Rare Page - Duet for Sopr,Ten & OrchWoO93

[Peter]

Now available to members at

www.kingsbarn.freeserve.co.uk/rare.html

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'Man know thyself'

[Chris]

Um...that was definitely a good piece, but by the end of it I felt like I wanted to strangle the soprano.

[Rod]

Originally posted by Chris:
Um...that was definitely a good piece, but by the end of it I felt like I wanted to strangle the soprano.

Well, you know my opinions about sopranos, but it is an entertaining piece like all B's Italian Arias. I forgot to mention the date of this mp3, 1802/3 according to Thayer's Life.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited September 10, 2002).]

[spaceray]

You gentlemen don't care for sopranos only or don't like vocal music generally but dislike the high voice,are there singers that you do admire?

[Rod]

Originally posted by spaceray:
You gentlemen don't care for sopranos only or don't like vocal music generally but dislike the high voice,are there singers that you do admire?

It's not sopranos per se I do not like, just the average quality of their 'singing' (warbling or screaming are other words that come to mind). Will have to think about a soprano that i particularly like.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Chaszz]

Originally posted by Rod:
It's not sopranos per se I do not like, just the average quality of their 'singing' (warbling or screaming are other words that come to mind). Will have to think about a soprano that i particularly like.

How about Flagstad?

[Chaszz]

I cannot access the rare pages. Is there a special password? I do not recall one being emialed to me when I joined. Please help, someone.

[Andrea]

So Rod , who is your favorite soprano? Have you chosen one yet? Inquiring minds want to know...

[Chris]

Originally posted by Rod:
It's not sopranos per se I do not like, just the average quality of their 'singing' (warbling or screaming are other words that come to mind). Will have to think about a soprano that i particularly like.

Yes, I agree with Rod (heh, the planets must all be aligned or something).

I think this is true of a lot of singers, but is just more obvious with sopranos. I usually do not think of singers that I like, but think of who I like to sing a specific piece; I don't always like a particular singer in everything he or she does, but I find him or her well-suited to a certain piece.

[spaceray]

I am dismayed by Chris's comment suggesting that he wished to strangle the soprano,I listened to WoO93 a few times this morning and I don't understand what it was about her performance that provoked in him the desire to do her bodily harm.I thought it was very nicely done and very much in the fashion of the time.
Is their a private joke that I am missing ?
Are singers and particularly sopranos not welcome here?
So far I have enjoyed the disscusion on this forum but shame on Chris for making such a dreadful comment,you will reduce the level of this exchange to the "u r gay" variety,which would be a great shame in my opinion as to date I have found the conversation most enlightening and intelligent.
Please be kind enough to explain what your problem with this (or indeed all )sopranos is.

[Chris]

Originally posted by spaceray:
I am dismayed by Chris's comment suggesting that he wished to strangle the soprano,I listened to WoO93 a few times this morning and I don't understand what it was about her performance that provoked in him the desire to do her bodily harm.

You know that's just sort of an expression, right?

I thought it was very nicely done and very much in the fashion of the time.
Is their a private joke that I am missing ?
Are singers and particularly sopranos not welcome here?

Of course they are. I just think the soprano in this piece is awful. She is not the worst I have heard, but she is nowhere near good, in my opinion. I'm not sure it is a private joke, exactly, but we try to have high musical standards here, and (as you will note in the other Rare Page thread where I comment on Rod's Pathetique recording of choice) I tend to like to exaggerate in my reviews of performances I don't like. Makes it more entertaining for the reader!

So far I have enjoyed the disscusion on this forum but shame on Chris for making such a dreadful comment,you will reduce the level of this exchange to the "u r gay" variety,which would be a great shame in my opinion as to date I have found the conversation most enlightening and intelligent.

Just try to lighten up a little bit. Do you think Beethoven himself never said something similar? I remember Mozart having quite a few choice words for some of his musicians. The comment was not meant literally, and that should be obvious.

[This message has been edited by Chris (edited September 11, 2002).]

[Andrea]

OK guys. I'm curious which sopranos are your favorites and the piece of music they sing that really sends you. As soon as you all decide let me know. Then I'll let you in on who my favorite is.

So come on guys, take the soprano challenge.

[Peter]

Originally posted by Andrea:
OK guys. I'm curious which sopranos are your favorites and the piece of music they sing that really sends you. As soon as you all decide let me know. Then I'll let you in on who my favorite is.

So come on guys, take the soprano challenge.

Emma kirkby is definitely one of my favourites, particularly with Handel (which should please Rod!) - I also became a fan of Jesse Norman when I heard her rendition of R.Strauss's last 4 fours. Renee Flemming also sang these songs wonderfully.

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'Man know thyself'

[Peter]

Originally posted by spaceray:
I am dismayed by Chris's comment suggesting that he wished to strangle the soprano,I listened to WoO93 a few times this morning and I don't understand what it was about her performance that provoked in him the desire to do her bodily harm.I thought it was very nicely done and very much in the fashion of the time.
Is their a private joke that I am missing ?
Are singers and particularly sopranos not welcome here?
So far I have enjoyed the disscusion on this forum but shame on Chris for making such a dreadful comment,you will reduce the level of this exchange to the "u r gay" variety,which would be a great shame in my opinion as to date I have found the conversation most enlightening and intelligent.
Please be kind enough to explain what your problem with this (or indeed all )sopranos is.

I don't think you need be dismayed! After all in such a democratic forum, run by the most liberal of minds, one is bound to have a difference of opinion! I have to say I found the performance and the piece delightful.

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'Man know thyself'

[Rod]

I have commented about Emma Kirkby before as Peter may recall. She's definitely one of the more reliable singers, though on occasion she can sound a little too 'pretty'. Regarding the current mp3 the singing of the soprano is not unduly bad compared to the average performance, though not excellent either. I too have heard a lot worse. I'm just generally critical of sopranos per se, hence my reaction to Chris's comment. But I recommend that readers do not be too worried about Chris's 'animated' critisism, he got it totally wrong about my Pathetique recording!


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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin