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Presto News - 18th October 2010Dame Joan Sutherland |
 Dame Joan Sutherland, the great Australian soprano and one of the most celebrated singers of all time, died peacefully in her home last week at the age of 83. I’ve been re-listening to a number of her recordings over the last few days and reminding quite how unbelievably good she was. Some sopranos have a great middle register but when they get to the high notes the voice thins out a bit. That was never the case with Joan - the top notes were always spot on, and huge. She had amazing breath control, perfect intonation, unbelievable coloratura, splendid trills and pinpoint staccatos. Vocally speaking she really did have the whole package, and it is not surprising that Pavarotti (her regular vocal partner on stage and on record) described hers as "the greatest voice of the century".  Joan Sutherland with Luciano Pavarotti in 1966 She came to London and joined the Royal Opera House in 1952 where she was paid eight pounds a week as a member of the chorus. Two years later she married Australian conductor and pianist Richard Bonynge (although they had already been together for some time). He became her mentor and must take a lot of credit for the development of her voice and the shaping of her career. Bonynge constantly lobbied the opera house to give her a chance in the major bel canto roles, but it wasn't until 1959 that they finally gave her the opportunity she needed in a production of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor which was conducted by Serafin and directed by Zeffirelli. Even before the first night word of her remarkable talent had spread quickly and both Maria Callas and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf turned up at the dress rehearsal. She brought the house down at the first night and was transformed overnight into an international star. Lucia became her signature role and during her career she sang it an astonishing 233 times and also made four recordings (the third of which - featuring Pavarotti and conducted by Bonynge - is generally considered her best). In her early days at the opera house they thought of her as a Wagnerian singer, which I guess considering the range and power of her voice, was perfectly understandable. Bonynge however had other ideas. He was developing a great love of the neglected bel canto repertoire (Bellini, Donizetti, etc) and although, when performed, the main roles were at the time more frequently taken by lighter sopranos, he saw Joan as an integral part of his revolution. She went on to play a major role in returning a number of hitherto forgotten works to the stage and recording studio, and she didn't limit herself to the bel canto repertoire either, for she also did sterling work for a number of composers and works ranging from Handel to Massenet. For Decca she made 40 recordings of 33 different operas, as well as operatic highlights, anthologies and specially conceived collections of music ranging from baroque rarities to selections from operetta and songs by Noël Coward (who was a personal friend). The only criticisms she occasionally received were for slightly unclear diction and that her stage performances sometimes lacked the drama of someone like Maria Callas. To be honest those are probably both fair comments, but with a voice as supreme as that, frankly who cares. The public loved her and her recorded legacy will live on for years to come. Hopefully Decca will now see fit to re-issue some of the recordings which are currently unavailable, some of which (such as Massenet’s Esclarmonde) have been out of the catalogue for far too long already. In the meantime you can read a little bit more about her and browse through all her currently available recordings here. I've also picked out below the Lucia (with Pavarotti) mentioned above and a 2-CD compendium of some of her great roles and arias, which gives a pretty good impression of just how amazing she really was.
