Originally posted by Pulcinella
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Prom 6: Verdi Requiem, BBC NOW / BBC NCW, L. Moore/Cargill/Baek/S. Howard/Bancroft
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Originally posted by Keraulophone View PostThe Times (NF, 24/7/24) is even more scathing:
‘Latonia Moore, while throwing almost everything but the kitchen sink at the music, was more erratic than seraphic, her bluesy phrasing and uneven pitching adding the wrong sort of jeopardy. Come the final Libera Me, her soprano was not so much floating heavenward as simply adrift.’
The “Welsh Diva “ I was thinking of in my initial reply to Edashtav was Natalya Romaniw who was presenting the other night when she should be singing !
I think Neil is a bit hard on the performance overall which had many fine moments. The fundamental problem was that the quartet of soloists didn’t blend with each other , the chorus , or the orchestra. I’m coming to the view that this is one of the most difficult pieces in the whole singer plus orchestra repertoire to bring off. There are so many usual textures - everything from that weirdly exposed chromatically climbing bassoon solo plus voice to tumultuous tutti - and singers to fit in as well.
I was following with score last night - you spend a lot of time just gasping at Verdi’s genius . That sudden g major chord in the Bflat chordal end of one of the sections - breathtaking.Last edited by Ein Heldenleben; 24-07-24, 16:03.
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Originally posted by Keraulophone View PostThe Times (NF, 24/7/24) is even more scathing:
‘Latonia Moore, while throwing almost everything but the kitchen sink at the music, was more erratic than seraphic, her bluesy phrasing and uneven pitching adding the wrong sort of jeopardy. Come the final Libera Me, her soprano was not so much floating heavenward as simply adrift.’
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Originally posted by Darkbloom View Post
She was pretty upset when the performance finished, and I guess that was the reason, but she wasn't the first soprano to struggle with that and won't be the last.
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I watched the TV version last night, which proved interesting having heard it live first, gained some impressions of the singers, and then read the various comments.
With the forces involved getting everyone satisfactorily on the platform is inevitably a problem but the soloists did seem rather isolated, especially the tenor and bass, both from each other and from the conductor. Karin Cargill, perhaps as the experienced one, did engage with her fellow soloist quite a lot, turning towards her, moving closer(although at a couple of points I did wonder if that was to indicate where the pitch should be...), and the bass seemed as if he wanted to be more a part of an ensemble and looked often towards the conductor, but the tenor just seemed rooted to the spot in some kind of bubble; at times their vocal scores seemed to be almost life rafts they were clinging to. Ms Moore also clung to her score but didn't seem to use it, and towards the end, for her big spot, left it on her chair. What did strike me about her was that to my eyes her breathing and general posture were almost an illustration of how not to do it. Each breath in was upper chest, more of a gasp often, and accompanied by shoulders nudging ears, and much of the time her arms seemed clamped to her side and ramming the folder into her diaphragm. None of that would have helped her singing. In contrast Karin Cargill did the classic still shoulders and no real sign of in breaths, and so was able to maintain her line with confidence and to good effect. In terms of the tears at the end I agree with Helden that it was emotion - there was very nearly a bottom lip wobble in her last few notes and her eyes started filling during the final chord. For all her years of performing experience this was rather different from her usual roles, and a proms debut to boot, so a lot of pressure. In an interview* she says thisFor me the biggest challenge is always just me, and the issue is can I control my nerves?As I get older, the pressure gets harder, and I’m more nervous than I used to be
*https://www.csmusic.net/content/arti...breathe-music/
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Originally posted by oddoneout View PostI watched the TV version last night, which proved interesting having heard it live first, gained some impressions of the singers, and then read the various comments.
With the forces involved getting everyone satisfactorily on the platform is inevitably a problem but the soloists did seem rather isolated, especially the tenor and bass, both from each other and from the conductor. Karin Cargill, perhaps as the experienced one, did engage with her fellow soloist quite a lot, turning towards her, moving closer(although at a couple of points I did wonder if that was to indicate where the pitch should be...), and the bass seemed as if he wanted to be more a part of an ensemble and looked often towards the conductor, but the tenor just seemed rooted to the spot in some kind of bubble; at times their vocal scores seemed to be almost life rafts they were clinging to. Ms Moore also clung to her score but didn't seem to use it, and towards the end, for her big spot, left it on her chair. What did strike me about her was that to my eyes her breathing and general posture were almost an illustration of how not to do it. Each breath in was upper chest, more of a gasp often, and accompanied by shoulders nudging ears, and much of the time her arms seemed clamped to her side and ramming the folder into her diaphragm. None of that would have helped her singing. In contrast Karin Cargill did the classic still shoulders and no real sign of in breaths, and so was able to maintain her line with confidence and to good effect. In terms of the tears at the end I agree with Helden that it was emotion - there was very nearly a bottom lip wobble in her last few notes and her eyes started filling during the final chord. For all her years of performing experience this was rather different from her usual roles, and a proms debut to boot, so a lot of pressure. In an interview* she says this and also mentions . The lack of a cast, storyline and character to play is rather different from her opera roles.
*https://www.csmusic.net/content/arti...breathe-music/
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Originally posted by oddoneout View PostI watched the TV version last night, which proved interesting having heard it live first, gained some impressions of the singers, and then read the various comments.
With the forces involved getting everyone satisfactorily on the platform is inevitably a problem but the soloists did seem rather isolated, especially the tenor and bass, both from each other and from the conductor. Karin Cargill, perhaps as the experienced one, did engage with her fellow soloist quite a lot, turning towards her, moving closer(although at a couple of points I did wonder if that was to indicate where the pitch should be...), and the bass seemed as if he wanted to be more a part of an ensemble and looked often towards the conductor, but the tenor just seemed rooted to the spot in some kind of bubble; at times their vocal scores seemed to be almost life rafts they were clinging to. Ms Moore also clung to her score but didn't seem to use it, and towards the end, for her big spot, left it on her chair. What did strike me about her was that to my eyes her breathing and general posture were almost an illustration of how not to do it. Each breath in was upper chest, more of a gasp often, and accompanied by shoulders nudging ears, and much of the time her arms seemed clamped to her side and ramming the folder into her diaphragm. None of that would have helped her singing. In contrast Karin Cargill did the classic still shoulders and no real sign of in breaths, and so was able to maintain her line with confidence and to good effect. In terms of the tears at the end I agree with Helden that it was emotion - there was very nearly a bottom lip wobble in her last few notes and her eyes started filling during the final chord. For all her years of performing experience this was rather different from her usual roles, and a proms debut to boot, so a lot of pressure. In an interview* she says this and also mentions . The lack of a cast, storyline and character to play is rather different from her opera roles.
*https://www.csmusic.net/content/arti...breathe-music/
I too watched it on BBC4 last night. As others have said, orchestra and choir were impressive but sadly the soloists were a good deal less so. I also thought that using a fish eye lens on the camera for the close ups of Latonia Moore and Karen Cargill didn't do either of them any favours.
The first Verdi Requiem I saw was also at the Albert Hall in March 1981 (never having heard it before) and was rather special. The LSO was conducted by Claudio Abbado with Mirella Freni, Margaret Price (singing the mezzo part at very short notice for the first and only time in her career), Jose Carreras and Nicolai Ghiaurov as the soloists. It was quite an introduction to the piece!"I do not approve of anything that tampers with natural ignorance. Ignorance is like a delicate exotic fruit; touch it and the bloom is gone. The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound. Fortunately in England, at any rate, education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the upper classes, and probably lead to acts of violence in Grosvenor Square."
Lady Bracknell The importance of Being Earnest
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Originally posted by oddoneout View Post
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Originally posted by Darkbloom View Post
I'm sure Solomon Howard is duly grateful that his mighty thews have received due acknowledgement. I thoroughly enjoyed the performance. I know others don't share my opinion - and that's one of the joys of concert going - but it was one of the more memorable concerts I have been to.
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Originally posted by Darkbloom View Post
I'm sure Solomon Howard is duly grateful that his mighty thews have received due acknowledgement. I thoroughly enjoyed the performance. I know others don't share my opinion - and that's one of the joys of concert going - but it was one of the more memorable concerts I have been to.
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Originally posted by oddoneout View Post
Wonder what Karen C makes of mention of her imperious bottom.
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Originally posted by Darkbloom View Post
The Guardian makes me shake my head more than any other newspaper, particularly the columnists. The other day someone devoted a column to the fact that she sweats a lot. And as for Adrian Chiles....I can't believe he gets paid for those Pooteresque drivellings.
Private Eye's Street iof Shame pages are quite an eye opener (as if I hadn't already a low opinion of journalists and those whose bidding they do......).
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