Berlioz: Béatrice Et Bénédict

Track Listings

1. Ouverture

2. 2-14 Premier Acte. Act One. Erster Akt

3. 1- Entr'acte ( Sicilienne)

4. 2-12 Deuxieme Acte. Act Two. Zweiter Akt

Editorial Reviews
Album Details
Dame Janet Baker and Robert Tear Lead an Outstanding Cast in this Classic Recording of Berlioz' Operatic Setting of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, under the Baton of the Distinguished Berlioz Conductor Sir Colin Davis. Currently Unavailable as a Separate Release (Only as Part of 9-CD Box Set of all the Operas on 456 387-2) this Restores a Classic Recording to the Catalogue. Based on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, the Text is by the Composer who Finished Composition of the Opera in 1862; It was First Given Its Première Later that Year in Baden-baden.

Tracks:

Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 1. Rries, Passions (Largo - Allegro agitato ed appassinonato assai)
Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 2. Un bal (Valse: Allegro non troppo)
Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 3. Sc aux champs (Adagio)
Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 4. Marche au supplice (Allegretto non troppo)
Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 5. Songe d'une nuit du Sabbat (Larghetto - Allegro- Ronde du Sabbat: Poco menu mosso)
Tristia, Op 18 (excerpts): 3. Marche fune pour la derni sc d'Hamlet (Allegretto moderato)
La Damnation De Faust, Op. 24 (excerpts): Menuet des follets
La Damnation De Faust, Op. 24 (excerpts): Marche hongroise

Tracks:

Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 1. Le peur (Goethe, Duboys)
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 2. Choeur d'ombres (Berlioz)
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 3. Chanson de brigands (Berlioz)
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 4. Chant de bonheur (Berlioz)
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 5. La harpe ienne - Souvenirs
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 6. Fantasie sur la Temp de Shakespeare (Berlioz)
Grande Symphonie fune et triomphale, Op. 15: 1. Marche fune (Moderato un poco lento)
Grande Symphonie fune et triomphale, Op. 15: 2. Oraison fune (Adagio non tanto - Andantino un poco lento e sostenuto)
Grande Symphonie fune et triomphale, Op. 15: 3. Apothe (Allegro non troppo e pomposo)

Tracks:

Harold en Italie, Op.16: 1a. Harold aux montagnes (Adagio)
Harold en Italie, Op.16: 1b. Harold aux montagnes (Allegro)
Harold en Italie, Op.16: 2. Marche des prins (Allegretto)
Harold en Italie, Op.16: 3. Snade (Allegro assai - Allegretto)
Harold en Italie, Op.16: 4. Orgie de brigands (Allegro frenetico - Adagio - Allegro, Tempo I)
Les Troyens arthage: Prelude From: Les Troyens arthage: Part II, Act III
Les Troyens (Act IV): No. 29: Chasse royale et orage - Pantomime
Les Troyens (Act IV): No. 32: Marche pour l'entrde la reine; No. 33: Ballets
Les Troyens (Act IV): -A: Pas des Alm
Les Troyens (Act IV): -B: Danse des esclaves
Les Troyens (Act IV): - C: Pas d'esclaves nubiennes
Rrie et Caprice, Op.8

Tracks:

Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Introduction
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Prologue: 'D'anciennes haines endormies'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Strophe 1: 'Premiers transports que nul n' oublie'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Strophe 2: 'Heureux enfants aux coers de flamme'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Rtatif et Scherzetto: 'Bientot de Romeo' - 'Mab! la messagere' - Bientot la mort est souveraine'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part II, Romseul - Tristesse - Concert eet bal
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part II, Grande f chez les Capulets
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part III, 'Ohe! Capulets! Bonsoir, bonsoir!'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part III, Sc d'amour

Tracks:

Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Scherzo: La reine Mab ou la fdes songes
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Convoi fune de Juliette: 'Jetez des fleurs pour la vierge expiree!'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Romau tombeau des Capulets
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Finale. Choeurs et Rtatif du P Laurence: 'Quo! Romeo de retour!'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Finale. Air du P Laurence: 'Pauvres enfants que je pleure' - 'Mais notre sang rougit leur glaive'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Finale. Serment de rnciliation: 'Jurez donc'

Tracks:

Beatrice et Benedict
Benvenuto Cellini
Overtures: Le roi Lear, Op. 4
Les Francs - juges, Op. 3
Waverley, Op. 1
Le corsaire, Op. 21
Carnaval romain, Op. 9

Amazon.com

Berlioz was the first Romantic master of the orchestra. His music hasn't been surpassed in terms of sheer brilliance and accuracy of effect. This set includes all of the overtures, the Symphonie fantastique, Harold in Italy, the Royal Hunt and Storm from Les Troyens, orchestral music from The Damnation of Faust and Romeo and Juliet, and the completely insane Grande Symphonie funebre et triumphale. Davis achieved his reputation as a conductor as a Berlioz specialist, and he proves an expert advocate on behalf of this stimulating, bizarre, and totally original genius. The recording quality, so critical in such colorful music, is also very good. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

I am in a Box with Berlioz Box Sets.......2004-02-22

First I ordered Hector Berlioz Complete Orchestral Works (Box Set) in a 6-CD set by Sir Colin Davis because orchestral is what I like best. That was in 2002. Now I have ordered The Berlioz Edition (Box Set)in a 24-CD Box Set by Sir Colin Davis because I like what I have heard of Berlioz by Davis. I will put this up for sale, and if it doesn't go I will consider putting The Berlioz Edition up for sale after I have heard it. As I said I am in a Box with Berlioz Box Sets and can't afford both.

