Pizzetti - Mord in der Kathedrale - Hotter, Karajan, Wiener Staatsoper

Pizzetti - Mord in der Kathedrale - Hotter, Karajan, Wiener Staatsoper
Opera | Eac, flac, cue | log, no scans | 2 CD, 407 MB
March 17, 1998 | DG | RS




Ildebrando Pizzetti

(b Parma, 20 Sept 1880; d Rome, 13 Feb 1968). Italian composer. He studied at the Parma Conservatory (1895-1901), then taught at Florence (1908-24) Milan (1924-36) and the Accademia di S Cecilia, Rome (1936-58). He was also active as a music critic. A serious-minded conservative, he looked for a renewal of Italian opera on the basis of a flexible arioso developed from Wagner, Debussy and Musorgksy and in some ways looking back to Florentine monody, as well as using imaginative choral writing: his main works in this genre include his first two operas, Fedra and Debora e Jaele, and especially Assassinio nella cattedrale. He also wrote an unaccompanied Requiem, one of his several unaccompanied choral works to demonstrate his sympathy for the expressive power of vocal polyphony.

Mord in der Kathedrale

* Komponist: Pizzetti, Ildebrando
* Orchester: Wiener Staatsopernorchester,
* Chor: Wiener Staatsopernchor, Konzertvereinigung
* Thomas Becket: Hotter, Hans
* 1. Priester: Equiluz, Kurt
* 2. Priester: Heater, Claude
* 3. Priester: Hurshell, Edmond
* Ein Herold: Dermota, Anton
* 1. Versucher: Stolze, Gerhard
* 2. Versucher: Schöffler, Paul
* 3. Versucher: Berry, Walter
* 4. Versucher: Kreppel, Walter
* 1. Choriphäe: Zadek, Hilde
* 2. Choriphäe: Ludwig, Christa
* 1. Ritter: Stolze, Gerhard
* 2. Ritter: Schöffler, Paul
* 3. Ritter: Berry, Walter
* 4. Ritter: Kreppel, Walter
* Dirigent: Karajan, Herbert von
* Inszenierung: Wallmann, Margarethe
* Bühnenbild: Zuffi, Pietro
* Technische Einrichtung: Felkel, Hans
* Beleuchtung: Rotter, Albin
* Chordirektor: Rossmayer, Richard

WStO / HvK Wiener Staatsoper live / I. Pizzetti: Mord in der Kathedrale - Hotter, Zadek, Ludwig, Dermota, Stolze, Schöffler, Berry
Medium: MONO
Label: DG


CD Content

Disk: 1
1. Einleitung (Erster Akt)
2. Verweilen wir hier (Erster Akt)
3. Vergangen sind die Sommerzeit und sieben Jahre (Erster Akt)
4. Vergebet die Begeisterung und Erregung (Erster Akt)
5. Ich bin euch mehr als dankbar (Erster Akt)
6. Ihr sehet, gnädiger Herr (Erster Akt)
7. Gnädiger Herr (Erster Akt)
8. Geschwunden ist die Ruhe (Erster Akt)
9. Schwör Treue (Erster Akt)
10. Nun sind klar mir die Wege (Erster Akt)
Disk: 2
1. Teure Kinder in Gott (Erster Akt)
2. Auch nicht heute (Zweiter Akt)
3. Dem Tag der heiligen Weihnacht (Zweiter Akt)
4. Boten des Königs (Zweiter Akt)
5. Die Boten des Todes (Zweiter Akt)
6. Friede, Friede! (Zweiter Akt)
7. Dies irae (Zweiter Akt)
8. öffnet wieder die Tore (Zweiter Akt)
9. Hier bin ich (Zweiter Akt)
10. Wir erbitten (Zweiter Akt)
11. Gott, wir preisen Dich (Zweiter Akt)

Wagner - Der Fliegende Holländer - Hotter, Krauss, Bayerische Staatsoper

Wagner - Der Fliegende Holländer -
Hotter, Krauss, Bayerische Staatsoper
Opera | single tracks, flac, no cue | no log, scans | 2 CD, 534 MB
released 2005 | Documents | RapidShare

The stellar quality of this recording is well known.

Practically every male in this production is outstanding, Maestro Krauss included. Yet, the name Viorica Ursuleac (pronounced in Romanian [UR soo lyak]) is strong enough to persuade some buyers to choose another production altogether. I did not know until recently how misunderstood this artist of historical importance is.

Ursuleac's voice is large, rich, full, dark and quite powerful from top to bottom. It is trained to maintain a high tessitura. The vowels are based on the sound [oo] as the word "spooky". For those who want a reference, Ursuleac seems to be a fine mixture of Zinka Milanov and Antonietta Stella. In fact, Milanov's later style seems based on Ursuleac's example, they are that similar. Yet, Ursuleac is less slavic and more open toned, and in the top and bottom ranges she is more powerful than Milanov. She does not match Milanov's middle voice but her piano tones are on a par.

There is much to be studied about Ursuleac since she was the original R. Strauss soprano. Ranczak and Grob-Prandl among many others have spoken of her big and easy top register, which persuades me that Schwarzkopf, TeKanawa, and Fleming may be the modern version of the Strauss soprano; lighter voices. It seems that Ursuleac was able to sing ALL of the Strauss operas. It seems now that there are two types of Strauss sopranos: the dramatics and the lyrics.

My own opinion is that I am fond of her voice, if not the way she sings. I don't like that her High C in "In questa reggia" sounds as if it came from another throat or that her tone sags at times. Yet, I love the sound, the heaviness, that molasses like heaviness; sweet, thick, and rich.

Bravo Ursuleac!!!! It's about time!--Amazon


CD Content

Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman), opera, WWV 63
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Bavarian State Opera Orchestra
with Karl Ostertag, Franz Klarwein, Georg Hann, Hans Hotter, Viorica Ursuleac, Luise Willer
Conducted by Clemens Krauss