Brussels Museum of fine arts 02/06/2008 - Franz Schubert:  Opening “in the Italian style”, D. 591 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:  To questo sono, deh vieni, K. 374 –
Walks, K. 320A [335] – Ah, the previdi, K. 272 Ludwig van Beethoven:  Symphony n° 4, opus 60

Olga Pasichnyk (soprano) National Orchestra of Belgium, Theodor Guschlbauer (direction)

The history of the Concerts of Noon of Brussels is not linear.  In 1940, thanks to Charles Leirens that inspired itself concerts of noon of the National Gallery of London, took places to the Museum of Old Art of the musical meetings during the hour of table but the war decided otherwise course of the things.  It is only from January 1948 that the concerts had again place, and this thanks to Sarah Huysmans that dut nevertheless to do facing a constraint well earth-to-earth that delayed the return: that said Concert of said Noon lunch, now, shortly after the armed conflict that bloodied Europe, Belgium was subjected to a rationnement rather strict, so well that it was not Sufficient of music-loving ones to the occasion of these demonstrations. 

Sixty years after, the Concerts of Noon carry themselves always well – even if the average of age of the public seems to increase inexorably –, these demonstrations, bathed of an outdated delicious perfume, having aujourd’hui place on Wednesdays in the public Studio Carel and Gilded van Creveld of the Museum of fine arts, baptized in homage to the one that some was the president of 1955 to 1999.  And it always is possible to restore itself for a modest price before or after the concert to the adjacent buffet to the room…

This anniversary concert does not reflect totally politics of the programming of this honorable one of Brussels institution, placed under the high patronage of S.M. the Queen Fabiola, the accent in fact being put on the room music.  But the occasion to hear in the middle of the week on the noon time a symphonic formation, furthermore the National Orchestra of Belgium, is not current, also not it is astonishing as the public replied massively present. 

The opening “in the Italian style” (1817) of Schubert gives the tone, the musicians caring for their interventions and the together being driven with effectiveness by the Viennese boss Theodor Guschlbauer.  Separated by a Market (1779) destined to accompany the Serenade “Posthorn”, the two airs together HAS questo sono, deh vieni (1781) and Ah, previdi (1777) of Mozart benefit from the talent of Olga Pasichnyk, Third Price of the Competition Queen Elisabeth 2000 – the presence of this Ukrainian soprano reminder besides the narrow collaboration between the Concerts of Noon and the competition.  Lived, just benefit of your and to the expressive register varied of an accomplished mozartienne and to the admirable vocal means. 

The traditional, wise approach and without bad surprised Guschlbauer in the Fourth Symphony (1806) of Beethoven fully satisfies.  The rhythms are printed with harshness, the music advances without leading, the bends are sveltes and the power as well as the energy do not do defect.  On time babies bosses, it would not be necessary to forget that the old ones have again things to say us in the catalog pillars. 

Sébastien Foucart

In April 2008, Herbert von Karajan would have been 100 years old.  Many publications in CD and DVD greet this birthday.  Here a first turn of horizon of newly reprinted CD that you will be able to find in store. 

It is difficult today, notably seen North America, to imagine to which not at all Herbert von Karajan had a mastery on musical life.  Boss to life of the philharmonic Orchestra of Berlin and of the one of Coming, former deus machined Deutsche Grammophon, it was the classical European music locomotive, a begun ascension in the brown years of Nazi Germany and made real by his taken one of musical strength to Berlin in 1955. 

His pronounced taste for the technologies did the remainder.  The stereophony advent brought it to record the big catalog to Berlin, to Comes and to London.  A time, it had even two “contracts of exclusivity rights”, the one with EMI, the other with DG. 

To the arrival of the compact disc, it was involved himself to melts in the promotion of this new support, that, accessorily, legitimized it of all réenregistrer.  To the all end of his life, it attached himself to constitute an ultimate visual legs, videos climbed in his own cellar and that it confided in Sony (that had just repurchased cbs-columbia) in exchange… construction of a factory of pressage of discs close to at his place in Austria. 

