Favorite vocal recitals on CD or DVD

Started by bhodges, April 24, 2007, 11:04:11 AM

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Spineur

#260
To my dismay, a search for Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon on GMG did not returned any results !!
Here are two recitals, which have been prepared and performed with great care in a repertoire which I think fits each of them best.   Their natural talent comes across beautifully in these recordings.

kishnevi

Quote from: Spineur on May 03, 2016, 06:26:41 AM
To my dismay, a search for Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon on GMG did not returned any results !!
Here are two recitals, which have been prepared and performed with great care in a repertoire which I think fits each of them best.   Their natural talent comes across beautifully in these recordings.

I have a few CDs from both (admittedly,  I have neither of the ones you point to).  I seem to recall they did a CD together.  Both leave me a bit cold.  Villazon has the technique, but somehow....

The one I like best from him is, of all things, the Monteverdi CD with Emmanuelle Haim and various other singers, Combattimento.

For her, I would point out her Traviata recording.

knight66

Quote from: Spineur on May 03, 2016, 06:26:41 AM
To my dismay, a search for Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon on GMG did not returned any results !!
Here are two recitals, which have been prepared and performed with great care in a repertoire which I think fits each of them best.   Their natural talent comes across beautifully in these recordings.

There are 67 hits for Netrebko. I knew there had to be some because I have written about her. She is not a favourite of mine, but the disc you have shown is I think her best recital disc. Her voice is quite dark and the Russian music fits it like a glove. I saw her Traviata on DVD and thought the whole production, with both singers, was excellent. But rather oddly, the climax takes place at the Act II party;  so shattering that it overshadowed the death scene.

I got all eager about her recent Verdi disc that includes the Macbeth arias. But on closer listening, although the intensions were good, the notes were not all there, the technique careless. I saw her live as Guilda some years ago and thought that her dark timbre worked against the character. To my ears she sounds often like a pushed up mezzo. In the last week she has suddenly cancelled appearing as Norma at Covent Garden in a new production designed around her. However, it was before the tickets went on sale and the top prices have now fallen considerably with the replacement singer. I am not criticising her for this, but it is not the first time she has done exactly this.

For Villazon I found 49 hits, I imagine the search engine was having a bad day when you searched. Again, having mentioned him, I knew there had to be something. I think he is as marvellous as Netrebko in that Vienna Traviata. I also very much like him in Don Carlos. I recall one critic as saying that in that production he acts mainly with his eyebrows and thought that was completely unjust. He has been recording some Mozart and it is OK, but he sounds effortful as against what I think of as a classic Mozart singer. My opinion is that he took on parts a bit too heavy and has compromised his voice. He went through a period of real difficulties and since then, on recovery, he has been doing more Mozart, less Verdi. I like him, his singing and persona comes across as very honest. But I don't find him individual in the way I like when I look for recital discs. I prefer watching and hearing him rather than just hearing him, when the problems in the voice come under closer scrutiny.

Mike




DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

knight66

#263
Benjamin Appl Baritone, James Baikieu piano: Songs to the words of Heine. Champs Hill Records

Greig, Rubinstein, Schubert, Mendelssohn, (brother and sister), Schumann

This is a debut disc of what I think is an unusually talented young singer. I first heard him a few months ago on radio in the car and had to look up who it was when I got home. I have followed his broadcasts since then. He is one of the BBCs Young Artists, so gets some very useful exposure. He recently sang Mahler songs in a live concert, very, very fine.

So I urge folk to get this disc and watch this singer's career.

The disc is absolutley terrific. It consists of three groups of songs, one by Rubinstein then four songs from Schwanengesang, surrounded by the other composers mentioned until the latter part of the disc which consists of a complete warmly ardent Dichterliebe. Only one short poem is explored twice. This is the kind of recital I go for, some songs I don't know and some well known to me. On this disc the Fanny Mendelssohn and Rubinstein were unfamiliar.

My ear was especially caught by the third in the Rubinstein set. Es war ein alter König is a short matter-of-fact poem about an old king, a young wife, her equally young page and the obviously necessary deaths of the young lovers. This becomes a chilling little masterpiece of economical story telling. Appl really tells the story in a way that sounds like natural speech rhythms. The pianist provides a hushed, grief laden accompaniment. It is quite shattering. This is a good illustration of how well they work together.

They scale the heights of Schubert's Die Stadt, again hand in hand creating atmosphere and word painting. The concentration and focus is almost palpable. I think Der Atlas yields to more weight, but my favourite version of this might be thought to be vulgar and crude, which is never part of this singer's makeup. His approach is direct, open and he looks for the narritave, imprinting words and using the drama where appropriate. There is nothing bland.

The wonderful Mendelssohn Neue Liebe flies past sounding like an extract of Midsummer Night's Dream, then the melting payoff. The Schumann is simply beautiful. No wonder the singer received rave reviews as a late substitute at a recent Wigmore Hall recital.

I have made this review long enough and you catch my drift....This singer has a warm light brown voice whch he can darken. Every word is clear, yet integrated within the legato lines. And he does not sound like an imitation of Fischer Dieskau. He is not in anyone's shadow. I hope for more discs, many more.

Listen for yourselves.....

      http://www.benjaminappl.com/Benjamin_Appl_Baritone/CD_RELEASE_STUNDEN_TAGE_EWIGKEITEN.html   
Mike



DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

Spineur

Jonas Kaufman is another favorite of opera houses, which is not in the "favorite recital".  As Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon he has been singing too much for his own good.  I am not terribly fond of him in the italian repertoire, but in Wagner, he really brings german romanticism back to life.  This particular recording has a transcription of the Wiesendonck lieders for tenor.

Mike: I keep getting less hits with the search engine than you do.  Global moderators must have special privileges !!

Spineur

Quote from: knight66 on May 03, 2016, 11:31:50 PM
Benjamin Appl Baritone, James Baikieu piano: Songs to the words of Heine. Champs Hill Records

Greig, Rubinstein, Schubert, Mendelssohn, (brother and sister), Schumann

This is a debut disc of what I think is an unusually talented young singer.

I'll follow him but will wait for his second CD:  I have already quite a few recordings of the Dichterliebe -Fisher Dieskau- and -Nathalie Stutzmann- (mezzo).

Thanks for pointing him out to us.

knight66

#266
Quote from: Spineur on May 04, 2016, 06:06:02 AM
Jonas Kaufman is another favorite of opera houses, which is not in the "favorite recital".  As Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon he has been singing too much for his own good.  I am not terribly fond of him in the italian repertoire, but in Wagner, he really brings german romanticism back to life.  This particular recording has a transcription of the Wiesendonck lieders for tenor.

Mike: I keep getting less hits with the search engine than you do.  Global moderators must have special privilages.

You are definately having a hard time. I have written quite often about his discs, including on this thread. You may have missed him as you have left a letter off his name when you typed up your post. I found my posts, about a dozen of them, via the search engine.

As to Appl, I hope there will be lots of discs. I have been reading through reviews of his concert work, they are glowing and I was happy to see that my opinion was not at all out of line.

Cheers,

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.


Que


knight66

Otis, A favourite singer of mine. I have the set and ust about everything she has recorded. Can you tell us what you especially like about her singing and what best suits her?

And welcome.

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

Otis B. Driftwood

Sorry, I didn't realize that the title of the thread was "Favorite vocal recitals", and I was just posting the CD I was happening to listen.  :-[

knight66

Well, the box is chock full of vocal music, don't worry about it. Recital can mean a planned disc, compilations etc. But it would be good to learn what you liked or did not like about what you have heard.

Cheers,

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

Spineur

#272
Quote from: knight66 on May 03, 2016, 11:31:50 PM
Benjamin Appl Baritone, James Baikieu piano: Songs to the words of Heine. Champs Hill Records

Greig, Rubinstein, Schubert, Mendelssohn, (brother and sister), Schumann

This is a debut disc of what I think is an unusually talented young singer. I first heard him a few months ago on radio in the car and had to look up who it was when I got home. I have followed his broadcasts since then. He is one of the BBCs Young Artists, so gets some very useful exposure. He recently sang Mahler songs in a live concert, very, very fine.

So I urge folk to get this disc and watch this singer's career.

The disc is absolutley terrific. It consists of three groups of songs, one by Rubinstein then four songs from Schwanengesang, surrounded by the other composers mentioned until the latter part of the disc which consists of a complete warmly ardent Dichterliebe. Only one short poem is explored twice. This is the kind of recital I go for, some songs I don't know and some well known to me. On this disc the Fanny Mendelssohn and Rubinstein were unfamiliar.

My ear was especially caught by the third in the Rubinstein set. Es war ein alter König is a short matter-of-fact poem about an old king, a young wife, her equally young page and the obviously necessary deaths of the young lovers. This becomes a chilling little masterpiece of economical story telling. Appl really tells the story in a way that sounds like natural speech rhythms. The pianist provides a hushed, grief laden accompaniment. It is quite shattering. This is a good illustration of how well they work together.

