This is broadcast on BBC radio later this week, and not for the first time. He's provided some very clever and interesting pieces of course but what I heard of this piece before wasn't very encouraging, the soundworld sliding into a tonally mushy English orchestration with excessively dissonant trumpets, predictably Brittenesque side drums and percussion and general incomprehensibility. However I'll record it and persevere- any thoughts?
I have the video of the premiere performance at the ROH in February 2004. As with most operas, they should be seen first and then go to CDs if one wants to concentrate on music only. Seeing the action makes the music a lot easier to understand and even tolerate.
I understand Thomas Adès has made a number of changes in the mean time, but I don't know if the changes are in the music or the production or both. The BBC broadcast will certainly be watched; thank you Sean for the reminder.
Okay uffe.
Lis, What did you think of it? I find Ades' music very tough. It seems hard work rather than any sort of pleasure.
Mike
Just a few weeks ago the New York New Music Ensemble (one of the best contemporary music groups in the city) did three "Court Studies" from The Tempest, and I quite liked them. They were sort of modern takes on Renaissance dances and at least to my ears, could be crowd-pleasers. But I haven't heard the rest of the opera, nor most of his large works like Powder Her Face.
--Bruce
Yes, Mike, Adès is tough, but then I love challenges! I concentrate on the singing, like Keenlyside and Langridge and take it from there. Of course I wish I could mute that super high female, Rice. Now this would be the next opera for Harry to get introduced to, lots of female shrieks and tremolos, exactly what he is looking for. ;D
After about one hour of trying to see and hear the meaning in any of Adès's work, I switch to a Verdi - not the Falstaff of course! - sing along joyously and off-key while doing housework and the next day I am ready for another session with Mr. Adès! ;)
It's in the Teapot!
Asyla, How does the performer know which note he is playing when he or she hits a canteen of cutlery, ensconsed within a napkin? Surely a knife v a fork v a spoon produces a different spectrum of sound?
And is the sound of the submerged gong dependent on how much water the janitor fills the bucket with.
Its all good and interesting what these composer chappies do these days
;D
Now you tell me! ::)
OK, then your next task, oh my revered teacher, is to clue me in what's going on with Powder Her Face. I am totally lost with that one. :(
Quote from: uffeviking on June 19, 2007, 09:58:40 AM
Now you tell me! ::)
OK, then your next task, oh my revered teacher, is to clue me in what's going on with Powder Her Face. I am totally lost with that one. :(
Tricky. We tell you what's going on in it, then we get banned for talking dirty. ;D
Hopefully no confusion here with my post lagging after Tony's! The revered one is Karl - and I do share with Tony my interest in all the hectic goings on in the last row of the musicians, the large group of percussionists dashing about madly creating noises I recall two year olds made while being left unsupervised in mother's kitchen. ::)
Yes, of course Lis. Ades does take some getting used to, too much for me or my head. I recall thinking to myself (looking at the Glee on Rattle's face after performing Asyla)...'what was all that about' :-X
Interesting, New and not Stale were the best words to describe it at the time.
Quote from: Wendell_E on June 19, 2007, 10:03:24 AM
Tricky. We tell you what's going on in it, then we get banned for talking dirty. ;D
I knew it! Those dear nuns at school completely neglected updating their English vocabulary and left us with expert knowledge of a nice clean and ladylike conversational language.
But then Adès wasn't around when I went to school! ;)
Here are some comments on OPERA-L (http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind9812b&L=opera-l&P=8441) about Powder Her Face by someone who saw it here, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
--Bruce
Quote from: uffeviking on June 19, 2007, 10:13:33 AM
But then Adès wasn't around when I went to school! ;)
No, but what goes on in that opera is as old as the hills.
Mike
I see that EMI is finally releasing The Tempest on CD! UK release date: 15/06/09, US release date: 06/30/09. About time!
I haven't heard or seen this opera yet,but would like to. His earlier chamber opera "Powder Her Face" ,which I heard on the EMI CD was quite interesting.
The Met is scheduled to do the Tempest,I believe in the 2001-11 season. I'm curious to hear it at the radio broadcast, and hope it will also be telecast on PBS and on High Definition in movie theaters.
So what do we think of the Tempest recording that just came out? I have to say that I was largely onderwhelmed - everywhere where Adés usually triumphs - beautiful and imaginative sonority and arresting motivic ideas - was dissapointing - its is muddily scored, and largely rather unmemorable, the vocal lines often seeming very bland. There are wonderful moments - Ariel's "Full Fathom Five" aria and act three warms up and produces some great moments. I do love Ades, but feelthat maybe he just isn't an opera composer - I wasn't much of a fan of Powder Her Face either
Quote from: Guido on August 16, 2009, 05:53:47 AM
So what do we think of the Tempest recording that just came out? I have to say that I was largely onderwhelmed - everywhere where Adés usually triumphs - beautiful and imaginative sonority and arresting motivic ideas - was dissapointing - its is muddily scored, and largely rather unmemorable, the vocal lines often seeming very bland. There are wonderful moments - Ariel's "Full Fathom Five" aria and act three warms up and produces some great moments. I do love Ades, but feelthat maybe he just isn't an opera composer - I wasn't much of a fan of Powder Her Face either
Try de Raaff:
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Robin-de-Raaff-Raaff-Oper-in-2-Akten-mit-Epilog/hnum/2447813
I've liked most of Adès work that I've heard (pretty much everything that's been recorded), but the Tempest was a real disappointment after Powder Her Face, which I loved from first hearing. Maybe The Tempest will grow on me, I've only listened to it a couple of times. A friend has a DVD of the Covent Garden telecast, and suggested that it really needs to be seen. Personally, I'm always suspicious of operas that have to be seen. ::)
Please, don't be suspicious, give it a try, you'll love it and have a much better comprehension of the work. No, I am not questioning your intelligence, but this is one opera to be seen, just once, and then you will enjoy your CD so much more because the visual beauty of it is there as a reference.
I have the very first video available, even before Adés made changes, and wouldn't want to be without the mental images. :)
Clarification: The video I have is not the first commercially available one, it's a recording of the world premiere at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden on February 2004, broadcast on British TV.
Oh, I wish I'd known about that at the time. So you're a fan?