Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle

[Ken B]

I just stumbled onto this thread after reading an old (2007) review of Bluebeard's castle by a critic (Peter Aczel, editor of a long defunct magazine called "The Audio Critic") whom I really like. As what he is talking about fits into the present topic so well, I will go ahead and paste his review in here:

Béla Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle (Opera in One Act, Libretto by Béla Balázs). Sung in Hungarian. Bluebeard: Gustáv Belácek, bass; Judith: Andrea Meláth, mezzo-soprano; Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop, conductor. 8.660928 (recorded and released 2007).
Béla Bartók: The Wooden Prince (Complete Ballet). Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop, conductor. 8.570534 (recorded 2007, released 2008).

In May 2007 Marin Alsop and the Bournemouth orchestra had a big early-Bartók recording session in Poole, England, committing to CD their version of the 1911 opera and the 1914–16 ballet. Whether it was a worthwhile effort is debatable, since both works have benefited from a number of much better modern recordings. (If I weren't Hungarian and something of a Bartók watcher, I wouldn't even bother to write about these CDs.) Alsop is too bland for Bartók; the music demands greater incisiveness, more of an edge, you could almost say more violence. Merely beautiful orchestral balances don't cut it. And that's not the only problem. For example, the spoken prologue is missing from "Bluebeard," which is a falsification because the music is supposed to start under the narrator's voice. As for the Slovak bass Belácek, he sings well enough, but his heavily accented Hungarian reminds me of the itinerant Slovak tinkers who used to peddle their wares in the courtyard of our Budapest apartment house when I was a child. They would call out "Wiring! Patching! Pot mending!" in bad Hungarian; we called them wire-Slovaks. This isn't just pedantic quibbling; the Magyar cadences are an intrinsic part of Bartók's vocal metrics. Ten seconds of listening to Mihály Székely, the greatest Bluebeard of all time (Mercury Living Presence, D101216, recorded 1962) will prove my point. (Never mind that there aren't too many Hungarian-speaking music critics in the U.S.) The mezzo Meláth at least sings in normal Hungarian. The ballet music of the Prince doesn't quite have the searing and unrelenting intensity of the opera, but there are many gorgeous passages, magnificently orchestrated. Alsop plays it kind of blah half the time; she goes on automatic pilot much too often. Compare, for example, the superb 1991 performance by Pierre Boulez with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on DGG. The audio quality of both Naxos discs is good, with a credible soundstage and wide dynamic range, but that alone won't save the day.   

Alsop's Bluebeard is dull dull dull.

[Karl Henning]

No matter;  her career is assured.  Nice work, if you can get it.

[kishnevi]

Gentlemen!  If you please, her Bluebeard is not dull.  There are better recordings,  but Bartok Bela is well treated in that recording.

[Ken B]

Gentlemen!  If you please, her Bluebeard is not dull.  There are better recordings,  but Bartok Bela is well treated in that recording.

Rocked gently to sleep like a new-born babe, yes.

[Cosi bel do]

I also uploaded to Youtube the Rozhdestvensky video version. Haven't listened to all of it yet but what I heard and saw so far is very interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/v/b1CYE__dbVQ

I don't know if any of you watched this. It's musically excellent, one of the best versions I heard despite bad sound quality. The only issue is with the Russian language, it's still quite annoying at moments (but less than with German).
The movie in itself is very good, with an Eisenstein touch (actors don't always "sing" and there are a few "silent" scenes, as if the singing was occurring in their minds). Some good ideas, and a very 60s soviet futuristic aesthetics that I really like.

Now I'd really like to listen to the recording on a better media. It was released on LP by Melodiya and distributed by Westminster (with one of their very classy covers...), but there's not much hope for a new release...

[Moonfish]

Now:




An absolutely riveting performance of my favorite opera.

Is this performance in German or Hungarian?

[ritter]

Is this performance in German or Hungarian?

AFAIK, it's in the original Hungarian...I must say I've been tempted by it (von Otter is a personal favourite of mine), but the new Salonen looks attractive as well...

[Mirror Image]

Is this performance in German or Hungarian?

As Ritter points out, Hungarian. I only buy original language versions, although I might own a German one.

[Mirror Image]

AFAIK, it's in the original Hungarian...I must say I've been tempted by it (von Otter is a personal favourite of mine), but the new Salonen looks attractive as well...

The Salonen was decent but nothing compared to my favorites: Kertesz, Boulez I, Eotvos, and this one with Haitink.

[Moonfish]

AFAIK, it's in the original Hungarian...I must say I've been tempted by it (von Otter is a personal favourite of mine), but the new Salonen looks attractive as well...

