Episode 348. Rescue Mission II
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After I post a Countermelody episode on a cherished singer, my relationship with these artists continues: one of those manifestataions is that I never stop seeking out rare and unusual recordings featuring those singers. This results in a grab-bag of fascinating and often obscure material that is simply too good not to share with my listeners. Today I present you with the second episode of such genre, which I have collectively dubbed “Rescue Mission.” On this episode I feature singers you’ve heard on the podcast over the course of the past several weeks and months, including, among many others, Janet Baker, Oralia Domínguez, Eugene Holmes, Ellabelle Davis, Gilda Cruz-Romo, Benjamin Luxon, Mara Coleva, Hugo Hasslo, Margaret Marshall, Gloria Davy, and Mady Mesplé, performing work by Handel, Verdi, Weill, Bach, Brahms, Boito, and Mozart. The episode concludes with Eleanor Steber (because, as I affirmed laast week, you can never have enough of her), in a 1949 performance of “Ah, Perfido!” that will have you picking your dislocated jaw up off the floor. Also expect shout-outs to friends of the podcast, old and new, as well as a certain amount of political snippiness!
RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE
Kurt Weill, Maxwell Anderson [after Alan Paton]: How Many Miles? (Lost in the Stars). Eugene Holmes, Dora Wilson [1968]
Giuseppe Verdi, Francesco Maria Piave [after Alexandre Dumas fils]: Un dì, felice (La traviata). Gilda Cruz-Romo, John Alexander, Walter Herbert, Philadelphia Opera [live 01.VII.70]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Lorenzo da Ponte [after Pierre Beaumarchais]: Sull’aria… Che soave zeffiretto (Le Nozze di Figaro). Margaret Price, Edith Mathis, Karl Böhm, Orchester der Bayerische Staatsoper [live München 1977]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Lorenzo da Ponte: Il core vi dono (Così fan tutte) Hugo Hasslo, Helga Görlin, Fritz Busch, Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra [live Stockholm 30.III.40]
Richard Wagner: Euch Lüften, die mein Klagen (Lohengrin). Martina Arroyo, Berislav Klobučar, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra [live New York 10.II.68]
Riccardo Zandonai, Maurizio Vaucaire, Carlo Zangarini [after Pierre Louÿs]: A fine dicembre (Conchita). Gloria Davy, Loris Gavarini, Orchestra Sinfonica Città di Sanremo [live 23.III.61]
Arrigo Boito: Nugoli d’arsa (Mefistofele). Mara Coleva, Alfredo Kraus, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Jacklyn Schneider, Marshall Stone, Anton Guadagno, Orchestra and Chorus of the Philadelphia Opera [live 29.X.65]
Ferdinando Bertoni, Ranieri de’ Calzabigi: Che farò senza Euridice (Orfeo ed Euridice). Oralia Domínguez, Orchestra conducted by Carlo Franci [1966]
George Frideric Handel: Ah! che ancor nel abisso… Alla salma infedel (Lucrezia [O Numi eterni!], HWV 145. Janet Baker, Raymond Leppard, Scottish Chamber Orchestra [live Edinburgh 1981]
Johann Sebastian Bach: Was mein Herz von dir begehrt (Es ist euch gut, dass ich hingehe, BWV 108). Ria Bollen, Hans Thamm, Collegium Musicum des WDR [radio recording 1971]
Johann Sebastian Bach: Höchster, mache deine Güte (Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen, BWV 51). Margaret Marshall, Claudio Abbado, Jugendorchester der Europäischen Union [live Venezia 10.VIII.79]
Johannes Brahms, Traditional Hungarian text adapted by Hugo Conrat [né Hugo Cohn]: Zigeuenerlieder, Op. 103: V. Brauner Bursche führt zum Tanze; VI. Röslein dreie in der Reihe; VII. Kommt dir manchmal in den Sinn; VIII. Rote Abendwolken ziehen am Firmament. Ellabelle Davis, Kjell Olsson [1952]
Joaquín Turina, Josefina de Attard: Melpómene (Musas de Andalucía, Op. 93/5). Roberta Alexander, unknown pianist [live Zürich, unknown date]
Manuel de Falla, María de la O Lejárraga García: Canción del fuego fatuo (El amor brujo). Oralia Domínguez, Leopold Stokowski, Orchestra di Torino della RAI [live Torino 08.V.55]
Hermann Lohr, Frederick E. Weatherly: When Jack and I were Children. Benjamin Luxon, David Willison [1976]
Paul Misraki, Jean Féline: Chez moi. Mady Mesplé, Léo Chauliac [radio recording 31.XII.69]
Kurt Weill, Maxwell Anderson [after Alan Paton]: O Tixo, Tixo, Help Me (Lost in the Stars). Eugene Holmes, Dora Wilson [1968]
Ludwig Van Beethoven, Pietro Metastasio: Ah, crudel, tu vuoi ch’io mora… Dite voi, se in tanto affanno (Ah, Perfido!, Op. 65). Eleanor Steber, Bruno Walter, New York Philharamonic [live 15.IV.49]