ray (2016) English Voice-overs: Matthias Schweighöfer, Kaya Yanar, Ilka Bessin, Dieter Hallervorden, Aylin Tezel Director: Vincent Kesteloot Studio: Studiocanal/ Summit/ Lionsgate (11/29/16) [2 discs, Blu-ray & DVD] Video: 2.40:1 HD 1080p color Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1, Spanish DD 5.1 Subtitles: Spanish Extras: A Wild World: Making The Wild Life, Meet the Characters, Tips for Your Trip, The Wild Life Musical Adventure, Previews Length: 91 min. Rating: ****1/2 In spite of the title, this is generally the story of Robinson Crusoe, but from the viewpoint of the animals on the island where he is shipwrecked. The voices are just perfect, especially Matthias Schweighofer as Crusoe and Ilka Bessin as the large (compared to the other animals) female tapir. The guy playing the voice of the near-sighted old goat is pretty good too – he really sounds like a goat might. Everything is larger than life and the animals rule on the little island until a furious storm, and Robinson Crusoe is deposited there as the only survivor (with his dog Aynsley) of the pirate ship on which he was held. At first the animals (except for the macaw) […]
Nick Sanders & Logan Strosahl – Janus – Sunnyside Communications
Nick Sanders & Logan Strosahl – Janus – Sunnyside Communications SSC1469, 41:40 ***: An intriguing release. (Nick Sanders – piano; Logan Strosahl – alto & tenor saxophone) You have to give credit to Nick Sanders and Logan Strosahl for getting this album entitled Janus released. Imagine, if you will, the pitch meeting with Sunnyside Communications wherein the duo wanted to record a disc that would feature their interpretations of music from medieval, Baroque and contemporary classics, as well as bebop and modern jazz. Clearly the individuals in charge of the label thought it was worth the risk. Was it ? Both Sanders and Strosahl are first class musicians having graduated from Boston’s New England Conservatory. This is where they first encountered each other and started playing together. Clearly, they are like-minded and highly accomplished collaborators as evidenced by the first track entitled “Sigma”. This original composition by Nick Sanders flits along the jagged edges of classical/free jazz at a confident pace. Diving into jazz’s oblique territory with Thelonious Monk’s “Thelonious,” the duo demonstrates their comfort with the number as they tackle Monk’s stylistic intricacies. Another number that falls into this category is the composition “Be-Bop Tune” by the two principals, […]
PROKOFIEV: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 19; Violin Concerto No. 2 in g, Op. 35; Solo Sonata in D Major, Op. 115 – Vadim Gluzman, v./ Estonian Nat. Sym. Orch./ Neeme Jarvi – BIS
Strong collaborations and incisive sound editing give us fine interpretations of Prokofiev’s major violin works. PROKOFIEV: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 19; Violin Concerto No. 2 in g, Op. 35; Solo Sonata in D Major, Op. 115 – Vadim Gluzman, v./ Estonian Nat. Sym. Orch./ Neeme Jarvi – BIS multichannel SACD-2142, 60:21 (8/12/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: Ukrainian-Israeli violinist Vadim Gluzman (b. 1973) recorded the present Prokofiev works between May 2014 and July 2015, playing upon an extraordinary instrument, the 1690 Stradivarius once owned by pedagogue Leopold Auer. The quality of instrumental tone has an ardent complement in Gluzman’s natural sympathy for the works he performs here with the support of Neeme Jarvi and his veteran Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. The D Major Prokofiev Concerto (1917) still vibrates with a sense of the enfant terrible who wishes to astonish the conservative status quo. Although Nathan Milstein – who premiered the work in Moscow in 1923 – called the music “one of the best modern violin concertos,” many of the elite virtuosos declined to perform it, and it was left to the enterprising Joseph Szigeti to make the first recording with Sir Thomas Beecham. The dreamy first movement […]
GREGORY PECK Centennial Collection – To Kill a Mockingbird & Cape Fear + Extras, Blu-ray (1961 & 2/2016)
