[CanadianMaestro]

I have got several of those recordings in full and one of my absolute favourites is his Pamino and "Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd Schön", from Mozart´s Die Zauberflöte
For non German readers again it reads roughly as: "This little portait is bewitchingly beautiful."

But that DGG/Böhm recording which I have both as original LPs boxed set ,and as hi res download, is the one I like most of all recordings of that amazing Opera.Much better than the Karajan first ever DGG digital release on the same label, imho. Fritz Wunderlich also recorded some really impressive Schubert Lieders for DGG in the early to mid 60s.
Cheers CC

Totally right on.
Generally, Mozart loved composing operas, and most of them were sublime. I must say, attending Mozart operas at the Met in the 1990s, I always walked away (late at night!) humming a few tunes from the operas! They just stick in my hippocampus! I honestly cannot say the same for other composers' operas, except perhaps Carmen and the Barber of Seville. Verdi doesn't do it for me. But Mozart....absolutely a joy, and beneath every smile is a tear. And He loved tormenting the sopranos by writing arias with extreme vocal dynamics etc. Love them. He had that gift of melody intertwined with hilarious storylines.
What if He had lived another 25 years?

 

[Luis Mad]

Totally right on.
Generally, Mozart loved composing operas, and most of them were sublime. I must say, attending Mozart operas at the Met in the 1990s, I always walked away (late at night!) humming a few tunes from the operas! They just stick in my hippocampus! I honestly cannot say the same for other composers' operas, except perhaps Carmen and the Barber of Seville. Verdi doesn't do it for me. But Mozart....absolutely a joy, and beneath every smile is a tear. He had that gift of melody intertwined with hilarious storylines.
What if He had lived another 25 years?

Completely agree with this. I am not abig opera fan but Mozart is really something else. Next spring I hope to see in the Teatro Real in Madrid Le nozze di Figaro, always amazing! Probably the performance will not be to my liking. They will likely turn the characters into contemporary, nazis or anything else that has nothing to do with the libretto. At least I am sure I will love the music!
I like Verdi but no contest with Mozart for me…

 

[CanadianMaestro]

^ I haven't attended a Mozart opera since the Met in the 90s. I guess the "modernization" of these classics with ridiculous costumes and sets is a feeble attempt at originality. Remember the Salzburg production of Don Giovanni where the female extras were in two-piece lingerie?

 

[Light - Man]

Hey Maestro, why did you lose that interesting video from your post.

I did not get a chance to view it yet, so perhaps you can post it here or PM it to me if you prefer?

 

[Christer]

Remember, we evolved from those critters.

OMG, you guys keep me so busy both listening to music posted and responding to posts here recently that I am almost about to neglect my piano practice today again.

But this time I have to issue you a stern warning !
You are out on about as "thin ice" as our Mr Trev was on Elbow River.

Both Light -Man and I sometimes touch on too sensitive subjects for some here, and recently got punished for it.
And with "religion/evolution" possibly being one of those sensitive subjects, your evolutionary claims here made me recall another travel memory.

During a Wildlife Tour on Borneo a few years ago I happenend to comment to my guests on how intelligent and similar to us Homo Sapiens the Orangutans are. I think we share some 97% or so of our genetic make-up with them. I think Orangutan intelligence is similar to a 3-4 year old child and most of them pass the mirror test ie they do realize whose face they see in a mirror.
But my local "assistant" guide later quite vehemently claimed we decended from Adam and Eve, not Apes!
That was what he had been taught in school.

I did not argue with him.
I let my case rest.

Back on the slightly less evolved "critters" monkeys like maqaques, I have also had to barter with some of those once to get back my girlfriend´s spongebag in exchange for a good serving of bananas.
Only one banana did NOT do the job!
Give me more!

Both at some temples in India and also at Monkey Forest on Bali the maqaques there have learned what is a suitable tradeable item to steal, and often snatch fancy looking sunglasses from tourists there and will only hand them back to the owners if according to "monkey brain" economy a tempting and valuable enough treat is presented.

