Monteverdi: Vespers and Operas

[doversoul1]

Saturday
As part of Baroque Spring Catherine Bott explores how Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610 show the composer at a musical crossroads: between the renaissance and the baroque. Through different recordings Catherine looks at the various devices Monteverdi uses to acknowledge the musical past as well as confronting the future.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01r99l3

Sunday
Catherine Bott uses the themes of gods and monsters to look at the brilliant characterisation in Monteverdi's operas. Looking specifically at L'Orfeo and L'Incoronazione di Poppea Catherine shows how Monteverdi treats works of mythological stories with very modern dramatic devices

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01r99tv

A great line up of performers, including (our own ) Catherine Bott, and very much missed Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and Philip Langridge.

CD Review
9.05am
CORELLI: 12 Violin sonatas,Op.5: The Avison Ensemble
Mediterraneo: A musical crossing of the Mediterranean sea: L’Arpeggiata, Christina Pluhar
FRANCOIS COUPERIN: Pieces de violes: Paolo Pandolfo (viola da gamba) et al.
Mystery Variations on Giuseppe Colombi’s Chiacona: Anssi Karttunen (cello)
ROBERT “RED ROB” MACKINTOSH: Airs, Minuets, Gavotts and Reels: Concerto Caledonia

9.30am Building a Library
David Vickers explores recordings of Corelli’s Op.6 Concerti Grossi and makes a recommendation.

11.44am Disc of the Week
J S BACH: The English Suites BWV.806-811
Richard Egarr (harpsichord - Katzman - Amsterdam 1991, after Ruckers - Antwerp, 1638)

[Roehre]

Saturday
As part of Baroque Spring Catherine Bott explores how Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610 show the composer at a musical crossroads: between the renaissance and the baroque. Through different recordings Catherine looks at the various devices Monteverdi uses to acknowledge the musical past as well as confronting the future.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01r99l3

Sunday
Catherine Bott uses the themes of gods and monsters to look at the brilliant characterisation in Monteverdi's operas. Looking specifically at L'Orfeo and L'Incoronazione di Poppea Catherine shows how Monteverdi treats works of mythological stories with very modern dramatic devices

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01r99tv

A great line up of performers, including (our own ) Catherine Bott, and very much missed Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and Philip Langridge.(...)

Looks very promising

[ostuni]

Nice that Kate herself (along with the much-missed Tessa Bonner) gets a solo spot in the Pickett Ave Maris Stella in the middle of Saturday's programme, by why oh why are they bookending the programme with the first Gardiner recording's opening and closing movements? Pioneering and all that, but unlistenable in terms of both solo singing and instrumental playing.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

the much-missed Tessa Bonner

[Stan Drews]

"Pioneering and all that, but unlistenable in terms of both solo singing and instrumental playing."

"Unlistenable" - really?? I'd concede that there are things that we might not be wholly happy with these days but for me (and I suspect others) this recording was an eye-opener. Off the top of my head, it (just) pre-dated the Schneidt/Regensburg 'sort-of-authentic' version and there weren't (m)any alternatives available at that time.

I love this work and I've come across several more recent (HIPP) efforts after which I'd gladly return to the first JEG offering for relief
.

[MickyD]

I have a lot of affection for that Schneidt/Regensburg set. Wasn't there also a version around the same time by the Early Music Consort of London with David Munrow and Philip Ledger with King's College Choir? Did that ever make it to CD? I'd be interested to hear it.

[hmvman]

And it so happens that Yorkshire Bach Choir are performing the Vespers this very evening: St Michael le Belfrey church, York 7.30pm.

[Stan Drews]

@hmvman - Lucky you! - gorgeous location for it; hope all goes well.

Otherwise, the Ledger recording dates from 1976 (Munrow was also in the earlier JEG version). It seems to have reappeared on CD in 1996 bundled with other KCC 'Venetian' music of 70s' vintage. The tax-dodger people can supply if you can swallow your principles.

