Purchases Today

[ChamberNut]

Today's Boxing Day purchases:

[André]

Okay, well...my last order weren't my last purchases of the year as I forgot to post about these two:



The Guntram purchase will be my last Strauss purchase. If I'm not mistaken, I now own all of Strauss' operatic output. I bought Fruersnot (on CPO) not too long ago and I was missing that one and now this one. Of course, I own multiple recordings of Salome, Elektra, Der Rosenkavalier, Ariadne auf Naxos and Die Frau ohne Schatten. I own two recordings of Daphne and Arabella. The rest of the operas, I only own one recording. I've read that this recording of Guntram is the preferred version over the one on Arte Nova. It's a relief to know that I'm done buying Strauss recordings.

As for the Liszt, I now own all of Sinopoli's Liszt recordings. This recording of Faust Symphonie was the most difficult one to track down for a decent price and in a desirable condition.

Sinopoli's Faust and Dante symphonies are easily the most exciting and gorgeously played on the market. I used to have these as single CDs, but bought the DGG cube that duplicated them. Sinopoli in Dresden is one hot ticket.

[Vox Maris]

Sinopoli's Faust and Dante symphonies are easily the most exciting and gorgeously played on the market. I used to have these as single CDs, but bought the DGG cube that duplicated them. Sinopoli in Dresden is one hot ticket.

I've enjoyed the other Liszt Sinopoli recordings I own, so it's great to read that he does well in the Faust Symphonie, too.

[ritter]

After a breathtaking night at the opera yesterday with Donizetti's Maria Stuarda with Lisette Oropesa, whose portrayal of the title role can only be described as sublime (vocally and scenically), immediately ordered her recent studio recording of Bellini's I Puritani. It's already been delivered to my home (less than 12 hours after placing the order

[Florestan]

After a breathtaking night at the opera yesterday with Donizetti's Maria Stuarda with Lisette Oropesa, whose portrayal of the title role can only be described as sublime (vocally and scenically), immediately ordered her recent studio recording of Bellini's I Puritani. It's already been delivered to my home (less than 12 hours after placing the order

Thanks for this, Rafael.

[Florestan]

Hat tip to @ritter for the Bellini.

[Kalevala]

After a breathtaking night at the opera yesterday with Donizetti's Maria Stuarda with Lisette Oropesa, whose portrayal of the title role can only be described as sublime (vocally and scenically), immediately ordered her recent studio recording of Bellini's I Puritani. It's already been delivered to my home (less than 12 hours after placing the order

Nice!  And how quickly it was delivered! 

I'll have to google her and see whether or not I can find some samples of her singing (maybe via Amazon Prime-music or youtube?).

K

[ritter]

Hat tip to @ritter for the Bellini.

Hope you like those Puritani, Andrei. And the Poulenc set doesn't look bad either (but I must confess fis chamber music is the area of his music I p am least attuned to).

...

I'll have to google her and see whether or not I can find some samples of her singing (maybe via Amazon Prime-music or youtube?).

K

Here you have her in the Mad Scene from I Puritani, live from the San Carlo in Naples a couple of years ago:

The whole (concert) performance can be seen on YouTube here.

[hopefullytrusting]

[André]

Thanks Rafael, very nice choice of highlight, one of my favourite scenes in all bel canto repertoire ('In mia man alfin tu sei' from Norma is my #1 choice 🤗).

Superb singing from Lisette Oropesa. And a nice tenor sound from Xabier Anduaga (I went back to 'A te o cara' in the 1st act. Was it a C or a C sharp ?).

I wish Oropesa and Anduaga sang Lucia. It's a step above in terms of vocal heft and tessitura (with the interpolated high notes of course), but they would be so romantic. We usually hear this work with a pumped up soprano and tenor, it would be nice to have the roles sung in natural, relaxed tones. Oropesa and Anduaga certainly hint that it's vocally possible. 

It's amazing that at the end there's a smattering of boos - just a few, but I mean, what 😦 ??.

