Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios

Started by Tancata, July 10, 2007, 01:25:37 PM

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Coopmv

#440
Quote from: Elgarian on June 28, 2009, 10:56:29 PM
More like opera's answer to Kylie Minogue, I should think. Coop, when you say you know nothing of her, that suggests you haven't seen the famous Glyndebourne Giulio Cesare DVD - is that so?

Here she is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ-EzvZs94I&feature=related

The only vocal DVD's I have are the Bach's passions and oratorios.  I also have Colin Davis's Tannhauser ...

DarkAngel

#441
Quote from: Coopmv on June 29, 2009, 04:09:40 PM
The only vocal DVD's I have are the Bach's passions and oratorios.  I also have Colin Davis's Tannhauser ...

Coop you need to dip your toes into the world of Opera DVD......just be careful of the giant sucking sound coming from your wallet   :D

Elgarian
look what will be released 7/14/09



Yes our darling Danielle as the seductive Poppea, could be some real fireworks here!
We also get Emanuelle Haim at the podium........

Coopmv

Quote from: DarkAngel on June 29, 2009, 05:37:49 PM
Coop you need to dip your toes into the world of Opera DVD......just be careful of the giant sucking sound coming from your wallet   :D


But it looks like only a minority of GMG members are into classical music DVD (including opera) ...   

Elgarian

Quote from: DarkAngel on June 29, 2009, 05:37:49 PM
Elgarian
look what will be released 7/14/09



Yes our darling Danielle as the seductive Poppea, could be some real fireworks here!
We also get Emanuelle Haim at the podium........

Thanks! Not to be missed!!!!

Don't forget that her Glyndebourne Acis & Galatea will also be on DVD later this year.

Coopmv

Just finished listening to this CD ...



Of the 11 tracks on this CD, I only enjoyed Joshua and Rinaldo.  I think I enjoyed Kozena performing Bach vocal works more so than her Handelian endeavor.  At any rate, among the newer bloods, Karina Gauvin is my favorite for Handel vocal works ...

 

Elgarian

Quote from: Coopmv on June 30, 2009, 06:53:27 PM



Of the 11 tracks on this CD, I only enjoyed Joshua and Rinaldo.

Gosh - I'm really quite shocked. I think her performances of Scherza Infida and Dopo notte - and also, oh my goodness, 'In Darkness Deep' - on that CD are superb. But then, we all clearly look for different things - I still struggle with Sandrine Piau's Handel CD even though the critics rave about it.

DarkAngel

#446
Quote from: Elgarian on June 04, 2009, 01:20:51 PM
OK ... these two discs are not directly comparable - the Ciofi/Didonato is a collection of duets; the Mingardo/Piau is a mix of duets and solo arias. But, that said, they have in common the duets 'Caro amico amplesso' from Poro and 'Scherzano sul tuo volto' from Rinaldo, so it's very interesting just switching between these to see how they compare.

I must say at the outset that the Didonato/Ciofi disc is simply fabulous - the voices complement each other beautifully, and the performances pulse with vitality. It's truly thrilling. Well, in my initial comparisons, I don't think the Piau/Mingardo versions quite match up, but they are so different that I hesitate to be too insistent on it. Piau has a very pure soprano voice, very technically perfect. Mingardo's contralto is quite deep, almost masculine - rather hard; a bit severe. So there are two extremes here. By contrast, Didonato's mezzo is softer, more feminine than Mingardo; and Ciofi's soprano is warmer than Piau. So the overall effect when they sing together is very, very different; and truly it's not easy to say which is 'best'.

I don't know if this is too subjective to be useful, but I feel I really must add that whereas Didonato/Ciofi give me shivers and thrills up my spine, Piau/Mingardo, frankly, do not. They're giving virtuoso performances alright, but they seem detached; cool. If I had to walk away with only one of these CDs, I wouldn't hesitate - I'd take the Didonato/Ciofi and leave the Piau/Mingardo behind. But whether it would strike others the same way is hard to know. If you don't have the Didonato/Ciofi disc already, then I'd say get that first, cherish it, revel in it, thrill to it; and then think about the Mingardo/Piau disc later.

Well I placed an order for both of these Handel aria sets: (the baroque diva robots are mine!)



I know that Elgarian was not thrilled with the Piau/Mingardo set, but I really like Piau's style much more so I think this will be right up my alley  :D
I have many baroque operas now with Sandrine and have almost always been quite impressed. These will make nice companions to these CDs which are already in the collection:



Elgarian

NO! The baroque diva robots are MINE!!

Seriously, I have all four of those - and for me, the diva robots are easily runaway favourites. Theirs is a wonderful collection of duets, sung with phenomenal commitment, feeling, and coherence - the voices could hardly be more perfectly matched, both in the character of their individual timbres, and in the way they integrate with each other.

Where else can you get artificial lifeforms that sound this good?

Coopmv

Quote from: Elgarian on July 01, 2009, 12:21:12 AM
I still struggle with Sandrine Piau's Handel CD even though the critics rave about it.

Don't feel bad as I may never even bother with this recording since I generally am not a trend follower.  I am already quite happy with the pretty large Handel's collection I have.