Now back on topic of music here is my favourite video recording of Beethoven´s Pathetique Sonata:
Daniel Barenboim plays Beethoven Sonata No. 8 Op. 13 (Pathetique) - YouTube
Now he really knows how to play pianissimo on a piano and his sense of flow and musical line is imho impeccable . Simply THE best for me.
PS If the moderator finds this and objects ,I hope Barenboim will not have to suffer my fate too. Have a nice day CM.
I really have to dig out some of my Fritz Wunderlich LPs
Cheers CC

 

[CanadianMaestro]

^ Hilarious, CC. That's mostly why I keep this forum bookmarked, and for the musik from Luis and LM too.

Haven't listened to Barenboim's Beethoven in a while, so you have peaked my interest to go and dig them out.
His Mozart ctos with the ECO are very good too.
Stay safe,
CM

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Hey Maestro, why did you lose that interesting video from your post.

I did not get a chance to view it yet, so perhaps you can post it here or PM it to me if you prefer?

Cheers LM.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Now back on topic of music here is my favourite video recording of Beethoven´s Pathetique Sonata:
Daniel Barenboim plays Beethoven Sonata No. 8 Op. 13 (Pathetique) - YouTube
Now he really knows how to play pianissimo on a piano and his sense of flow and musical line is imho impeccable . Simply THE best for me.
Have a nice day CM.
I really have to dig out some of my Fritz Wunderlich LPs
Cheers CC

Heck, in that video of DB playing Pathetique....he even dresses like Ludwig van!!

High collar, mussy hair, pout.

Enjoying the heat wave here -- -6C right now.
T-shirts and lemonade.
cheers
CM

 

[Christer]

Cheers LM.

OMG again, those scantily clad ladies wow!

I tend to hold most modern Opera producers in the same respect as I hold most modern architects , you know those who design BIG UGLY concrete monsters for others, but live in beautifully designed wooden mansions themselves , NOT very highly!

But Don Giovanni Is imho "the Opera of all Operas" and I have been fortunate enough to attend and photograph a historic replica production of the orginal performance at the Prague Estates Opera House where Mozart himself conducted its premiere.
The singing in this snippet sounds wonderful, it is a Salzburg production after all.
Although a certain Don, is it Samuel Ramey? seems more occupied with letting her hair out and eyeing her full bosom than touching her hands which he is actually singing about.
My own latest live Opera visit was in Singapore, about 4-5 years ago, Mozart´s amazing , Cosi van Tutte, in a both well sung and well produced version.
I saw it twice and even attended some piano rehearsals.

Cheers CC

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Salzburg video ^: I think that's Thomas Hampson,
looking for his Viagra pills.

 

[Christer]

Salzburg video ^: I think that's Thomas Hampson,
looking for his Viagra pills.

Wow man!!!
Do you suspect he had dropped them In her cleavage accidentaly ?
Cheers CC

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Funny, that was what I was also thinking.
Raiders of the Lost Pill.
off to the supermarket.
TC,
CM

 

[Light - Man]

Luis, I wonder if you have come across the violinist Sara Valencia from Madrid. She is in her early 20's and a promising star for the future.

W. A. MOZART: Violin Concerto N°2 in D Major k211(I) - Sara Valencia

Anna Mirakyan on piano. Recorded live in Madrid 28/10/2021

 

[Luis Mad]

Luis, I wonder if you have come across the violinist Sara Valencia from Madrid. She is in her early 20's and a promising star for the future.

W. A. MOZART: Violin Concerto N°2 in D Major k211(I) - Sara Valencia

Anna Mirakyan on piano. Recorded live in Madrid 28/10/2021

thank you Mr Light-Man. She is good! I have never heard of her before. She looks younger than 20, maybe like 14... at least in my opinion, I have a teenage daughter. I have read she won a musical contest and in her interview she explained how incredibly difficult is to start in this musical world in Spain. That was before covid... I guess it must be even more difficult now.
As far as violinists go, María Dueñas is the most famous rising star in Spain, but she has already spent years in Germany and Austria.

Here you can see her with the Radio and TV orquestra ORTVE

 

[Light - Man]

Indeed Luis, Sara Valencia looks very young but she was born in 1999 in Madrid. However it might not be long before she meets the wrong guy, stops playing the violin and instead, spends her time eating too many pies and beer and ends up in the wrong side of town!

Yes, it is very difficult for rising talent and since COVID came, it has been disastrous for them!