In 1970, Leonard Bernstein was invited by the Vienna State Opera to prepare a new ... more
production of Fidelio for the Beethoven bicentennial. He returned in 1978 to make this recording with an all-star cast featuring Gundula Janowitz in the title role. At the same time, Bernstein was finishing his integral recording of the Beethoven Symphonies with the State Opera's pit orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic. It's hardly surprising, then, that this account of Beethoven's only opera conveys such an extraordinary sense of occasion and exhibits a degree of musical cohesion that can only be described as "symphonic." Bernstein is, of course, the biggest star of all here, and he presides over a performance of remarkable strength and dramatic conviction, especially memorable for the emotional intensity of the climactic moments (in particular, Pizzaro's "Ha! Welch ein Augenblick!", the Act I finale, and the Act II quartet). One of the account's most striking features is its insertion of the Leonore Overture No. 3 before the final scene of Act II, honouring a tradition established by Gustav Mahler when he was director of the Vienna Court Opera at the beginning of the 20th century. In Bernstein's hands, this 15-minute interlude becomes an impassioned meditation on the themes of love, courage, and self-sacrifice that lie at the heart of the opera. --Ted Libbey
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There are several good recordings of Beethoven's only opera--most notably, perhaps, those ... more
of Otto Klemperer and Wilhelm Furtwangler, both intensely dedicated--in their different ways--to bringing out the music's nobility and idealism. I would not want to be without either one, but they do not exhaust possible approaches to this masterpiece. Mackerras offers an exciting alternative from the crackling first chords of the overture: high energy, dramatic tension and strong narrative flow in this story of a political prisoner, persecuted and condemned to death, whose wife disguises herself as a man to gain access to his dungeon. The singing and playing are first class, and vivid recording heightens the excitement. --Joe McLellan
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This interesting new Fidelio--one of over a dozen available - has a couple of things going ... more
very much in its favour, and a couple against it as well. A great pro is the leadership of Daniel Barenboim, who wrings from the orchestra and chorus fabulous playing and singing; just on a symphonic level, this is worth hearing. Barenboim also paces the work sensibly--those who do not like huge, glacial performances of this opera or the "new school" of Beethoven conducting that seems to prefer racing through his music will welcome the inner tension Barenboim deeply understands in the music as well as his sympathy for his singers. This set grew out of a live performance in which all dialogue was cut and replaced, at times, with a flashback narration by Leonore. Here we get only the music Beethoven composed with no dialogue at all; the text Leonore spoke is printed in the accompanying booklet. It's not enough--one misses some dialogue, however brief and abbreviated, between numbers. This seems like a set of highlights without any. The quality of the soloists varies: Soile Isokoski and Werner Güra make a nice pair of youngsters; René Pape's Rocco is exactly the right combination of toady and good guy and he sings gloriously, and Falk Struckmann draws Pizarro villainously and manages his way around the difficult music. Domingo's Florestan is handsomely sung--almost too Italianately beautiful at times--but well thought through, and if not quite on the Jon Vickers level, certainly not terribly far away. Waltraud Meier's career continues to astonish. This pushed-up mezzo with an ugly tone has intelligence and passion in her voice, but the sound is curdled. Doesn't anyone notice that she sings off key and harshly half the time? So, a mixed bag: Domingo and Barenboim fans will need this, but it's like getting only a part of Fidelio (Barenboim, by the way, begins the opera with the Leonore Overture No. 2; an appendix includes the other three overtures Beethoven wrote for this work), and Meier is outclassed by every other Leonore on CD. --Robert Levine
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Birgitt Nilsson puts the "dramatic" into "dramatic soprano" in her portrayal of ... more
Leonore/Fidelio in this classic recording from 1964. She marshals all the forces of her rich, powerful voice to thrilling effect, beginning with her muted entrance in the Act 1 quartet, through a hair-raising rendition of "Abscheulicher!" (when she has overheard the plot to murder her husband), to the brilliant joy of her final duet. She is well matched by McCracken, who spares us nothing of Florestan's hysteria and madness in his great aria from Act 2. Pizarro is written pretty much as a cardboard villain, but Krause brings a booming enjoyment to the role which compensates for the two-dimensional quality of characterisation. Maazel's speeds are generally much quicker than on other recordings, giving the whole opera a thrilling urgency. The Vienna Philharmonic is on top form; the beginnings of "Mir ist so wunderbar", and the Prisoners' Chorus are models of string playing at its absolute best, and the horns in "Abscheulicher!" have to be heard to be believed. This recording gives us a collection of talents at the peak of their powers. --Warwick Thompson
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Advantages: A new way to hear Beethoven Disadvantages: Surpassed by some later period cycles
INTRODUCTION
Beethoven's nine symphonies cover one of the major cornerstones of symphonic literature along with the likes of Haydn, Brahms and Sibelius. Beethoven was born in turbulent times when the common people's dissatisfaction toward the ruling monarchs in Europe was reaching new heights which finally culminated in the French Revolution in 1789. Against this came Beethoven, who was born into a family of musicians in Bonn in 1770. His father wanted to coin in on the child prodigy market created by Mozart whose father had exploited his genius in a similar way. But Beethoven was no Mozart. He wasn't born a child progidy and his performing skills were nowhere near as natural as they were with Mozart. Still he made rapid progress as a piano virtuoso and an amateur composer. He was even supposed to take some lessons with Mozart in Wien ...
Advantages: Outstanding music on period instruments Disadvantages: Swaping C.D'S in music player.
The 9 symphonies by Ludwig Van Beethoven. (1770 - 1827)
Performed by The London Classical Players.
Conducted by Sir Roger Norrington.
With the Schutz choir of London.
Not everybody likes classical music. Even those who do, do not all like the same things.
This boxed set of CD's if different from previous recordings.
Firstly, it is played on period instruments. This is not to everybody?s taste.
These instruments are not like today?s instruments. For instance, the violin has a cleaner but more plaintive tone. The woodwinds
each has a colour and clarity of tone that blends to a harmonious whole. The timpani, those smaller drums, are hit with hard sticks more reminiscent of military drum sounds. The horn section has a different feel to it.
Considering the lapse of some 184 years, it would be strange if the sounds ...
Advantages: dynamic and gripping Disadvantages: none
Fantastic to have another additional collection of all five of Beethoven's piano concerti. Spanning his life we can really get to grips with his evolving use of the orchestra in these works. From the Third's action packed finale to the Fourth's beautiful expressions to the grandeur of the much loved Fifth.
The playing is precise, dramatic and full of energy; as indeed it should be.
Aimard's playing is always well crafted and beautifully shaped. This is an insightful disk and has taken the musicians an awful lot of hard work. A must-have for any lover of Beethoven's piano music. If you usually go for his chamber music or string quartets why not branch out and explore Aimard's wonderful take on these concerti? Well worth buying and indeed an inspiration for myself and other pianists alike. ...
Alan Held (Baritone); Angela Denoke (Soprano); Ion Tibrea (Bass); Jon Villars (Tenor); Juliane Banse (Soprano)
Orchestra / Ensemble(s)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; Arnold Schoenberg Chorus
Date of Release
06/10/2008
Label / Distributor
Gemini / EMI
Pieces in Set
2
Genre(s)
Stage works
Stereo
Stereo
SPAR Code
DDD
EAN
5099921763021
Catalogue Number
217
Work 1
Work Title
Fidelio, Op. 72
Excerpt(s)
1. Overture 2. ACT 1 - Jetzt, Schätzchen, jetzt 3. Oh, wär' ich schon 4. Mir ist so wunderbar 5. Hat man nicht auch Gold 6. Gut, Söhnchen, gut 7. Mich dünkt, ich kenne diese Schrift 8. March 9. Ha! Welch ein Augenblick 10. Jetzt, Alter 11. Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin?; Komm, Hoffnung 12. O, welche Lust! 13. Nun sprecht, wie ging's?; Ach! Vater, eilt! 14. ACT 2 - Gott! Welch Dunkel hier!; In des Lebens 15. Melodrama; Nur hurtig fort 16. Euch werde Lohn 17. Er sterbe! 18. O, namen, namenlose Freude! 19. Heil sei dem Tag 20. Des besten Königs Wink und Wille 21. Wer ein holdes Weib errungen.
Composer
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827)
Genre
Stage works
Date Written
1814
Conductor
Simon Rattle
Orchestra / Ensemble
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Orchestra / Ensemble
Arnold Schoenberg Chorus
Main Performer
Alan Held (Baritone), Angela Denoke (Soprano), Ion Tibrea (Bass), Jon Villars (Tenor), Juliane Banse (Soprano), László Polgár (Bass), Rainer Trost (Tenor), Thomas Ebenstein (Tenor), Thomas Quasthoff (Bass)
Opera Part(s)
Alan Held (Don Pizarro), Angela Denoke (Leonore), Ion Tibrea (Second Prisoner), Jon Villars (Florestan), Juliane Banse (Marzelline), László Polgár (Rocco), Rainer Trost (Jaquino), Thomas Ebenstein (First Prisoner), Thomas Quasthoff (Don Fernando)
