Mozart operas

[Tsaraslondon]

I too have the Giulini, which I find a wonderful performance. That said, the Solti is also excellent and cannot really be faulted. I have been guilty of a little Solti bashing before (I don't think he had the first idea how to conduct Verdi), but I can't really find fault with his Figaro. His second recording of The Magic Flute is also very fine.

[marvinbrown]

Incomplete but wonderful.

  Longears and Larry are the two of you refering to the Giulini recording?  If yes, I did not know that it was incomplete.  I have read many reviews prior to purchasing it and none that I can remember refer to cuts and omissions. Hmmm.......

  marvin

[B_cereus]

Sublime.

[Harry]

Well the favourites keep streaming in to this thread, and I am grateful for that.

[Tsaraslondon]

  Longears and Larry are the two of you refering to the Giulini recording?  If yes, I did not know that it was incomplete.  I have read many reviews prior to purchasing it and none that I can remember refer to cuts and omissions. Hmmm.......

  marvin

Like most of the recordings from this period, it omits Marcellina's and Basilio's arias. As far as I know, it is otherwise complete, though, again like most recordings, there may be one or two cuts in the secco recitatives. Otherwise, it is a glorious performance, capturing the principals at something like a highwater mark of their careers, as does Solti's cast in theirs.

[Kullervo]

Does anyone have any recommendations on Don Giovanni, preferably in modern sound?

[Tsaraslondon]

Does anyone have any recommendations on Don Giovanni, preferably in modern sound?

This may not be modern enough for you (it's pre digital, though otherwise excellent). However, IMO, it still takes a lot of beating.

[Marc]

Well the favourites keep streaming in to this thread, and I am grateful for that.

Harry,

let me try to summarize some things for you. May I?
I don't own every single recording I'm going to mention, but I've heard at least highlights of them. It's all about 'modern' recordings, so no historical mono, though there are some classics in that genre, too.

The Oldies non-HIP:
you can't go wrong with Giulini (Figaro, Don Giovanni), Böhm (Figaro, Così, Zauberflöte) and Solti (Entführung, Figaro, Così (2nd recording, with a.o. Renée Fleming), Zauberflöte (2nd recording)).
Klemperer is known for a more heavy approach, but I consider his Così as very good. This also goes for the much mentioned Zauberflöte.
Krips did a nice Entführung, with Gottlob Frick as an impressive Osmin.
John Pritchard did a recommendable Idomeneo, with Pavarotti Himself in the title role (don't think that's your taste).
I don't know much about Von Karajan. I've read that there are a number of impressive mono recordings with him (recorded during the fifties) and I think his Figaro is OK. I have his Don Giovanni, with Samuel Ramey as a superb Don. But it's a rather 'large'-sounding recording, maybe not your taste.

Then there is the still-very-alive-oldie Colin Davis: very good Da Ponte-cycle and also a good Tito (all recorded in the 70's, for Philips). Another Tito I would like to mention is the one with Istvan Kertész.

Semi-HIP:
some of the recordings of Harnoncourt are either very good or at least very interesting, like Idomeneo, Entführung, Così. Also Mackerras did a few good jobs. I especially admire his Don Giovanni and consider it as one of the best I know.

HIP:
I own Hogwood's Entführung and I don't regret it one bit. Lively!
Gardiner did good work, especially in Idomeneo. But his Da Ponte opera's are also all very enjoyable, and he keeps this high level in the others: Entführung, Tito and Zauberflöte. Definitely worth a try.
Jacobs: well-known for his vivid recordings of the Da Ponte Threesome. And don't forget his Tito, either.
Kuijken, in the Da Ponte's, is OK, but not very special. There's a certain lack of drama in his performances.
Jed Wentz did a great job in some operae seria and in the youth opera's (Brilliant Classics).
I don't know (yet?) about Norrington or Östman. I once saw a sympathetic Zauberflöte of the latter, on TV, but, as far as I remember, his orchestra wasn't all that impressive.

Of course there are many more, that I forgot or even't don't know about.
I love Mozart's music, and I believe that in his operas he gave his best. Have fun exploring!

[Harry]

Thanks a bundle Marc, the list was long, but it outgrows any sensible proportion.

[Marc]

Thanks a bundle Marc, the list was long, but it outgrows any sensible proportion.

Well, you're gonna be a busy man, then. That'll keep you from buying CD's that no one else ever heard of!

Here's something, BTW and very OT: petits motets of Henry Madin, french baroque composer. With instrumental intermezzi by Nicolas Clérambault. Lovely music! (When you get tired of "Der Hölle Rache".)

http://www.cd-baroque.com/index.php/cdbaroque/accueil/disques_k617/catalogue/memoire_musicale_de_lorraine/les_petits_motets

[Kullervo]

This may not be modern enough for you (it's pre digital, though otherwise excellent). However, IMO, it still takes a lot of beating.

Pre-digital is fine, as long as there isn't too much tape hiss. Thanks for the recommendation, but what do you mean by "beating"?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

...Solti is also excellent and cannot really be faulted. I have been guilty of a little Solti bashing before (I don't think he had the first idea how to conduct Verdi), but I can't really find fault with his Figaro. His second recording of The Magic Flute is also very fine.

I agree about the second Solti Flute. Wonderfully done.

However, as far as I can tell Solti didn't totally detest HIP doctrine, despite what he is quoted as saying (in an earlier post). His first Flute is notably slower and heavier.

Perhaps HIP had zero to do with his transformation to a quicker, more transparent, more flexible (and much better) second Flute. But if not, he sure latched onto something....

[Dancing Divertimentian]

This may be moot by now but I see no reason not to move from The Abduction to Idomeneo.

A work from the same time period (early Vienna) and equally full of ardor.

I don't know of a great HIP recording so I'm no help there. But Levine on DG is a perfect 'mainstream' performance. He avoids anything leaden which may appease the HIPsters but with Domingo on board it could never be confused with true HIP. Still works as pleasing Mozart, though.

[Tsaraslondon]

Pre-digital is fine, as long as there isn't too much tape hiss. Thanks for the recommendation, but what do you mean by "beating"?

I mean that, in a competition, it would take a lot to beat it.

[marvinbrown]

Like most of the recordings from this period, it omits Marcellina's and Basilio's arias. As far as I know, it is otherwise complete, though, again like most recordings, there may be one or two cuts in the secco recitatives. Otherwise, it is a glorious performance, capturing the principals at something like a highwater mark of their careers, as does Solti's cast in theirs.

  Tsaraslondon...have you heard Marcellina's and Basilio's arias?  why would these be omitted...are they not noteworthy?

  marvin

[Harry]

Well I am making a list for Mozart operas, anyone has something to add, that I should hear?
Orders will go out the 26 October.

[Tsaraslondon]

  Tsaraslondon...have you heard Marcellina's and Basilio's arias?  why would these be omitted...are they not noteworthy?

  marvin

I know I have heard them, Marvin, but they haven't remained in my memory, and I can't say I miss them, so Giulini is fine with me.

[Wendell_E]

  Tsaraslondon...have you heard Marcellina's and Basilio's arias?  why would these be omitted...are they not noteworthy?

  marvin

They're not Mozart's greatest, they don't really add anything important plot-wise, and if they're done, the last act opens with five arias in row, the first three by relatively minor characters.  Also it's getting late in the evening (especially if it's done with three intermissions), and I think everyone's ready to go home. 

That said, I do miss them when they aren't there, especially Marcellina's.

[knight66]

Harry, I have a fair few sets of Don Giovanni, but the one I have been returning to recently is a live one on Orfeo conducted by Karajan with Ghiaurov, Janowitz, Burrows, Zilis-Gara and Geraint Evans. It has lots of pace and bite and is very well sung.

Mike

[Harry]

Harry, I have a fair few sets of Don Giovanni, but the one I have been returning to recently is a live one on Orfeo conducted by Karajan with Ghiaurov, Janowitz, Burrows, Zilis-Gara and Geraint Evans. It has lots of pace and bite and is very well sung.

Mike

Thank you Mike, anything with Karajan is almost always welcome. On my list too, hope I can find some samples of it.
Heard however a very old recording of the Jahreszeiten by Haydn, also by Karajan, and that was really terrible in sound but not as a performance. Just as a sideline since you mentioned Karajan.