Mr. Pe-Zulu's countrywoman...

RdS said:
You are forcing me to resume a nastgy habit, but I will do so!
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Dear RdS

I would like to recommend the use of organPIPES
instead. This is indeed a most healthy habit.

Cheers,
 
Dixit Dominus

tones said:
Handel's most magnificent religious work (and IMHO one of the most spectacular and exciting ever written) is his setting of Psalm 110 "Dixit Dominus", one of a group of works for the Carmelites when he was a young man in Rome. Bach rarely shows such spectacular style. This is worth a listen - I'm told it's absolute murder to sing - Handel, with a profound understanding of the human voice, wrote it on the edges of possibility:

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Dear Tones

At last the two Dixit Dominus, I ordered some time ago, have arrived, and I have listened to them.

Beginning with the Minkowski recording I was very disappointed. Well, the female singers are excellent and the period strings sound crisp and nice, but the overall impression was lack of style
and unconcentrated direction.

Afterwards the Gardiner recording. This is on quite another level. Stylish, concentrated and thoughout conscient expression. Very impressive indeed, and I understand, why you recommended the work. I shall surely return to Gardiners recording now and then.

Zadok the priest on the other hand sounds even under Gardiners baton in my ears just like rather superficial ceremonial music, and do IMO not at all compare with Händels best instrumental music.

Regards,
 
tones said:
Sorry.... :shame:
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Dear Tones

You don't need to be sorry on my behalf. I am happy to have recommendations of relevant music whereby my horizon is widened. So don't hold yourself back from recommending things you like in the future, please. And thanks for the Händel-recommendation.

Kind regards,
 
tones said:
When you have Bach, Handel (and of course Monteverdi), who needs anyone else?
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Hi guys .... only me!

Clearly R3 doesn't agree with you - as they are just now approaching the mid point of their week playing "every note that Ludwig wrote". Bliss! Only problem is finding time to sleep and work. Some lovely stuff I'd never have come across otherwise - Fischer-Dieskau singing some of LvB's Lieder (not my favourite genre by a long way) was great - including a the one where he tries out the theme that would later become the Ode to Joy, and I went to a really fun half hour (on the way to a performance of Bernstein's Mass) when they did "Wellington's Victory" at the Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner (although the Ritterballet was pretty tedious, and the PA system was unutterably dreadful).

I do think Handel's Dixit Dominus is great, but most Handel beyond the main pops I've heard leaves me cold - very pretty and well put together, but doesn't take me to that other place the greatest music (like late LvB, JSB's BWV1001-1006...oh and of course Die Walkure!) does - so I suppose he'd be my Baroque version of Mozart (worthy but irritatingly mannered after more than about 30 mins), to JSB's LvB (often transcendental), and Vivaldi's Haydn (irrepressible and great fun).

Just to forestall any pedants out there :yikes: ...maybe there're a few notes that never made it out of his sketch books they're skipping, but they're doing pretty well with even some unfinished fragments etc. and they're including all the WoO- and Hesse- numbered only too, and different versions where they exist (e.g. the third act of Leonore is just about to start) - and they included a performance of Mozart K466 with LvB's cadenze right at the beginning. Don't think they're doing the 10th symphony though - maybe that's just too much sketch and scholarly reconstruction. From the feedback on the web-site it's being received pretty well, although there are a few antis.

They also made a comment this morning that they're contemplating a couple of other marathons too; I assume Bach would be one, and I fear Mozart may be on the cards too - but I suspect I'm busy that week!
 

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