Joseph Haydn - Die Schopfung (The Creation) – Rafael Kubelik, Bavarian RSO

 

Release Date: 05/23/1995 Label: Orfeo Number of discs: 2 Composer: Franz Joseph Haydn Performer: Rafael Kubelik cd info/ buy

Review:

The work Haydn intended as his masterpiece caused a sensation when it was first performed, before a packed aristocratic audience, in Vienna's Palais Schwarzenburg in April 1798. But it was not until the following year, with anticipation at fever-pitch, that the wider Viennese public were able to hear Die Schopfung for themselves. The performance, in the Imperial Burgtheater on March 19, was on a grand scale, with some 120 instrumentalists (including tripled woodwind parts) complemented by an all-male choir of around 80, placed in front of the orchestra. Voice-fanciers were also eager to hear the debut of the talented and eyecatching 17-year-old soprano Therese Saal. The event capped even Haydn's London triumphs. Within a few years the oratorio was being performed throughout the German-speaking lands, in Britain and in France. The music's effortless fusion of melodic charm, pictorialism and elemental grandeur made an instant appeal to Kenner — connoisseurs — and Liebhaber — amateurs — alike. With its idyllic picture of a benign, rationally ordered universe, Die SchOpfung was perfectly in accord with Enlightenment thinking, as yet unsullied by Romantic angst. Its theology, minimising evil and guilt (unlike in Milton's Paradise Lost, a prime influence on the libretto, the Fall is touched on only incidentally), also chimed with the composer's own personal faith — 'not of the gloomy, always suffering sort, but rather cheerful and reconciled', as an early biographer put it. Rafael Kubelik conducted his beloved Chorus and Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio in this performance of Haydn's The Creation (sung in German) in June of 1984. The interpretation, the orchestral playing, and the singing, both solo and choral, cannot be faulted. The recording engineers, however, can, for not having better caught the precise singing of the chorus: the sound is full and rich but not very clear. On the other hand, the sound of the orchestra reveals the exquisite details Haydn included in this late masterpiece. The soloists are well matched and like Kubelik show in this performance, that they love the score and have lived into it. Performer:  Margaret Marshall (Soprano), Lucia Popp (Soprano), Vinson Cole (Tenor), Bernd Weikl (Baritone), Gwynne Howell (Bass) Conductor:  Rafael Kubelik Orchestra/Ensemble:  Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra,  Bavarian Radio Chorus

 

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Handel - Messiah - Klemperer, Schwarzkopf,Hoffman,Gedda,Hines,PO

Handel - Messiah - Klemperer, Schwarzkopf,Hoffman,Gedda,Hines,PO
Vocal | Ape, cue | no log, cover | 2 CD, 758 MB
September 12, 1990 | EMI | RapidShare

If you like your Messiah to be big and huge, then this one is it my friends! Unfortunately the executives at EMI have discontinued it.

The opening and closing moments are something to marvel at, and the stereo sound is great. With every aria or recitative in Klemperer's Messiah, he has you listening with great attention (at least for me anyway). The cast is so good, and you can tell that they really wanted to make this a great recording. The Philharmonia chorus is directed by Wilhelm Pitz (from the Bayreuth Festival). They sing with the power and thunder of a volcano, and the sweet hush of a spring breeze. Mind you, with full, clean and clear articulation. The overall interpretation is so arch-like that it is similar to the way Klemperer does Bach's Mass in B. It's really rare how well he understands the score compared to the millions of cheap Messiah's recordings out there!

This Klemperer character never ceases to amaze me, and this Messiah I will now place at the top of my Messiah's list.

This Messiah is only for those who like their Messiah's grand and noble, and played with great stength. Not at all for the period performance lover with period style practice. This is for Klemperer lovers who want to love him even more!

If you ever find it, I highly recommend getting it! --Amazon

CD Content
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56
Composed by George Frideric Handel
Performed by Philharmonia Chorus, London Philharmonia Orchestra
with Jerome Hines, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Grace Hoffmann, Nicolai Gedda
Conducted by Otto Klemperer

Mendelssohn - Elijah - Terfel & Fleming

Mendelssohn - Elijah - Terfel & Fleming
Oratorio | Eac, Ape, cue | log, cover | 2 CD, 551 MB
October 14, 1997 | Decca | RapidShare

This is a period-instrument recording of Elijah and is played in the key Mendelssohn would have heard in London in the 1840's. The period instruments give class and sound quality to these XIX Century oratorios, take the brass for example, it's less vulgar and "brassy" than with modern instruments, and the gut strings help to clarify the textures. This is in fact one of the two best recordings of Elijah, the other also in period instruments is Philippe Herreweghe's gorgeous version for Harmonia Mundi (sung in the original German). DECCA has a marvelous team of soloists in Terfel, Fleming, Bardon and Ainsley, and the young conductor is very, very good. But don't worry, this is the right key and the Kosher way to hear Mendelssohn.--Amazon