A fine remastering of one the most important films ever made. GREGORY PECK Centennial Collection – Remastering of To Kill a Mockingbird & Cape Fear + Extras, Blu-ray (1961 & 2/2016) Cast: Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen, Brock Peters, Robert Duvall, Phillip Alford Studio: Universal Pictures 61181322 (10/11/16) 2 discs Directors: J. Lee Thompson & Robert Mulligan Producers: Sy Bartlett & Alan J. Pakula Writers: James R. Webb & Horton Foote Music: Bernard Hermann for both films Video: 1.85:1 for 16:9 screens, black & white Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 & 2.0 & mono, French DTS-HD MA 2.0 Subtitles: French, Spanish, English for the hearing impaired, All regions Extras: A Conversation with Gregory Peck, Fearful Symmetry: The Making of To Kill a Mockingbird, Academy Award Best Actor Acceptance Speech, American Film Institute Life Achievement Award, Excerpt from Tribute to Gregory Peck, Scout Remembers, Feature Commentary Track with Director Robert Mulligan & Producer Alan Pakula, 100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics, Theatrical Trailer, BD-Live, My Scenes, Pocket BLU App Length: TT: 236 min. Rating: ***** The big thing is not only the wonderful remasterings of both great motion pictures, but also the many extras concerning the terrific contributions which Gregory Peck made to the first film, and as a […]
RAMEAU: Dardanus (complete opera), Blu-ray (2016)
Rameau is always worth seeing as well as hearing, even in a piece as whacky as this. [This is our free drawing for October!] RAMEAU: Dardanus (complete opera), Blu-ray (2016) Performers: Reinoud Van Mechelen (Dardanus)/ Gaëlle Arquez (Iphise)/ Karina Gauvin (Venus)/ Florian Sempey (Anténor)/ Nahuel Di Pierro (Teucer, Isménor)/ Katherine Watson (Un Songe/ Amour)/ Etienne Bazola (Berger)/ Virgile Ancely (Un Songe)/ Guillaume Gutiérrez (Un Songe)/ Ensemble Pygmalion/ Raphaël Pichon Producer: Michel Fau Studio: Harmonia mundi/PIAS 9859051.52 2015 Video: 16:9 HD 1080i fir 16:9 Audio: PCM stereo 2.0, DTS-HD MA 5.1 Subtitles: German, English, French No region code Length: 3 hr. 12 min. 24 sec. Bonus: Dardanus: Behind the Scene (Blu-ray only), 20 min. Rating: **** Dardanus is opera number six out of the composer’s 30-odd creations in the genre. The court of Louis XV was a gaudy, irascible time for spectacular productions—the kitsch present in this age is something that many directors have attempted to avoid or at least soften. Not here. This production embraces it as a legitimate and even beautiful expression of style that so marked the transitional time between Rameau and Lully, rivals at the time, but more exacerbated by their followers. In fact, after the 1739 […]
PUCCINI: La Boheme (complete opera), C Major Blu-ray (2016)
It’s hard to divorce this release from recent events. PUCCINI: La Boheme (complete opera), Blu-ray (2016) Performers: Daniela Dessì (Mimì)/ Fabio Armiliato (Rodolfo)/ Alessandro Luongo (Marcello)/ Alida Berti (Musetta)/ Federico Longhi (Schaunard)/ Marco Spotti (Colline)/ Angelo Nardinocchi (Benoit/Alcindoro)/ Ugo Tarquini (Parpignol)/ Marco Simonelli (Sergente dei doganieri)/ Jacopo Bianchini (Un doganiere)/ Orchestra and Choir of the Puccini Festival Torre del Lago/ Valerio Galli Director: Ettore Scola Studio: C Major 736204 2014 Video: 16:9 HD 1080i, color Audio: PCM stereo 2.0, DTS-HD MA 5.1 Subtitles: Italian, German, English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Japanese No region code Length: 123 min. Rating: **** There is something particularly pathetic, in Act 3 of this production, hearing Mimi utter the words “Alas, I am dying.” For the magnificent soprano playing her, Daniela Dessi, died just a couple of months ago in August from colon cancer that she had just begun receiving treatment for, and the opera world is still in shock from the news. She had promised to be back on stage in October, so something obviously went horribly wrong between prognosis and treatment. Her husband and longtime singing partner, and the Rodolfo in this production, Fabio Armiliato, messaged: ‘A short, horrible and incomprehensible illness has […]
