Longtime Reader valine76 writes:
“Lately I’ve left the romantic era and have been browsing music from the baroque period, especially Vivaldi and Handel. While there, I stumbled across a composition by Ricardo Broschi (1698-1756), brother of Carlo Broschi, aka “Farinelli,” the foremost castrato of the era.
“It’s obvious Riccardo wrote the piece to showcase his brother’s voice, and here, the vocal is sung exquisitely by soprano Simone Kermes.
“What made this special for me is that this dreamy piece is accompanied by a series of stunning still lifes by Roman Reisinger, an artist still working. Looking at his images while listening to the music, I can smell the onions, feel the brittle leaves of the drying herbs and seed pods of the money plant, I can smell the algae in a bottle of water rooting a plant – the whole series is a feast of textures that pull me into the works.
“Go full screen, sit back, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.”
I did, and I did.
Now the rest of you can do the same. And Val: thankee for the email and the kind words that preceded the above recommendation. It is absolutely no exaggeration to say that having Readers like you is what makes this all so rewarding.
That was lovely, thank you both. I am going to watch it again on the big-screen TV with the volume right up asap. Simone Kermes did a super “pastiche” CD a few years back – singing modern pop songs (Sting, Fields of Gold, among others) in the baroque style. It was absolutely fantastic, and shows what a talented lady she is.
In the meantime, follow this like to spend two and a half minutes watching Huw Montague Rendall & Elisabeth Boudreault give the best rendition I have ever heard of the “Pa-Pa-Pa-Papagena” duet from Mozart’s Zauberflöte. https://youtu.be/lP9V7_fevgQ
If you are not head over heels for the soprano by the end, I don’t want to know you…
Thank you, Denis, that was great! I think those two were actually having fun, their voices blended wonderfully, and I had fun watching them. I really enjoy watching artists in a recording studio. It seems everyone is enjoying themselves more than they do in a concert performance, perhaps because they know they can do it it again if they or the producer/conductor would like another try.
Here’s one of my studio favorites: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=196vg2FLKjQ
Sophie’s mezzo soprano voice has a huge range, power, yet exquisite control in her pianissimo passages, fantastic ornamentation without the overwhelming vibrato many mezzos have, and her presentation of a heart broken bride mourning her husband-to-be’s indifference and infidelity moved me to tears. I speak a little Italian and managed to follow and translate after many hearings.
(Orchestra: 0:00 – 0:48) Verse 1, sung twice
Sposa, son disprezzata
Fida, son oltraggiata
Cieli, che feci mai?
Cieli, che feci mai?
E pur egl’è il mio cor
Il mio sposo, il mio amor
La mia speranza
I am a scorned bride,
I am faithful, yet offended.
Heavens, what have I done?
Heavens, what have I done?
And yet he is my heart,
my bridegroom, my love,
my hope. (Repeated twice)
(Orchestra: 3:07 – 3:21) Verse 2, sung once
L’amo ma egl’è infedel
spero ma egl’è crudel,
morir mi lascierai?
mi lascierai morir
O Dio manca il valor
manca il valor
valor e la costanza.
(Orchestra: 3:07 – 3:21)
I love him, but he is unfaithful,
I hope, but he is cruel,
will he let me die?
he will let me die!
O God, courage is missing –
courage is missing
courage and constancy.
At 3:51 back to Verse 1, one more time.
That was magnificent. 100% the jilted bride, and what a lovely voice! Thanks ever so much, valine76!
The timbre reminds me very much of Marilyn Horne, whose 1970s recording as Orpheus in Glück’s Orfeo ed Euridice conducted by Georg Solti is a masterpiece. I would love for Sophie Rennert to sing and record that on modern equipment.
Musicians are definitely more relaxed during studio work than in live performances (at least, I always was…), and are perhaps also more willing and able to take a chance on a new approach or new interpretation, which can in itself be fun and creative.
Here are two having more studio fun… https://youtu.be/C1ZL5AxmK_A
Watched it a few more times. You got me, I’m in love with her. (Problem is, she’s only 16, right? :>) )
Sigh…I’m so old, 50 year old people look young.
Gotcha! She is indeed adorable. I will certainly be keeping an eye out for any live performances this side of the big pond.
Hopefully those two talents will follow Amadeus’ wise prescription and have plenty of very musical babies… with the look Elisabeth gives Huw at 0:57 and the kiss at the end, the chances would seem pretty good!
Excellent. Thank you.
That was exquisite!