What music are you listening to? | 2
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
kdK4f3o6zsE
Saw these guys live, friggin awesome. Could be headbanging this right at the wailing wall.
Saw these guys live, friggin awesome. Could be headbanging this right at the wailing wall.
Deep down I'm very superficial
- Apollonius
- Posts: 1065
- Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 5:32 pm
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
There were those even in the baroque era who had unkind things to say about the castrati, mostly relating to their supposed effeminacy or unusual affectations:
This criticism, very rare on the part of the Italians, was in fact submerged in the ocean of praise which had brought about the triumph of the castrati for more than two centuries. Their strength lay elsewhere, and certainly not in the over-intellectual attitude of many foreigners. It mattered little to the Italians that Scipio was a soprano and Pompey a contralto, that Hydaspes fought for twenty minutes with a make-believe lion while vocalising in all keys, or that Narcissus fell in love not with himself but with the nymph Echo! All these operatic conventions had been accepted for a long time and the Italians thought that it was only those French Cartesians who chose to assess and dissect what was dramatic and what was not. The Italians, and along with them many foreign courts, went to the theatre with only one aim: to enjoy themselves, to enjoy the performance, the matchless voice of the musico, his gestures, his escapades and his whims, his confrontation with the prima donna, his struggle with the 'cruel monster' or his feigned terror in the 'fearful wood'; they wanted to enjoy everything. For the Italians the crucial word 'enjoyment' swept away all prejudices and discussions concerning castration, the dissolute morality of the singers and the pseudo-absurdity of these heroes of antiquity with their high voices.
In the satisfaction this unlimited desire for overwhelming emotions and sensual pleasures the virtuosi knew no equals; the great castrati possessed simultaneously masculine presence and feminine grace, they were equally at ease in vocal fireworks and the heartrending expression of pathos, their voices were both flexible and agile, tender and powerful. As a result they had no difficulty in captivating their audiences and making them weep. An indescribable sensuality emanated from their acting and their asexual voices, causing men to shiver and women to faint, creating that moment of vertiginous delight that might partially compensate the singers for what they had lost.
[...]
Indeed, no description could convery the atmosphere of that evening 1776 at Forli, when Pachiarotti played Arabace in Artaserse, with a libretto by Metastasio. He interpreted admirably the role of a son who was going to his death, sacrificing himself on behalf of his father. The entire theatre was in tears and orchestra was so moved that it gradually stopped playing in the middle of an aria by the singer. Pacchiarotti came forward to the front of the stage to ask what was happening. The maestro could only manage to say: 'I am weeping, signor.'
-- Patrick Barbier, The World of the Castrati: The History of an Extraordinary Operatic Phenomenon (Souvenir Press, 1996) ; originally published as Histoire des Castrats (Éditions Grasset & Fasquelle, 1989)
Last edited by Apollonius on Mon Oct 19, 2015 6:44 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- Apollonius
- Posts: 1065
- Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 5:32 pm
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
Addio, o miei sospiri! (from Tancredi) - Ferdinando Bertoni (1725-1813) ; Max Emanuel Cencic, countertenor ; Armonia Atenea directed by George Petrou
X3zy9P0jlPc
A nice studio peformance:
Vo disperato a morte (from Tito Vespasiano) - Johann Adolf Hasse (1699-1783) ; Max Emanuel Cencic, countertenor ; Armonia Atenea directed by George Petrou
lFmSfHUqVUo
A more formal setting:
Notte amica, oblio de' mali (from Il cantico de' tre fanciulli) - Johann Adolf Hasse (1699-1783) ; Max Emanuel Cencic, countertenor ; Armonia Atenea directed by George Petrou
fL8OOxW0_w8
X3zy9P0jlPc
A nice studio peformance:
Vo disperato a morte (from Tito Vespasiano) - Johann Adolf Hasse (1699-1783) ; Max Emanuel Cencic, countertenor ; Armonia Atenea directed by George Petrou
lFmSfHUqVUo
A more formal setting:
Notte amica, oblio de' mali (from Il cantico de' tre fanciulli) - Johann Adolf Hasse (1699-1783) ; Max Emanuel Cencic, countertenor ; Armonia Atenea directed by George Petrou
fL8OOxW0_w8
- Heracleum Persicum
- Posts: 11826
- Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2012 7:38 pm
- Heracleum Persicum
- Posts: 11826
- Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2012 7:38 pm
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
ZSfgCIGd7k4
- Heracleum Persicum
- Posts: 11826
- Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2012 7:38 pm
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
J-t2ouOLYYw
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
HZ1TQYjCwYc
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
4CAuLeSmcR8
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
- Apollonius
- Posts: 1065
- Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 5:32 pm
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
La Silvia - Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) ; Roberta Invernizzi, soprano ; Gloria Banditelli, mezzo-soprano ; John Elwes, tenor ; Philippe Candor, bass ; Ensemble Baroque de Nice directed by Gilbert Bezzina
mna0P5cA34o
mna0P5cA34o
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
Brilliant.Apollonius wrote:La Silvia - Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) ; Roberta Invernizzi, soprano ; Gloria Banditelli, mezzo-soprano ; John Elwes, tenor ; Philippe Candor, bass ; Ensemble Baroque de Nice directed by Gilbert Bezzina
mna0P5cA34o
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
Tip of the hat to a friend:
_sNNTpORtDQApparently B.B. King and Janis Joplin had a secret love child.
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
- Apollonius
- Posts: 1065
- Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 5:32 pm
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
Farinelli, Carestini: Castrats et rivaux - Philippe Jaroussky, countertenor ; Ensemble Artaserse directed by Alessandro Tampieri
9zF-8JGxvR4
00:01:38 • Giacomelli: Dono d'amica sorte - La Merope
00:07:13 • Giacomelli: Sposa non mi conosci - La Merope
00:17:00 • Vivaldi: Concerto for bassoon in C major, RV 477
00:29:04 • Händel: Mi lusinga il dolce affetto - Alcina
00:37:03 • Vivaldi: sento con qual diletto - Ercole sul Termodonte
00:41:56 • Leonardo Leo: Se mi dai morte - Farnace
00:45:58 • Händel: Scherza infida - Ariodante
00:58:35 • Vivaldi: Concerto for violin in D minor, RV 242
01:10:12 • Porpora: Alto Giove - Polifemo
01:15:54 • Porpora: Senti il fato - Polifemo
__
• Encore:
01:24:02 • Händel: Verdi prati - Alcina
9zF-8JGxvR4
00:01:38 • Giacomelli: Dono d'amica sorte - La Merope
00:07:13 • Giacomelli: Sposa non mi conosci - La Merope
00:17:00 • Vivaldi: Concerto for bassoon in C major, RV 477
00:29:04 • Händel: Mi lusinga il dolce affetto - Alcina
00:37:03 • Vivaldi: sento con qual diletto - Ercole sul Termodonte
00:41:56 • Leonardo Leo: Se mi dai morte - Farnace
00:45:58 • Händel: Scherza infida - Ariodante
00:58:35 • Vivaldi: Concerto for violin in D minor, RV 242
01:10:12 • Porpora: Alto Giove - Polifemo
01:15:54 • Porpora: Senti il fato - Polifemo
__
• Encore:
01:24:02 • Händel: Verdi prati - Alcina
- Apollonius
- Posts: 1065
- Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 5:32 pm
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
A spectacular album which you might just have to buy to be able to hear:
Cecilia Bartoli: St. Petersburg - The recording session
12Vog4TZRtE
Cecilia Bartoli: St. Petersburg - The recording session
12Vog4TZRtE
- Apollonius
- Posts: 1065
- Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 5:32 pm
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
La lyra d'Orfeo - Luigi Rossi (c. 1597 - 1653) ; Véronique Gens: soprano ; L'Arpeggiata directed by Christina Pluhar
mLQHwDb1pp4
mLQHwDb1pp4
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
forqmom3YuY
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
fFnOfpIJL0M
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
fztSQg9vUiA
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
3fAXl97-RFg
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
Nothing makes a flight go faster than music. I had forgotten how good Ritchie Valens was.
-ziSLGVQOSg
-ziSLGVQOSg
- Apollonius
- Posts: 1065
- Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 5:32 pm
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
Grands motets du siècle des lumières à Versailles - Céline Scheen, Eugénie Warnier: sopranos ; Samuel Boden, tenor ; Emiliano Gonzalez-Toro, tenor ; Chœur et Orchestre Pygmalion directed by Raphaël Pichon
06bBBPZxyo8
00:02:23 • Mondonville: In exitu Israel
00:33:52 • Rameau: Quam dilecta tabernacula
00:57:48 • Telemann: Deus Judicium tuum
01:20:57 • Rameau: In convertendo dominus
06bBBPZxyo8
00:02:23 • Mondonville: In exitu Israel
00:33:52 • Rameau: Quam dilecta tabernacula
00:57:48 • Telemann: Deus Judicium tuum
01:20:57 • Rameau: In convertendo dominus
- Heracleum Persicum
- Posts: 11826
- Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2012 7:38 pm
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
fusuVoBw0kA
- Heracleum Persicum
- Posts: 11826
- Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2012 7:38 pm
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
yAF4_REZU9c
- Apollonius
- Posts: 1065
- Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 5:32 pm
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
La voix soleil - live at Festival d'Ambronay 2015 - Franco Fagioli, countertenor ; l’Orchestre de chambre de Bâle,
TzgH8bXs9eU
Airs et pièces instrumentales extraits d’opéras de Haendel et Lully
TzgH8bXs9eU
Airs et pièces instrumentales extraits d’opéras de Haendel et Lully
Re: What music are you listening to? | 2
g6T85X1ClmI
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.