A superb set, well worth the price!.......2002-08-16

For those of us who grew up in the 1950s and '60s, the music of Berlioz means Munch and Toscanini: Munch for his incendiary performances of "Symphonie Fantastique," "Romeo et Juliette," "Damnation of Faust," the Requiem and the overtures (among others), Toscanini primarily for his gorgeous reading of "Harold in Italy" but also for his versions of the Roman Carnival Overture and (for those who could find it) the "Romeo" with Gladys Swarthout. These readings had one thing going for them, which was a rhythmic impetus that made even the slow movements exciting. Unfortunately, for those of us who read scores, when we checked these versions against the music we found that Toscanini and Munch had fiddled a bit with tempi and bowing accents in an attempt to make the music more exciting. Is this so bad? Not necessarily, because these conductors had this music in their blood, they were presenting Berlioz as they had processed him over a lifetime of love, and so their fast tempi had little in common with the rattly, jangly readings often turned out by John Eliot Gardiner.

Sir Colin Davis was, and of this reading remains, the greatest Berlioz interpreter of the stereo/digital era. This is no mean feat when one realizes that he now has several competitors in the field, among them James Levine and Charles Dutoit, but in my view only the wonderful John Nelson (whose recordings of the Te Deum and "Nuits d'Ete" with Susan Graham are so wonderful) really comes close. And what makes Davis so great is that, like those legendary conductors of old, he really gets under the skin of Berlioz and makes him exciting while maintaining score tempi. Listen, for instance, to his "Symphonie Fantastique," still the benchmark modern recording after nearly 30 years. Davis also excels in his readings of the Overtures, music from "Les Troyens," and the Symphonie Funebre et Triomphale which grabs the listener and pulls him/her into its vortex of sound.

In the other two symphonies, "Harold in Italy" and "Romeo et Juliette," I sense a lapse of sorts: the slow music is conducted not necessarily too slowly, but with a certain Romantic mushiness bordering on easy listening. This, for me, robs the "Romeo alone" and "Scene d'amour" of its passion, though of course it is wonderful to hear the score in modern stereo instead of Munch's cramped mono, and for me Toscanini's second movement of "Harold," with its peculiar yet engaging walking gait, shall never be surpassed--and, unlike Munch, Toscanini somewhat transcended his mono sound because of the wonderful clarity and transparency of his orchestra. Nevertheless, if I were forced to I would live with this Davis set over my Munch and Toscanini recordings because of their overall warmth and excellent sound.

Other highlights include excerpts from "Lelio" sung superbly by pre-leukemia Jose Carreras (listen to him ascend fearlessly to those high notes--he hasn't done that in nearly a quarter-century!), dramatically astute singing by Patricia Kerns and John Shirley-Quirk in "Romeo," and marvelous interpretations of the Overtures (oh, and you can forget "Rob Roy"...Berlioz decided after one performance that he would never publish it or even bother revising it, hence it is not here). I do question the omission of the Requiem and Te Deum (after all, they ARE "orchestral works"), but with so many riches at such a low price, who cares? Liner notes are sparse, and this is a slimline box which means paper sleeves and no jewel boxes, but so what? For this much Berlioz, so beautifully sung and conducted, the composer himself would gladly have plunked down ...

all the overtures *NOT*.......2001-05-04

This isn't a "complete" recording of Berlioz' orchestral music - what about the 'Rob Roy' overture? Granted it recycles some of Harold in Italy, but still...

A wonderful collection of Berlioz.......2000-08-15

This incredible six CD set features all of Hector Berlioz's purely orchestral music conducted by the great Sir Colin Davis, widely regarded as one of the greatest living Berlioz interpreters. In addition to favorites such as Symphonie fantastique, Harold en Italie and Romeo et Juliette, the set also includes the lesser known Lelio and several other works. The works were recorded between 1965 and 1980, and the sound is wonderful and rich. His interpretations are also lively and full of energy, especially in the overtures.

Customer Reviews:

Essential Performances from a Great & Beloved Singer.......2004-01-09

For those of us who grew up on Janet Baker's recordings (and were lucky enough to hear her "live" as well), the sound of her voice and her singular artstic personality - British restraint coupled with fierce emotional and spiritual commitment - are indelibly imprinted in our minds and hearts. The closest current equivalent is Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, another superb artist who has charted her own course, and not surprisingly there is some overlap of repertoire, in the music of J.S. Bach, of course, but also Berlioz's Didon and Beatrice, Handel's Ariodante and Britten's Phaedra (composed for Baker).
This wonderful compilation is complementary to EMI's 2-CD "The Very Best of Janet Baker" -- no overlap of repertoire whatsoever. Unlike that set, which focused on concert repertoire (with orchestra or piano) there's a generous sampling here of Baker's operatic roles including Handel, Mozart, Purcell, Rameau, Gluck, and Britten. Also welcome is "Phaedra," one of Britten's strongest late works. And it's good to have the Berlioz: "Cleopatre" and "Herminie" complete, the big aria from "Beatrice et Benedict." (Why EMI included nothing from her recording of the last 2 scenes of "Les Troyens" is unfathomable.) The wide time-span allows us to hear Baker's voice in all its youthful, "sappy" warmth, as well as in its artistic maturity (though truth to tell she was pretty much a complete artist from the start). There are a few signs of wear in later items, nothing serious, in fact rather less than I remembered. I could have done with fewer of the "Arie Amorose" in favor of more cuts from her Gluck LP, which I believe has never been issued complete on CD, but that's just personal preference. The focus here is entirely on orchestrally accompanied works (or, in the case of the marvelous early disc of Ravel, Chausson & Delage songs, with chamber ensemble) so for Baker the supreme interpreter of English, German and French song you'll need to go elsewhere (the EMI has a fair sampling, especially of her Schubert). But everything here is indispensible.

