Britten - War Requiem [Gardiner-NDR Sinfonieorchester] 

I must admit that these discs were not a phenomenal musical experience, but rather an interesting one, i consider Britten's War Requiem a masterpiece, so i was troubled by the lukewarm feelings for this work on listening to these discs today, is it me?, i own the Chandos Richard Hickox set, it's the only version of the War Requiem i've ever heard, so i thought i would acquire a new set, a second opinion of the work if you will, there's gains and losses [mainly losses], but also new insights too, first off i feel that this is a happier version, it's certainly quicker, and more upbeat, as well as possibly being lighter, however the Requiem is meant to be a dark foreboding lament, so it doesn't work very well, in the Hickox version we have Heather Harper, who for me is the star of that set, she sings with a real demonic bent, wailing and screaming as it were, nicely 'out of tune' in the best possible meaning, Luba Orgonasova by comparison is almost a sweet tame Soprano, not what i think Britten had in mind, i must admit some of the words are clearer, especially by the Tenor, also i don't like the way this set splits up each of the sections into further tracks, it actually makes it harder to know where you are, plus this set is recorded at a low volume.

John Eliot Gardiner is English, now 68 years old, he made this live recording in 1992 in Germany, the front cover picture is of fallen church bells, caused by an air raid during the second world war, i can see Gardiner's vision and copying to some degree the original premier, three international Artists as the soloists, and a damaged church, though this time in Germany, certainly the front cover is a far better picture than the Chandos / Hickox, it's awful.

The movement i like the most is the Sanctus, but as that isn't quite a success, i must admit that the Agnus Dei worked the best for me, it's the shortest movement at three and a half minutes, it's a doleful dirge on the strings, as the Tenor sings high and slightly boyish, it really works, it's a movement which rocks back and forth, from English words by Wilfred Owen, to the Latin of the Agnus Dei, there's a nice agitation from the percussion [2:12+], i like the way the Tenor soloist at the end sings Dona Nobis Pacem [3:16-3:32], with almost a humming chorus in the background, i'll seriously have to listen to my Hickox / Chandos version to see if it's still the masterpiece i remember it as.

Here's the Agnus Dei being played on YouTube.

Various Composers - Baritone Opera Arias [Skovhus/Conlon-English National Opera Orchestra]

Here's another Opera Aria recital, just last week i was talking about Roberto Alagna [20th November 2010], these Opera Aria discs take a bit more concentration to listen to, instead of just playing a disc and doing something else at the same time, you have to stop and listen, because it's full of vocals, usually in a foreign language, you have to keep track of what is being sung, for that reason i need a bit more 'quiet time' to listen to Opera, and some of these discs have had a tendency to be cast aside somewhat, also several years ago i went on an Opera Aria disc binge, now i'm looking at a few of the rash buys, and sorting quality from quantity, and thinning out these discs.

Bo Skovhus is Danish, born in 1962, he recorded this disc in 1997, i like the booklet cover [photo by Stephen Danelian], a nice stance / pose, lit from the left, probably from a window maybe, a nice soft light, creating soft shadows on the floor, and it's that door behind Skovhus, a nice brown / orange glow to it, very well done.

On this disc i find that Skovhus sings too much from Thomas's Hamlet [4 arias], he could of had a greater mix here, i enjoyed tracks 2, 7 & 9 the most, with the Britten aria from Billy Budd being especially meaningful, it's a touching scene, Billy Budd is condemned to die by hanging, he 'accidently' killed another shipmate [probably termed as manslaughter], and he mourns his life on his last day, but he is strong and has a positive outlook, it starts off on doleful and mournful low strings [0:00+], almost a solemn funeral march, but it's interrupted by the naval piping of the piccolo [0:10+], and it's this constant piping, that interrupts at the end of almost every verse that Billy Budd sings, and it's this wonderful touch that makes the aria, and Britten is so skillful at using a musical idee fixe to create drama and conjure up atmosphere, a satisfying repetition to things, it's for me the moment of moments in this aria, and makes me want to discover some more Britten gems, Billy mourns his last day, very early in the morning as the moon still shines,

Look!, through the port comes the moon shine astray!

It tips the guard's cutlass and silvers this nook

But 'twill die in the dawning of Billy's last day

Ay, ay, all is up, and i must up too

the words are sung in a resigned tone, as he thinks on his death and how it will all unfold, but the second half of the aria Billy thinks on more happier times [5:47+], his life at sea, and how many wonderful things it has brought him, and ends with a contentment and strength, and even a hope beyond death, both parts of the aria end on a very low note from the double bass, it's a poignant aria, full of sadness, perfectly created and caught by Britten, and Bo Skovhus sings it so well, he has acted / sung the part of Billy Budd on stage, you wouldn't think he was Danish from his singing.

Here's Dwayne Croft singing the first half of the aria on YouTube.