Recently in Recordings
The Sixteen continues its exploration of Henry Purcell’s Welcome Songs for Charles II. As with Robert King’s pioneering Purcell series begun over thirty years ago for Hyperion, Harry Christophers is recording two Welcome Songs per disc.
In February this year, Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho made a highly lauded debut recital at Wigmore Hall - a concert which both celebrated Opera Rara’s 50th anniversary and honoured the career of the Italian soprano Rosina Storchio (1872-1945), the star of verismo who created the title roles in Leoncavallo’s La bohème and Zazà, Mascagni’s Lodoletta and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.
Collapsology. Or, perhaps we should use the French word ‘Collapsologie’ because this is a transdisciplinary idea pretty much advocated by a series of French theorists - and apparently, mostly French theorists. It in essence focuses on the imminent collapse of modern society and all its layers - a series of escalating crises on a global scale: environmental, economic, geopolitical, governmental; the list is extensive.
Amongst an avalanche of new Mahler recordings appearing at the moment (Das Lied von der Erde seems to be the most favoured, with three) this 1991 Mahler Second from the 2nd Kassel MahlerFest is one of the more interesting releases.
If there is one myth, it seems believed by some people today, that probably needs shattering it is that post-war recordings or performances of Wagner operas were always of exceptional quality. This 1949 Hamburg Tristan und Isolde is one of those recordings - though quite who is to blame for its many problems takes quite some unearthing.
The voices of six women composers are celebrated by baritone Jeremy Huw Williams and soprano Yunah Lee on this characteristically ambitious and valuable release by Lontano Records Ltd (Lorelt).
As Paul Spicer, conductor of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Chamber Choir, observes, the worship of the Blessed Virgin Mary is as ‘old as Christianity itself’, and programmes devoted to settings of texts which venerate the Virgin Mary are commonplace.
Ethel Smyth’s last large-scale work, written in 1930 by the then 72-year-old composer who was increasingly afflicted and depressed by her worsening deafness, was The Prison – a ‘symphony’ for soprano and bass-baritone soloists, chorus and orchestra.
‘Hamilton Harty is Irish to the core, but he is not a musical nationalist.’
‘After silence, that which comes closest to expressing the inexpressible is music.’ Aldous Huxley’s words have inspired VOCES8’s new disc, After Silence, a ‘double album in four chapters’ which marks the ensemble’s 15th anniversary.
A song-cycle is a narrative, a journey, not necessarily literal or linear, but one which carries performer and listener through time and across an emotional terrain. Through complement and contrast, poetry and music crystallise diverse sentiments and somehow cohere variability into an aesthetic unity.
One of the nicest things about being lucky enough to enjoy opera, music and theatre, week in week out, in London’s fringe theatres, music conservatoires, and international concert halls and opera houses, is the opportunity to encounter striking performances by young talented musicians and then watch with pleasure as they fulfil those sparks of promise.
“It’s forbidden, and where’s the art in that?”
Dublin-born John F. Larchet (1884-1967) might well be described as the father of post-Independence Irish music, given the immense influenced that he had upon Irish musical life during the first half of the 20th century - as a composer, musician, administrator and teacher.
The English Civil War is raging. The daughter of a Puritan aristocrat has fallen in love with the son of a Royalist supporter of the House of Stuart. Will love triumph over political expediency and religious dogma?
Beethoven Symphony no 9 (the Choral Symphony) in D minor, Op. 125, and the Choral Fantasy in C minor, Op. 80 with soloist Kristian Bezuidenhout, Pablo Heras-Casado conducting the Freiburger Barockorchester, new from Harmonia Mundi.
A Louise Brooks look-a-like, in bobbed black wig and floor-sweeping leather trench-coat, cheeks purple-rouged and eyes shadowed in black, Barbara Hannigan issues taut gestures which elicit fire-cracker punch from the Mahler Chamber Orchestra.
‘Signor Piatti in a fantasia on themes from Beatrice di Tenda had also his triumph. Difficulties, declared to be insuperable, were vanquished by him with consummate skill and precision. He certainly is amazing, his tone magnificent, and his style excellent. His resources appear to be inexhaustible; and altogether for variety, it is the greatest specimen of violoncello playing that has been heard in this country.’
Baritone Roderick Williams seems to have been a pretty constant ‘companion’, on my laptop screen and through my stereo speakers, during the past few ‘lock-down’ months.
Melodramas can be a difficult genre for composers. Before Richard Strauss’s Enoch Arden the concept of the melodrama was its compact size – Weber’s Wolf’s Glen scene in Der Freischütz, Georg Benda’s Ariadne auf Naxos and Medea or even Leonore’s grave scene in Beethoven’s Fidelio.
