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A couple of more things on the opera.

First, someone asked about the Spontini. That was done a few years ago in Potsdam, and there's a single cd available, which I can dig up if need be.

I thought the performance at Lincoln Center was remarkable. I do wonder if the extended dance sequences will make it on the the Naxos recording, or whether the temptation will be do to this as a single cd. I'd hope the former, because I think part of the sense of seeing the whole opera is a certain kind of atmospheric continuity. It was an opera comique, so you also have the dialogue as necessary, and again I am not sure how much of that will make it in.

I thought the interesting thing about it - one of them - was that in Act II you get the obvious prefigurement of the great soprano-mezzo duet from Lakme. Again, remember, this was a VERY popular work for a generation or more. I knew that singers (sopranos) had had it as a very common debut vehicle, and I wasn't sure why, but in hearing the whole thing it's clear - it is a lovely part but not terribly exposed or taxing in the upper register or with a lot of coloratura. In fact, the mezzo (or short soprano if you want) in the second role could arguably be said to have the larger presence in Act I. Much depends on the charm and physical allure of the soprano and while you can score nicely with the role, the opera really doesn't fall on your shoulders, and not for that matter on anyone's. Parts are nicely distributed and depending on how someone would want to stage it, the buffa element with the bass (who was excellent here) could predominate. I thought the singing was all good or better, although to my ears the soprano had a tendency at times to sign very slightly flat. Fine work from everyone else, and lovely choreography, given the current state of opera choreography <g>. What was lovely  (after hearing so much at the MET) was to hear so much good French.

The real significance of this opera is that is was a show-piece for virtually every soprano for decades. If you look at the bios of many singers, their debuts or 'great moments' are often marked by performances of the work. David's music seems increasingly recorded, but there's not been a recording of this, or a performance, to my knowledge, and that's where the interest really lies. All best

Not entirely new.

He was the subject of one thread a few years ago, and also mentioned on another on Russian composers 'of the day'.

I have been reading his essay on composers and performers.

There is A translation here


http://math.stanford.edu/~ryzhik/Feinberg1.html

Although the essay I am reading is either a different essay on the same topic, or the translation is SO different that we have essentially two different essays.

I the next day I'll provide mine to the moderator if he wants to upload.

The (sic) essay is fascinating in a number of ways, not least the resemblance it bears to some of the written work of Kandinsky on the mystic symbolism of color. I have no idea if Feinberg was aware of this work, or if there might be some similar influences (ie Theosophical). I don't know much about Feinberg that I haven't read in Wiki, so I have no idea whether he was an observant Jew of any kind. He survived Lenin and Stalin in a public position of fame and adulation, which means he was certainly a politically savvy one. (Some artists got away with what others did not - Yudina was born Jewish, although she was devout Orthodox, and at one point, when Stalin gave her some money to fix a broken window in her apartment, she sent it to the church and wrote Stalin a note saying that she'd have them pray for his soul (from memory). This was usually a certain passport to death). The site I listed above also has some of the writings of Yudina herself, including a wonderful - but ultimately chaotic - talk on Brahms.

The essay is well worth reading, not only for what it says about composition, but about changing styles, and about one of my favorite topics, the interaction of listener and performer to 'create' one work that is really incomplete if it is not both performed and listened to. It also bears some resemblance to some of the writings of Furtwangler on music, and one wonders, again, about Feinberg's exposure to Schenker.

I've spent the evening yesterday listening to a slew of the Feinberg piano sonatas and concerti on you tube. There is also a site, for those interested, which is  Feinberg 'fan club', here

http://www.skfe.com/aifs/aifs/index_aifs.html

The you tube renditions are good enough that I think I may spring for some of the cds.

I wonder if anyone has listened to him lately, or has any interest in his philosophy.

Richard

If the moderator/owner does not object, I believe that it would be considerably easier for me to scan in the pages (only about four of moderate length) into an upload on this thread. Please let me know

Richard

I don't mean to seem as dumb as I am <g>, but I have the article available to upload and can't quite figure out how to attach it! Any help would be appreciated (sigh)

Without trying to be twee or 'cute', I will join a few others here and say the discovery of the year has been this group! Many thanks to Alan and everyone else.

Richard

A lovely series of posts, and frankly at far higher a level than most of the critical discourse (sic) that has accompanied the ROH revival. I scheduled my most recent trip around this, and saw the final perforamnce (Dec 21). At the moment I am racing against time to get caught up from the trip, and hope I can find some time to post a little more extensively later about it, but suffice it to say that I thought the evening was first rate. The program book has an excellent short essay by Cormac Newark on the strengths and liabilities of the work and I would be glad to upload that if that's ok. In a nutshell, Newark's point is that, yes, Meyerbeer doesn't yet totally accomplish what he was able to do later on - the whole is not quite equal to the sum of the parts - but in truth that's not different than a lot of composer's early works in a new medium, which grand opera surely was at this point. I think one of the difficulties I have NOT seen alluded to often with Meyerbeer is that his melodies are not in typical binary form....nor are they easy ABA form. Quite frequently they defy expectations of conventional shape, and thus don't really easily linger in the listener's mind (and thus also make rather unusual demands of the singers). It isn't a coincidence, I think, that the big Meyerbeer tunes that have survived all have that predictable shape, and while it doesn't put off audiences in the flesh, it seems to do so to critics.

More later.

I will post the essay, which is about 4 pages max, if that is ok.

Richard

Thanks for all this. I am just back from a frantic week of travel all through Europe, though this wasn't a great time to see novel stuff (but I did see a wonderful Offenbach double bill I'll try to write on when I catch my breath, and a rare Telemann and rarer Porpora and the Honneger Roi Pausolus, which kind of qualifies) and I am still hoping to get to see this there, although my April weekend has probably fallen through. I missed the Schmied (I was there but they cancelled the performance because a singer was sick) and did see the Benzin, which is wonderful, although I know people don't like it (it's very much based on Midsummer Night's Dream).

More later, but I am glad it will be radio broadcast.

For those interested, Wildbad this summer is doing the same thing with the Rossini Tell, and also offering an additional evening of music that didn't make it in.

All best
Richard

Yes, terrific. I have the Dubrovsky on cd but wasn't aware that two versions were available.

Also many thanks for the site. I see there is a video of Mathis and since I am seeing that in about a week I want to try to capture it for me iphone in preparation.

All best

Not a problem - I'd have done it if I'd thought of it <g>. Thanks.

BTW, a bit of investigation on You Tube shows that there is a bit of the original orchestration from that US performance available.

Sorry, I love cheesy titles. Live with it <g>

It is wonderful to see that virtually anyone I come up with  has been explored before here, or so it seems, and there have been stray comments in the archives for a while, as well as a compilation of Nielsen's work, which is quite helpful.

Simply put, I think his work in the Third Symphony reminds me of what Mahler said about 'his' work embracing the entire world, and listening to some of his chamber music this morning on You Tube doesn't make me feel he's much inferior (sic) to his eponymous namesake, although it seems to have been a strange career indeed.  The symphony could be criticized as not particularly adventurous in form - something I don't think anyone would say of Carl - but the chamber music doesn't have that limitation and is quite bracing.

Apparently the 3rd symphony (according to program notes for the first performance outside of Denmark, in the US in 1999) was cut down in length and orchestration under Nielsen's authority in order to try to get more performances (predictably that didn't work) and that's the version we have on recording, but there seems to be a new edition (relatively) and that was what was performed in 1999.

Any other thoughts or experiences with this guy's music?

Many thanks
Richard

The only thing I've heard so far is the Trio that's on You Tube, which I rather like more for some of the modulations and (cautious) chromaticism than I think the treatment of the themes. I'd be very curious to hear bits of the operas, but somehow doubt that day is coming anytime soon <g>. Thanks for the lead on him, though

I have been reading today a book on the development of opera in France in the early 19th century (Opera in Paris 1800-1850 by Partrick Barbier), and by the turn of the 19th century the major French conservatory admitted virtually equal numbers of men and women in all departments (including composition), there were composition teachers who were women, and the role of Louise Bertin (she most famously wrote Esmeralda, which has a recent recording) was prominent through all of the peregrinations of the French republic/monarchy in the first half of the century. Where, in some instances, there were pastiches thrown together for  the purpose of an 'event (ie, some political commemoration), she seemed to have had pride of place in a number of these in terms of writing the last, triumphant number. So I think that generalizations are unavoidable, but  they are indeed generalizations.

The only piece I have real familiarity with is the orchestral suite based on movie stars (I'm blanking on the name of it, though I have it on black disc) and I have never really appreciated any charms. Any specific recommendations would be more than welcome.

Thanks for the help on the pronunciation, which is always helpful. I didn't remember the small orchestra with this  - I think I was mostly transfixed by the staging <g>.  All best