FRANÇOIS COUPERIN: Leçons de Ténèbres; DE BROSSARD: Trio Sonatas; Stabat Mater – Lucy Crowe & Elizabeth Watts, sops./ La Nuova Musica/ David Bates – Harmonia mundi/PIAS
FRANÇOIS COUPERIN: Leçons de Ténèbres; SÉBASTIEN DE BROSSARD: Trio Sonatas; Stabat Mater – Lucy Crowe and Elizabeth Watts, sopranos/ La Nuova Musica/ David Bates – Harmonia mundi/PIAS HMU 807659, 70:20 (9-9-16) *****: Francois Couperin vs. Jean-Phillipe Rameau. Strange to think that François Couperin, harpsichordist to Louis XIV, and Rameau, the other great French harpsichordist of the time, may never have met. It would have been an interesting meeting; their music is so different, Couperin’s more delicate, more filigreed, perfumed, reflective, splendid, whereas Rameau’s was like that too, but definitely more drop-dead brilliant. For decades, Couperin lived as the more important of the two, more relevant to the original-instrument discoveries of our modern age that were spearheaded by keyboard players and instrumentalists in general, but recently as opera from all periods has become huge international business, Couperin eclipsed the younger virtuoso, in large part part if not primarily due to the spectacular pomp and circumstance of the big moments, the irresistibly catchy nature of his dance tunes, and the melting beauty of his romance. For decades, Fr. Couperin lived as the more important of the two to our modern age, but recently he has been eclipsed the younger virtuoso, in large part part […]
Monteux at Tanglewood, Vol. 4 – BEETHOVEN: Sym. No. 2; R. STRAUSS: A Hero’s Life – Pristine Audio
A fourth entry into the Monteux legacy at Tanglewood delivers mirth and heroism, at once. Monteux at Tanglewood, Vol. 4 (1962) – BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36; R. STRAUSS: Ein Heledenleben, Op. 40 – Boston Sym. Orch./ Pierre Monteux – Pristine Audio PASC 481, 72:30 [avail. in various formats from www.pristineclassical.com] ****: Producer Andrew Rose extends his rewarding survey of the Pierre Monteux legacy at Tanglewood, here in 1962, a year in which the famed French maestro appeared six times before his old colleagues of the Boston Symphony. The music of this concert comes to us on 29 July 1962. The reading of the Beethoven Symphony No. 2 (1802) revels in its boundless mirth, despite the fact that at the time of its composition Beethoven felt the first real strains of his oncoming deafness. The first movement has Monteux’s urging his horns to exploit the ceaseless energy of its sudden injections of buoyant vitality. The strings whirl at dizzy pace, the tympani’s marking the cadences with gusto. Berlioz had claimed that the D Major Symphony smiles in every bar. The peroration that Monteux achieves at the coda becomes breathtaking, symmetrical in its ecstasies to the point […]
Monteux Tanglewood Volume 3: 1961, Part One – Concertos – RACHMANINOFF, BARTOK, VIOTTI – Pristine Audio
The Monteux set of Boston collaborations proves exciting and compelling in new repertory. Monteux Tanglewood Volume 3: 1961, Part One – Concertos – RACHMANINOFF: Piano Concerto No. 2 in c, Op. 18; BARTOK: Rhapsody No. 1 for Violin and Orchestra; VIOTTI: Violin Concerto No. 22 in a – Gary Graffman, p./ Isaac Stern, v./ Boston Sym. Orch./ Pierre Monteux – Pristine Audio PASC 478, 69:31 [avail. in several formats from www.pristineclassical.com] ****: Every meeting between veteran French conductor Pierre Monteux (1875-1964) and the Boston Symphony Orchestra promised excitement and supple grace, at once. The concerts in the Berkshires allow Monteux access to repertory denied him on commercial records, and so those from 23 July 1961 (Bartok and Viotti) and 19 August 1961 (Rachmaninoff) become especially precious to us who cherish Monteux’s sensitive authority in collaborations. Personally, I await the restoration of the Schumann Concerto that Eugene Istomin shared with Monteux at these concerts. Gary Graffman (b. 1928) appears in resolute and resonant form in the most popular of the Rachmaninoff concertos, the first movement’s moving with a kind of feline sleekness and accuracy. Prior to this performance, I could not recall having ever heard a note of this composer from […]
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
