Luciano Berio (1925-2003)

[GioCar]

I do have the Amadeus Berio CD, recorded live in Madrid  (in a concert I could not get tickets for  ):

I've been a subscriber to that magazine for a certain period of time but I missed that CD...

[vers la flamme]

Bump for a great composer. He has written some great pieces; I really like Points on the Curve to Find..., the Sequenzas (I've only heard a few of em), and Différences, a wild electroacoustic chamber piece. Still haven't heard all of the famous Sinfonia, and I assume that is the next step. Is the original recording with the Swingle Singers still a safe bet? That is the one I'm most interested in.

[ritter]

Bump for a great composer. He has written some great pieces; I really like Points on the Curve to Find..., the Sequenzas (I've only heard a few of em), and Différences, a wild electroacoustic chamber piece. Still haven't heard all of the famous Sinfonia, and I assume that is the next step. Is the original recording with the Swingle Singers still a safe bet? That is the one I'm most interested in.

That recording of the wonderful Sinfonia is of course of great historical importance, and certainly a "safe bet", but....there's a caveat, and a big one at that: the recording was made immediately after the world premiere in 1968, and the piece wasn't quite complete at the time. Berio only added the 5th movement later, in 1969, and thus it does not appear in this version. So, I'd say your better off with later recordings (e.g. the Boulez, the Eötvös—perhaps my favourite—, the Chailly...)

There's another live recording of the (complete) Sinfonia under the composer, live with the Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Swingle Singers (from 1997), but AFAIK it's only available in one of that orchestra's "Anyhology" sets (No. 6, 14 CDs), and it costs a small fortune these days (I was lucky enough to buy it dirt cheap as a cut-out some years ago in Brussels):

[asin]B0056WOZQM[/asin]

[vers la flamme]

Chailly it is then... I'll look out for it.

I believe it's also included in the big Boulez Erato box, which I may get my hands on eventually... so maybe I'll hold out for that one. I have a little bit of Berio already to work through until then.

[bhodges]

That recording of the wonderful Sinfonia is of course of great historical importance, and certainly a "safe bet", but....there's a caveat, and a big one at that: the recording was made immediately after the world premiere in 1968, and the piece wasn't quite complete at the time. Berio only added the 5th movement later, in 1969, and thus it does not appear in this version. So, I'd say your better off with later recordings (e.g. the Boulez, the Eötvös—perhaps my favourite—, the Chailly...)

There's another live recording of the (complete) Sinfonia under the composer, live with the Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Swingle Singers (from 1997), but AFAIK it's only available in one of that orchestra's "Anyhology" sets (No. 6, 14 CDs), and it costs a small fortune these days (I was lucky enough to buy it dirt cheap as a cut-out some years ago in Brussels):

[asin]B0056WOZQM[/asin]

Just echoing these comments. I am also a big fan of the Chailly studio recording, with the vocal group, Electric Phoenix.

--Bruce

[GioCar]

A new recording of Coro is an event indeed.



Moreover, it's really an impressive recording. The sense of space which is so important in this piece and is lacking a bit in the only other recording (the famous one with the composer conducting) is beautifully rendered here.
Coupled with a less effective performance of Cries of London, if compared to the Swingle Singers' one.

[ritter]

A new recording of Coro is an event indeed.



Moreover, it's really an impressive recording. The sense of space which is so important in this piece and is lacking a bit in the only other recording (the famous one with the composer conducting) is beautifully rendered here.
Coupled with a less effective performance of Cries of London, if compared to the Swingle Singers' one.

Sounds very interesting, Gio.I was bowled over when I first listened to Coro many years ago. I should revisit the piece soon (perhaps i'll order this recording when things come back to a relative degree of normality—I don't feel comfortable about demanding delivery of these discretionary goods in the current circumstances).

For the record, though, there's actually two performances of Coro previously available prior to this one; the one on DG conducted by the composer, and then a live one from Salzburg under Leif Segerstam (I bought it for the filler, Epifanie—with Cathy Berberian—, but am not 100% sure I've actually listened to the performance of Coro included here).

[asin]B0002K71UA[/asin]

BTW, our fellow GMGer Mandryka pointed out this new set of the complete Chrmins series to us not too long ago, and I concur with him it's verse special.

[vers la flamme]

Listened to most of the Berio in my collection today, two (short) CDs worth. Still have yet to hear Sinfonia in full, 6 months after my last posts here, asking about it 

Anyway I've heard Coro is the other big masterpiece to look out for... I'll have to sample some of that new BIS recording when it comes out. I think it may also be about time to hear the complete Sequenzas. I think Naxos looks like the way to go.

