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JOHN WILLIAMS Music for Films WAGNER: Wesendonck-Lieder. MAHLER: Rückert-Lieder BEETHOVEN; Ah! Perfido. MOZART: Non temer, amato bene, K. 490
(Idomaneo). Ah, lo previd (Andromeda). K 272. Bella mia fiamma, addio!...Resta,
o cara, K. 528 (¹itano). L/amero, soro costante (Aminta) from Il Re
Pastore, K. 208. HAYDN: Scena di Berenice. MYSLIVECEK: Si mai
sentispirarti sul voio. Last year this site praised a remarkable DVD of John Williams leading the Vienna Philharmonic in a concert of his own music (REVIEW). Now, to cerebrate his 90th birthday, we have this magnificent recording leading the Berlin Philharmonic in more of his music. John Williams is an amazing composer, a master of orchestration. and a fine conductor as well. This is music on a grand, imaginative scale. In notes for the Vienna concerts, Williams said the Vienna Philharmonic is the world's finest orchestra; he also says this of the Berlin Philharmonic. Both orchestras are in top virtuoso form; exciting playing indeed. . It doesn't clarify how many performances there were in Berlin, just that the event took place in October 2021 before a huge enthusiastic audience in the warm acoustics of the Philharmonie. Williams often gives commenting on the music, and much applause is included. The program includes music not heard in the Vienna galas. This is an outstanding issue, but for maximum effect, wait for the Blu Ray video soon to appear. It will have he advantage of multi-channel audio. You can watch some of both the Vienna and Berlin concerts on You Tube. Latvian mezzo Elina Garanca is an amazing artist with a wide repertory. This site recently praised a disk of arias (REVIEW), and she also participates in an all-star video (REVIEW). This site also praised her Met Carmen (REVIEW). Her latest release was is taken from concerts at the Salzburg Festival with the Vienna Philharmonic directed by Christian Thielemann in 2020 (Wagner), and 2021 (Mahler). Exquisite performances all with the Vienna Philharmonic providing rich orchestral textures under Thielmann's committed direction. Each of the concerts also included a major symphonic work, not included here, unfortunately. It is unlikely the compete concerts will be issued on DVD in surround sound, so if you wish to hear these superb performances, this is it. Complete texts and translations are provided. Because of the pandemic Cecilia Bartoli has had time to explore some lesser-known repertory, and the result can be heard on this CD of concert arias by Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart and Myslivecek:. These are all gems, sung to perfection by Bartoli with strong accompaniment from Kammerorchester Basel directed by Muhoi Tong. The important solo violin parts in two arias are played by Maxim Vengerovm first-class all the waty.. R.E.B. (February 2022) |