I've heard many fine performances of this, the Mendelssohn masterpiece, both live and recorded, and THIS recording is the quintessential presentation. I've heard this sung in German, and I've heard it sung in English. And, no matter which of the two this is sung in, there is no finer performance anywhere. From the opening, with Bryn Terfel bursting force with the most power I've heard from him to date, to the defeat of the prophets of Baal, to the plea for Israel, to the final praise of God by the children of Israel, this work never lets up. Regardless of the pitching of the instruments or how Mendelssohn would have heard it, there is no doubt in my mind that he most certainly would have been enthralled with Terfel's performance. Terfel is, no question, the best there is in the world of classical bass-baritones today. Renee Fleming delivers a magnificently gorgeous performance. John Mark Ainsley holds his own as well. I was particularly impressed with the work of Patricia Bardon, whom I'd never heard from before this recording. Paul Daniel is worth his salt, too. And, the cake, which all of the soloists and the conductor are the icing for, is the combination of the Edinburgh Festival Chorus and the Enlightenment Orchestra...these are simply wonderful! They are so dramatic, articulate, and involved. If one is in search of a recording of "ELIJAH" by which one wants to hear the way it was meant to be performed (with intensity, emotion, fervor, and energy), then THIS is THE recording to pursue.--Amazon


Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
with Geoffrey Moses, Neal Davies, Bryn Terfel, Libby Crabtree, John Mark Ainsley, Stephen Doughty, David Watkin, Patricia Bardon, Renee Fleming, Sarah Fulgoni, Matthew Munro, John Bowen
Conducted by Paul Daniel

Track listing
Disc 1
01. Elijah / Part 1 - Introduction: "As God the Lord of Israel liveth" Bryn Terfel 1:03
02. Elijah / Part 1 - Overture Stephen Doughty 3:22
03. Elijah / Part 1 - "Help, Lord! Wilt Thou quite destroy us?" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 3:50
04. Elijah / Part 1 - "Lord, bow Thine ear to our pray'r!" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 1:52
05. Elijah / Part 1 - "Ye people, rend your hearts and not your garments" John Mark Ainsley 0:50
06. Elijah / Part 1 - "If with all your hearts ye truly seek Me" John Mark Ainsley 2:25
07. Elijah / Part 1 - "Yet doth the Lord see it not" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 4:00
08. Elijah / Part 1 - "Elijah! Get thee hence; Elijah!" Patricia Bardon 0:50
09. Elijah / Part 1 - "For He shall give His angels charge" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 3:43
10. Elijah / Part 1 - "What have I to do with thee" Renée Fleming 6:34
11. Elijah / Part 1 - "Bless'd are they who fear the Lord" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 3:21
12. Elijah / Part 1 - "As God the Lord of Sabaoth liveth" Bryn Terfel 4:36
13. Elijah / Part 1 - "Baal, we cry to thee" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 3:07
14. Elijah / Part 1 - "Call him louder, for he is a God!" Bryn Terfel 1:09
15. Elijah / Part 1 - "Call him louder! He heareth not" Bryn Terfel 2:24
16. Elijah / Part 1 - "Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel" Bryn Terfel 3:04
17. Elijah / Part 1 - "Cast thy burden upon the Lord" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 1:40
18. Elijah / Part 1 - "O Thou, who makest Thine angels" Bryn Terfel 3:01
19. Elijah / Part 1 - "Is not his word like a fire!" Bryn Terfel 1:59
20. Elijah / Part 1 - "Woe, woe unto them who forsake Him!" Patricia Bardon 2:44
21. Elijah / Part 1 - "O man of God, help thy people" Bryn Terfel 5:48
22. Elijah / Part 1 - "Thanks be to God! Edinburgh Festival Chorus 3:42

Disc 2:
01. Elijah / Part 2 - "Hear ye, Israel" - "Thus saith the Lord" - "I am He that comforteth" Renée Fleming 5:24
02. Elijah / Part 2 - "Be not afraid, saith God the Lord" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 4:11
03. Elijah / Part 2 - "The Lord hath exalted thee" Bryn Terfel 3:26
04. Elijah / Part 2 - "Woe to him! He shall perish!" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 1:39
05. Elijah / Part 2 - "Man of God, now let my words" John Mark Ainsley 2:20
06. Elijah / Part 2 - "It is enough! O Lord, now take away my life" Bryn Terfel 5:28
07. Elijah / Part 2 - "See, now he sleepeth beneath a juniper tree" John Mark Ainsley 0:53
08. Elijah / Part 2 - "Lift thine eyes to the mountains" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 1:51
09. Elijah / Part 2 - "He, watching over Israel, slumbers not" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 3:21
10. Elijah / Part 2 - "Arise, Elijah" Patricia Bardon 1:57
11. Elijah / Part 2 - "Oh rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him" Patricia Bardon 2:53
12. Elijah / Part 2 - "He that shall endure to the end" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 2:16
13. Elijah / Part 2 - "Night falleth round me! O Lord" Bryn Terfel 1:48
14. Elijah / Part 2 - "Behold, God the Lord passed by!" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 4:50
15. Elijah / Part 2 - "Above Him stood the Seraphim" - "Holy, holy, holy" Patricia Bardon 3:17
16. Elijah / Part 2 - "Go return upon thy way" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 1:22
17. Elijah / Part 2 - "For the mountains shall depart" Bryn Terfel 2:52
18. Elijah / Part 2 - "Then did Elijah the prophet break forth" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 2:29
19. Elijah / Part 2 - "Then shall the righteous shine" John Mark Ainsley 2:25
20. Elijah / Part 2 - "Behold, God hath sent Elijah the prophet" Renée Fleming 1:11
21. Elijah / Part 2 - "But the Lord from the north hath raised one" Edinburgh Festival Chorus 6:31
22. Elijah / Part 2 - "And then shall your light break forth" Renée Fleming 3:22

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