Susan Graham ~ Berlioz - Les nuits d'été

Average customer rating:

At its best as pure singing, but a little short emotionally
A concerto for voice. Bravo!
Prime Berlioz from two most gifted advocates
A Berlioz singer to treasure
The greatest "Nuits d'Ete" on record!

Susan Graham ~ Berlioz - Les nuits d'été
Hector Berlioz , John Nelson , Susan Graham , and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000029U0
Release Date: 1997-07-15

Tracks:

Les nuits d', Op. 7: I. villanelle
Les nuits d', Op. 7: II. le spectre de la rose
Les nuits d', Op. 7: III. sur les lagunes: lamento
Les nuits d', Op. 7: IV. Absence
Les nuits d', Op. 7: V. au cimeti re : clair de lune
Les nuits d', Op. 7: VI. l'ile inconnue
La Damnation De Faust, Op. 24: (d'amour l'ardente flamme) (Romance)
Benvenuto Cellini: (mais qu'ai-je donc?) (Air)
Les Troyens: (Ah ! Ah ! je vais mourir) (Monologue)
Les Troyens: (adieu, fiere cite) (Air)
Brice et Bdict: (dieu! que viens-je d'entendre?) (Air)

Amazon.com

On casual listen, Graham can seem like yet another pretty voice. And it is extremely pretty. But there's an intelligence and learnedness that can only make her more interesting as time goes on. As is, her performances are slightly undercooked, though there are some moments during Les Nuits d'été as passionate and committed as one could want. The arias added to fill out the disc aren't heard in optimal performances, but show what riches lie in Berlioz's neglected operatic output, namely Ascanio's lighthearted aria from Benvenuto Cellini and the long soliloquy from Beatrice and Benedict. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

At its best as pure singing, but a little short emotionally.......2007-02-15

Generally I take David Hurwitz to be more a comedian than a critic, but he's on to something about mezzo Susan Graham's interpretations being "undercooked," if by that he means emotionally cool. Her Nuits d'Ete is impeccably sung--one can hardly imagine anyone else who possesses such perfect vocal technique in this music--but I wasn't very moved. Perhaps it's John Nelson's bland conducting, but the two of them move gracefully over the surface without penetrating into Berlioz's deeper feelings. The lesser-known inner songs, which are consistently melancholy, come off best; Graham really seems to give us the poetry with a full heart. If anyone strongly disagrees, I am happy to concede how wonderful Graham is, but I've always been touched by these songs as sung by de los Angeles, Janet Baker, Leontyne Price, and ohters. Not here. No matter how well you control your tone and phrasing, Berlioz needs passionate outbursts and real spontaneity. (For what it's worth, I had the same impression recently hearing Graham sing the cycle with Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Sym., where she displayed, if anything, greater control and beauty of voice than even on this CD.)

At just over 60 min., this isn't the most generous recital, but the fillers are very well done. Nelson remains careful and bland, which doesn't help, D'amour l'ardente flamme needs more poignancy from all concerned, but Graham has lots of stage experience with Beatrice and Benedict, so that aria comes off well. It's not reasonable to say that anything here doesn't, but when Dido sings her death aria, I don't hear any dramatic stretch--Graham is applying the same middle-of-the-road pathos that gets applied almost everywhere else.

A concerto for voice. Bravo!.......2006-05-16

Berlioz' 'Les Nuit's D'ete' and other pieces for the soprano voice, performed by Susan Graham, is one of my favorite CD's of female operatic / chamber song pieces, even though Ms. Graham is not as familiar to me as Renee Fleming or Anne Sophie von Otter.

Ms. Graham's collaboration with John Nelson directing the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House on the six songs based on poems by Theophile Gautier seem almost to be a concerto for soprano and orchestra, so well does Ms. Graham's voice fit into the orchesteral accompanyment.

The four pieces rounding out the 61 minutes on the disk are arias from four of Berlioz' operas, which seamlessly blend in with the title sextet of songs.

My French is weak, so there is little of the actual lyrics I understand without the translation, but you don't really need it to appreciate the musical talent on display here.

While I have not heard many other versions of this Berlioz song cycle, Graham's rendition is certainly the best in my experience.

Very enjoyable.

Prime Berlioz from two most gifted advocates.......2005-07-09

Berlioz' song-cycle Les nuits d'ete has been deservedly fortunate in its representation on CD. With recordings by Crespin, Veronique Gens, Susan Graham, and Anne Sophie von Otter all top-flight musically and well-recorded, choice will be a matter of personal taste. I find Graham and Gens jostling most gracefully for my own affections. I have seen a criticism of Graham's disc to the effect that the voice tends to blanket the orchestra and obscure detail. I disagree. The balance is convincing and the sonics exceptional in their revelation of Berlioz' intoxicating orchestration. Moreover, in John Nelson Graham has, in my estimation, a successor to Monteux and Munch as monarch among Berlioz conductors. (Nelson's recording of Benvenuto Cellini, for instance, represents a huge advance over the pioneering Philips version.) Graham amazes not only with the beauty of her sound but with her uncanny empathy with the French esthetic, a rarity among American singers. I'm sorry but it's true; hard trying just won't do it. The disc includes arias from Berlioz' Faust, Cellini, Beatrice, and Troyens, all splendid. Particularly moving is Didon's farewell to Carthage from Les Troyens ("Adieu, fiere cite"); sampling that should let you know if this disc is for you. Since the Gens disc is completed by yet other Berlioz, three songs plus La mort de Cleopatre, you have a ready excuse for duplicating Les nuits, if your shelves can stand it.

-Frank W. Barham

A Berlioz singer to treasure.......2003-10-12

I have taken a long time to get round to obtaining this recording. I noticed the other day that Graham is listed to sing her first Didon in the next couple of years. Not her first staged Berlioz, but probably the biggest single challenge for a soloist in this particular repertoire. It was for the opera arias, rather than the songs, that I wished to have this record.

But the song cycle is truly a knockout. These songs have long been a favourite, and just about every singer I can think of has had a go at them. Recent stand-out performances include Cecilia Bartoli, Ann Murray and, on record, Veronique Gens. The beauty of Berlioz is that the range and orchestration he uses, as well as the sheer potential for interpreting the lines, allows many different kinds of singer to tackle his work. Graham has perhaps the ideal Berlioz voice these days - a soprano-ish mezzo, with dark, brooding tone that can bloom into bright, sunny lines without strain. She is a really intelligent, thinking singer who uses words to colour the sound. Her partnership here with John Nelson is highly fruitful, and makes for a modern classic (to puit on the shelf with Norman, Gorr and Crespin, naturally).

No disappointments in the opera numbers either. Anyone who has heard her work in operetta (some lovely records out just recently, in fact) will recognise the sexy, teasing quality she brings to Benedict and to the Cellini number. Back on the tragic side of the coin, her Marguerite is suitably overwrought and the sense of regret she brings to the number is palpable. Dido is the pick of the bunch - rightly - and the combination of robust, furious tone and serene rememberance of her "nuit d'ivresse" is heart-stopping.

So - time to record Les Troyens with Graham, I believe. Not very sure who else would feature on this "Fantasy Recording" - answers on a postcard, please!

The greatest "Nuits d'Ete" on record!.......2002-09-01

I have been listening to Berlioz' song cycle for nearly thirty years, and have heard most of the famous recordings: Teyte, Danco, de los Angeles, Steber, Janet Baker, Jessye Norman et al. Formerly, it was only Baker who penetrated the poetry of the lyrics...the "old" French style was to simply sing in a straightforward manner with no particular inflection, a style that Teyte and Danco worked to perfection. But the advent of such "chanson" singers as Gerard Souzay, Regine Crespin and Gabriel Bacquier changed all that, their approach was more specifically poetic. That is the approach that Graham uses here, and I find that it works beautifully.

Tracks:

Beatrice et Benedict: Dieu ! Que viens-je d'entendre?
Werther: Va ! laisse couler mes larmes
Cendrillon: Enfin, je suis ici
La Damnation de Faust: D'amour l'ardente flamme
Mignon: Connais-tu le pays?
Les Huguenots: Nobles Seigneurs, salut !
Romeo et Juliette: Depuis hier je cherche en vain
La Grande-Duchesse de Gerolstein: Dites-lui
La Perichole: Ah ! quel diner je viens de faire

Amazon.com

Recorded at the beginning of her career in 1976, this shows Frederica Von Stade as a bright, accomplished singer with a distinctive sound, a bit softer, smaller, and fresher than her voice is now. With a selection of arias including all the best mezzo-soprano moments from Berlioz's Beatrice et Benedict, Massenet's Werther and Cendrillon, Berlioz's Damnation of Faust, and what became her great party piece, the drunk aria from Offenbach's La Perichole, everything is utterly lovely. However, this is her first try at most of this music and it shows: performances are all about voice and not about words or characterization. For those who love the voice alone. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

A delight.......2000-05-25

These French opera arias, sung by Frederica von Stade, my favorite mezzo-soprano, were recorded early in her career, and they are a delight. They may not all show quite the expressiveness she developed later, but still there's that lovely mezzo voice, unlike any other and always a pleasure to hear.

The Supreme von Stade's Art.......1999-04-02

This CD shows the art of a great mezzo in a repertoire that she is better than many french opera singers!!!!

A beautiful performance.......1999-01-09

I really do not know why this CD was not released before. Here is Frederica Von Stade in peak form, singing near deffinitive versions of great French arias. Her voice is ideally fitted for the material. She has agility, range and a beautiful middle register, apart from great French diction. Highlights of the CD are "Enfin, je suis ici" from Massenet's Cendrillon, "Connais-tu le pays?" from Thomas' Mignon and the two Offenbach arias.

Frederica is my favorite singer, and this is my favorite........1998-11-16

Rich sensuous heartfealt songs by my favorite alto for many years, now on CD.

RCA Red Seal Century: Soloists and Conductors

Average customer rating:

RCA Red Seal Century: Soloists and Conductors

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005OLDB
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Tracks:

Sicilienne And Rigaudon - Mischa Elman/Percy Kahn
Nocturne in G, Op.37 No.2 - Vladimir de Pachmann
Ste No.1 in D, Op.43 - IV: March Miniature - Boston SO/Karl Muck
Vn Con in D, Op.35 - II: Canzonetta - Fritz Kreisler/Carl Lamson
Litanei, D.343 - Alfred Cortot
Gotterdammerung - Closing Scene - Leopold Stokowski
Ste, Op.15 - Valse - Harold Bauer/Ossip Gabrilowitsch
Mazurka in D, Op.33 No.2 - Ignace Jan Paderewski
Vn Partita No.3 in E, BWV 1006 - I: Prld - Sergei Rachmaninoff
Etude in a, Op.25 No.11 'Winter Wind' - Josef Lhevinne
Jalousie - Tango Tzigane - Boston Pops Orch/Arthur Fiedler
Vc Con No.2 in e, Op.30 - II: Lento - Andante Tranquillo (Abridged) - Emanuel Feuermann/Albert Hirsh
Schon Rosmarin - William Primrose/David Stimer
Ser in C, Op.48 - II: Waltz - Boston SO/Serge Koussevitzky
Beatrice Et Benedict - Ov - Boston SO/Charles Munch
Messiah, Pt.II, No.44 - Hallelujah Chor - Hugh Porter/Robert Shaw Chorale/Robert Shaw
Carnival Of The Animals: The Swan - Gregor Piatigorsky/Ralph Berkowitz
Don Pasquale - Ov - NBC SO/Arturo Toscanini
Mazurka In a, Op.7 No.2 - William Kapell
Cancion De Cuna (Cradle Song) - Jose Iturbi

Tracks:

Prld in c#, Op.45 - Arthur Rubinstein
Fant On Themes From Bizet's Carmen - Vladimir Horowitz
Fant in c, BWV 906 - Wanda Landowska
Coppelia - Prld: Mazurka - Boston SO/Pierre Monteux
Colas Breugnon, Op.24: Ov - Chicago SO/Fritz Reiner
Porgy And Bess - Jascha Heifetz
A Woman Is A Sometime Thing - Jascha Heifetz
Five Bagatelles - No.1: Allegro - Julian Bream
I Vespri Siciliani-Ballet: The Four Seasons: Winter - New Philharmonia Orch/James Levine
L'Isle Joyeuse - Van Cliburn
La Flute De Pan: Pan And The Birds - James Galway
Rosamunde, D.797 - Ballet Music No.II - Cologne RSO/Gunter Wand
Fantasiestuck, Op.73 No.3 - Rasch Und Mit Feuer - Richard Stoltzman
Light In Darkness - Evelyn Glennie
Fanfare For The Uncommon Woman, No.1 - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Transcendental Etude No.5 'Feux Follets' - Evgeny Kissin
A Hymn To New England - Boston Pops Orch/Keith Lockhart
Fanfare For The Common Man - San Francisco Sym/Michael Tilson Thomas

Ben Heppner - Airs Francais / LSO, Myung-Whun Chung

Average customer rating:

Very nice recital of French arias
Great recital, some arias are not so great
Fine French Fare
Good, but something missing...

Ben Heppner - Airs Francais / LSO, Myung-Whun Chung
Hector Berlioz , Giacomo Meyerbeer , Fromental Halévy , Jules Massenet , Myung-Whun Chung , Ben Heppner , and London Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005RDBC
Release Date: 2001-11-13

Tracks:

BERLIOZ: "Inutiles regrets"
Nature immense
Merci, doux crepuscule!
Seul pour lutter
Ah! je vais l'aimer
HALEVY: "Rachel, quand du Seigneur"
MASSENET: "Ah, qu'il est loin, mon pays"
O Souverain, o juge, o pere
O noble lame etincelante
MEYERBEER: "O paradis"
Plus blanche que la blanche hermine
Roi du ciel
ROUGET DE LISLE: "La Marseillaise" (arr. Berlioz)

Amazon.com

Ben Heppner is our leading dramatic tenor, but he's also a skilled recitalist; he triumphed in Colin Davis's concert recording of Berlioz's Les Troyens. His first solo recording for Deutsche Grammophon demonstrates his skill in the French repertory. Almost half the disc is given to Berlioz arias, done with power and stylistic comfort. His artistry differs from the traditional French tenor; the voice is beefier, some of the delicacy is lost. But the tradition ceased to exist by the 1970s, and Heppner compares favorably with anyone on the scene today. His voice is darker than those most often heard in these arias, so while it may surprise at first in "Nature immense," here, as elsewhere, there's a rightness about his singing that's compelling. His "O Souverain" is sensitively done, and the wonderful Halévy aria (the entire scene is given) is done without the verismo disfigurements of Alagna's on his French aria disc for EMI. Myung-Whun Chung's sympathetic conducting makes for a classy partnership. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Very nice recital of French arias.......2003-04-06

Ben Heppner is a great tenor. Contrary to some reports, he is not a heldentenor. He is an unusually large-voiced lyric. His voice is very fine indeed. This recital contains some nice renditions of French arias. A few arias were not that great. He has the pronunciation down pat. I loved the aria from "La Juive". Heppner is perfect for the role of Eléazar. The aria benefits greatly from having the chorus present and the inclusion of the rousing and tuneful cabaletta. The "Le Cid" arias also benefitted from the chorus being present. Some high notes of his are quite unpleasant. One such high note was the high D in the "Benvenuto Cellini" aria. His voice is really not light and high-placed enough for some of the arias he sings. One example is the "Les Huguenots" aria. Nicolai Gedda is perfect for that aria. Anyway, this recital is, on the most part, enjoyable.

