Albéniz - Merlin / Álvarez, Domingo, Henschel, Martínez, Eusebio, Orquest Sinfónia de Madrid

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
It sounds like an opera plot in itself: Albéniz, acknowledged master of the piano, keen to prove himself on the operatic stage, collaborating with Francis Burdett Money Coutts (founder of the bank) on an Arthurian trilogy. Only Merlin has ever been performed, and has waited more than a century to be heard as the composer intended. Worth the wait? Yes, insofar as this is a serious treatment of an age-old legend. The music, written by a composer who has absorbed the "leitmotiv" technique of Wagner thoroughly but never slavishly, filters Gregorian chant tellingly into the musical material, and gives the characters an emotional depth that not even Coutts's ham-fisted libretto can deny. It helps to have Plácido Domingo in commanding voice as Arthur, Jane Henschel insinuating as Morgan le Fay, and Carlos Alvarez as Merlin, whose unwary use of his own power initiates a fateful chain of consequences. José Eusebio's labor of love in realizing the work for performance is evident in his authoritative conducting, while a spacious recording presents the music in the best light. A missing masterpiece? Not quite, but try the Prelude to Act 3 [CD2, track 3] and see if you're not hooked. --Richard Whitehouse

Albéniz - Merlin / Álvarez, Domingo, Henschel, Martínez, Eusebio, Orquest Sinfónia de Madrid, Music, Isaac Albeniz, José De Eusebio, Carlos Alvarez, Plácido Domingo, Jane Henschel, Ana María Martínez, Carlos Chausson, Christopher Matman, Felipe Bou, Orquest Sinfónia de Madrid, Classical, Classical Music, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Opera/Operetta, Spanish/Portuguese Romantic Opera

Albéniz - Merlin / Álvarez, Domingo, Henschel, Martínez, Eusebio, Orquest Sinfónia de Madrid
Average customer rating:

beware a foreign libretto!

High Fantasy And Drama: Gorgeous Singing

Fabulous music, if a slightly flawed work

Interesting Work

Albeniz's Merlin

Albéniz - Merlin / Álvarez, Domingo, Henschel, Martínez, Eusebio, Orquest Sinfónia de Madrid
Isaac Albeniz , José De Eusebio , Carlos Alvarez , Plácido Domingo , Jane Henschel , Ana María Martínez , Carlos Chausson , Christopher Matman , Felipe Bou , and Orquest Sinfónia de Madrid
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Spanish & Portugese | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Albeníz: Pepita Jiménez

Jesús Guridi: El Caserío (The Homestead)

Gounod: Sapho

Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: Complete Opera (with full libretto and translation)

Rossini - Tancredi / Podles, Jo, Olsen, Spagnoli, di Micco, Lendi, Zedda

ASIN: B00004W180
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Merlin: Prelude
Merlin: Veni, Redemptor gentium (Monks)
Merlin: Hail, Mystic Morn (Merlin)
Merlin: Merlin, Master! (Nivian, Merlin)
Merlin: Interlude
Merlin: Egressus ejus a Patre (Monks)
Merlin: My Lords And Gentlemen At Arms! (Merlin)
Merlin: We Have Heard A Rumour'd Word (Men)
Merlin: Long I Prayed (Archbishop Of Canterbury)
Merlin: We Have Heard A Rumour'd Word (Men)
Merlin: Lo! 'Excalibur' Inlaid (Archbishop Of Canterbury)
Merlin: Who The Sceptre Hopes To Sway (Crowd)
Merlin: Fools And Simple Priest (Morgan, Crowd)
Merlin: Gawain, My Son! (King Lot, Gawain, Crowd)
Merlin: Now Shall I Lightly Take It (Mordred, Morgan, Crowd)
Merlin: None Is Here Whose Hand Alone Destin'd Is (Archbishop, Crowd)
Merlin: Pray, Sir Pellinore, Take Guard! (Merlin)
Merlin: Gentle Knights, The Lists Await Ye! (Crowd)
Merlin: Interlude
Merlin: Why Loiter On The Jouney (Kay, Arthur, Sir Pellinore, Sir Ector)
Merlin: O Fate Uncouth! (Arthur)
Merlin: Aequalis Aeterno Patri (Monks, All)
Merlin: By The Gospels We Swear (Sir Ector, Sir Pellinore, Merlin, King Lot, Crowd)
Merlin: Fools! By Merlin Mastered! (Morgan, Crowd, Monks, Arthur, Gawain, Kay, Merlin, Archbishop, Sir Ector, King Lot)
Merlin: Wounded With Ravage (Arthur, Merlin)
Merlin: Interlude
Merlin: God Love King Arthur And Save The State! (Nobles, Knights, Etc., Arthur)
Merlin: Lead Them Hither, To Learn Their Fate (Merlin, Arthur, Morgan)
Merlin: Death To The Sorceress! (Nobles, Knights, Etc., Gawain, Sir Pellinore)
Merlin: Peace, Peace (Arthur)
Merlin: This I Vow For Jesu's Sake! (Gawain, Arthur, Nobles, Knights, Etc.)
Merlin: Bastard And Lowly Born Boy! (Mordred, Morgan)
Merlin: Hear Me O Lady, And Save! (Nivian, Morgan)

