Jacqueline Du Pré - The Complete EMI Recordings by Jacquline Du Pré, Camille Saint-Saens, Edward Elgar, Joseph Haydn and Frederick Delius (2007) - Box set
Wonderful piece of work,
Jim
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...KL._SS400_.jpg
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Jacqueline Du Pré - The Complete EMI Recordings by Jacquline Du Pré, Camille Saint-Saens, Edward Elgar, Joseph Haydn and Frederick Delius (2007) - Box set
Wonderful piece of work,
Jim
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...KL._SS400_.jpg
Quote:
Originally Posted by Plato
I much prefer this to the Schwarzkopf one which I also have.Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinT
To my ears, Norman has a creaminess of voice which I do not hear in Schwarzkopf, although Schwarzkopf has amazing clarity.
P
I'm with you, Ken. I have about 8 different versions of the Four Last Songs, and for me Jessye catches the emotions just right. However, the accompaniment from Kurt Masur and the Gewandhauseorchester is also superb, brilliantly timed and supportive. Just listen to the finale of Im Abendrot - I swear this is some of the greatest music ever performed about the end of life.
Ever since I first heard them, I found them sublime.Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinT
If you like her, then I'd also suggest this
http://www.allmusic.com/album/releas...655027/credits
P
4 Last Songs - as ever, tastes are personal things.
Schwarzkopf I cannot hear the point of, she seems to manage without any true emotional involvement - I read a rare negative review once of her recording - "more artifice than art". I have to agree.
I do like our Jessye, but I don't rate her above these ...
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http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
http://static.rateyourmusic.com/albu...0eb/327776.jpg
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/DGG-2530368-R...+Qg~~60_35.JPG
and these two are my favourites of those I have heard ...
http://images37.concordmusicgroup.co...x188/80661.jpg
http://c3.cduniverse.ws/resized/250x...96/6687596.jpg
Felicity Lott is the one for me, she would be on my Desert Island list.
Schwarzkopf - agreed, a technical exercise within an emotional vacuum
Isokoski - I find her tone almost unlistenable. One of the most disappointing performances I have
Te Kanawa - pretty good overall
Lott - agreed, lovely
Popp is also nice but a bit lightweight.
It's good that we all connect with different performances. The world would be a dull place otherwise.
Yep, absolutely.Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinT
P
Totally agree Martin - I'd pretty much concur with your other comments too.Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinT
I've 'only' got 4 versions of 4LS but for me Jessye tops them, and is the one I always come back home to. I saw her perform these shortly after Birmingham Symphony Hall was opened in 1991; they were the last piece of the first half of the concert, and there were people openly weeping in the audience so much was the emotional impact of the music. To know when, and why Strauss composed these songs just adds to their intensity. I will never tire of listening to them.
The Isokoski disc is ok for me, mainly as it comes with a goodly collection of other songs in the package. Janowitz I've never really connected with and the BPO's playing (especially the woodwind's intonation in Im Abendrot which is poor) is below their usual par - it all sounds so hurried too, a little matter-of-fact. The playing is nowhere near as good as the Gewandhauseorchester on the Norman disc who sound fabulous - the ending of Im Abendrot is sublime and drifts away, carrying the listener with it. Beautiful.
Playing at the moment:
William Byrd: Mass for 4 Voices/Mass for 5 Voices (Oxford Camerata).
I'm continuing my odyssey through the dusty RVW isle in my LP library and have alighted on this today:
http://991.com/newGallery/Vaughan-Wi...dge-540514.jpg
I'd forgotten what a super tenor voice Ian Partridge has. I'm not a great fan of "operatic" voices (sorry, we can't all like everything! :rolleyes: ), but Partridge's lightness and lyricism is very appealing.