What are you listening to? (Vol VII)

Karl

quote:

Originally posted by fasterbyelan:
Later night listening -



Karl

If that's a 'Cornucopia', shouldn't it be Horn music?

One of my top purchases from last year -



Karl

Glenn Gould - Gouldberg Variations (sic)

Chris

quote:

Originally posted by fasterbyelan:
Later night listening -



Karl

Repeated listen this morning........

White Lies - To Lose My Life

quote:

Originally posted by EJS:


EJ

Still working my way through this Alcina. For an interesting listen, Handel opera really needs a very special performance. In the past, Curtis has not consistently delivered (some would say, not delivered *) but here he is unusually attentive to the drama unfolding. The other asset is DiDonato, who is spectacular in her soprano role. All in all, a very enjoyable listen and together with Minkowski's Ariodante, a good introduction to Handel opera.

* I'm planning to give Curtis' other recordings in my collection another spin, just to see if it's me.

Cheers,
EJ

Karl

quote:

Originally posted by EJS:

Still working my way through this Alcina. For an interesting listen, Handel opera really needs a very special performance. In the past, Curtis has not consistently delivered (some would say, not delivered *) but here he is unusually attentive to the drama unfolding. The other asset is DiDonato, who is spectacular in her soprano role. All in all, a very enjoyable listen and together with Minkowski's Ariodante, a good introduction to Handel opera.

* I'm planning to give Curtis' other recordings in my collection another spin, just to see if it's me.

Cheers,
EJ

I bought this Alcina as well as the Alan Curtis Ezio and Rodelinda. I need to give them more time and attention than I have done to date. Now playing Ezio as I work.


From the Times, 4 star review

And still they come. This is Curtis/Complesso Barocco’s second three-disc Handel opera set in a month. Overkill? Well, not in the case of Ezio, which has never been satisfactorily recorded. (The only other version I know is cut to ribbons, stodgily conducted and unevenly sung.) Hardly one of Handel’s greatest achievements for the theatre, Ezio was his third, and last, setting of a text by the most influential librettist of his day, the imperial poet Pietro Metastasio. It was a flop at the King’s Theatre, Haymarket, in 1732, despite a cast headed by Handel’s long-serving star castrato, Senesino (Ezio), and his newish soprano, Strada (Fulvia). A brilliant new bass, Antonio Montagnana (Varo), meant that the supporting role of the Praetorian prefect got three arias, including a show stopper with trumpet obbligato at the climax of the drama. It’s not hard to understand why Ezio failed. Metastasio’s severe dramas about duty — instructing rulers to act for the common good rather than with self-interest (G20 leaders should be forced to sit through a few) — fell on deaf ears with the London public, even though Handel lavished superb music on his singers and drastically cut the dialogues. Curtis’s cast could hardly be bettered: as Ezio, Ann Hallenberg’s serene mezzo contrasts well with Sonia Prina’s beefy emperor Valentiniano, while Karina Gauvin’s virago-like Fulvia, Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani’s treacherous, scheming Massimo and Vito Priante’s Varo are all outstanding. The drama sizzles and the arias ravish the ear.

quote:

Originally posted by Lontano:

From the Times, 4 star review

...The drama sizzles and the arias ravish the ear.

You've got to love these reviewers. Handel opera requires serious concentration if they are to be enjoyed as more than a string of lovely, and interchangeable, arias and duets. Difficult to perform, and difficult to listen to. But get past the hurdle, and some of his operas belong to the best pre-classical music out there.

Good luck with this one, Lontano. At this moment, Ezio is a step too far for me!

EJ

quote:

Originally posted by EJS:
Good luck with this one, Lontano. At this moment, Ezio is a step too far for me!

EJ

It is sounding rather lovely but only there as background whilst I do other things. I guess I am not going deep enough other than to causally enjoy it on this listen.

Cheers

On CD:-

My most played album recently and it is very good indeed.