[Christo]

Belle van Zuylen - From: Six Menuets Pour Deux Violons, Alto Et Basse   
1   –   Menuet I In C large 2:25
Belle van Zuylen - From: Airs Et Romances Avec Accompagnement De Clavecin   
2   –   Romance "Arbre Charmant" 2:42
3   –   "Pauvre Agneau" 1:35
4   –   Menuet II In A large 3:03
Frederick II of Prussia - Sonate for Traverso and Continuo in e small   
5   –   Grave 3:08
6   –   Allegro Assai 4:36
7   –   Presto 3:27
8   Belle van Zuylen – Menuet III In C large 2:29
9   Jean Jacques Rousseau – "Le Rosier"
Belle van Zuylen - From: Airs Et Romances
10   –   "De La Ville Et Des Champs" 1:14
11   –   Menuet IV in D large 2:06
Anna Amalia of Prussia - Sonate for Violin and Continuo in F large   
12   –   Adagio 3:59
13   –   Allegretto 5:22
14   –   Allegro Ma Non Troppo 2:30
15   Belle van Zuylen – Menuet V in C large 2:27
16   Belle van Zuylen – "Lise Aimoit" 0:42
17   Belle van Zuylen – "Timarette S'en Est Allée" 1:49
18   Belle van Zuylen – Menuet VI in C large 2:11
Anna Amalia of Prussia - Sonate for Two Viols and Continuo in D large
19   –   Allegro 2:24
Belle van Zuylen - Sonate for Harpsichord  Opus 3 No. 1 in C large   
20   –   Andante 4:05
21   –   Allegro 3:12
Belle van Zuylen - From: Airs Et Romances   
22   –   Autre Air, Pour "Lise Aimoit" 0:42
23   –   Air "Tout Cède A La Beauté" 2:04
Belle van Zuylen - Sonate for Harpsichord Opus 3 No. 2 Part 1 in F large   
24   –   Andante Con Moto 2:39
Belle van Zuylen - From: Airs Et Romances   
25   –   Air "Douce Retraite" 2:55

Cello – Barbara Kernig; Double Bass – Jan Hollestelle; Ensemble - Utrechts Barok Consort; Harpsichord – David Jansen; Mezzo-soprano – Wilke Te Brummelstroete; Traverso – Kate Clark; Viola – Tjamke Roelofs; Violin – Antoinette Lohmann & Paulien Kostense. Recorded in Utrecht, May 2005. Total duration: 67:46

[ritter]

Thanks Rafael, very nice choice of highlight, one of my favourite scenes in all bel canto repertoire ('In mia man alfin tu sei' from Norma is my #1 choice 🤗).

My pleasure (and I too find the finale of Norma a zenith of the bel canto repertoire  ).

Superb singing from Lisette Oropesa. And a nice tenor sound from Xabier Anduaga (I went back to 'A te o cara' in the 1st act. Was it a C or a C sharp ?).

I saw Anduaga as Elvino in La Sonnambula here in Madrid two years ago, and he was very good (although it took him a while to "get into" the performance).

I wish Oropesa and Anduaga sang Lucia. It's a step above in terms of vocal heft and tessitura (with the interpolated high notes of course), but they would be so romantic. We usually hear this work with a pumped up soprano and tenor, it would be nice to have the roles sung in natural, relaxed tones. Oropesa and Anduaga certainly hint that it's vocally possible.

I don't know whether Anduaga has tackled Edgardo yet, but Oropesa's Lucia brought the house down in Madrid six years ago.

It's amazing that at the end there's a smattering of boos - just a few, but I mean, what 😦 ??.

À chacun son goût  . Here in Madrid she's almost universally admired (particularly after the 2018 performances of Lucia). Even acquaintances of mine who are always nostalgic of singers of the past cannot deny her mastery.

There were no dissenting voices on Wednesday night at the end of Maria Stuarda, just applause and insistent cries of "brava!". 

[Traverso]

Bach Cantatas

 I finally decided to purchase a third set of cantatas. The set is not complete, but that is no problem. After the Harnoncourt/Leonhardt set and the Ton Koopman set, the box with live recordings with Elliot Gardiner will probably be the last one.

[DavidW]

Bach Cantatas

 I finally decided to purchase a third set of cantatas. The set is not complete, but that is no problem. After the Harnoncourt/Leonhardt set and the Ton Koopman set, the box with live recordings with Elliot Gardiner will probably be the last one.

That Gardiner is a pretty good set, but I prefer Suzuki. And if you are going for only a third one, IMHO I think you made the wrong choice, Herreweghe's incomplete set is the one. And then after that Kuijken's liturgical year.



I do like the Gardiner set, and I have a few boxes I rate lower than him but he is right in the middle.

[Traverso]

That Gardiner is a pretty good set, but I prefer Suzuki. And if you are going for only a third one, IMHO I think you made the wrong choice, Herreweghe's incomplete set is the one. And then after that Kuijken's liturgical year.



I do like the Gardiner set, and I have a few boxes I rate lower than him but he is right in the middle.

Well, I did not decide lightly, I am familiar with the Suzuki recordings and still choose the Gardiner set. I have the Kuijken set and also a number with Herreweghe.   I remain a great lover of the Harnoncourt/Leonhard recordings and enjoy the recordings with Koopman. Suzuki is simply not my first choice.Taste differs......

[prémont]

Well, I did not decide lightly, I am familiar with the Suzuki recordings and still choose the Gardiner set. I have the Kuijken set and also a number with Herreweghe.   I remain a great lover of the Harnoncourt/Leonhard recordings and enjoy the recordings with Koopman. Suzuki is simply not my first choice.Taste differs......

I share your preference for the Leonhardt/Harnoncourt set. Other than this I own (HIP) the Suzuki set, the Gardiner set (including his Archiv Cantata recordings) and allmost all of Kuijken's and Herreweghe's Cantata recordings as well as the somewhat variable Leusink set. Also (non-HIP) Rilling and all Werner, Richter and Rotzsch. I have passed the Koopman set by, finding it too expensive and considering that I have adequately covered the topic of Bach cantatas.

[Traverso]

I share your preference for the Leonhardt/Harnoncourt set. Other than this I own (HIP) the Suzuki set, the Gardiner set (including his Archiv Cantata recordings) and allmost all of Kuijken's and Herreweghe's Cantata recordings as well as the somewhat variable Leusink set. Also (non-HIP) Rilling and all Werner, Richter and Rotzsch. I have passed the Koopman set by, finding it too expensive and considering that I have adequately covered the topic of Bach cantatas.

With the Harnoncourt/Leonhardt recordings, the complete one with Ton Koopman, the box with Kuijken (Accent) and the upcoming also incomplete set with Gardiner I am also more than provided in my opinion. It is a pity that there are not more Bach cantatas with Andrew Parrot, his recording with one of my favorite cantatas "Christ lag in Todesbanden" , I know of no recording that is more penetrating. I am not going to explain here why I did not choose the Suzuki recordings, life is difficult enough.The secular cantatas with Leonhardt are recorded much later.You can hear what was already present in the past.When you can listen through some imperfections, it is for me still my first choice.I would be a shame to look at it as only interesting from a musicological point of view.

His last recording with a secular cantata Angenehmes Wiederau,what a splendid musical abschied !

[Traverso]

To be honest I am starting to doubt which performance of the Bach Cantatas I will ultimately choose. Initially I thought I would choose the Gardiner box but the gnawing monster of doubt makes me uncertain about my choice. Maybe I should choose the Suzuki set with the worldly cantatas and other works.

[Florestan]

To be honest I am starting to doubt which performance of the Bach Cantatas I will ultimately choose. Initially I thought I would choose the Gardiner box but the gnawing monster of doubt makes me uncertain about my choice. Maybe I should choose the Suzuki set with the worldly cantatas and other works.

The classic GMG approach is to get them all and cull later. 

[Traverso]

The classic GMG approach is to get them all and cull later. 

Well I just ordered this box....