Emma Kirkby

[Rod Corkin]

Rod doesn't understand the differnce between absolutes (ie being right) and preferences (ie liking), or the difference between objective and subjective. Fat news to anyone who's been around here for some time.

You are not clever enough to tell me what I do or do not understand - from the outset I was speaking for myself. But my opinion is not an uninformed one. I have over a dozen recordings with Kirkby playing a principle role. In every case she is the weak link in the cast. And so these days I no longer contemplate buying a recording with her in the line-up. That is something you guys will just have to live with. I am aware Kirkby has a cult following amongst bearded crusty old men, but it is just that, a cult. I have no more time to waste on this matter, so you can return to your gushing praise for the Dame.

[Harry]

Now after this skirmish among friends, lets go back to the fabulous voice of Dame Emma Kirkby.
If all things work for me, I will meet this lady in a concert that is also sponsored by my firm, later this year.
I have spoken to her before, so this will be a talk amongst friends.
Now, should I tell her about this all?

[The new erato]

That is something you guys will just have to live with. I am aware Kirkby has a cult following amongst bearded crusty old men, but it is just that, a cult. I have no more time to waste on this matter, so you can return to your gushing praise for the Dame.

If by you you mean me, reread my posts. I'm not in the bearded crusty old man club which I would have guessed my posts should have revealed. Like most performers she does good and less good stuff, and however good she is, she is not unique. There's very few performers I couldn't live without (come to think of it, none). Composers, on the other hand, is quite another matter.


Edit:

You are not clever enough to tell me what I do or do not understand - from the outset I was speaking for myself.

And your use of clever enough speaks of your belief in absolutes; and that the cleverer you are, the more right you must be. Clever doesn't come into it, where matters of taste and personal preference are concerned.

But; You dislike Emma, Harry idolizes her, and most of us others are somewhat inbetween. So what?

[Elgarian]

If all things work for me, I will meet this lady in a concert that is also sponsored by my firm, later this year.

Sounds like a great prospect, Harry. I would imagine she'd be a very charming person to meet (and I bet you could have a very informed conversation with her too, if the circumstances were right).

[DarkAngel]

Emma Kirkby received her Dame Commander designation in 2007
A very high honor for female musical artist, she joins short list below

Some other female musical recipients of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire - DBE:
2009 - Mitsuko Uchida
2000 - Julie Andrews
1996 - Felicity Lott
1992 - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
1986 - Gwyneth Jones
1982 - Kiri Te Kanawa
1979 - Joan Sutherland
1976 - Janet Baker

If we were to expand list to next lower level Commanders of the Order of the British Empire - CBE we would see quite
a few more familiar names

[Coopmv]

Emma Kirkby received her Dame Commander designation in 2007
A very high honor for female musical artist, she joins short list below

Some other female musical recipients of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire - DBE:
2009 - Mitsuko Uchida
2000 - Julie Andrews
1996 - Felicity Lott
1992 - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
1986 - Gwyneth Jones
1982 - Kiri Te Kanawa
1979 - Joan Sutherland
1976 - Janet Baker

If we were to expand list to next lower level Commanders of the Order of the British Empire - CBE we would see quite
a few more familiar names

Perhaps few on this list really deserved the designation according to some individual ...    

[Coopmv]

If we were to expand list to next lower level Commanders of the Order of the British Empire - CBE we would see quite
a few more familiar names

You will find Tervor Pinnock and Christopher Hogwood on this list as well.  John Eliot Gardiner was actually knighted.

[DarkAngel]

You will find Tervor Pinnock and Christopher Hogwood on this list as well.  John Eliot Gardiner was actually knighted.

Almost but not quite.........
all those received Commander - CBE status, one step below Knight Commander - KBE, so they are not able to use the title "Sir" since that is reserved only for Knights Grand Cross or Knights Commander still living in UK.

Male classical musicans who have attained Knight Commander - KBE status include:
Antal Dorati
Murray Perahia
Mstislav Rostropovich
Arthur Rubenstein
Georg Solti

List greatly expands for next lower level Commander - CBE and just a sample of names includes:
Colin Davis
John Elliot Gardiner
Christopher Hogwood
Charles MacKerras
Trevor Pinnock
Simon Rattle

[Coopmv]

Almost but not quite.........
all those received Commander - CBE status, one step below Knight Commander - KBE, so they are not able to use the title "Sir" since that is reserved only for Knights Grand Cross or Knights Commander still living in UK.

Male classical musicans who have attained Knight Commander - KBE status include:
Antal Dorati
Murray Perahia
Mstislav Rostropovich
Arthur Rubenstein
Georg Solti

List greatly expands for next lower level Commander - CBE and just a sample of names includes:
Colin Davis
John Elliot Gardiner
Christopher Hogwood
Charles MacKerras
Trevor Pinnock
Simon Rattle

Are you sure your list is completely correct?  I have seen recordings that addressed both John Eliot Gardiner and Colin Davis as "Sir" on the covers.  BTW, you left out Neville Marriner and Yehudi Menuhin from your list.

[DarkAngel]

Are you sure your list is completely correct?  I have seen recordings that addressed both John Eliot Gardiner and Colin Davis as "Sir" on the covers.  BTW, you left out Neville Marriner and Yehudi Menuhin from your list.

According to WIKI Music they are only Commander status, but perhaps there is some way a Commander can also use the title "Sir"
I have also seen some of those list themselves as Sir on CD covers.............