PS. There is a serious problem in the booklet. Most of the arias have misaligned texts and translations. This makes following the singing very difficult.

Great recital, some arias are not so great.......2003-02-14

Ben Heppner is an immensely talented singer with a great voice and excellent musicianship. This recital disc of French arias and the French national anthem is a great introduction to his art. Already a great Wagnerian singer, he is branching out into new territory. I think the French repertory fits him very well. I did not care much for some of the arias. This was true for the "Sapho" aria and the two arias from "Le Cid". My favorite aria is "Rachel, quand du Seigneur la grâce tutélaire" from "La Juive". It is dark, brooding, and very beautiful. Heppner sings it amazingly well. He avoids unnecessary sentiment in this aria that is so often subjected to Italian verismo style. I also like the aria from "Benvenuto Cellini". It is very nice and contains wonderful music. Heppner performs Vasco de Gama's aria from "L'Africaine" very well. You can sense his wonder and marvel of the new land on which he has just been stranded. The French national anthem is given a rousing rendition. He is given excellent support from conductor Myung-Whun Chung and the London Symphony Orchestra. I wish he had included more popular arias from more well-known French operas. Two nice suggestions are "Asile héréditaire" from "Guillaume Tell" and "Vois ma misère, hélas!" from "Samson et Dalila". Despite my objections to some of the material chosen for this disc, it is still a great recording.

Fine French Fare.......2002-03-22

Canadian tenor Ben Heppner is certainly one of the finest singers on the current operatic scene. Despite his tendency to slightly squeeze the voice on top rather than allow it to bloom, he truly has a lovely vocal quality, full of warmth and color, along with a superior musical intelligence with which he has begun to bring a deepening sense of dramatic conviction to his interpretions over the last few years. On this disc, he succeeds greatly in the arias from operas which are within his vocal fach: Les Troyens, La Juive, El Cid, L'Africaine, and Le prophète. In particular, it is joy to hear the ardor and longing in his Enée (his complete traversal of the role with the LSO recently won a Grammy), the world-weariness of his Eléazar without the Italianate sobbing which has become de rigueur, and the victorious triumph of Jean de Leyde. Though Mr. Heppner's sense of lyricism serves him well, the other selections really require a different type of tenor, one whose vocal quality is lighter and more flexible in terms of dynamics and shading. Nonetheless, this is a fine recording, with exciting contributions from both the London Symphony Orchestra and conductor Myung-Whun Chun.

Good, but something missing..........2001-12-28

Ben Heppner is probably the best heldentenor around, but a great German singer does not a great French singer make. All the notes are there but the headtones are missing. Sometimes, Heppner sounds like he is really pushing it on the high notes. A French tenor would have known to float them rather than belt them out like a good Wagnerite. This is most obvious in the Berlioz and Halevy selections. Things improve a little in Massenet and then they improve a lot in Meyerbeer. That's to be expected because Meyerbeer was a German trying to write Italian opera for Paris, not a real "French" composer. The Massenet selections from LeCid are spectacular, but part of the effect is from the chorus and large orchestra. The London Symphony Orchestra,led by Myung-Whun Chung,is an asset on this disc. It is consistently full and it gives silky support to the singer. The final item is a rousing version of the Berlioz arrangement of "La Marseillaise." Everyone pulls this off well and it makes a great ending for the disc. Maybe somebody could do the same kind of arrangement for the Star Spangled Banner. It would be an impressive alternative to the pop-soul-country versions that seem to be the norm these days.

Average customer rating:

Berlioz Edition (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Te Deum | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000093OSH
Release Date: 2003-12-16

Amazon.com

Sir Colin Davis has long been considered the world's finest Berlioz conductor, and over the years, Philips has released all of the composer's major works with Davis at the helm. Now, they're all here, in a 24-CD box, and it is an astonishing achievement. This treasure trove consists of the definitive, available readings of Les Troyens, Béatrice et Bénédict, and Benvenuto Cellini; a wonderfully energetic, passionate Roméo et Juliette; a Te Deum which is huge yet clear and not over-the-top for its own sake; Les Nuits d'été with different singers (of varying ranges in different songs), as Berlioz wanted them performed; the young Dame Janet Baker superb in Herminie and La Mort de Cléopatre; a relaxed, sweet Enfance du Christ; a Requiem which could knock you over; a Damnation de Faust which is both lyrical and exciting; a performance of Lélio which almost makes sense of that strange work; a Symphonie Fantastiquewith atmosphere and thrills; along with 7 overtures, 5 songs, and more. In addition to the moderate price, the packaging is such that the 24 CDs takes up less space than just the earlier releases of Cellini and Troyens together. This is one-stop shopping at its best. --Robert Levine

Average customer rating:

As good as it gets!
A desert island disc, unsurpassed
Very Good

Berlioz: Overtures; Queen Mab Scherzo

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B000003FCM
Release Date: 1993-05-11

Tracks:

Le Carnaval Romain
Beatrice Et Benedict: Overture
Le Corsaire
Les Troyens
Benvenutto Cellini: Overture
Romeo Et Juliette: Scherzo De La Reine Mab
Le Rouet D'omphale