They scale the heights of Schubert's Die Stadt, again hand in hand creating atmosphere and word painting. The concentration and focus is almost palpable. I think Der Atlas yields to more weight, but my favourite version of this might be thought to be vulgar and crude, which is never part of this singer's makeup. His approach is direct, open and he looks for the narritave, imprinting words and using the drama where appropriate. There is nothing bland.

The wonderful Mendelssohn Neue Liebe flies past sounding like an extract of Midsummer Night's Dream, then the melting payoff. The Schumann is simply beautiful. No wonder the singer received rave reviews as a late substitute at a recent Wigmore Hall recital.

I have made this review long enough and you catch my drift....This singer has a warm light brown voice whch he can darken. Every word is clear, yet integrated within the legato lines. And he does not sound like an imitation of Fischer Dieskau. He is not in anyone's shadow. I hope for more discs, many more.

Listen for yourselves.....

      http://www.benjaminappl.com/Benjamin_Appl_Baritone/CD_RELEASE_STUNDEN_TAGE_EWIGKEITEN.html   
Mike
You wiĺl be happy to know that I acquired this new album of this young singer

[asin]B01MY1AWL5[/asin]

He is a light barytone almost tenor.  Maybe not yet at Wunderlisch level, but it is all around an excellent album.  The first half is devoted to classical german lieders of Brahms, Schubert, Strauss.  The second half has some british repertoire, a Poulenc (does not suits him).  He has a natural voice which he uses with economy of means.  It is devoid of any "affected" intonation that some singers use and abuse.






knight66

Spineur, Glad to know that you enjoy his new disc. I have it and do like the homeland concept and the way it has been put together, though Home Sweet Home is not a song I would ever look for. The RVW Silent Noon is especially fine within the English songs, Appl captures the stillness of the heady summer day described in it.

It is a voice that sounds suited to Mozart, Handel and Bach, he has recorded some Telemann as part of a quartet of soloists in a cantata. He also has a live Wigore recital available. I look forward to his voice becoming more mature and possibly a little richer. But he is already at the lead of his generation of lieder singers.

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

knight66

Bump.....a year has passed.

https://open.spotify.com/album/5Kj1IptUI1q9E8klgTbwgz?si=DQtFvoXRQ8KMdWtjDWuPRw


Recently I had an exchange on Twitter with a few folks who were complaining about recitals where the ordering of the pieces on the disc seem to copy the idea of throwing jelly at a wall. Here is another such. But despite the randomised button having been pressed, it should not be missed.

This is the first solo album of the Georgian mezzo Anita Rachvelishvili. She arrives at this point fully formed as a singer actor. One with a remarkable voice. It is rich and full, dark and powerful, vibrant and flexible. The characters leap out of the speakers. The repertoire includes some obvious pieces, Carmen, Trovatore, Samson and some far less popular material: The Legend of Shosta Rustaveli anyone? This latter is probably by a Georgian composer and sounds like Rimsky, with a long sinuous melody.

The sound is first rate, Giacomo Sagripanti conducts the RAI orchestra and he insures there are no indulgences in tempo. He noticably shapes phrases carefully.

There are two pieces from each of Carmen and Don Carlos, split up amongst the others in no discernible order. That compromises my pleasure here, but, this is I think one of the best voices around today, perhaps a great one.

Mike

DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

anothername


knight66

Nice to know there is another admirer of Benjamin Appl. I have those discs and can see there is a new Lieder disc of his. He has also been recording some Bach. The Heimat recital is terrifically well planned and takes you on a journey, which is exactly what a recital should aim at.

I have the Suliotis disc and really enjoy her on it; though I even enjoy her Lady Macbeth with critics slagged off at the time. They might be rather kinder now, as so few current singers can even attempt it.

Mike

DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

anothername

Quote from: knight66 on April 19, 2018, 05:10:23 AM
Nice to know there is another admirer of Benjamin Appl. I have those discs and can see there is a new Lieder disc of his. He has also been recording some Bach. The Heimat recital is terrifically well planned and takes you on a journey, which is exactly what a recital should aim at.

I have the Suliotis disc and really enjoy her on it; though I even enjoy her Lady Macbeth with critics slagged off at the time. They might be rather kinder now, as so few current singers can even attempt it.

Mike
You mean this one I guess...

Not to be missed.  ;)

North Star

Quote from: anothername on April 19, 2018, 05:23:37 AM
You mean this one I guess...

Not to be missed.  ;)


I'll wait and see if those are boxed up ;)
"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." - Confucius

My photographs on Flickr

knight66

Yes, that is it. I have not ordered it yet. I may wait until I see a bargain, currently waiting on a bargain for Nelson's new Bruckner disc.

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.