[bhodges]

Thanks to all for today's Berio posts, a most welcome break from the dire news elsewhere. I don't know Coro that well, so will look forward to hearing this new recording, and as a fan of Cathy Berberian, am delighted to see this Orfeo version. Even if difficult to find, the fact it exists is heartwarming.

--Bruce

[GioCar]

Sounds very interesting, Gio.I was bowled over when I first listened to Coro many years ago. I should revisit the piece soon (perhaps i'll order this recording when things come back to a relative degree of normality—I don't feel comfortable about demanding delivery of these discretionary goods in the current circumstances).

For the record, though, there's actually two performances of Coro previously available prior to this one; the one on DG conducted by the composer, and then a live one from Salzburg under Leif Segerstam (I bought it for the filet, Epifanie—with Cathy Berberian—, but am not 100% sure I've actually listened to the performance of Coro included here).

[asin]B0002K71UA[/asin]

You are right Rafael, I forgot about that one. I never listened to it, but I remember that cover.
I'm a happy Qobuz subscriber, I almost don't buy CDs anymore, also because I've run out of my available space in our home. (please notice my vs our). Luckily, streaming services are not affecetd by the current emergency, at least for the time being...

[GioCar]

Listened to most of the Berio in my collection today, two (short) CDs worth. Still have yet to hear Sinfonia in full, 6 months after my last posts here, asking about it 

Anyway I've heard Coro is the other big masterpiece to look out for... I'll have to sample some of that new BIS recording when it comes out. I think it may also be about time to hear the complete Sequenzas. I think Naxos looks like the way to go.

Well it's already out, at least in Europe.

[Mandryka]

Two favourite pieces by Berio have never been commercially recorded. There's Ofanìm

https://www.youtube.com/v/zCHk8cvMJ-8

and Outis

https://www.youtube.com/v/GCMVQatMW1M

and I was very pleased to get a recording of Kol Od a few weeks ago, in the Chemins box

https://www.youtube.com/v/UWf0a244VOk

[vers la flamme]

Thoughts on Laborintus II? I enjoyed it but found it very odd. Jazzy instrumentals with some kind of chaotic drama gliding over it all in Italian. I found it strangely meditative.

This is what I have:



Berio is awesome; I seriously need to hear more of his music.

I just bought this, digitally:



Excited to spend time with the music.

[T. D.]

Bit rambling, but...
I've only heard a few of the Sequenzas. Once saw Sequenza V for trombone performed live. It was a delight, but so highly theatrical that I never pursued Sequenza recordings, thinking that I'd miss some visual aspects. There's a Christian Lindberg video on youtube; the performer I saw wore a tuxedo rather than a clown suit.

Reminds me to listen to Coro...many years ago a GMG member (though it was on a different forum iirc) kindly sent me a CDR.
[Added] Thanks for the reminder, greatly enjoying this version:

[vers la flamme]

Hmm, which is better: the DG Coro or the Segerstam on Orfeo? I'd like to get my hands on that work.

[vers la flamme]

I've been listening to this recording of the Sinfonia lately. Man, it is so good!! Great singing, great playing, great sound. That being said, I'm ready to hear the debut recording (under the composer's direction, with movements omitted); I want to know what the world heard for the first time with this towering masterpiece 

[Mandryka]

A new recording of Coro is an event indeed.



Moreover, it's really an impressive recording. The sense of space which is so important in this piece and is lacking a bit in the only other recording (the famous one with the composer conducting) is beautifully rendered here.
Coupled with a less effective performance of Cries of London, if compared to the Swingle Singers' one.

fabulous

[MusicTurner]

I got the DG set of the 'Sequenzas', but found it somewhat cold and broken up in the musicianship (others might disagree). Then recently had the option of getting the Naxos series too for little money, and IMO the works are a good deal more attractive, warmer, or 'melodical' on that set ...

Will be getting the Eotvos 'Sinfonia' etc too, judging from the samples it's more attractive to me than the two I've got.

[vers la flamme]

Which recording of the Sinfonia has the most aggressive/menacing and least polite sounding reciters in the 3rd movement?

[brewski]

Which recording of the Sinfonia has the most aggressive/menacing and least polite sounding reciters in the 3rd movement?

What an interesting question! Not sure I can answer with authority, but the original recording with the Swingle Singers might be the one. That said, in the interest of research  , I found this one from 2016, conducted by Eduardo Leandro, an excellent conductor whom I have heard a number of times at new music concerts in New York.

The vocalists are Roomful of Teeth, who might be a little "edgier" than some ensembles. (They are primarily a new music-oriented group.) Perhaps the biggest surprise: my first time hearing the Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra (at the university of the same name), and they do the piece proud.

-Bruce