Amazon.com essential recording

Munch and Berlioz are like chocolate and peanut butter--they go great together. This disc is the finest collection of Berlioz overtures and short works available, and possibly the best ever recorded. Berlioz was music's ultimate neurotic: his music is quite simply hyper. It jumps, fidgets, and explodes with bursts of passion, all of it uniquely tuneful and magnificently scored. Charles Munch could lose himself in music like this; here he surrenders to the excitement of the moment and positively revels in the passages where all hell breaks loose. The Boston Symphony plays as if their lives depended on it, and the early-1960s sound hasn't dated a bit. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

As good as it gets!.......2005-07-05

These Berlioz overtures will never find a best performer than Munch: This Alsatian conductor had that sublime taste, eloquence, absolute domain of the thematic material, presence and hard to find conviction as any other conductor previous or later.
Besides, if you have an Orchestra of such level as the Boston Symphony in those ages, how can you loose?.
Magnificent performances and the best made rendition for Berlioz music.

A desert island disc, unsurpassed.......2005-03-10

Reviewer David Hurwitz has it on the nose - there have never been recorded performances of Berlioz's popular short pieces of music to match these. The overtures, which contain infectious melodies that beg replay, explode with life under Munch's baton, and the magnificient BSO plays them to the hilt. Roman Carnival erupts with sizzling joy, almost making the listener stand up and cheer while listening to it; in Beatrice and Benedict, one can sense the tangible presence of Shakespeare's comic lovers duking it out with reckless hilarious abandon. The Royal Hunt and Storm from Les Troyens is the most evocative version ever placed on disc, and the other two lollipops are no less splendid. The sound is bright, sparkling, fully present and clear to match the performances. Make no mistake, folks, it gets no better than this.

Very Good.......1999-06-16

This is a very good recording of these Berlioz overtures and it sounds very good. Not the greatest music ever, but this is a very good recording and makes the music sound very good.

Average customer rating:

Good coloratura work by Elizabeth Futral
At Last a Solo Recital on CD
An Interesting display

Great Operatic Arias

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00009AQMF
Release Date: 2003-06-24

Tracks:

Come Take Me In Your Arms
My Soul Is Filled With Love For You
What Are These Tears And Sighs
How I Loved Him!
A Maiden Adorning
He Has Come Back
See Here, Dorabella
Ah! Let me Live In This Dream
He's The God Of Youth And Springtime
The Silver Moon Was Shining
Ain't It A Pretty Night!
Take Me Away To The One I Adore
Oh Sleep, Why Dost Thou Leave Me?

Customer Reviews:

Good coloratura work by Elizabeth Futral.......2007-05-27

This is an interesting CD from soprano Elizabeth Futral. The theme of this is a set of operatic arias sung in English, not in the original French or Italian or. . . . I'm not sure how sold I am on the concept, but, after all, it's the singing and musicality that is most important. And, by that measure, Elizabeth Futral does very nicely.

The accompanying booklet begins by noting that (page 8) "The voice of the light soprano has enchanted listeners for centuries." Futral's singing is characteristic of this type of voice.

In this era, any coloratura soprano has two challenges: first, to compare with the past generation's astonishingly talented practitioners, well exemplified by Joan Sutherland and Beverly Sill. Second, though, there are some wonderful coloratura sopranos today against whom others will be compared, with Natalie Dessay and Sumi Jo among the most adept. Thus, Futral will almost automatically be compared with such exemplars. I do not think one could say she is the equal of those four just mentioned, but she does not compare badly either.

From the Wikipedia: "In musical notation, the Italian word staccato (literally detached, plural staccatos or staccati) indicates that notes are sounded in a detached and distinctly separate manner, with silence making up the latter part of the time allocated to each note. The rhythm is not affected. Notes identified as staccato should be played or sung abruptly and short." This is worthy of comment, since the "Bell Song" from "Lakme," one of the selections on this CD, features many such notes. Futral sings them well. Her performance in this work is well done (although it is somewhat jarring, again, to hear it sung in English). She begins with a nice high note and a bang up following trill. She displays good agility and features nice technique on staccato notes. Overall, this is well done. Toward the end, which calls for great ornamentation, she seems a bit hesitant at time, but she concludes with a nicely sung high note.

Other examples of her singing. From Handel's "Alcina," she sings "Come take me in your arms." Her voice is a light, standard coloratura voice (although not all coloratura sopranos have such a voice, of course). She displays considerable agility, a decent trill, and good ornamentation. There is a bit of harshness on a high note toward the close, but hardly fatal to the overall positive effect of her singing.

From Donizetti's "Linda di Chamounix," there is "My soul is filled with love for you" (otherwise known as "O luce di quest'anima"). Her version is not too shabby when compared with such greats as Sutherland and Jo. The cabaletta shows off, again, her agile voice. Good staccato high notes. Nice trills and a well nailed final high note.

Then there is the charming "Son vergin vezzosa" from Bellini's "I Puritani," here entitled "A maiden adorning." Again, nice agility, good trills, well done florid singing technique. While there is some harshness in the penultimate high note, overall, well done.

In short, Futral adds to a currently rich supply of coloratura sopranos, and compares well with the best of them.

At Last a Solo Recital on CD.......2005-03-19

Elizabeth Futral is one of those rare sopranos who seems to put pacing of her career, care of the voice, and commitment to repertoire range ahead of the too early media blitz that can hamper a singer's career. Clearly she has it all - beauty of voice, beauty of physical presence, fine acting skills, intelligence, and interpretive insights.

Having seen her Cleopatra in LA Opera's GUILIO CESARE and in SF Opera's production of Previn's STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE put her high on the list of important new sopranos. This rather strange recording gives samples of her foray's into all styles from Handel to Previn and does a fine job in capturing the beauty of her phrasing and quality of her seamless soprano voice. It is somewhat distracting to place a first recital recording before the public being sung entirely in English, especially for those who are unfamiliar with Futral's gifts. But credit Chandos with the courage to try something different, something that may introduce new audiences to the opera field.

Surely after the recent successes of Futral performances in the opera houses more recordings will follow. Meanwhile this is a tasty sampler of just how versatile - and special - Elizabeth Futral is. Grady Harp, March 05

An Interesting display.......2003-07-23

Coloratura-soprano Elizabeth Futral is a remarkable artist with a beautiful instrument and a most impressive technique. Her appearences in record stores are mostly on lesser known and up and coming labels such as Opera Rara and CHANDOS; with a few performances on DG.

This CD has an unusual semi-personal package. Duets, trios and quartets are featured. The title of the program is called Great Operatic Arias which seems rather broad for a soprano recital disc.

Futral sings well as always, however the content seems to lack a bit of intricacy and polish. Each aria, duet etc leaves you wondering whether or not a bit more time could have been put into this. The arias range from baroque to 20th century; covering four languages.

The entire program is performed in English and this is interesting... Although some of the arias just sound plain strange in English! It is a very nice thing to actually completely and instantly understand what is being sung. I was most impressed with the CHANDOS Lucia di Lammermoor. Futral probably gave her best performance on record in that role. She is astonishingly good on that recording. Her mad scene is awesome!

Tracks:

Overtures: Benvenuto Cellini, Op. 23
Overtures: Waverley, Op. 1
Overtures: Beatrice And Benedict
Overtures: King Lear, Op. 4
Overtures: Roman Carnival, Op. 9
Overtures: Rob Roy
Overtures: Le Corsaire, Op. 21

Amazon.com

The San Diego Symphony Orchestra no longer exists, unfortunately, having succumbed to financial pressures after a troubled history. It's a pity, for they were good, as this excellent budget-priced collection of overtures proves. This is, in fact, the most comprehensive collection of overtures by Berlioz currently available, and at Naxos's budget price, it's a very good deal. Yoav Talmi keeps the music moving with a sure sense of rhythm, and there's some particularly fine solo woodwind playing in the music's quieter passages. Anyone looking for these pieces can invest in this disc with complete confidence. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

A fitting homage to the defunct San Diego Symphony..........2006-02-28

Israeli Cond. Yoav Talmi and the San Diego Sym. give us an electrified" swan song" to remember the financially strapped orchestra by. Standards in performance and engineering are higher than on most of the Naxos Eastern European projects. You get a generious 75mins. of seven Berlioz overtures. His genius
touched every aspect of the Romantic Era, through color and instumentation and the transfer of literature to music. The good program notes included will guide you through each. Don't pass this one over!

Surprise! A Berlioz overture colleciton to rival Davis and Munch.......2005-10-08

Yoav Talmi? A now-defunct San diego Sym. that at the best of times was trying to keep afloat in a sinkhole of culture? But they pull it off. This CD surpasses Dutoit from Ontreal and the latter Colin Davis from Dresden in terms of exctiement and genuine Berlioz volatility. the sound is fine, the orchestra much better than Naxos's usual Eastern European state orchestras. Only the early Davis colleciton on Philips and the classic one under Munch on RCA is in the same league.

very good performances.......2003-10-29

This is, perhaps, the best collection of overtures of Berlioz.

I think, San Diego Symphony Orchestra is one of the best ensembles in U.S.A.. But, I never saw their succesful recordings like this, before bought this CD. And their sound is very good.

Especially, I like the "Benvenuto Cellini" Overture. This flamboyant music is a late period work, written before his "La Damnation de Faust". But, first performance of this opera wasn't be succesful, as you know, moreover somebody was to maked fun of this opera, with they were said "The Composer of Malvenuto Cellini" !!.. But now, this overture (and opera) is one of the best works of composer.

And there is a not too known work: Les Fran-Juges. This was to be formed an opera, but he could finish only this overture, actually, he written some scetches of opera, but unfortunately, they were lost.

Except, still well-known, "Roman Carnival" and "Le Corsaire" overtures, there are his early works: Opus 1: Wawerley, Rob Roy and King Lear.

Performances of all works are very good.

At this price, this is must have for any Berlioz fans and collectors.

Highly recommended.

A wonderful find!.......2001-09-24

This is just the sort of collection I had been looking for and even though it lacks some that I'd hoped for I'm happy with it. I must offer my sympathy to the audience; the orchestra is defunct so I understand, and a fine group it was. Berlioz is not the easiest composer to negotiate in matters of tempi; this band romps through the "Overture to Bennevuto Cellini" with precision and dash. The brass sounds properly Berliozan as do the winds. Back in the fifties there was a Columbia release on the Epic Label of these overtures played by the City of Birmingham SO and this cd reminds me of that recording, taut and brilliant playing with "elan". Highly recommended.

A wonderful find!.......2001-09-24

Track Listings: