BaL 30.11.24 - Poulenc: Stabat mater

[vinteuil]

there's a note from Poulenc on the back (dated 1962) that from the words I can make out appears to be complimenting Prêtre on the performance, or some performance (I don't read French, and it's a low resolution scan of hard to decipher handwriting)

... yes, the handwriting is a bit tricky. I read him as saying -

"Blessed be the day you were born, dear Georges. You are decidedly le chef of my music - you have understood everything, you have worked out everything. The execution of the Gloria was admirable, that evening.
I get back to Paris on the 25th, and I can't wait to show you la Juive.
Warm regards - Poulenc"



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[Parry1912]

Or as part of this, for just over £200!

It was £24.96 when I got it!

[Cockney Sparrow]

It was £24.96 when I got it!

It did cross my mind, that in the absence of Bryn, I might find an email with the price I paid for mine - certainly nowhere near the £201 asked for by the vendor in Japan (only 7 left in stock, they say!).

But yes, I must have jumped in at the same price, so recommended here - I presume by you.....

[Parry1912]

Thanks but probably the much lamented hafod.

[Hitch]

The only recording I knew previously, the Cappella Amsterdam/Estonian NSO/Reuss version, was dismissed for lacking pace. Admittedly, compared to the eventual winner, the dolorosa stabat mater sounded rather treacly but what's the point of a sentimental Catholic rite if one can't wallow in it? The Cappella Amsterdam and Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir are warm and heartfelt in contrast to the rather distant Stuttgart forces under Denève. The Denève recording is crisper - the harp comes through nicely in O quam tristis whereas it is hard to discern in the Reuss recording - but all in all I will gently disagree with Mr Sams here, while keeping his perfectly logical choice as a backup.

A gold star to Sams for raising a humorous eyebrow at Andrew McGregor when the latter mentioned that Denève had "nailed" the dolorosa - not a happy choice of word for such a subject. But a black mark to BBC Sounds for not including a track listing for the second half of the Record Review stream and forcing me to skip and scan for the start of the Poulenc section. Finally, thank you to Pulcinella for the admirable enthusiasm and diligence.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

A gold star to Sams for raising a humorous eyebrow at Andrew McGregor when the latter mentioned that Denève had "nailed" the dolorosa - not a happy choice of word for such a subject.

He's a very naughty boy.

[Nick Armstrong]

Yes the ‘nailed’ moment was outstanding

The reviewer of Les Nuits d’Été the other week would have done well to heed Jeremy Sams’s comments about Régine Crespin (as opposed to omitting all mention of her performance of the Berlioz…)

Oddly enough though, I think it’s the Crespin / Prètre performance of the Poulenc that’s put me off his Stabat Mater (pretty much alone of all his works) all these years. Whatever his estate thought, it doesn’t work for me at all - whereas the moment the first extract was played of the Denève recording, I set it up for a full listen - it sounded spot-on to me.

(Curious coupling with Les Biches on that SWR issue - but that’s Poulenc for you, I suppose!)

.

PS: for the vinteuil translation of Poulenc’s handwritten note to Prêtre

[visualnickmos]

A gold star to Sams for raising a humorous eyebrow at Andrew McGregor when the latter mentioned that Denève had "nailed" the dolorosa - not a happy choice of word for such a subject.

The funniest thing AM has ever said - even if unintended!