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.
The Brilliant Classics label has been releasing budget priced recordings on CD for some time now, many to high praise. Complete symphony cycles (for example, of Shostakovich and Bruckner) have been favorably compared in some publications to those from major labels featuring star conductors and top orchestras.
Lamentations
The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
Timothy Brown, conductor
Brilliant Classics 92099 [DVD]
George Frederic Handel: Messiah
Lynne Dawson, Hillary Summers, John Mark Ainsley, Alastair Miles; The Choir of King's College Cambridge; Brandenburg Consort, Stephen Cleobury, conductor
Brilliant Classics DVD 92520 [DVD]
The Brilliant Classics label has been releasing budget priced recordings on CD for some time now, many to high praise. Complete symphony cycles (for example, of Shostakovich and Bruckner) have been favorably compared in some publications to those from major labels featuring star conductors and top orchestras.
Now the company appears ready to venture into the growing DVD market, and among the first releases are two DVDs featuring British choirs. The Lamentations disc features choral masterpieces from Palestrina's Stabat Mater to George Kirbye's Vox in Rama. The program reveals itself to be two separate groups of performances; the first filmed at Jesus College Chapel and the second, which gives its title to the entire program, filmed at All Saint's Church. Both come from 1996.
The Choir of Clare College is composed of fresh young souls with pure, sweet voices, and anyone with an appreciation for this music should find the performances enjoyable. Tallis, Byrd, Gesualdo — many of the great composers of choral music receive clean, disciplined performances under Timothy Brown's leadership.
Exactly what benefit the visual element brings to that enjoyment remains a question. The camerawork here is rudimentary. For your reviewer, a claustrophobic feeling grew, as the camera remains resolutely within the chapel with the choir, panning over the choir members' faces and then returning to a position behind Brown for group shots. Occasionally, the walls are panned. Devotees of British church drywall techniques may find that fascinating. Others may find something to focus on in the hair of one male choir member in the second section, who seems to be wearing a beret but in close up is revealed to have a mushroom-shaped coiffure of tight curls.
The review copy came with a booklet offering texts in English only, but very little other information. There are no subtitles.
Nor are there any on the Messiah disc, and here the review copy came without any booklet whatsoever. The performance was recorded in the Netherlands in 1991, and from the look of things, was quite a formal occasion: full dress for the men and tasteful gowns for the women, and an audience, albeit one that never breaks into applause, even at the end.
Cleobury leads the Brandenburg Consort in a historically-informed performance, and though many — well, at least your reviewer — may wish to run for the classic Beecham set to be reminded of the passion and excitement this music can evoke, others will surely find the intimacy and naturalness very appealing.
Every soloist offers fine singing, although the alto Hillary Summers may be an acquired taste, as she has a rather plumy sound that becomes monochromatic in extended singing. He was despised especially became rather tiresome. Dawson, Ainsley, and Miles, however, sing with great control and much beauty.
Once again, the visuals don't add much if anything to the performance's success. To break up the monotony, the director has inserted from time to time some etches of scenes corresponding to the story. Whether these enlighten the viewer or distract will be an individual response.
Presumably these DVDs will be offered at the same sort of budget price that Brilliant Classics offers for its CDs. If so, those with a special love for British choirs may find these two discs worth the expenditure. For others, surely the best performances on CD would be preferable.
Chris Mullins
Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy