Schumann: Das Paradies und die Peri - recommendations?

[stingo]

I'll be hearing this work at the beginning of December, so I was looking for a good recording with which I could familiarize myself with the work. Thanks in advance for replies.

[knight66]

My recommendation after performing in the piece, is; don't go...don't buy a recording, extract your teeth without anesthetic as a preferred amusement.

Mike

[karlhenning]

I kind of like it for listening.  But I respect Mike's experiential ordeal 

[max]

I'll be hearing this work at the beginning of December, so I was looking for a good recording with which I could familiarize myself with the work. Thanks in advance for replies.

I have the John Eliot Gardiner version. Regardless of who conducts the greatest limitation is the music itself. It has some charming parts but can't find much more in it. It sounds to me the work is an emulation of Mendelssohn's Lobgesang symphony but falls far short on all levels.

[knight66]

It was Elliott Gardiner who conducted when I was in the choir. I recall how he lectured us about what a fine piece it is; then did the same to the audience immediately before the performance. Special pleading for a dull piece which has a few pleasant melodies. At one point the altos sing on the same note for, I think, four pages.

Schumann as a song composer, well, I can listen all day and I don't care what anyone says about the supposed ineptitude of his symphonies, I get enormous enjoyment out of them, the piano concerto is beautiful. But Paradise is very far from his Peri.

Mike

[val]

I have the version of Gardiner, with good soloists, in special Barbara Bonney and a splendid choir (the Monteverdi Choir).

This double CD also includes two other masterpieces: Nachtlied, for choir and orchestra and the beautiful Requiem für Mignon.

[karlhenning]

Heaven knows, Mike, that if the conductor needs to brief you on how the music is excellent, really, you've already acknowledged the hole that the music is in :-)

Four pages of Alto E-flat is poor writing by any standard.  It will kill 'Jeck Kelso' 

[Sergeant Rock]

Stingo, I've got a much higher opinion of it than some here. The quite astonishing number of recordings it's had (and from conductors of the stature of Giulini, Gardiner, Jordan, Sinopoli) attests to its worth, I believe.

The best Paradies und die Peri, the Henryk Czyz led Dusseldorf performance (with Moser, Fassbaender and Gedda), seems to be OOP at the moment. The Gardiner is very good but at full-price. I quite like the version on Berlin Classics, too, conducted by Hauschild with a very fine quartet of soloists. It's at mid-price. For a cheap introduction to the music you can't go wrong with Arte Nova, a live performance conducted by Joshard Daus (a Celibidache disciple). The audience certainly seemed to enjoy it.

Sarge

[stingo]

Stingo, I've got a much higher opinion of it than some here. The quite astonishing number of recordings it's had (and from conductors of the stature of Giulini, Gardiner, Jordan, Sinopoli) attests to its worth, I believe.

The best Paradies und die Peri, the Henryk Czyz led Dusseldorf performance (with Moser, Fassbaender and Gedda), seems to be OOP at the moment. The Gardiner is very good but at full-price. I quite like the version on Berlin Classics, too, conducted by Hauschild with a very fine quartet of soloists. It's at mid-price. For a cheap introduction to the music you can't go wrong with Arte Nova, a live performance conducted by Joshard Daus (a Celibidache disciple). The audience certainly seemed to enjoy it.

Sarge

Thanks Sarge - I saw the Arte Nova release, and would have gotten it except I understand there's no English translation of the libretto. Do you happen to know if that's true?

[karlhenning]

Thanks Sarge - I saw the Arte Nova release, and would have gotten it except I understand there's no English translation of the libretto. Do you happen to know if that's true?

It's true that there is no libretto, but that must be a relatively easy fix.

[stingo]

It's true that there is no libretto, but that must be a relatively easy fix.

Not so far... If anyone can find an English translation I'd be greatly appreciative.

[Sergeant Rock]

Thanks Sarge - I saw the Arte Nova release, and would have gotten it except I understand there's no English translation of the libretto. Do you happen to know if that's true?

True, unfortunately. The Berlin Classics version doesn't have an English translation either.

