BaL 15.02.14 - Purcell's Songs

[MickyD]

Here is the 6 CD box for anyone who is interested; there is some terrific material included:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Purcell-Theatre-Music-Emma-Kirkby/dp/B0001Y4JHA/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1392544238&sr=1-1&keywords=purcell+theatre+music

[BBMmk2]

Here is the 6 CD box for anyone who is interested; there is some terrific material included:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Purcell-Thea...+theatre+music

Yes! Very good it is too!! :)

[CallMePaul]

You're kidding.

On reflection, perhaps not.

I think I had a memory lapse and confused her with Anna Pavord, who is a gardening writer. My apologies to both Annas!

[doversoul1]

Managed to listen to it at last. I thought it was an excellent BaL; very focused on the point, precise in the explanation (no flowery metaphors etc.) and very well constructed (compare and contrast etc.). I very much hope that this has set an example for a BaL of a project CD (i.e. not of one work) which will open up more opportunities for early music CDs to be included in BaL discussion.

I rather liked Anna Picard’s reason for not including the CDs by countertenors; ‘no disrespect to all the great singers but none of the previous generation of countertenors have the polished voice of Iestyn Davies (not verbatim).

[jean]

I thought that was much too dismissive!

At least we got some Alfred Deller at the beginning of the programme. Whatever you may think of his vocal mannerisms, he didn't hoot.

[ardcarp]

but none of the previous generation of countertenors have the polished voice of Iestyn Davies

Er........discuss?

[doversoul1]

I don’t think Anna Picard’s remark was meant to be dismissive, and mine was definitely not. I was pleased that someone actually pointed out that Iestyn Davies, and other younger countertenors, had developed a voice that was distinct from the previous generation. Much the same comment must have been made when Andreas Scholl came on the scene, which was not meant to be dismissive about Alfred Deller or James Bowman.

Sometime ago, Rob remarked, ‘even with the best countertenor, like Andreas Scholl, you can tell that it’s a bloke putting it on’. Again, I don’t think Rob was being dismissive. To say that it is definitely a male voice was a genuine compliment until fairly recently. That seems to have changed. These days, I hardly come across a review of a countertenor’s CD or a recital that refers to maleness of the voice. That no longer seems to matter.

I don’t think a countertenor would have been Anna Picard’s choice anyway, as she confessed that she had hoped that Andrew wouldn’t ask about the lack of countertenors in her selection. My guess is that AP was going to play Deller for historical interest and that was that for countertenors. But, seeing her list, Andrew must have said something like ‘we can’t have a Purcell BaL without countertenors. This has just come out and it is very good’, and pushed Arise, my Muse into her hands. If I remember correctly, AP did not make any comments about the CD itself, which makes me think that she was put on the spot. If the CD had been in her selection, I think she would have chosen a more neutral description about countertenors in the previous generation. She would probably have said something like today’s young countertenors are striving for a new type of voice. After all, Anna Picard did say ‘no disrespect to all the singers’.

[Barbirollians]

I have had this Sampson disc for a few weeks now and the songs are very sensitively sung and superbly accompanied . There is , however, a degree of feeling in Nancy Argenta's singing that elevates her disc above the Sampson for me despite the latter's superb diction and lovely voice.

[Barbirollians]

I have only just discovered that Emma Kirkby disc - now available for a song on Eloquence under the title a Purcell Songbook. Rather short measure but EK in her very finest form. There is something about her bell like voice that adds such energy and interest to this music .