NormanH

Then you will remember this.... a performace I enjoyed more than this year's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDkV02Mg8dg&html5=1 She also sang the Korngold though perhaps not as well as Fleming... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzUN-0XSyxQ&html5=1

P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Well I would have liked to see the Portugese soprano Susana Gaspar and the Russian baritone Alexey Bogdanchikov in the last 5 finalists, both of whom seemed to have lovely voices and gave intelligently musical interpretations I really didn't understand how the Croatian chap who butchered Figaro and the Messiah got through, but perhaps he has an animal magnetism that comes over live and masks the roughness of his voice. Many people (mainly women) seemed to have been impressed but I was simply left cold by the brute insensitivity of his singing. Sadly the “song” recital seems to be more and more dramatic and semi-operatic, so it was no surprise that the large American lady won. There was almost no first-class lieder in the programmes: no Schumann, little Schubert and Brahms but lots of big 'emotional' songs by people such as Rachmaninov It showed how difficult it is to sing in French. I don't think that a single one of them who sang a French test really convinced, and in the case of the Ukranian girl I felt she was badly let down by the Gounod, where she her articulation made the words incomprehensible. There was a world of difference between the two orchestras and conductors too. The Welshman gave a jobbing performance going along with the singers in a genial sort of way, whereas Jun Märkl was enormously impressive contributing greatly to the interpretations. Similarly what a world of difference between the generous and intelligent comments of Bernada Fink and menopausal bitchiness of Karita Mattila who seemed incapable of being in the slightest bit gracious.

I have recorded them all and am working my way through... Is the one you are referring to the Hungarian singer?

If anybody else is reading the link is here: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b02zc3km/BBC_Cardiff_Singer_of_the_World_2013_Concerts_Round_1/

A little consolation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht-cMwZ9gWY&html5=1

I sympathise completely. It seems as if nobody really believes that classical music is of any intrinsic interest, and has to be dressed up and 'sold'. Dumbing down is rampant. One of the worst was the insufferable Simon Russell Beale talking over the music in the series 'Sacred Music' telling us of his days as a chorister as if that was more important than the Tallis in the background In another (I think it was the otherwise interesting programme about Delius) a 'critic' was talking loudly over the music telling us that this was a beautiful moment, and preventing us from hearing it... It is all part of the tendence to seek 'human interest' and  find dramatically  emotional moments in things where that is irrelevant. Even the Bach programmes by Eliot Gardiner had psycho-babble claptrap about the adult Bach showing signs of a neglected childhood

Lovely fresh voices. Reminds me of his very early recording which I still think shows his voice at his very best. He had the control to dare the stunning piano on the high notes in the repeated phrase at the end of each verse.

And one to make you homesick... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OUrafVroho&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs

Looking through the programmes I noticed that Ben Johnson has included the relatively unknown Anakreons Grab by Hugo Wolf. This was introduced to me by a friend of mine (worth listening to her Purcell on that link) whom I accompanied in the the last recital I played before illness struck... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW4yL5Dbe7w It is intense sombre and highly chromatic, but bears listening to (and playing) many times.. As a child prodigy, Hugo Wolf was praised as an accomplished pianist and composer. He held high teaching positions and attended prestigious schools but was, unfortunately, known best as a wildly depressed and moody man. His music tends to express histemperamental demeanor, with wild chromaticism and dissonance. “Anakreons Grab” is a selection from Wolf’s Goethe-Lieder collection. The narrator of the song describes his surroundings at the grave of the legendary Greek poet, Anacreon. While the melody line and text of the song display a picturesque and contented scene, the piano brings out the wonder and slight bewilderment the protagonist feels in being at the same place where such a significant and ancient figure is buried. Anakreon Grab Anacreon’s Grave Wo die Rose hier blüht,   Here, where the rose blooms, Wo Rebuen um Lorbeer sich schlingen,   where the vines entwine the laurel, Wo das Turtelchen Lockt,    where the turtledove flirts, Wo sich Grillchen ergötzt,   where the cricket delights. Welch ein Grab ist hier What grave is this here? Das alle Götter mit Leben     that all the gods and Life Schöbefanzt und geziert?      Have so prettily decorated with plants. Es ist Anakreons Ruh.    It is Anacreon’s grave. Frühling, Sommer, und Herbst     Spring, summer, and autumn Genoß der glückliche Dichter;      did that happy poet enjoy; Vor dem Winter hat ihn endlich    from this winter now finally Der Hügel geschützt.    This mound has protected him The other one of Wolf's  we gave is less gloomy and had me chasing round the keyboard [:)] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIjP3JK-8xM I have a lover living in Penna, Another one in the Maremma plain, One in the lovely harbor of Ancona, And for the fourth I must go to Viterbo; Another one lives in Casentino, The next lives in the same place as I, And yet another one have I in Magione, Four in La Fratta, ten in Castiglione!

Nice to see the concert programmes in there [:D]

One of my favourite Brahms sung by one of your favourite singers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyY2Gy1Yfvw Dark, how dark it is in the forest and field! Night has fallen; the world now is silent. Nowhere a light and nowhere smoke. Yes, now even the lark is silent. From yonder village there comes the young lad, Taking his beloved home. He leads her past the willow bushes, Talking so much, and of so many things: "If you suffer shame and if you grieve, If you suffer disgrace before others because of me, Then our love shall be ended ever so fast As fast as we once came together; It shall go with the rain and go with the wind, As fast as we once came together." Then says the maiden, the maiden says: "Our love shall never end! Steel is firm and iron is firm, Yet our love is firmer still. Iron and steel can be recast by the smith But who would transform our love? Iron and steel can melt; Our love, our love will have to last forever!"

This one? http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01pdt87/Placido_Domingos_Gala_Concert/

Thanks for the tip. It is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01rrgg6/Bach_A_Passionate_Life/ You can watch it if you use Google Chrome and install the Hola Unblocker. I usually download the programme to avoid the stop and start of 'buffering'. That is a bit more complicated to do though. I use some external speakers with a bass unit (they cost me about 45€) which make a HUGE difference.

One for you Patf. There is no-one like Bach for pure JOY :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bc-td6X0rw

Thank you.  She is wonderful. One of the few people who can stand up to Janet Baker in a certain repertoire. Thank you for the clip which has brought her to my notice[:)] Thanks to you post I spent a good deal of time in pleasurable listening[:)] I love this song, which I accompanied the last concert I played while  I was still able to do so. She is magnificent in it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRhzSh2bEcI and that reminded me of that recital and this magnificent sombre Brahms (nothing to do with Bernarda Fink) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyY2Gy1Yfvw Never more to go to you I resolved and swore And yet I go every evening For all strength, all strength and every  restraint I have lost I yearn to live no longer To perish in the blink of an eye And yet I long also to live With you, for you, and never never die Oh Speak, say one word only A single word a clear word Give life or death to me Just tell me your feelings, the true ones...

I have now watched the first of the dreaded Goodall's programmes (and by chance heard a radio version about the St Matthew Passion at lunchtime today). Far far better than I expected, so thanks for the nudge Sweets [:)]

Talking of a wet afternoon I have recorded Goodall's programmes. La Scala is notoriously hard to please, but that seems a bit much...

You can catch up by watching on iPlayer. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01qgd00/Howard_Goodalls_Story_of_Music_The_Age_of_Discovery/ An easy way is to use Clair's recommendation and use Google Chrome as a browser, with this add-on installed: https://hola.org/chrome.html As I have previously explained to Sweets I bought some external speakers for my computer which means that I can use it as a CD player, and get excellent TV sound too as I watch on my monitor (a 27" HD screen so big enough for me) If ever you do buy speakers make sure they are with a separate bass unit..

I am ashamed to say I have avoided it because I detest the presenter, which is not very fair-minded of me.

I actually prefer her in this, where there is great tenderness and purity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_myr50Bafs

The Sciciliano is for flute, so of course a flautist couldn't play it that slowly,  but this is  an arrangement, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbdXGv1MJAo  (second movement)  as is the second piece which is a chorale prelude written for organ. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9Dh43kVL1Q Again it is slow, but I regard her playing as meditative rather than as an 'authentic' representation.

From a cheerful chappie[:D] Two more Bach. Idiosyncratic performances, controversial even, but I love them, even though they could be accused of being over emotional. Her 'voicing' of the parts, her legato and her spirituality are wonderful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5PtaN8axU0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEXWM94xwI8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00ML5qSNynI&list=PL1CB66D074BB4D434 Ohne Musik wäre das Leben ein Irrtum. Without Music Life would be a mistake. ...

Charming performances of French baroque music totally unknown to me I am ashamed to say https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoENmx0VHH4

Delighted to see you in this thread. It started out between me and sweet17 because I didn't read my pms, [:$] so she got frustrated and started posting here, but all are welcome of course, just that it hasn't got a very obvious title. If you read back a bit you will see I have often posted links to Bach [:)]

And a New Year's offering: the cantata for the Sunday after New Year https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG01ioC29Vs&list=TL877liGad9W0 [:D]