mint

But we have that opera somewhere, probably still packed up in a box.

Here are the details, Norman.  Please excuse my tardiness in replying; I was floored by the canicule. http://emiclassics.com/releasedetails.php?rid=47151

I am wrecked, utterly wrung out....between the canicule and our visitor.  No proms possible as I couldn't sit still long enough....[:(] However, every cloud (as they say, not that we have had any clouds),..... our present from the guest was a pack of 5 cds of Janet Baker. You name it, we've got it:  Brams (alto rhapsody), Wagner (Wesendonck-Lieder), Richard Strauss, Elgar (Sea Pictures, Dream of Gerontius), Mahler (Resurrection), Berlioz (les nuits d'été), Ravel (Shéhérazade), Chausson (Poème d l'amour et de la mer), Schubert, Schumann, Mendelsson, then Handel, JS Bach, Dowland, Campion, Purcel, Boyce, Monro, Arne. Just thought I'd make you a teeny-weeny bit jealous? Mein Gott, it's too hot for anything but, come the autumn and winter, I shall have a stack of new cds to make life enjoyable!

Yes, I enjoyed the clip! The prom I saw was Rattle with the Berlin Phil and it was éclairs sur l'au delà so the title alone was "mysterious and contemplative"! I think Rattle then went on to produce a CD but, as you say, to get the full effect, you need to listen live to Messiaen.  I seem to remember that on the night I counted no fewer than a dozen horn players. And then, there were the percussion instruments whose names and origins were a complete mystery to me!

Hi, Coops, no I didn't catch that prom.  Must have been the night we opted to watch an Italian film instead (for OH to hear some Italian). But, we went to a wedding some years ago and there was a small band like Tickell's and I was dead impressed with the Northumbrian pipes.  Looked devilish difficult to play, of course. That's the best thing about the proms, you always get introduced to something unusual or avant garde.  I am not that keen on much "modern" music, but I heard a Messaien (spelling?) concert one evening by default (it was the only night that a friend and I had free) and it blew my socks away.

What an interesting article, Pacha.  Had no idea it was such a "new" game.  I thought it'd been played since the beginning of time!  Silly me......

I have now managed to listen to some of your links and I just want to say thank you. No time for more.....strange day, off and on rain.  People ringing to say could they be excused from boules, others ringing to say could they come after all and yet others that I have rung to help us eat up the nibbles..... Now I am bushed and want to read a bit and fall asleep... Very bright now and also very humid and heavy.... Instead of watching the proms last night, we watched an Italian film which was gently humorous and featured four elderly ladies so I felt it was right up my street....!  

Victor Meldrew?  But I thought he was really popular...? Sorry, Norman, cheapo dig but it IS only possible to say things like that to people you are friendly with....[:P]  I mean, you couldn't be that rude to folk you don't know, can you? The boules tournament has been postponed because of the weather so I should be able to listen to some of your links a bit later.  BTW, some wonderful singing on French radio this morning......absolutely beautiful.

[quote user="NormanH"]I suffered for you!! I used Internet Explorer 9 to try to play my links[geek] It didn't work.[:(], so you are not to blame... I think you need to download the latest version of Flash player compatible with IE At the top of the Youtube link there was the option 'télécharger' perhaps you should try that. [/quote] Norman, I am so very touched that you suffered for me!  I can't think of anyone else who would do that! Don't worry, I'll just use Chrome to listen to the links and I will hope that you can access the ones that I manage to put on. Sorry, I haven't been about much:  cooking (in heat and utter frustration with the oven in the new house) for people coming for aperos tomorrow. Like Voilet Elizabeth Bott, I could have scweamed and scweamed with frustration as I tried to do some baking but then, I went over to feed the neighbours' cat (as they are away) and the little thing was waiting patiently for me and came up to rub itself against me and now the moon (nearly full) has risen next to the church tower and it's all so beautiful and peaceful that my very soul rejoiced and I am going to shower and play some nice little tunes on my piano.  