Tracks:

Merlin: Hark, Hark! Did He Call? (Nivian, Morgan)
Merlin: Hark! He's Calling! (Nivian, Morgan)
Merlin: Prelude
Merlin: In Maytime, Merry Maytime (Choir)
Merlin: In Maytime, In Maytime... Oh! Not With Summer Madness (Arthur)
Merlin: I Would My Love Or Learning Your Love, My Liege, Might Let! (Merlin, Arthur)
Merlin: Herein To Serve Him Duly Were But A Foolish Thing (Merlin)
Merlin: Interlude
Merlin: Hither, Ye Covetous Elves! (Nivian)
Merlin: Tric A Ta Trac (Gnomes)
Merlin: Ah! (Maidens, Gnomes)
Merlin: When Flow'rets Of The Marigold And Daisy (Maidens)
Merlin: Herodias' Daughter Dancing (Merlin, Nivian)
Merlin: See! It Becomes In Your Hand Nothing (Merlin)
Merlin: Sun-Hearted Child Of The East
Merlin: First I Must Pillage The Hive (Merlin)
Merlin: Borne On The Wings Of The Summering Swallow! (Nivian)
Merlin: Free, Free, Free! (Nivian)
Merlin: Sucklings And Babes Are Chosen (Morgan)

Amazon.com

It sounds like an opera plot in itself: Albéniz, acknowledged master of the piano, keen to prove himself on the operatic stage, collaborating with Francis Burdett Money Coutts (founder of the bank) on an Arthurian trilogy. Only Merlin has ever been performed, and has waited more than a century to be heard as the composer intended. Worth the wait? Yes, insofar as this is a serious treatment of an age-old legend. The music, written by a composer who has absorbed the "leitmotiv" technique of Wagner thoroughly but never slavishly, filters Gregorian chant tellingly into the musical material, and gives the characters an emotional depth that not even Coutts's ham-fisted libretto can deny. It helps to have Plácido Domingo in commanding voice as Arthur, Jane Henschel insinuating as Morgan le Fay, and Carlos Alvarez as Merlin, whose unwary use of his own power initiates a fateful chain of consequences. José Eusebio's labor of love in realizing the work for performance is evident in his authoritative conducting, while a spacious recording presents the music in the best light. A missing masterpiece? Not quite, but try the Prelude to Act 3 [CD2, track 3] and see if you're not hooked. --Richard Whitehouse

Customer Reviews:

beware a foreign libretto!.......2006-08-31

I'm assuming that Albeniz didn't understand a word of this English libretto. It ranks as just about the worst I've ever encountered. One unintentionally hilarious line has the soprano ask of Merlin "I pray, grant me to hold your rod..." meaning his magic wand (of course). I was really disappointed that the octet of countertenor gnomes is so short (no pun intended. They also sound just like the chorus of fairies (ditto-females) that sing in response to them. Too bad. The orchestral music is beautiful, and the performances quite good, but what a waste. There's just no drama here.