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 Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor(1971 Decca recording)Joan Sutherland (Lucia), Luciano Pavarotti (Edgardo), Sherrill Milnes (Enrico), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Raimondo), Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Richard Bonynge |
 Joan Sutherland: The Voice of the CenturyIncludes arias from Lucia di Lammermoor, La sonnambula, Norma, Lakmé, Semiramide, La Fille du Régiment, Turandot, and many more. |
Chris O'Reilly - chris@prestoclassical.co.uk |
New Releases18th October 2010 |
This is just the pick of the recent releases. The New Releases and Future Releases pages are always available for browsing all the new and forthcoming releases. |
 Ian Bostridge: The Three Baroque TenorsIan Bostridge (tenor), The English Consort, Bernard LabadieJohn Beard, Francesco Borosini, Annibale Fabri: these three men helped to revolutionized music in the 18th century. Their voices moved the greatest composers of the time to increasingly write for tenors, a move from the Castrati, which had dominated opera since 1600. Now, three centuries since this trio’s brilliance encouraged a surge of new repertoire for the vocal range, world renowned tenor Ian Bostridge celebrates their legacy with his stunning new release, Three Baroque Tenors. |
 Pergolesi: Stabat MaterAnna Prohaska (soprano) & Bernarda Fink (mezzo-soprano), Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Bernhard ForckPergolesi completed his Stabat Mater a few days before his death, on 17 March 1736, prompting comparisons with another mythical figure, Mozart composing his Requiem. It is framed here by three more masterpieces of the pianto genre in a similar spirit of bittersweet sadness. |
 Alison Balsom: Italian ConcertosAlison Balsom (trumpet), Scottish Ensemble'She makes the trumpet sing with an irresistible exuberance and eloquence.' With the human voice a particular inspiration in the music of Italy, the words of The Times have a special resonance for Alison Balsom in these works composed or inspired by Italian composers of the 18th century. This collection provides an apt vehicle for the award-winning trumpeter's characteristic brilliance and grace. |
 Purcell & Blow: Odes & SongsCarlos Mena & Damien Guillon (countertenors) & Philippe Pierlot (bass viol, direction), Ricercar ConsortThere is no record of how Purcell's unprecedented youthful genius was received by his contemporaries, though it seems logical that it must have caused considerable wonder in the musical world centred around Westminster. The reality of London musical life was in fact difficult, frenetic, and grossly underfunded, and, along with the whole city, was thrown into confusion with the outbreak of the plague, the war with the Dutch and the catastrophic fire of London. Suffice it to say that a lifelong friendship developed with John Blow, who relinquished his post as organist at Westminster Abbey to the 20-year old Purcell in 1679. |
 Mendelssohn: The Piano Concertos & Rondo BrilliantMartin Helmchen (piano), Royal Flemish Philharmonic, Philippe HerrewegheAll Helmchen’s recordings for the PentaTone label have been award winners. The romantic and virtuoso piano concertos by Mendelssohn never became as popular as his violin concertos but are of just as high a calibre. Helmchen regularly works with Philippe Herreweghe and this collaboration has resulted in a very special album. There is no other recording of these works currently available on SACD. |
 Angelika Kirchschlager: Wolf & StraussAngelika Kirchschlager (mezzo-soprano) & Roger Vignoles (piano)Angelika Kirchschlager is regarded as one of the most distinguished mezzo-sopranos of her generation and in particular is recognised internationally for her interpretations of Richard Strauss. She gives regular solo recitals, balancing her operatic career with lieder performances. Eminent piano accompanist and leading authority on the song repertoire, Roger Vignoles, is her long-standing musical partner. |
 Bartók: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2Arabella Steinbacher (violin), Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Marek JanowskiSteinbacher’s previous release on PentaTone (Dvorak and Szymanowski Concertos PTC5186350) was very well received “Rarely has the composer’s magical ear for instrumental sonorities sounded so beguiling on disc….Steinbacher responds with playing that is both sensually alluring and headily impassioned.” The Strad. Here she brings her expertise in interpretation to the Bartók Violin Concertos. |
 Eric Whitacre: Light & GoldGrace Davidson (soprano), Stephen Kennedy (baritone), Hila Plitmann (spoken Hebrew) & Christopher Glynn (piano), The Eric Whitacre Singers, Laudibus, The King’s Singers & Pavão Quartet, Eric WhitacreEric Whitacre (b. 1970), accomplished composer, conductor and lecturer, is one of the most popular and performed composers of his generation. His published works – of which “Sleep,” “Cloudburst,” “Lux Aurumque” and “Water Night” are among the most popular in the modern repertoire – have sold over a million copies worldwide. Light and Gold is a mixture of works from the Whitacre catalogue alongside three World Premiere recordings of new pieces, all of them freshly recorded for the occasion. |
 BBC Radio 3 CD ReviewSaturday 16th October 2010 |
Building a Library - Schumann: Das Paradies und die Peri, Op. 50 |
 First ChoiceBarbara Bonney, Alexandra Coku, Bernarda Fink, Neill Archer, Gerald Finley, Cornelius Hauptmann, Christoph Prégardien, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantiques, The Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner |
Disc of the Week |
 Bartók: Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 2 & 3 (complete)Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano), BBC Philharmonic, Gianandrea Noseda |
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