So many versions (which is interesting in itself) - perhaps Bluebeard is receiving more interest nowadays?  I gravitate back to the Sawallisch performance, but definitely need to listen to additional renditions. Salonen...hmmmm... 
I now have the Kertesz recording which I HAVE to listen to.. SOON!

[Moonfish]

As Ritter points out, Hungarian. I only buy original language versions, although I might own a German one.

I heard a German version which sounded so odd after attuning to the magical Hungarian (which (not surprising since it is the same language group) sounded a bit like Finnish). Btw where is North Star?
The use of German was a bit jarring!

[Mirror Image]

I heard a German version which sounded so odd after attuning to the magical Hungarian (which (not surprising since it is the same language group) sounded a bit like Finnish). Btw where is North Star?
The use of German was a bit jarring!

Yeah, I'm not a fan of operas being performed in another language other than the one it was written in. Apart of the allure of Bluebeard's Castle is keeping the Hungarian intact and the vocalists doing their homework on being able to sing in the language. I'm sure it's difficult, but the best thing here is we don't know of the difficulty of singing in Hungarian, we can just kick back and immerse our ears into the soundscape.

North Star has made the pilgrimage back to his parents for the holidays which he'll remain until early January. He's still lurking around here, but his posting will be infrequent until he gets back home.

Edit: The reason I know so much about North Star is he's a friend of mine on Facebook.

[Moonfish]

Yeah, I'm not a fan of operas being performed in another language other than the one it was written in. Apart of the allure of Bluebeard's Castle is keeping the Hungarian intact and the vocalists doing their homework on being able to sing in the language. I'm sure it's difficult, but the best thing here is we don't know of the difficulty of singing in Hungarian, we can just kick back and immerse our ears into the soundscape.

North Star has made the pilgrimage back to his parents for the holidays which he'll remain until early January. He's still lurking around here, but his posting will be infrequent until he gets back home.

Edit: The reason I know so much about North Star is he's a friend of mine on Facebook.

Ah, I now remember his lamentations about not being able to listen to Suzuki's Bach Cantatas due to him returning to the family mansion. 

In regards to the Hungarian: it definitely serves more as an instrument as the audience generally does not recognize the language. At least we tend to pick up more words/phrases in Italian/German/French.  It is so interesting that that the idea of preserving the original language in operas is relatively new.

[Mirror Image]

Ah, I now remember his lamentations about not being able to listen to Suzuki's Bach Cantatas due to him returning to the family mansion. 

In regards to the Hungarian: it definitely serves more as an instrument as the audience generally does not recognize the language. At least we tend to pick up more words/phrases in Italian/German/French.  It is so interesting that that the idea of preserving the original language in operas is relatively new.

It's only a matter of time before you listen to the Kertesz and be completely engulfed in this masterpiece. I don't own the Sawallisch. I'd like to get it at some point. Is it Hungarian?

[Moonfish]

It's only a matter of time before you listen to the Kertesz and be completely engulfed in this masterpiece. I don't own the Sawallisch. I'd like to get it at some point. Is it Hungarian?

Yes. It seems like DFD's Hungarian wife (Julia Varady) coached him in the language. I found it fantastic, although I have a limited realm of comparisons at the moment. At least it was a happy first encounter with Bartok's opera. Serendipity!

[asin] B00000E3YT[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

For the record, here are all the Bluebeard recordings I own:

[Mirror Image]

Yes. It seems like DFD's Hungarian wife (Julia Varady) coached him in the language. I found it fantastic, although I have a limited realm of comparisons at the moment. At least it was a happy first encounter with Bartok's opera. Serendipity!

[asin] B00000E3YT[/asin]

Excellent! I hope I can find a used copy of this somewhere online. Definitely added to my Christmas wishlist.

[Sean]

I don't rate this opera too highly, as with much of Bartok's output, but will be revisiting it with the Kertesz recording a listen later today.

Could anyone give me a short explanation of what the heck is going on with the libretto? It feels a bit like the Orpheus and Eurydice myth where he mustn't look back at her, and I know what's going on here, but with the Bartok it's a woman who wants to look and I don't get it; thanks in advance.

[jochanaan]

...Could anyone give me a short explanation of what the heck is going on with the libretto? It feels a bit like the Orpheus and Eurydice myth where he mustn't look back at her, and I know what's going on here, but with the Bartok it's a woman who wants to look and I don't get it; thanks in advance.

Read the original fairy tale by Charles Perreault.

[Sean]

Hi jochanaan, I heard the Kertesz through today and despite his genius the opera remains episodic and bombastic, as per the VC2 or Mandarin or such works. The mysteries of the libretto will have to wait I think...