The Commander list above is only a small sample of the 8960 total membership

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_British_Empire

[Coopmv]

According to WIKI Music they are only Commander status, but perhaps there is some way a Commander can also use the title "Sir"
I have also seen some of those list themselves as Sir on CD covers.............

The Commander list above is only a small sample of the 8960 total membership

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_British_Empire

Wiki pages are not 100% accurate.  I have only seen Gardiner referred to as "Sir" but not Pinnock and Hogwood. 

[Sorin Eushayson]

List greatly expands for next lower level Commander - CBE and just a sample of names includes:
Colin Davis
John Elliot Gardiner
Christopher Hogwood
Charles MacKerras
Trevor Pinnock
Simon Rattle

If I'm not mistaken Sir Roger Norrington should also be on this list. 

[Coopmv]

If I'm not mistaken Sir Roger Norrington should also be on this list. 

What about Neville Marriner?

[Marc]

[....] if I've said it once, I've said it a million times: voices are a very personal thing. 

Bit late, but quoted for truth.

[Octave]

from the Recent Purchases thread:
[re: Emma Kirkby's ITALIAN CANTATAS w/Hogwood/AAM]

....and add this to the list of ones that you will not regret.  Singing at its best....a beautiful disc.

Thanks for that, Bogey. 
I am quite interested in getting some more Kirkby, as I think her voice will stay with me as a favorite in certain kinds of music.  I am forgetting all I know of her just now....definitely the Dowland and Monteverdi recordings with Rooley; Hogwood's Handel MESSIAH; Parrott's marvelous Handel CARMELITE VESPERS (a big favorite, and not just out of the Handel I know), as well as some of his Bach and Monteverdi.  I've heard the Hildegard of Bingen FEATHER ON THE BREATH OF GOD record with Kirkby guesting (only on a few tracks?  it's been years), as well.  It's hard to believe it, but I think that's the extent of my exposure to Kirkby's art.  I am certain I won't be the only one to benefit from the veterans' suggestions here.

Would anyone be willing to offer a shortlist of personal essentials of recordings in which she's featured?
I'm interested in a 3cd of Handel arias with Roy Goodman (Hyperion), but I'm not sure what else I need to hear.  I saw one recommendation in this thread for her Mozart/Hogwood Exsultate Jubilate, not the first time I've heard that recordings singled out as a winner.

[Coopmv]

from the Recent Purchases thread:
[re: Emma Kirkby's ITALIAN CANTATAS w/Hogwood/AAM]
Thanks for that, Bogey. 
I am quite interested in getting some more Kirkby, as I think her voice will stay with me as a favorite in certain kinds of music.  I am forgetting all I know of her just now....definitely the Dowland and Monteverdi recordings with Rooley; Hogwood's Handel MESSIAH; Parrott's marvelous Handel CARMELITE VESPERS (a big favorite, and not just out of the Handel I know), as well as some of his Bach and Monteverdi.  I've heard the Hildegard of Bingen FEATHER ON THE BREATH OF GOD record with Kirkby guesting (only on a few tracks?  it's been years), as well.  It's hard to believe it, but I think that's the extent of my exposure to Kirkby's art.  I am certain I won't be the only one to benefit from the veterans' suggestions here.

Would anyone be willing to offer a shortlist of personal essentials of recordings in which she's featured?
I'm interested in a 3cd of Handel arias with Roy Goodman (Hyperion), but I'm not sure what else I need to hear.  I saw one recommendation in this thread for her Mozart/Hogwood Exsultate Jubilate, not the first time I've heard that recordings singled out as a winner.

I have had the original recording on L'oiseau Lyre since I bought it probably a quarter of a century ago.  Since then, a few other versions have hit the market.  However, this version remains the gold standard and my personal favorite (I have a few other versions).  I emailed Christopher Hogwood a few years ago that this version of Handel Italian Cantatas will stand as the best version that has ever been made - between the playing of the Academy of Ancient Music with the likes of Monica Huggett, Catherine Mackintosh on the violin to Emma Kirkby as the soloist and Christopher Hogwood conducting from the harpsichord, this is just the absolute best out there.  I actually received an autograph on his photo from Hogwood.



BTW, the L'oiseau Lyre label really represents the golden age of early/baroque music ...

[Octave]

Is there a difference between the recording that you mention, Coop, and the Eloquence reissue I purchased?  It looks like they both contain the same four cantatas, albeit maybe in a different order.  I haven't received my copy, so I cannot compare the exact personnel to the edition you posted, whose details are here:
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=100622
I think they are the "same" album.

[Coopmv]

Is there a difference between the recording that you mention, Coop, and the Eloquence reissue I purchased?  It looks like they both contain the same four cantatas, albeit maybe in a different order.  I haven't received my copy, so I cannot compare the exact personnel to the edition you posted, whose details are here:
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=100622
I think they are the "same" album.

They are probably the same recordings.  I am not sure if the L'oiseau Lyre label has been phased out by UniversalMusic.  If you are familiar with the Argo label, we have not seen that label in quite a while as well.

[The new erato]

They are probably the same recordings.  I am not sure if the L'oiseau Lyre label has been phased out by UniversalMusic.  If you are familiar with the Argo label, we have not seen that label in quite a while as well.

Those labels have been phased out quite a long time ago, though there have been som reissue activity (some  of the L'oiseau Lyres with the original labels). Other have been reissued on other labels or with other covers.

[Bogey]

Might I rec. this one:



and



and



the list goes on.  I believe that Harry may have seen her live at one point.  I could be wrong.