Sarge

[RebLem]

I went to a CSO concert once where I heard Giulini conduct it.  I liked it a lot at the time, but I confess I cannot recall anything about it.  So, I want to thank Sargeant Rock for his survey of recorded performances because he seems to have a much better handle on it than anyone else here.

I have decided, as I think I have said before here, not to buy any new CDs until I have listened to all the backlog of recordings I have bought in the last few years that have yet to receive a single audition.  I estimate this process will take me entirely through 2008.

So, what I am going to do is put Henrik Czyz on my wants list.  By the time I am ready to buy (I do not have a recording of it at present), it may be in print again. 

[bhodges]

I don't have a recording recommendation, but I've decided to get a ticket to the Carnegie performance on Nov. 30.  All these comments have intrigued me, and it's not like it's done that often, so...

--Bruce

[stingo]

I don't have a recording recommendation, but I've decided to get a ticket to the Carnegie performance on Nov. 30.  All these comments have intrigued me, and it's not like it's done that often, so...

--Bruce

If you listen to the Orchestra's podcast, a portion of this season is being devoted to obscure works, like Das Paradies und die Peri. They featured Reveultas' Night of the Mayas on the podcast which is being performed the weekend just after Thanksgiving. The music sounded quite interesting, and I'm debating whether or not to buy a ticket.

[bhodges]

If you listen to the Orchestra's podcast, a portion of this season is being devoted to obscure works, like Das Paradies und die Peri. They featured Reveultas' Night of the Mayas on the podcast which is being performed the weekend just after Thanksgiving. The music sounded quite interesting, and I'm debating whether or not to buy a ticket.

Oh great, thanks for that heads-up.  (I like that Revueltas piece, and you rarely hear it in concert.)

--Bruce

[stingo]

Well, as it turns out, Rhapsody has the Gardiner version, so it looks like I'm set. Plus I found the Gardiner version at MDT cheaper than amazon. So it looks like I'm good. Thanks for the help.

[karlhenning]

By all means, when you've heard it, report!   

[stingo]

November 29-December 2, 2007 
 
The Philadelphia Orchestra 
Simon Rattle,  conductor 
Christine Brandes,  soprano 
Heidi Grant Murphy,  soprano 
Bernarda Fink,  mezzo-soprano 
Joseph Kaiser,  tenor 
Mark Padmore,  tenor 
Luca Pisaroni ,  bass-baritone 
The Philadelphia Singers Chorale,  David Hayes, music director 

Verizon Hall

Rattle Conducts Schumann 
 
SCHUMANN  Das Paradies und die Peri, Op. 50

I quite enjoyed the performance, but for a drawback: Heidi Grant Murphy (Peri) was inaudible during some of the louder passages. It strikes me that this is a difficult role to sing, and when I could hear her, she sounded great, but the drowning out in certain passages was unfortunate. The rest of the soloists did a fine job, but I was particularly impressed by Luca Pisaroni, Mark Padmore and Christine Brandes. Not that Bernarda Fink and Joseph Kaiser were bad - just those three attracted the most attention.

The chorus did a fine job I thought as I was able to distinguish words and feeling in their performance. And of course the orchestra did as well, spinning out some beautiful melodies with great articulation and attack. Overseeing all these performers of course was Simon Rattle - it was the first time I'd heard him conduct live and I enjoyed hearing and watching him. While not as gripping as the performance might have been, it was ear-catching enough to merit 3 or 4 callbacks, but not a standing ovation from the audience. I don't see this displacing Messiah anytime soon, nor even Saul or Elijah, but it does have some good music and texts, even if the story is a bit archaic and convoluted. I'm glad I have the Gardiner recording so I'll continue to listen and learn.

[Maciek]

The best Paradies und die Peri, the Henryk Czyz led Dusseldorf performance (with Moser, Fassbaender and Gedda), seems to be OOP at the moment.

For once I'm not the one quoting his name!

He got a Grand Prix Mondial (whatever that is) for that recording. It was one of the first (and last ) quadraphonic recordings of classical music.

He really had a solid discography (in the West, on: Philips, Harmonia Mundi, Electra), I cannot understand why it's not being re-released on a regular basis...





Carry on.