Further on Magnard Berenice / Botstein

[eschiss1]

ok, all this about Fervaal makes me wonder again - was rereading a Fanfare article/interview about the Botstein recording of Chausson's Roi Arthus (itself hardly the most sung of works) (gah, quadruple negative?) and seeing some of the works Botstein was thinking about recording, some of which he has, since.  For instance, Magnard's Bérénice (in 2011). I think someone mentioned having heard that. Also, any idea if they plan to release that on CD or in some form? That might be nice... (I may have to get an iTunes purchasing account just to get some of the free downloads they're offering over on their site anyway )

Also, he mentioned an interest in producing/performing Chabrier's Briséïs, I think. Anything come of that, anyone know?...

[edurban]

I was there.  It's a good opera, full of Wagner (really more full than I expected since the Fourth symphony demonstrates that Magnard could command a very personal style by this time) and hampered a bit by Magnard's own libretto (lots of rumination, if I recall and not much drama) and the composer's perverse decision to make all the principals low voices.  The whole thing is pretty low on contrast, and throwing in a few choruses for Romans and sailors doesn't give you the variety an afternoon in the theatre requires.  It's not overly long, but seemed long.  The recurring motives had some memorable material, but operas of this kind really require previous study to be effective, so not the sort of thing that makes a great first impression.

Gorgeously sung, it would probably be a good listen on cd, but not much evidence that Magnard was a born man of the theatre.

The NYTimes review:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A01E1D81131F932A35751C0A9679D8B63

Some excerpts from the performance (about 12 minutes, I think in all) posted by the bass
Gregory Reinhart(very good) on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-41LHHIcaL8

David

[eschiss1]

I'd even go further and say the 3rd symphony, which orchestrally, as a late friend pointed out has some very odd things in it, was a more personal statement than I thought. But I'd enjoy hearing either of those symphonies live- the first movement of the 4th, as I said, seems meant to be experienced live, not through the only-just-born experience of recording. (Interesting with this school- Dutoit has broadcast the Magnard 3rd (terrific account!), Leonard Slatkin the Ropartz 5th - I used to have that last recording and I do wish I could find it... - one can't yet say Magnard or Ropartz are doing well with their symphonies exactly in the public ear but... better than once a time, maybe.)