Margaret Price - RIP

[Barbirollians]

I cannot stop playing her RCA Mozart record - truly marvellous and at bargain price too.

[Nicolaas Witsen]

I've only just come across this Forum, having abandoned hope after the demise of the BBC Messageboards, so I have much to catch up on. Dame Margaret was such a sad loss, and I have been reminded of her today as the Cardiff Singer of the World gets underway. For those interested, BR Klassiek have issued a recording of this wonderful singer, ostensibly live recordings from Munich, where she was resident I think. The disc includes her arias from Mozart roles, all recorded elsewhere, but all wonderful here. Also arias from Der Freischutz, Semiramide, Adriana Lecouvreur and Norma - the latter an apparant 'flop' at the ROH, though Casta Diva sounds glorious here. Aida, Desdemona and Elizabetta follow, with a rare glimpse of the Forza Leonora, not a role I'm aware she sang on stage. Anyhow, if you are fan of this glorious voice, do seek this recording out. I've not done an internet search, but am sure it will be available - I found it in the Oxford St HMV. I hope other recordings emerge from various archives, particularly in what would have been her 70th year. A Four Last Songs would be marvellous..........

[french frank]

Hello Nicolaas - Glad you finally found us. In the last 6 months we've started 2,000 discussions and posted over 50,000 messages, so, yes, a lot to catch up on, some serious, some less so

Is this the CD you were describing?

[Alf-Prufrock]

Presto must employ some remarkably ignorant staff if the listing given in the Listen column is something to go by. Unless of course the ignorance is mine and I am unaware that Romani wrote a Norma and Ghislanzoni an Aida, and that Margaret Price sang arias from them.

I do think it conceivable that a Rossi wrote a Semiramide, however. There were enough Rossis around!

[Prommer]

My favourite performance of Otello had Price as Desdemona, Domingo as the Moor and Silvano Carroli as Iago... conducted by Carlos Kleiber! That was at the ROH in 1980. Just wonderful, and it's not just nostalgia as I have the Capital Radio broadcast! Her lovely creamy top...the rolled r of sorriso!

[hackneyvi]

...!

As it happens, Alf, I read your Love Song in Foyles this afternoon. Did you dare to eat that peach or did it go in the recycling? I'm forever throwing out mouldy fruit.

[Nicolaas Witsen]

Thanks for the welcome French Frank, and for the link, which does highlight the disc to which I referred. Alf-P, I normally find Presto Classical excellent, though they've clearly transcribed librettists for some of the entries here. And Prommer, I have 6 different Otello's with Price, all wonderful in their way, but not the one to which you refer, though do have the same cast from the ROH in 1978. I seem to remember attending a Giovanni d'Arco concert performance at the RFH with her, but can't be sure - must have been in the 80's. Is anyone's memory better than mine?

[Alf-Prufrock]

I too usually find Presto much more informative and helpful than other sites, so my comment was meant to be a little tongue-in-cheek. Amazon are certainly atrocious at times in their descriptions of classical music CDs, far worse than Presto on a regular basis.

Concerning my consumption of peaches, I regret that I find the fruit difficult to manage in practice. One too often has the problem of juice running onto one's hands, one's cuffs and even one's four-piece suit.

[gurnemanz]

Is it not so often the case that one " catches up " with an artist when their death is announced.

I have had limited exposure to her singing - albeit the marvellous Kleiber Tristan and the Schubert song with clarinet - Der Hirt auf dem Felsen .

RIP

Coincidentally, those were the first two which I thought of. Exactly 40 years ago her CfP Schubert recital with James Lockart (and Jack Brymer on the Hirt) was my first Lieder LP from a female singer. I have just retrieved it from the garage. I never replaced it with a CD and haven't heard it for ages. I will play it in her memory.