Record Review: non-BaL discs reviewed, etc.

[DublinJimbo]

That Tennstedt Walkure Act 1 - crikey! I couldn't order it fast enough. Glorious voices (I haven't heard a ringing heldentenor like that since S. Jerusalem - I missed my chance to see Kollo live through illness (his) ). And John Tom as Hunding!

Utterly agree. It's white-hot from beginning to end. The whole lot of them must have been exhausted and emotionally drained by the finish. For me, the orchestra were the stars of the show (egged on, no doubt, my Herr Tennstedt). Wonderful recording too. My only negative was the audience member who just couldn't wait to show his appreciation. A moment or two to breathe out after such an astonishing listening experience would have been so, so welcome.

[Alison]

Have ordered the Tchaikovsky String Quartet disc reviewed by SJ, most impressed with the extracts played.

I've never got to know these works in any detail.

[Alison]

No mention whatever this year of the annual critics choice.

Something of a non event now perhaps demonstrating the programmes penchant for youngish female contributors.

Perhaps It needed a Rodney Milnes or an Edward Seckerson to take off...

I do like Natasha Loges though.

[Nick Armstrong]

No mention whatever this year of the annual critics choice.

Something of a non event now perhaps demonstrating the programmes penchant for youngish female contributors.

Perhaps It needed a Rodney Milnes or an Edward Seckerson to take off...

I do like Natasha Loges though.

Oh so do I !! She is one of the best people who broadcast on Radio 3.

I haven't commented yet as I've only listened to the first segment; going to catch up with BAL and the rest of the choices during the week.

On the basis of the first 35 minutes, I thought the contributions of all 3 'guests' were good - Hannah French and Kate Molleson both had interesting things to say (once they'd sorted poor Hannah's microphone out).

I was very struck by the playing of the Danish String Quartet (the Adès was ravishing), the Berlin AAM in Handel, and the BBCSO under Josep Pons in Sinfonia and the Berio/Mahler songs. Wouldn't throw any of those recordings off my shelf, and I hadn't encountered any of them before.

So a good programme so far, I thought!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Oh. I was considerably less impressed with the presentation and stopped listening after very long (it was either that or take another Ramipril) - yes, the Berio Sinfonia sounded astonishingly fresh, but the inaccurate comments about it, and the repeated references to what Berio was "trying" to do: "trying"?! He's Berio, not some thirteen-year-old doing a homework assignment!

Switched off the radio after the BaL (itself spoilt by further McGregor witterings), put on some Mozart - all was well with the world again.

Bah! Humbug!!

[Nick Armstrong]

Oh. I was considerably less impressed with the presentation and stopped listening after very long (it was either that or take another Ramipril) - yes, the Berio Sinfonai sounded astonishingly fresh, but the inaccurate comments about it, and the repeated references to what Berio was "trying" to do: "trying"?! He's Berio, not some thirteen-year-old doing a homework assignment!

Switched off the radio after the BaL (itself spoilt by further McGregor witterings), put on some Mozart - all was well with the world again.

Bah! Humbug!!

I did have my green dressing-gown on this morning, 'tis true!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I did have my green dressing-gown on this morning, 'tis true!

Oh! That's a lovely Christmas Present, Cali -



(But could you get your foot off my pudding, please!)

[BBMmk2]

Yes, great pic there, Cali. I purposely didn't listen to this programme, but maybe I should have done?

[BBMmk2]

No mention whatever this year of the annual critics choice.

Something of a non event now perhaps demonstrating the programmes penchant for youngish female contributors.

Perhaps It needed a Rodney Milnes or an Edward Seckerson to take off...

I do like Natasha Loges though.

Natasha Loges? Not sure I've come across her?

[Nick Armstrong]

(but could you get your foot off my pudding, please!)

ho ho oww!!

[vinteuil]

Oh! That's a lovely Christmas Present, Cali -



(But could you get your foot off my pudding, please!)

.. and in wot drunken carousing did you steal the barber's pole?

[Nick Armstrong]

I do like Natasha Loges though.

Have now completed listening to the programme in daily chunks.... Worth it for some of the discoveries, and also for Natasha Loges's MAGNIFICENT reaction to the Abrahamsen/Hannigan 'Let me tell you' record, the subject of unconditional "stunning, blown away &c. &c." praise from the others (AMcG "I can't really speak after that")... Natasha L said words to the effect of "I'm going to have to listen to that again - and try and put aside some personal baggage as to what constitutes good singing" - I'm sure she was sincere, but coming from one of the authorities on singing, I really savoured the comment!

Amazing to hear new transfers of Fritz Wunderlich in music that wouldn't normally appeal to me - fantastic! Thanks Natasha!

[underthecountertenor]

Amazing to hear new transfers of Fritz Wunderlich in music that wouldn't normally appeal to me - fantastic! Thanks Natasha!

TWO copies of the Wunderlich have just arrived bei mir. Having heard the extracts on Saturday, I had to buy one as a Christmas present for a young(ish) tenor friend, but felt that I would have been unable to hand it over unless I had my own copy.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Very attracted by the new recording of Mozart Concert Arias by Regula Muhlemann reviewed this morning. I remember being very impressed with her singing when she was involved in the most recent Cardiff competition, and thought, "She'll win this easily!" - kiss of death, of course: she was eliminated in the ?third? round - but I still wanted to hear her voice more than any of the "better" voices that went on to other rounds.

The new CD showed a remarkable accuracy of intonation, judicious use of vibrato, some fragility sustaining the higher register (mic placing, perhaps exaggerating this?) which should correct itself with time (and far, far better for me this than the stentorian monochrome of certain other singers - but, above all, distinct attention to the different "characters" presenting the different Arias.

I'm not usually attracted to recordings consisting of a series of items by the same voice - and I wouldn't've thought that I would be so interested in another Mozart CD so soon after getting the Big 225 Box - but I shall certainly be getting this in due course. I might even end up adding the previously added only to Janowitz !

[Nick Armstrong]

Very attracted by the new recording of Mozart Concert Arias by Regula Muhlemann reviewed this morning. I remember being very impressed with her singing when she was involved in the most recent Cardiff competition, and thought, "She'll win this easily!" - kiss of death, of course: she was eliminated in the ?third? round - but I still wanted to hear her voice more than any of the "better" voices that went on to other rounds.

The new CD showed a remarkable accuracy of intonation, judicious use of vibrato, some fragility sustaining the higher register (mic placing, perhaps exaggerating this?) which should correct itself with time (and far, far better for me this than the stentorian monochrome of certain other singers - but, above all, distinct attention to the different "characters" presenting the different Arias.

Crumbs yes! Listened to part of the RR segment with Elin Manahan Thomas (what an engaging reviewer!) this morning - what a refreshing change from seemingly vast swathes of current young singers, to hear such pure and yet expressive singing. I've been streaming it on Qobuz - unlike me to go for a recording of Mozart arias, but this is special. Interesting too to have Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli's nephew Umberto directing the excellent accompaniments from the Kammerorchester Basel