NormanH Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Great .I really enjoyed it last time. I hope they have kept the Song category (as opposed to Opera) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted April 25, 2015 Author Share Posted April 25, 2015 Norman, were you ever once young and foolish?Now, you might wonder at my audacity at asking you such a personal question. All will be explained.We had a very musical house guest last week and the main topic of conversation at most meals was naturally music. Which made me think of you and what you might like............So OH, whose musical experience is probably years longer than most of ours (on account of his age!), brought up the subject of "Down by the Sally Gardens". And now I can't get the tune out of my head and haven't yet succeeded in playing it complete on the piano without the music in front of me.Anyway, this is just to say that you might like to know that my favourite version is that of Alfred Deller and that you might like to download it on your new tablette. To my chagrin, I fail to get a link to it for you here.And if you WERE reflecting on when you were young and foolish, you might like to remember that you were in very good company [:D]bonne journéePS will be thinking of you on the 12th and wishing you well[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 I love the Britten arrangement, but I also enjoy this if only for the accenthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PcuGnNdCzoas an encore:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JScrL4bpJ9c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted April 25, 2015 Author Share Posted April 25, 2015 The encore brought a big smile to my lips [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted May 1, 2015 Author Share Posted May 1, 2015 Now that we have been talking about songs, I have just bought a CD of Arleen Auger singing Love Songs.So, I was just flicking through the different tracks when it was I who was stopped in my tracks by her rendition of O del mio amato ben. Her perfect diction of the Italian and her sheer musicality are compelling.I have only ever heard this song sung by a tenor so this was a serendipitous discovery. If you do listen to it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 is ist this?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbVgaywheEA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted May 1, 2015 Author Share Posted May 1, 2015 You've found it, Norman!Isn't it exquisite? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Hoping you're feeling well enough to enjoy this one, Norman:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8AD75_sNJMI'm listening to a lot of Grieg at the moment, and found it. The tune is so familiar, it sticks in your memory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 Norman, please make Pat's link live so that I can listen too!You don't need me to tell you that if there is anything I can do, you only need to ask! Sorry, I am not within any sort of striking physical distance[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 It's Solveig's song from Peer Gynt, you'll know it Mint.Sung at an openair concert by a Norwegian Mezzo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 Thank you, Pat; yes, I do know it and yes, it is very beautiful[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8AD75_sNJM&html5=1I made a practiacl performence version of Peer Gynt (the original would take about 5 hours) which was put on with Grieg's music.The music which can seem a little over-sweet out of context gets an extra dimension when heard in the drama.Asa's death and the the Mountain King music especially so but this song also when you see her on stage with her spinning wheel all alone...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJTJDNGBkC8As his mother ASA lies dying Peer answers her fearful questions with fantastical answers from the imagination which sometimes leads him astray, but here serves to ease her passage... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Thanks for the links Norman.I read a resumé of the Peer Gynt story on Wiki, and it's very "bizarre" as the french would say. And long.I'll have to read a bit more - did Ibsen base the story on various Norwegian folk tales? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Ibsen believed Per Gynt, the Norwegian fairy tale on which the play is loosely based, to be rooted in fact, and several of the characters are modelled after Ibsen's own family, notably his parents Knud Ibsen and Marichen Altenburg. He was also generally inspired by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen's collection of Norwegian fairy tales, published in 1845 (Huldre-Eventyr og Folkesagn).(also from Wiki)It is a magical play, but has to be adapted for modern performance.I think it could make a wonderful series of films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 I'll try to read a bit more about it - I feel a sort of affinity with Scandinavia, coming from NE England. - we were joined at one time BTW, did you know that Norway was the last occupied country in Europe to be liberated at the end of WW2? The Germans parked their Uboats in the fjords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 This post is principally for you, Norman, and I do hope you are getting better and stronger everyday. I so remember starting this thread when you were also in that convalescent home a few years ago.Anyway, just want to tell you that I was listening to Acte 3 of Guercoeur on France Musique and the singing and music stunned me with their beauty.I immediately did a Google search as the opera was completely new to me and I also got straight on to Amazon to buy a CD of it.The composer, Albéric Magnard, had a very sad and tragic end. And, Pat, if you are there, this would interest you too. He died defending his manoir and estate from German troups in 1914. It is thought that they killed him (though his remains couldn't be identified) and some of his music was destroyed in the subsequent fire when they burned down his house in Oise. Act 3 was later restored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Thank you. He and the opera are completely new to me too.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 The opera wasn't even listed in our large Grove.OH and I were having a stab at whose music it was. We debated that perhaps it was Mahler, Richard Strauss or even Wagner so then I had to listen to what was said and do the research.I love listening to France Musique for the very reason that I more often than not discover some gem hitherto unknown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 Norman, have you been following Cardiff Singer?The standard this year is very high indeed. I haven't been able to hear everyone but, for example, tonight I heard a fabulous coloratura from Belarus.Hope the rétablissement is going apace[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Hadn't realised it had started....will look on iplayer. Thanks for the information.[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Just watched the first round (disappointed that the Song round is only on radio till tonight's final since that is my preferred part).I agree that the tenor gave the most committed performance, but WHAT a voice the German bass has.He was outstanding from that point of view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 20, 2015 Author Share Posted June 20, 2015 Oh B@M! I was going to say that the song final was wonderful and not to miss it! Beautiful, mesmersing, captivating............I was lost in admiration.OH and I picked the winner. The soprano from Belarus was some singer but wait till you hear the winner!! I know you'd like him[:D]It was on BBC 4 (TV) this evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Have now watched round 2 and two things strike me.1) How much better the WNO orchestra is2) Singers shouldn't choose French repertoire..it is almost always the kiss of death, and they can never pronounce the text convincingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 Yes, you are right about a French repertoire but still I wish someone would sing some Belioz for the song contest.Also, one of the pianists is better than the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Just watched the song final and was very disappointed that the Turkish tenor didn't win.He gave one of the best performances of Nacht und Traume that I have ever heard and listen to him singing Schumann in an earlier roundhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02v3b2mThe Korean so-called 'bass' has no bottom notes to his voice as he showed woefully in the first round (as opposed to the superb Germanhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02tw4l8 ) , and I can't think for the life of me how he has been chosen as a 'wild card' for the full final.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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