High Fantasy And Drama: Gorgeous Singing.......2005-11-12

Isaac Albeniz is better known for his Spanish piano/orchestral music but this, his only opera, attests to his brilliance as an operatic conductor. Merlin is, of course, about the Arthurian legend, as sung by tenor Placido Domingo as King Arthu, bass baritone Carlos Alvarez as the eponymous magician and dramatic mezzo soprano Jane Henschel as Morgana Le Fay. Much has already been said about the virtuosity of Spanish conductor Eusebio and his Madrid orchestral forces. They truly deliver a powerful performance full of adventuresome, thrilling drama, like an operatic version of Lord of the Rings! There is a recent performance captured on DVD of this same revised version of Merlin. This recording is in a league of its own as an opera that is rare, valuable and supremely dramatic. This is perhaps the only rare opera that should be staged. If the proper singers are cast, it can be a powerhouse of an opera. This particular opera benefits from its mostly Spanish cast- Placido Domingo, Carlos Alvarez, Anna Maria Martinez and the conductor and the orchestra. The singular American singer in the cast is Jane Henschel. Since Spanish talents are interpreting an opera created by a Spanish composer - Isaac Albeniz- the magic in the music is even stronger. While there are only a few moments of Spanish/Moorish melody that Albeniz was known for (such as moments in the Preludes, orchestal interludes when singers are not talking and the dance sequences) there is also the Wagnerian technique of motifs and themes associated with ideas and characters. Doubtless, Albeniz was influenced by Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung, with its network of motifs that come and go and interact in the music. Sudden fortissimi, dissonance and hair-raising climaxes abound in the music. I cannot praise this recording enough and it's highly recommended. Placido Domingo is just great as the majestic King Arthur, his voice suitably dramatic but noble and beautiful to hear, Carlos Alvarez is a mystical, expressive Merlin, his voice is powerful and God-like, like a kind of Wagnerian Sarastro or Wotan himself in the Ring. Henschel is a fine mezzo who sings with bite and beauty but indeed it would have been wise to cast the retired Grace Bumbry for this 90's recording. Bumbry would have made the role of Morgana both sexy and dangerous. I would also consider Elena Obrasztsova, Shirley Verrett (if she, too, were pulled out of retirement) Dolora Zajick, Debora Voight or the recently accomplished mezzo-soprano/soprano Violetta Urmana. Morgana is a devilishly attractive role and would make any mezzo well-known in the opera world if she sings the role right. Anna Maria Martinez, another Spanish peer, sings beautifully and lyrically, with dulcet femininity as Queen Geneviere. Her voice blends well with Domingo's and they have worked together numerous times. Enough said. This is a great recording of a fantasy opera.

Fabulous music, if a slightly flawed work.......2004-06-23

I won't waste the reader's time with a long review, I'll only say that this is stunning music accompanying pretty lame poetry, but it tells a good story when all is said and done. I don't find the work difficult at all, and compare it to the likes of Massenet and other Wagner admirers who also found much to enjoy in Grand Opera, Paris style.
As far as the performance, it is top notch, with folks like Placido Domingo singing their guts out so everyone wins. The orchestra likewise sounds like they are having a great time, because this music is, well, serious in the manner of a great Star Trek episode: Campy and satisfying both because and in spite of the camp, with lots of costumes and big gestures.
This is a great recording when you're wore out on Wagner, not in the mood to auditorily work hard enough for Italian or French, and yet not feeling folksy enough for Vaughan Williams.

Interesting Work.......2001-09-06

Ok, the libretto is poor (taking far too many liberties on the legend it is based on though that is by no means the only reason) and yes the Spanish cast does roll a few too many R's when singing in English (which is the original language it was written in); but with that said, I found it quite enjoyable. The choruses are stirring, the music is exciting and the orchestrations are quite engaging. While those with Verdian and Puccini preferences will find this work frustrating, if you enjoy the likes of Richard Straus, Bartok, Mahler and Wagner (which heavily influenced this work) you will be pleasantly suprised.

While this is the only version available, the all around quality of the recording is very good.

Albeniz's Merlin.......2001-03-01

Where has this been hiding for so long? This opera deserves to be placed up alongside the so called greats. The lyricism of the Spanish Zarzuela has often been dismissed by opera snobs as somewhat inferior to the Italian and Italianates, but how wrong can people get, and this is further proof of the quality, breadth and depth of Spanish opera, one that oozes artistry and care, love and passion, reserve and subtleness, intelligence and brilliance.

For me this work (opera in three acts) not only confirms Albeniz as a major operatic composer but places him amongst the greats.

Carlos Alvarez, Placido Domingo, Jane Henschel and Ana Maria Martinez do the honors together with the National Choir of Spain and the Choir of the Community of Madrid Alfonso X "El Sabio".

So "be wise", if you really like opera you will love this.

This work is indeed "a vast and noble achievement".

regards,

martyn_jones@iniciativas.com

Track Listings: