BaL 20.04.13 - Debussy's Pelléas et Melisande

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'll have to have a listen to the BaLafter I'm back from my birthday jaunt to NYC over that weekend

What a way to celebrate your birthday!

I share your enthusiasm for the JEG prom performance last year, so I shall search out the Jordin recording (which I don't know ). Glorious work - one of my favourite pieces of Music ("pieces" sounds wrong in this context).

[ostuni]

What a way to celebrate your birthday!

Thank you (and Am)!

I see Jordan fils conducts one of the DVDs (the Robert Wilson, Opéra Bastille one). Jordan père's CD set is in the Erato cheapo series - less than a tenner from some Am Mkt sellers. Recorded in 79, so pretty modern sound. I knew Yakar from some of the Petite Bande Rameau/Lully recordings from that period, and Huttenlocher used to turn up as a soloist in the Harnoncourt/Leonhardt Bach series which I collected in those days - so it was interesting to re-encounter them in a very different context.

(Off-topic - yes, it's a long way to go for a birthday, but it's one of those ending in a zero... And I've got tickets for Les Arts Florissants' Charpentier in Brooklyn, and the Mingus Big Band at the Jazz Standard, so I'm a happy, if ageing, bunny...)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... And I've got tickets for Les Arts Florissants' Charpentier in Brooklyn, and the Mingus Big Band at the Jazz Standard, so I'm a happy, if ageing, bunny...

Can I just revise my earlier comment:

"What a fantastic way to celebrate your birthday! "

[Nick Armstrong]

(Off-topic - yes, it's a long way to go for a birthday, but it's one of those ending in a zero... And I've got tickets for Les Arts Florissants' Charpentier in Brooklyn, and the Mingus Big Band at the Jazz Standard, so I'm a happy, if ageing, bunny...)

Blooming marvellous!! My sister and I took our dad to NYC for his 70th. An unforgettable weekend.

I wish the same to you with bells and cheesecake on


On topic: I have the Abbado on CD which I think is very good (voice-wise) though if I remember right rather a stodgy recording. Also the Boulez version on DVD

Not a 'piece' for regular listening but capable of being overwhelming. I went to the very very good Glyndebourne production (Davis) but haven't ever bought the DVD version. Will be interesting to see how that fares. I loved the design and setting.

[Belgrove]

I'm besotted with this opera and have, or have heard, over half of the versions on EA's list. This includes the recently released Ingelbrecht recording, which I have not yet had the opportunity to fully assimilate (perhaps this shows I am not as enthusiastic as the reviewer in IRR, whose praise provoked the purchase).

Of those on the list it has to be Haitink in a live concert performance with the Orchestre National de France. The principals are uniformly excellent. This can seem an uneventful, flat and monochrome work in the wrong hands, but Haitink smoothly traverses between the evanescent and passionate episodes and qualities that are in the score, and extracts its drama in full measure. The end breaks the heart as it should, not high drama, someone slips away quietly, an orphan is left...

Serendipitously, I shall soon be receiving a recording (not on EA's list) of a R3 broadcast of the Covent Garden production I attended in 2007, conducted by Simon Rattle (with Simon Keenlyside, Angelika Kirchschlager and Gerald Finley as Pelleas, Mellisande and Goloud respectively). It was the most perfect example of live music making I have experienced, the precision and finesse of the wonderful ROH orchestra was staggering. I had been at Lord's that day (England v W Indies - a match featuring one of Cook's 24 Test centuries), had sampled some splendid wines, and wondered if my judgement might possibly be impaired. When I mentioned the outstanding quality of the performance to one of the staff at Covent Garden, she replied 'You're not the only one to have said that throughout this run'. So come on BBC & Covent Garden - release this recording, you are sitting on what is possibly one of the most important versions in the history of the work.

[amateur51]

I'm besotted with this opera and have, or have heard, over half of the versions on EA's list. This includes the recently released Ingelbrecht recording, which I have not yet had the opportunity to fully assimilate (perhaps this shows I am not as enthusiastic as the reviewer in IRR, whose praise provoked the purchase).

Of those on the list it has to be Haitink in a live concert performance with the Orchestre National de France. The principals are uniformly excellent. This can seem an uneventful, flat and monochrome work in the wrong hands, but Haitink smoothly traverses between the evanescent and passionate episodes and qualities that are in the score, and extracts its drama in full measure. The end breaks the heart as it should, not high drama, someone slips away quietly, an orphan is left...

Serendipitously, I shall soon be receiving a recording (not on EA's list) of a R3 broadcast of the Covent Garden production I attended in 2007, conducted by Simon Rattle (with Simon Keenlyside, Angelika Kirchschlager and Gerald Finley as Pelleas, Mellisande and Goloud respectively). It was the most perfect example of live music making I have experienced, the precision and finesse of the wonderful ROH orchestra was staggering. I had been at Lord's that day (England v W Indies - a match featuring one of Cook's 24 Test centuries), had sampled some splendid wines, and wondered if my judgement might possibly be impaired. When I mentioned the outstanding quality of the performance to one of the staff at Covent Garden, she replied 'You're not the only one to have said that throughout this run'. So come on BBC & Covent Garden - release this recording, you are sitting on what is possibly one of the most important versions in the history of the work.

That must have been a grand day out certainly, Gromit I mean Belgrove - many thanks for the telling

[verismissimo]

I've had the Desormiere recording (1941 in Paris) for ages without actually listening to it, so this BAL has encouraged me to give it a spin.

Really, it's outstanding. The singers so intimate and so natural. The pacing so juste.

What took so long?

[verismissimo]

Boarders might enjoy this book review (by a close friend) about Debussy's first three Melisandes, all of whom were recorded:

http://www.opera-britannia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115:debussys-melisande-the-lives-of-%20georgette-leblanc-mary-garden-and-maggie-teyte-by-gillian-opstad&catid=13&Itemid=17

[verismissimo]

Wot no takers? Such a fascinating work.

[Nick Armstrong]

Wot no takers? Such a fascinating work.

Yes!! More anon!!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Wot no takers? Such a fascinating work.

Yes. And the review made me realize that there are so many different and valid ways of performing this great work, that I need to get them all! It seemed to me that even the ones he "rejected" revealed vivid insights into the score that collectively unfold its many marvels. Karajan's glowering strings; Boulez's rhythmic precision (and how disappointing that someone of Cook's intelligence and imagination should resort to that misguided and misleading cliché "clinical" here); Van Damm's dignified, multi-faceted Goloud (avoiding the "Ham-dram" that so often spoils performances); Abbado's controlled, firey abandon; Haitink's profound dignity ...

Yep! I'll just have to buy them all!

[amateur51]

Yes. And the review made me realize that there are so many different and valid ways of performing this great work, that I need to get them all! It seemed to me that even the ones he "rejected" revealed vivid insights into the score that collectively unfold its many marvels. Karajan's glowering strings; Boulez's rhythmic precision (and how disappointing that someone of Cook's intelligence and imagination should resort to that misguided and misleading cliché "clinical" here); Van Damm's dignified, multi-faceted Goloud (avoiding the "Ham-dram" that so often spoils performances); Abbado's controlled, firey abandon; Haitink's profound dignity ...

Yep! I'll just have to buy them all!

Many thanks for this encouraging summary, ferney I didn't listen this morning as I was enjoying the first really warm Spring sunshine of the year here and just wanted to drift away for a while . Like Caliban, I shall catch up later.

[BBMmk2]

So it has to be the Boulez, Haitink and Abbado then!! Thank you as ever Ferney! Hmm, Might have to get another bookcase!

[Nick Armstrong]

Like Caliban, I shall catch up later.

No... Caliban listened live this time! The "anon" was about having time to think about my reactions But maybe I should wait some more though, as I don't wan't to give away "the result" and I can't really say what I thought without doing so...

Save to say that I really enjoyed this BAL. Christopher Cook has some wonderful turns of phrase and - in a good way - has a voice out of the 'old school' (which he attended one presumes with Stephen Plaistow and others).

Loved his phrase about the ocean rolling in to the shore needing to convey "pointed accents of eros and thanatos" and not "a weekend à deux at Deauville" - his inflection of the latter phrase a delight

I did find his logic a little bit odd occasionally, and I disagree with his final choice for a particular reason, but who cares?!

Ferney - I don't agree either that I'd want them all... But I am in the market for one, possibly two, more that caught my ear in particular this morning!!

Listen on, ammy!

[BBMmk2]

Pray tell Cali!!