Recordings
19 Apr 2005
Sir Thomas Allen: Great Operatic Arias
Some 20 years ago I ended my subscription to Opera Magazine after an article by its editor, the late Harold Rosenthal. He had written a review of La Clemenza di Tito that described tenor Stuart Burrows in words that, for those who did not attend the performance, they had missed the second coming of Enrico Caruso, Jussi Björling and Beniamino Gigli in one person. I had attended and I knew that Rosenthal and his colleagues could be almost funny in their chauvinism but enough was enough. Well, I’m happy to report the old tradition still lives on. I looked at some reviews of this recital by British critics and Giuseppe De Luca, Tito Gobbi and Robert Merrill in their heydays would have been proud of such notices.
Great Operatic Arias, Vol. 16 — Sir Thomas Allen
Thomas Allen, baritone
London Philharmonic Orchestra, David Parry
Chandos Opera in English series
Chandos CHAN 3118 [CD]
Some 20 years ago I ended my subscription to Opera Magazine after an article by its editor, the late Harold Rosenthal. He had written a review of La Clemenza di Tito that described tenor Stuart Burrows in words that, for those who did not attend the performance, they had missed the second coming of Enrico Caruso, Jussi Björling and Beniamino Gigli in one person. I had attended and I knew that Rosenthal and his colleagues could be almost funny in their chauvinism but enough was enough. Well, I'm happy to report the old tradition still lives on. I looked at some reviews of this recital by British critics and Giuseppe De Luca, Tito Gobbi and Robert Merrill in their heydays would have been proud of such notices.
Now I have some fine memories of Tom Allen ("has someone ever called him "Sir Thomas" in all seriousness?) in the theatre. One Figaro in Barbiere at Covent Garden was especially fine and I liked his aloof diplomatic coolness as Sharpless at the Met as well. But most people will agree that a lot of pleasure comes from his outstanding acting: I suppose he could as easily have had a big a career in straight theatre. Not that the voice is devoid of charm but I doubt Allen himself would call it a great natural instrument, though he makes a sizeable sound that carries well in a big house.
An extremely intelligent performer as Allen slowly built a great career without ever extending his means: as an outstanding Mozartean Allen wisely let big Verdi or Puccini alone and restricted himself to such lyrical parts as Marcello or father Germont. He has been singing since 1969 and there was still a lot of voice left after a 34-year career in this 2003 recording. Most of the arias, however, don't belong in his natural voice category and it sometimes shows. Take father Miller's aria "Sacra la scelta" and especially the cabaletta "Ah, fu giusto il mio sospetto." The voice is somewhat dry and not rich enough for this kind of aria. There is no weight of tone in the middle voice and the angry outburst goes for nothing.
An aria that would suit him better like Valentin's farewell from Faust suffers from a somewhat dull sound and a top that doesn't ring free. He is better in one of his best roles, that of Figaro, though there, too, is some unsupported sound that makes the voice opaque.
Allen has no real low notes and he clearly is not at ease in Yeletsky's aria where he compensates with some caressing tone. He is very fine as the count in Nozze where he sings the rarely performed alternate version of the Count's aria in an almost tenor tessitura. Tannhäuser too brings out the best in him: soft plangent singing.
I don't think it a coincidence he is at his very best in arias written in English or in some more showy fare. Billy Budd's monologue is full of melancholy; finely tuned moving singing. The same can be said of the clown's aria in the second act of Die Tote Stadt. And then there is room for the magnificent Allen.
I have an inkling that 60 years ago Allen could have been a big star in operetta or classical musical. The moment he started his career the money for classical singers in Europe was no longer in those magnificent, yet dwindling, genres but in heavily subsidized opera. Singers have to eat too! But in his duets of both Fledermaus and The Merry Widow, he is just wonderful: charming, boyish even at his age and with voice to spare. And he doesn't yield one penny to Gordon MacRae in Billy Bigelows' Soliloquy. Typically, one doesn't miss the meaning of one single word in this monologue which cannot be said of the operatic arias, especially in translations with newly minted words by conductor David Parry, who proves to be an accomplished accompanist. Moreover everything is recorded as "come scritto": every small sentence by a comprimario, every note for chorus is included. To be honest, I wished Tom Allen had given us a whole operetta and musical CD. It would have been a worthy successor to that wonderful CD with love duets from musicals he recorded with Valerie Masterson some 12 years ago.
Jan Neckers