[ardcarp]

JEG's 1970s version really does sock it to you doesn't it? It's hard to remember what an impact it made. Many of us had toyed with The Vespers in the 1960s, using a hotch-potch of instruments which we hoped were faintly 'authentic' (anyone remember Don Smithers?) and managing with the first Denis Stevens edition which omitted a lot that has now become part of the canon. I just wonder if some of the later HIPP versions lose a bit of pazzaz? I very much like New College Oxford's recent version for its energy and its slightly rough-round-the-edges bravado.

Nice programme...thanks, CB.

[Stan Drews]

JEG's 1970s version really does sock it to you doesn't it? It's hard to remember what an impact it made. Many of us had toyed with The Vespers in the 1960s, using a hotch-potch of instruments which we hoped were faintly 'authentic' (anyone remember Don Smithers?) and managing with the first Denis Stevens edition which omitted a lot that has now become part of the canon. I just wonder if some of the later HIPP versions lose a bit of pazzaz? I very much like New College Oxford's recent version for its energy and its slightly rough-round-the-edges bravado.

Nice programme...thanks, CB.

Spot-on observation. I'd add to that my own efforts trying to get round Walter Goehr's edition which even predated Stevens'. What really whetted my appetite, though, was a concert of Venetian Christmas music given by JEG and the troops in a freezing St Mary's (Episcopal) Cathedral, Edinburgh, in December 1974*. It was made known then that the Vespers were in post-production and there was a great sense of anticipation, heightened by a need for some Italian warmth, at least by proxy!

* Briefly available on Ace of Diamonds SDD363, 1972,
but never (afaik) re-releaed in its entirety on CD - a pity.

Oh, and by the way, Don Smithers (whom the gods preserve) was 80 last month and still seems to be going strong. (And then
there was Edward H Tarr, and , and ......

[hmvman]

@hmvman - Lucky you! - gorgeous location for it; hope all goes well.

Thanks, I'm looking forward to it. The last time I heard this work live was in 2010 when the YBC performed it in York Minster and it was a fabulous performance with soloists and choral sections moved around in the nave. This, for me, gave the music an extra dimension and was a brilliant use of the space.

The sound in St Michael's will be much more intimate but more detailed too.

[MickyD]

@hmvman - Lucky you! - gorgeous location for it; hope all goes well.

Otherwise, the Ledger recording dates from 1976 (Munrow was also in the earlier JEG version). It seems to have reappeared on CD in 1996 bundled with other KCC 'Venetian' music of 70s' vintage. The tax-dodger people can supply if you can swallow your principles.

Upon closer inspection, it seems to only contain excerpts from the Vespers...what a pity.

[Catherine Bott]

I knew those first Vespers memories would be inextinguishable - thanks to everyone who's posted. And - just to make it clear - the recordings for this weekend's Monteverdi programmes were all chosen by my producer! Glad they sparked a spot of debate, and fond memories of Tessa Bonner.

Tomorrow, those who know their Lucky Jim can practise their "Sex Life in Ancient Rome" faces while listening to Poppea. Or not. Fear not, Red Nose Day is well and truly over....

Best wishes to all, Catherine

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

And it so happens that Yorkshire Bach Choir are performing the Vespers this very evening: St Michael le Belfrey church, York 7.30pm.

Damn. Had I known, I would have gone myself.
Incidentally, this is not the musical fare I associate with St Michael le Belfrey.

[doversoul1]

I knew those first Vespers memories would be inextinguishable - thanks to everyone who's posted. And - just to make it clear - the recordings for this weekend's Monteverdi programmes were all chosen by my producer! Glad they sparked a spot of debate, and fond memories of Tessa Bonner.

Tomorrow, those who know their Lucky Jim can practise their "Sex Life in Ancient Rome" faces while listening to Poppea. Or not. Fear not, Red Nose Day is well and truly over....

Best wishes to all, Catherine

My very best wishes to your producer and the team, and to you. Thank you.
I look forward very much to tomorrow’s programme.

P.S. As for the Vespers, I rather like L'Arpeggiata’s.