Happy New Year and best wishes for a healthy, safe, productive and profitable 2023. And, it should be stated, for r.m.c.r. to continue to be the bastion of free speech, communal knowledge and unbridled opinions for collectors and enthusiasts around the world (who speak English). Hear, hear!

Having said that, I have endeavored to start the new year off right, albeit 24 hours in advance, with a recording for the ages. It is one CD set I did have to _finally_ troll eBay in order to find, as it never surfaced in over 10 years of searching, and then upon resigning myself to the auction site it took a long while to find a copy at a reasonable price. It is the legendary Selenophone film recording of Toscanini's Die Meistersing von Nürnberg by Wagner. Recorded in Salzburg in August 1937 w/ VPO and Vienna State Opera Chorus, and Nissen, Reining, Wiedemann, Noort, Thorborg, Sallaba and Alien. This release was indeed authorized by Allan Steckler, who manages the recorded legacy of Toscanini's estate. Restored by Ward Marston, this 4CD set was issued in 2003 on the much-missed Andante label, which saw fit to include the complete libretto, synopsis, introductory essay by the estimable American critic Tim Page, and a restoration note by Mr. Marston. Hardbound booklet has 264 pps. Andante sets were blown out in a fire sale by Berkshire Record Outlet in 2007 and 2008, and the _only_ one I did not buy was this one, and I've been kicking myself since then.

I should note, however, than Richard Caniell's not-for-profit Immortal Performances Recorded Music Society out of British Columbia, Canada, has also restored this, but mainly because the Andante set has been long o.o.p. Mr. Caniell said as much in his liner note, going to good length to describe his restoration as not necessarily better, but in ways that he felt he could improve upon it even moreso. I look forward to comparing the two, however, based one tonight's audition of Act I, I find it hard to believe I will be returning to the I.P.R.M.S.

Wagner. Toscanini. Salzburg. Marston. This is as good as it gets.

I tried listening to Debussy's Pelleas et Melisande but as usual, I didn't get far into it before I turned to other things.

I just can't quite get it into my system. Same with Jeux. I find Debussy a very difficult composer, in fact.

On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 5:20:39 PM UTC+1, Andy Evans wrote:
> I find Debussy a very difficult composer, in fact.

well, he is.

On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 8:20:39 AM UTC-8, Andy Evans wrote:
> I tried listening to Debussy's Pelleas et Melisande but as usual, I didn't get far into it before I turned to other things.
>
> I just can't quite get it into my system. Same with Jeux. I find Debussy a very difficult composer, in fact.

The following review of a production of PELLEAS... begins:

- Virgil Thomson used to recount a backstage conversation at the Metropolitan Opera that took place more than 50 years ago. After a performance of “Pelleas et Melisande” led by Pierre Monteux, a well-meaning patron asked the French conductor, “Do you suppose ‘Pelleas’ will ever really be a success?”

Monteux’s pointed reply: “It was never intended to be.”

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-04-26-ca-448-story.html

On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 9:09:08 AM UTC-8, gggg gggg wrote:
> On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 8:20:39 AM UTC-8, Andy Evans wrote:
> > I tried listening to Debussy's Pelleas et Melisande but as usual, I didn't get far into it before I turned to other things.
> >
> > I just can't quite get it into my system. Same with Jeux. I find Debussy a very difficult composer, in fact.
> The following review of a production of PELLEAS... begins:
>
> - Virgil Thomson used to recount a backstage conversation at the Metropolitan Opera that took place more than 50 years ago. After a performance of “Pelleas et Melisande” led by Pierre Monteux, a well-meaning patron asked the French conductor, “Do you suppose ‘Pelleas’ will ever really be a success?”
>
> Monteux’s pointed reply: “It was never intended to be.”
>
> https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-04-26-ca-448-story.html

The only Debussy piece I never get tired of listening to is "Nuages" from his NOCTURNES.

Monteux recorded it twice; try his earlier Boston PO recording.

On Friday, December 30, 2022 at 11:24:28 PM UTC-8, Oscar wrote:
>
> Happy New Year and best wishes for a healthy, safe, productive and
> profitable 2023. And, it should be stated, for r.m.c.r. to continue to be
> the bastion of free speech, communal knowledge and unbridled opinions
> for collectors and enthusiasts around the world (who speak English).

Racist as usual.

dk

On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 3:11:51 PM UTC-8, Dan Koren wrote:
> On Friday, December 30, 2022 at 11:24:28 PM UTC-8, Oscar wrote:
> >
> > Happy New Year and best wishes for a healthy, safe, productive and
> > profitable 2023. And, it should be stated, for r.m.c.r. to continue to be
> > the bastion of free speech, communal knowledge and unbridled opinions
> > for collectors and enthusiasts around the world (who speak English).
>
> Racist as usual.

"Free speech" as defined by Herman, Melmoth, Gerard
and all the other woke political corectness police?

You got it all wrong, buddy!

dk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jP61SgTY7o

On 2022-12-31 23:20:27 +0000, Dan Koren said:

> On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 3:11:51 PM UTC-8, Dan Koren wrote:
>> On Friday, December 30, 2022 at 11:24:28 PM UTC-8, Oscar wrote:
>>>
>>> Happy New Year and best wishes for a healthy, safe, productive and
>>> profitable 2023. And, it should be stated, for r.m.c.r. to continue to be
>>> the bastion of free speech, communal knowledge and unbridled opinions
>>> for collectors and enthusiasts around the world (who speak English).
>>
>> Racist as usual.
>
> "Free speech" as defined by Herman, Melmoth, Gerard
> and all the other woke political corectness police?
>
> You got it all wrong, buddy!
>

Yep. Everybody gets their free speech!

"You get free speech! You get free speech! Come on up on stage and
get your own free speech!"

-Oprah, I think.

-Owen

P.S. Does this mean Elon is buying Usenet?

-O

On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 7:10:32 PM UTC-8, Owen Hartnett wrote:
> On 2022-12-31 23:20:27 +0000, Dan Koren said:
>
> > On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 3:11:51 PM UTC-8, Dan Koren wrote:
> >> On Friday, December 30, 2022 at 11:24:28 PM UTC-8, Oscar wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Happy New Year and best wishes for a healthy, safe, productive and
> >>> profitable 2023. And, it should be stated, for r.m.c.r. to continue to be
> >>> the bastion of free speech, communal knowledge and unbridled opinions
> >>> for collectors and enthusiasts around the world (who speak English).
> >>
> >> Racist as usual.
> >
> > "Free speech" as defined by Herman, Melmoth, Gerard
> > and all the other woke political corectness police?
> >
> > You got it all wrong, buddy!
> >
> Yep. Everybody gets their free speech!
>
> "You get free speech! You get free speech! Come on up on stage and
> get your own free speech!"
>
> -Oprah, I think.
>
> -Owen
>
> P.S. Does this mean Elon is buying Usenet?
>

UNET cannot be bought. Not to
mention it is also worthless.

dk

On 2022-12-31 12:24 a.m., Oscar wrote:
> Happy New Year
>

I've been listening to Naida Cole playing Ravel's Miroirs and what an
excellent performance it is!
Pity she changed careers.

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos.1 & 9; Piano Concerto No.3*
_World Premiere Release of Complete Concert_

NBC Symphony Orchestra / Arturo Toscanini
Eileen Farrell (S)
Nan Merriman (Mz)
Jan Peerce (T)
Norman Scott (B)
Dame Myra Hess (pf)*

Immortal Performances Recorded Music Society © 2022. 2CD.
Recorded at Carnegie Hall, New York, March 29, 1952; at Studio 8H, Rockefeller Center, New York, November 24, 1946.
Restoration and digital transfer copyright : Richard Caneill, IMPRS.
Source: Immortal Performances Recorded Music Society, a non-profit, educational organization, British Columbia.
Series producer: Richard Caniell.
Booklet design: Richard Caniell © 2022.
Graphic coordination: Madeleine McCarthy.
Text editor and disc auditor: Anne Sherrod.
Technical support: Scott Cherry.
Booklet note: Robert Matthew-Walker.
All texts in this booklet are copyrighted by the named authors.
NOTE: I am greatly indebted to Luciano Crivello for his generosity and extensive research into Toscanini's performance history.

COMMENT: The Maestro's ultimate Beethoven Symphony 9 was recorded for posterity in studio conditions at an audience-less Carnegie Hall two days later, on April 1, 1952. The March 29 broadcast performance is preferable. Note that Symphony No.1 was _not_ broadcast. Piano Concerto No.3 was broadcast on NBC, but was not issued on commercial RCA Victor disks. Long live The Maestro!

A rare phenomenon: music more fun to look at than to listen to,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k57Tl7qAGFs

Henk

I have a lot on my plate this week and trouble sleeping so I play music at low volumes to try and obliterate any thoughts that come into my head uninvited.

I think I listened to the whole of The Cunning Little Vixen either once or twice, but since I don't remember much of it, it seems to have worked quite well.

On Sunday, January 1, 2023 at 7:20:58 PM UTC-8, Oscar wrote:
>
> COMMENT: The Maestro's ultimate Beethoven Symphony 9
> was recorded for posterity in studio conditions at an audience-l
> ess Carnegie Hall two days later, on April 1, 1952.

Military band konduktor. Perfectly suitable for
political propaganda "music". Repetition,
repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition.

dk

On Sunday, January 1, 2023 at 9:28:41 AM UTC-8, Graham wrote:
> On 2022-12-31 12:24 a.m., Oscar wrote:
> > Happy New Year
> >
> I've been listening to Naida Cole
> playing Ravel's Miroirs and what
> an excellent performance it is!

Quite possibly the finest on record.

> Pity she changed careers.

She was tired of living out of a
suitcase.

dk

On 2023-01-03 2:27 p.m., Dan Koren wrote:
> On Sunday, January 1, 2023 at 9:28:41 AM UTC-8, Graham wrote:
>> On 2022-12-31 12:24 a.m., Oscar wrote:
>>> Happy New Year
>>>
>> I've been listening to Naida Cole
>> playing Ravel's Miroirs and what
>> an excellent performance it is!
>
> Quite possibly the finest on record.
>
>> Pity she changed careers.
>
> She was tired of living out of a
> suitcase.
>
> dk
This afternoon I listened to her Gaspard. Another excellent performance
with the "bell" in "Gibet" very muted.

> This afternoon I listened to her Gaspard. Another excellent performance
> with the "bell" in "Gibet" very muted.

I heard Naida play a recital at Herbst Theater in San Francisco about 10-15 years ago. She had come out in the role of accompanist to Gideon Kremer. In the second half of the concert, she had a solo and played "Le Baiser de l'enfant Jesus" from Ving Regards. It was simply magical. It's perhaps the most sheerly beautiful piece in Vingt Regards, and she played it as beautifully as you could ever want to hear it.

I should add (off topic, of course) that she is a stunningly beautiful woman -- even better looking than her publicity photos.

Martin

On Wednesday, January 4, 2023 at 1:12:04 AM UTC-5, Martin Cohn wrote:
> > This afternoon I listened to her Gaspard. Another excellent performance
> > with the "bell" in "Gibet" very muted.
> I heard Naida play a recital at Herbst Theater in San Francisco about 10-15 years ago. She had come out in the role of accompanist to Gideon Kremer. In the second half of the concert, she had a solo and played "Le Baiser de l'enfant Jesus" from Ving Regards. It was simply magical. It's perhaps the most sheerly beautiful piece in Vingt Regards, and she played it as beautifully as you could ever want to hear it.
>
> I should add (off topic, of course) that she is a stunningly beautiful woman -- even better looking than her publicity photos.
>
> Martin

I found it odd that her 2 fine Decca CDs disappeared soon after she left for medical school.

On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 8:29:21 AM UTC-8, Herman wrote:
> On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 5:20:39 PM UTC+1, Andy Evans wrote:
> > I find Debussy a very difficult composer, in fact.
> well, he is.

For fiddlers.

dk

From the Met streaming service: Rossini's La Cenerentola with Elīna Garanča, Alessandro Corbelli, Lawrence Brownlee, Simone Alberghini, and no ham. From the ROH: Bizet's Carmen with Anna Caterina Antonacci and Jonas Kaufmann, marvelous set, no intrusive symbolic stuff and a marvellous gang of young children.

Andrew Clarke
Canberra

On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 10:41:52 AM UTC-8, gggg gggg wrote:
> On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 9:09:08 AM UTC-8, gggg gggg wrote:
> > On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 8:20:39 AM UTC-8, Andy Evans wrote:
> > > I tried listening to Debussy's Pelleas et Melisande but as usual, I didn't get far into it before I turned to other things.
> > >
> > > I just can't quite get it into my system. Same with Jeux. I find Debussy a very difficult composer, in fact.
> > The following review of a production of PELLEAS... begins:
> >
> > - Virgil Thomson used to recount a backstage conversation at the Metropolitan Opera that took place more than 50 years ago. After a performance of “Pelleas et Melisande” led by Pierre Monteux, a well-meaning patron asked the French conductor, “Do you suppose ‘Pelleas’ will ever really be a success?”
> >
> > Monteux’s pointed reply: “It was never intended to be.”
> >
> > https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-04-26-ca-448-story.html
> The only Debussy piece I never get tired of listening to is "Nuages" from his NOCTURNES.
>
> Monteux recorded it twice; try his earlier Boston PO recording.

Concerning vocal music, try this Y. upload:

"Dame Maggie Teyte Sings Debussy's "Beau Soir." Gerald Moore, Piano. 1944"

Verdi: Simon Boccanegra
WORLD PREMIERE RELEASE

Piero Cappuccilli (Boccanegra)
Nicolai Ghiaurov (Fiesco)
Veriano Luchetti (Adorno)
Raina Kabaivanska (Amelia)
Felice Shiavi (Paolo)
Giovanni Foiani (Pietro)
Maria Fausta (Un Ancella)
Antonio Savastano (Capitano)
Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala, Milano / Claudio Abbado

Immortal Performances Recorded Music Society IPCD 1163-2 © 2022. 2CD.
Recorded at Kennedy Center, Washington D.C. (a/k/a The Swamp), September 15, 1976.
Restoration and digital transfer copyright: Richard Caneill, IMPRS .
Source: Immortal Performances Recorded Music Society, a non-profit, educational organization, British Columbia .
Series producer: Richard Caniell .
Booklet design: Richard Caniell © 2022 .
Graphic coordination: Madeleine McCarthy .
Text editor and disc auditor: Anne Sherrod .
Technical support: Scott Cherry .
Booklet note © Dewey Faulkner, 2022.

COMMENT: Here is the Recording Note by the producer, Mr. Caniell:

"The La Scala Opera tour brought a 350-member company to Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. for performances from September 7th till the 19th, 1976. The visit was part of Italy's salute to the American Bicentennial. The company had originally intended to also present its tour performances in New York City, but this was canceled by the Italian Government, which, funding the tour, claimed overall expenses required that the tour be abbreviated.

"I was drawn to search out any recording of this performance when reading The New York Times critical assessment, "La Scala, at its best, is one of the half dozen great opera houses of the world. This was amply demonstrated with its magnificent production of Simon Boccanegra." My search for a recording of it led to a private collector, out of which came out CD presentation, the first, I believe, ever made available."

On 1/8/23 1:00 AM, Oscar wrote:
> Verdi: Simon Boccanegra

Coincidentally enough, when Oscar started this WAYLTL thread in late
December with a mention of the Toscanini Meistersinger, I was already
planning to relisten to the opera - but I chose the Kubelik version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEn5RJdj208 - and I just finished
listening. (Sorry to make a stale joke about the length - if you follow
the libretto it doesn't seem too long at all).

The Kubelik is a really great performance. Every singer has an
attractive voice and acts their roles perfectly, the sound is fine, and
Kubelik characterizes and paces the score...masterfully.

It may lack the excitement in spots of the Solti version, and Karajan
(in 1951) outdoes Kubelik - just listen to the Prelude:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fdncWzMO-4

Definitely one of my favorite opera recordings.

Not sure a January thread started in December is actually still
valid :-), but....

New release from experimental vocal group Foreign Fire, project
Waterpuller's Light:

https://www.foreignfire.com/

_Addresses_ turns to the book of Exodus -- after _In principle_
had presented all 12 episodes of the book of Genesis....