DarkAngel

Quote from: Coopmv on July 01, 2009, 05:13:23 PM
Don't feel bad as I may never even bother with this recording since I generally am not a trend follower.  I am already quite happy with the pretty large Handel's collection I have.

Don't want to make you unhappy.......... :'(
but times are really changing, there has been a baroque revival underway that is very exciting and the bar has been raised for baroque perfromance art. A flood of almost forgotten works being revived for CD/DVD and lost works like Vivaldi operas being discovered has given rise to a new dynamic generation of baroque specialist singers who have mastered the style like never before, very exciting 

Reminds me of late 1980s when Hogwood/Norrington forever shook up the world of Beethoven with thier original instrument versions of the symphonies, changed everything that followed in a positive way.

I suspect it is not yet time to close the wallet.........Elgarian is living proof, right?

Coopmv

#450
Quote from: DarkAngel on July 03, 2009, 05:31:39 AM
Don't want to make you unhappy.......... :'(
but times are really changing, there has been a baroque revival underway that is very exciting and the bar has been raised for baroque perfromance art. A flood of almost forgotten works being revived for CD/DVD and lost works like Vivaldi operas being discovered has given rise to a new dynamic generation of baroque specialist singers who have mastered the style like never before, very exciting 

Reminds me of late 1980s when Hogwood/Norrington forever shook up the world of Beethoven with thier original instrument versions of the symphonies, changed everything that followed in a positive way.

I suspect it is not yet time to close the wallet.........Elgarian is living proof, right?

My wallet always stays open.  There is now a feeding frenzy on new Handel's recordings on the 250th anniversary of his death.  I need to be careful not to pick up any duds.  That is all.  A conductor's interpretation is also subject to the listener's interpretation.  Some may be well received, others are not.  I do not feel the majority on the forum feel that Hogwood, Gardiner and Pinnock are totally out of touch.  For certain recordings such as the following Handel's orchestral works, I do not believe Minkowski can do any better ...


karlhenning

Quote from: Coopmv on July 03, 2009, 05:39:55 AM
. . . There is now a feeding frenzy on new Handel's recordings on the 250th anniversary of his death.  I need to be careful not to pick up any duds.  That is all.

That has the sound (contrariwise) of a supplier frenzy  0:) ;) 8)

Elgarian

Quote from: DarkAngel on July 03, 2009, 05:31:39 AM
Elgarian is living proof, right?

Coming in as I have done, from never having paid any serious attention to Handel, to suddenly being struck by Handelian lightning, it can all be a bit bewildering. But the kind of revolution in performance that's taking place - eg the revolutionary take on Giulio Cesare by de Niese, Christie & co - is I think more than just a fashion swing. I think something very real is being let out of the bag, and thank goodness for it.

Coopmv

#453
I am now listening to the Dixit Dominus CD by Minkowski.  While it appears to be an excellent recording, I am not sure if it actually is better than the following two older recordings I also have ... 

   


Coopmv

Quote from: Elgarian on July 03, 2009, 07:20:47 AM
Coming in as I have done, from never having paid any serious attention to Handel, to suddenly being struck by Handelian lightning, it can all be a bit bewildering. But the kind of revolution in performance that's taking place - eg the revolutionary take on Giulio Cesare by de Niese, Christie & co - is I think more than just a fashion swing. I think something very real is being let out of the bag, and thank goodness for it.

We may have to look back in twenty years to determine if the trend we are now witnessing is indeed revolutionary.  Only time will tell ...

DarkAngel

#455


Here is basically similar story line for Italian opera done by two different composers Handel & Vivaldi, interesting to compare styles
(Bajazet is main character in Handel's Tamerlano)

Tamerlano 1724 features one of the new generation baroque conductors in young George Petrou, has everything you expect from Handel's Italian operas a fascinating and dramatic experience in great modern sound, great success overall even though most of his vocalists are unknown to me.......I have another new Petrou opera by Handel but doesn't sound quite as good to me so can't give uniform thumbs up to all Petrou performances. Also don't have the older Gardiner/Erato Tamerlano to do direct comparison, but most everything I have read indicates the newer Petrou is the preferred version. So this represents Handel near the peak of his Italian opera skills coming just after Cesare, one of his more essential works, 3 CD version with large booklet.

Bajazet 1735 by Vivaldi is a shorter more concise opera that fits on 2 CDs, and is slightly more dramatic with greater demands on vocalists and freer use of vocal embellishments........I find this to be true of almost all of the new Vivaldi operas being released, they are vigorous and highly dramatic works with very complex plots. The Handel version tends to have slightly richer orchestration, Vivaldi has heavy emphasis on string section. The great thing about the Boindi/Virgin Bajazet is that you get a bonus DVD showing various arias being recorded and provides great insight for listener.......should be standard feature for all new baroque opera releases  ;)

In case you are wondering if I could own only one it would be Bajazet.....

Elgarian

Really useful comparative review, DA - many thanks - all earmaked for the future. (I now have my hands full with the arrival of the Kings Consort Vivaldi box which came this morning.)


Coopmv

#457
   

   

These are the listening plans for the 3-day weekend.

Coopmv


DarkAngel

Elgarian......I think I know another person who will soon be buying the Curtis/Virgin opera boxset   >:D