I know you MUST be right, Norman, but my browser says no "add-ons" so I guess that whatever "add-ons" are, they are perhaps necessary for me to access all those luscious links you have provided. Whilst I'm at it, I might as well own up to being one of these people who also have no sense of direction; no, I don't mean in life.  I mean when I am out and about walking or driving. OH often despairs at how I can get so lost.  What I tell him is, well, I can't be good at EVERYTHING![8-|]

Oh, Pacha, I am so glad you have come on here and, you will see from an earlier post, that I am very excited about Andris Nelsons. But, it's now confession time. You know, after you helped me to download Adobe's latest version, I seemed only able to download it to Google Chrome and not the usual Google thingy that I use to look for the Forum. Therefore, in order to view Norman's links, I have had to go to Chrome and I am not that keen on it. So, how do I get to download Adobe on my usual Internet Explorer? Ye gads, how I hate anything to do with computers or "technology" but needs must. I did think one year I'd go to the Bayreuth festival but, alas, it hasn't happened yet. Excuse the long post about nothing but oh la la, I don't think I am meant to live in the present century!

[quote user="NormanH"]http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b012wyjc/BBC_Proms_2011_Proms_Chamber_Music_PCM_03_Les_Talens_Lyriques/ Lovely Prom with French Baroque [/quote] Oh yes, that one I did see on the TV.  It was indeed lovely. Gotta go now but I am saving your links to follow later....  

Not had time to follow your links.  Life is one pleasant, busy episode after another! Just come on the Forum and found your post. This evening, we were dawdling over our meagre meal (main meal is lunch), sitting outside, watching the sun set and the moon rise, smelling the evening-scented flowers, drinking a very acceptable Corbières (not my choice but OH had it opened) and listening to a Fado CD he had. It's nice on a warm evening to listen to Fado though OH is more of a fan than I am.  

à plus tard, Norman. Thought of you this morning at breakfast when I heard some great recordings of some Bach chorales.  Thought they'd just be the sort of music you'd like. No time to stop en ce moment...... Duty, that demanding so-and-so, calls...

En fin, I have been able to look at your link and it is indeed impressive. Glorious music..... BTW, I read a lot about Beethoven years ago and I became completely fascinated by his story. In fact, when OH and I were married, we had Beethoven's Spring Sonata and, when I die, I think I will have the second movement from the Eroica. Tell me, about these speakers for the computer, do they need to be "computer speakers" or can you adapt ordinary speakers to fit?  Sorry to be so clueless.....

Norman, is that anything to do with Mendelssohn?[:)] Will be back here later.  Just got in and beaucoup de choses à faire..... 

Norman, quick message.  I'm just packing up to go to the old house. Will be following your links and, I am sure, enjoying them. Will have things to mention to you when I get back......[:D]

Norman, whatever you do, do NOT miss the Mahler Resurrection....http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/whats-on/2011/august-05/33 Apologies, don't know what's happened with the link but just LISTEN!!!

Here you are:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v1zlfWZXDw&feature=related

Thank you for the links, Norman. We have sort of lost sight of Arte because we don't seem to get it properly in the new house.  The annoying thing is we have brought all the TV stuff over and so it should work. Sometimes, we manage to get the sound but not the picture.  As in the previous place, we have the parabole as well as the antenne... Salzburg is one of those cities I have always wanted to visit so it was great to see the city and the concert hall. I have never heard of Véronique Gens but we have Renée Fleming singing Aprè un rêve and, if you haven't heard it, you MUST.  She is one of my absolute favourite sopranos. I still have a recording of her singing Strauss' Four Last Songs when she sang at the Proms years ago and, whenever I play it, it still brings tears to my eyes 

Midori was divine!

Norman, did you listen this evening? I made a point of it as I was introduced to Tamsin Little once in a restaurant in Twickenham. I am not that familiar with the Elgar Violin Concerto but it was very well received. And Londonderry Air unaccompanied was beautifully sung.

Angela, thank you for bringing this site to our attention.  I shall always be grateful to you! Wish I'd known about this last year when we stayed in a gite not far from there in one of our househunting expeditions. It will be a sublime experience, listening to music in that setting. I'd only ever thought of les Arts Florissants as belonging to Paris.

OH is more a fan of Christie than I am so I will play him your clip when I can drag him in from the garden. I didn't know he was a yank.....not that that would spoil my enjoyment![:P]

Thank you, Tom.  I have made a note. Norman, must tell you that I thought it very exciting for CBSO now they have Andris Nelsons at the helm.