Mendelssohn: Elijah
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Free Music Notes for Mendelssohn: Elijah
Free Music Review: Elijah,
Hit: 5 Stars
Cette version d'Elijah, malgr? son ?ge, est vraiment extraordinaire. Fisher-Dieskau en est s?rement pour quelque chose...Free Music Review: Elijah-CD
Hit: 5 Stars
The CD Box Set arrived in perfect condition and securely wrapped. I am extremely appreciative for finding such a great deal on a stellar product.Free Music Review: Still the Best (in most ways)
Hit: 5 Stars
I sang the Elijah in college more than five decades ago and can still sing along all the choruses from memory. During the time since I have listened to every major recorded release. When I first wrote this review several months ago, I was comparing my vinyl set, purchased when it was first released in the 1960's, with the recent Terfel/Daniel CD release. Since then I lost my vinyls in a fire and replaced it with the CD release shown here. With the ability to make quick A/B comparisons on the same sound system, I have reached some different evaluations.
I still think this recording is the most musically satisfying--except for the lead part of Elijah. The recent London release with Bryn Terfel is a close second overall, but Terfel is far superior to Fischer-Diskau as Elijah. In general outline, the Fr?beck de Burgos version is more musical, the Daniel version is more dramatic. Fr?beck de Burgos is a musician's musician, exploring and defining the inner details of the score with great care where Daniel shows more interest in the dramatic force of the whole. The diction in this version is excellent. The words can be understood plainly in most of the sections, even the heavy choral parts. In the Daniel version one has to already know the music, or have a text at hand, in order to know what is going on. (Fortunately, the complete text is provided with the Daniel version.) Renee Fleming and Gwyneth Jones are a tossup. Nicolai Gedda is wonderful here, far more satisfying than either of the tenors in the Terfel/Daniel performance. I think there has never been a better performance of the aria, "If with all your hearts..." I have always loved Janet Baker's work, and I think she was at her best in this performance. The contraltos in the Daniel performance are adequate, but not great. The big difference, the one that really tips the scale, is the comparison between Terfel and Fischer-Diskau. After listening to Terfel's convincing dramatic vigor, the polite presentation by Fischer-Diskau fell flat in my ears. Particularly his German accent really bothered me, as did his too-precise diction, spitting the words out with great care. Beyond the disappointing Fischer-Diskau presentation, every nuance of this recording is resoundingly wonderful, and with this excellent transfer to the CD medium, this release should continue to outshine all others in total performance.
The Elijah is not an easy piece to conduct. Compared to the Messiah, for example, which almost sings itself after you decide on the tempi and on the type and degree of ornamentation, the Elijah demands that the conductor remain in absolute control at all times, else the music can easily run away with itself. The choruses are complex and easily become mushy if not carefully managed. Fr?hbeck de Burgos is in total command at all times--with a superb sense of musical phrasing and balance in every detail.
The use of a boy's choir is a delightful contrast to the surrounding heavy choir parts. The diction is precise without feeling affected (other than Fischer-Diskau's, which is badly overdone in many places). The intonations are perfect in all parts.
I would recommend every serious lover of this music to have both this recording and the newer one by Paul Daniel with Bryn Terfel, and to go back and forth between them for their respective strengths.
Free Music Review: my opinion
Hit: 5 Stars
This recording was reccomended somewhere as being even better than the newer version with Bryn Terfel and Renee Fleming - it really is tops, I think. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is as lyrical as ever. And the other soloists are also breathtaking.Free Music Review: Wonderful, but not my first choice
Hit: 4 Stars
I believe this was the first recording of Elijah in English that used an "international" conductor and some international singers. Fruhbeck gives a good, dramatic sweep to the piece, with some wonderful dramatic moments. This is an old fashioned performance, with only a solo quartet, and if there is a semi-chorus, I can't tell the difference. This means that the soprano is the Widow, and an Angel, the mezzo the Angel and Queen Jezabel, etc. You really should have a libretto, but you don't get one at this price.
Fischer-Dieskau roughens up his voice for the role, and therein lies a problem. The voice spreads and his diction suffers because of it; that and his unidiomatic pronounciation, with far too many rolled "r"s. He does the drama well, but what works well in lieder works here less well on the large scale. Odd, given his success as on opera singer (check out his Iago), that here he frequently comes off blustery.
Dame Gwyneth Jones belies her reputation and gives a contolled, dramatic performance, using her "edge" to advantage in "Hear Ye, Israel". Gedda's diction is amazing, with exactly the right color for this literature, and projecting a little more blood than an English tenor.
Dame Janet Baker is my star in this performance. Dramatic, heart-rending when need be, and in wonderful voice. She'll chill your blood when she tells the people of Baal to "slaughter him, do what he hath done!".
And as for the people of Baal, the Philharmonia Chorus is wonderful. Incisive and dramatic, with beautiful tone. I could do without the trick of the boy choir for "Lift Thine Eyes", and I miss the small ensembles, but all in all a fine performance, and good recording, circa 1968.
First choice in English, Daniels/Terfel: better Elijah in Terfel, better recording, more authentic orchestra, small vocal ensembles (as per the score) but inferior women (including Fleming: beautiful tone, but where's her head?). In German, it's Sawallisch/Adam all the way.
But if you're singing Elijah, and have a score, this is a good choice.
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