BaL 17.11.12 - Berlioz: Les Troyens

**verismissimo** · 09-11-12, 21:03

Thought this would be Davis vs Davis until I saw Eine's list.

I'm very fond of Crespin/Pretre (Scenes from...). Also unavailable? Or just not qualified?

**Eine Alpensinfonie** · 09-11-12, 22:44

Originally posted by verismissimo View Post

I'm very fond of Crespin/Pretre (Scenes from...). Also unavailable? Or just not qualified?

It was difficult to know what to include; I went for complete and abridged versions, but not "scenes from..."

**Flosshilde** · 10-11-12, 11:58

I'm amazed that there are so many recordings.

**ferneyhoughgeliebte** · 10-11-12, 14:43

Originally posted by Flosshilde View Post

I'm amazed that there are so many recordings.

Yes, I was surprised (and delighted!) that there were so many recordings of this magnificent work - just shows that this once undervalued masterpiece is finally getting the recognition it deserves. (Only Wagner and Boris its equals in 19thC opera IMO).

**David-G** · 10-11-12, 17:15

Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post

... (Only Wagner and Boris its equals in 19thC opera IMO).

I might be prepared to contend that it has no equals in 19thC opera (!)

**Bryn** · 10-11-12, 18:45

The earlier Philips Colin Davis set is available in mp3 download format from amazon.co.uk. I nobly surrendered the first LP set to an old flame on the breakup of the relationship. I bought a new set at the earliest opportunity. I then got the CD operas box, (currently out of the catalogue), some decades later. I also have the LSO Live CDs and the JEG, Cambreling and Levine DVDs. The Philips CDs are the version I return to most often, but that could be partly for nostalgic reasons.

**ferneyhoughgeliebte** · 10-11-12, 20:27

Originally posted by David-G View Post

I might be prepared to contend that it has no equals in 19thC opera (!)

Well, I wouldn't be inclined to disagree agree with you - I just didn't want to upset anyone!

**Eine Alpensinfonie** · 13-11-12, 11:13

In the days before the Philips Recorind with Colin Davis was issued, the lack of a complete recording was lamented in Gramophone's correspondence pages. Some regarded it as the biggest omission in the catalogue, while others said it was "the world's biggest bore" and that "Les Hugenots" was the opera most needing a recording. In the end both were added to the catalogue. We often forget just how fortunate we are nowadays.

**verismissimo** · 17-11-12, 08:56

Originally posted by Bryn View Post

The earlier Philips Colin Davis set is [only] available in mp3 download format... The Philips CDs are the version I return to most often, but that could be partly for nostalgic reasons.

Hamlet without the Prince?

**rauschwerk** · 17-11-12, 09:11

Originally posted by verismissimo View Post

Hamlet without the Prince?

No, I don't think so. Because Colin Davis has made such a huge contribution to Berlioz performance and devoted vast amounts of energy to getting Les Troyens taken seriously by a wider public, we should not automatically suppose that his Berlioz recordings are in every case the best. John Eliot Gardiner is also a devoted Berlioz interpreter, and characteristically he spent a lot of time and energy hunting down and having restored a set of saxhorns for the Royal Hunt and Storm.

**John Shelton** · 17-11-12, 10:15

Originally posted by rauschwerk View Post

No, I don't think so. Because Colin Davis has made such a huge contribution to Berlioz performance and devoted vast amounts of energy to getting Les Troyens taken seriously by a wider public, we should not automatically suppose that his Berlioz recordings are in every case the best. John Eliot Gardiner is also a devoted Berlioz interpreter, and characteristically he spent a lot of time and energy hunting down and having restored a set of saxhorns for the Royal Hunt and Storm.

The JEG DVD I return to often; it's a special event (agree with everything said about Davis, of course). I'm intrigued by Cambreling: I've heard some fine performances from him. Don't know about his singers on the set.

**LeMartinPecheur** · 17-11-12, 12:04

Didn't feel this was a very revelatory BaL, and was a bit surprised that it didn't run longer for a long work like this. Not much in the way of side-by-side comparisons between singers, little said about conductors' speeds, styles... Useful to know that I shouldn't bother with any DVDs as I like to hear the orchestra, and would probably hate the production in the only one where Ms Lenton was happy with the balance...

Still, with both Davises on my shelves I probably won't be buying another

**Richard Tarleton** · 17-11-12, 12:18

Originally posted by LeMartinPecheur View Post

Didn't feel this was a very revelatory BaL, and was a bit surprised that it didn't run longer for a long work like this. Not much in the way of side-by-side comparisons between singers, little said about conductors' speeds, styles... Useful to know that I shouldn't bother with any DVDs as I like to hear the orchestra, and would probably hate the production in the only one where Ms Lenton was happy with the balance...

Still, with both Davises on my shelves I probably won't be buying another

LMP I felt exactly as you do about this BAL. She made some useful observations about the opera itself but there seemed very little to say about the various performances. The two Davises it is!

It's interesting to recall that in the Barbican Davis, Dido was originally going to be Olga Borodina, with everyone stepping up a role when she withdrew. All very fortunate as it turned out. Toby Spence got his big break as a last minute replacement for Garrie Davislim as Hylas. Hugh Canning called it "an evening of vocal grandeur and orchestral incandescence".

**aeolium** · 17-11-12, 14:08

I didn't hear all of this BaL. Was there much comment about Dutoit's set?

BaL 17.11.12 - Berlioz: Les Troyens

BaL 17.11.12 - Berlioz: Les Troyens

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