The music strength

On the musical plan also, Karajan had a considerable impact, materializing to Berlin his representation of what had to be an “ideal sonorous body”.  The German word klangkörper of course can translate itself elegantly by “sonorous entity”, but the literal idea of “sonorous body” translates perfectly the organic vision of the sound with Karajan.  And the heart of this tone, this are the ropes. 

In this direction, the orchestral picture carried by Karajan is the illustration more accomplished of the “his German”, that advocates the merger of all the elements in a corpus irrigated by the ropes and opposes itself radically to the “his French”, in which every instrument to wind is considered as a soloist that comes to bring his color key to the body. 

This is for this reason specifies that the fact to see attached on the reissue CD of The Sea of Debussy with DG a self-adhesive one proclaiming “one of the 100 better recordings of all the times according to the magazine Gramophone” has the right to to do to laugh, for even if this is a beautiful recording, it illustrates by the example a hedonistic vision, melted and dynamically corseted, to the exact opposites of.  That does not prevent the envoûtement, but constitutes all except a model

The most surprised one in the career of Herbert von Karajan, this is his “non-career post mortem”.  While the discs of Bride Callas or of Glenn Gould continued to sell itself, more even after their disappearance that of their living one, ubiquitousness and the power of the presence of Karajan on the market practically collapsed in a nothing of time.  All happened as if the music-loving ones too had seen it and decided to turn the page. 

The commercial success of the various commemorative publications to the occasion of the centennial one definitively we will inform on this point.  But what a pity to forget Karajan, for, that one there adheres or no, his legs indicates the quintessence of a unique sonorous ideal, does power and of legato, that marked the year interpretation 1960 to 1990 and opposes itself in all points to the aesthetic one American orchestras of the era. 

Deutsche Grammophon published the first one a commemorative casket of 10 CD in albums boxes embedded in a luxurious casket and resuming visual of era.  This casket sweeps all, first stereo recording (A life of hero of Richard Strauss) to the discovery of the young violoniste Anne-

Sophie Mutter (concerto of Beethoven), while going through the Stupid 1st certo of Tchaïkovski with Sviatoslav Richter, the Requiem of Mozart and the inevitable symphonies of Beethoven (our 3 and 4) and of Brahms (our 2 and 3). 

Other irony of the history, obvious to the réécoute:  Karajan, of which the absolute passion was sonorous ideal, importantly well was not served by the sound engineers: the true plumpness closes ropes of Berlin, the softness that one heard in concert, does not show through really to his just one and full measure in the discs.  For example, the one of the intermezzos of operas suffers as a result tones a little made tense. 

The choices

As such, the casket DG illustrates very well the aesthetic Karajan in the catalogs more varied.  Karajan folding in fact the works to his grinds musical rather than to look for the style of each.  The 1st Concerto of Tchaïkovski, pompously Germanic, or the Requiem of Mozart, cérémonieux and very legato, illustrate that just as well as the disc debussy-ravel aforementioned.  Coronation of the spring by Karajan (interpretation of 1964: a choice surprising when one knows the later version), Stravinski himself had besides reviled the “savagery of parlor”, while very ignored recording Bernstein of 1958, the composer had just says:  “Wow!”  (With reason). 

If you desire a selection of the discs extracts of the casket, the square of have is taken by A life of hero.  More one listens Karajan, more one goes counts than Richard Strauss is “his” composer.  The three heirs apparent of this disc are the “opera Intermezzos”, despite the sonorous aforementioned reserve, the Symphonies n° 3 and n° 4 of Beethoven in 1963, very characteristic of the “claws” Karajan (more than the Brahms of 1964, of which the Second is all except exceptional), as well as the surprise and unrecognized 9th Schubert, rather strange by its priorities and its balances.  This recording of 1969 never had the quotation.  It is nevertheless more personal and partial than many other testimonies, as were it also the 3rd Symphony of Honegger, the 10th one of Chostakovitch or the 5th one of Prokofiev, jewels that do not figure, alas, in the casket. 

DG publishes also a double album of the choices of Eliette von Karajan, extracts without interest, and a luxurious book disc Karajan, the Music, the Legend, understanding a DVD of extracts and a CD of complete works, of which the Concerto for two violins of Bach with Christian Fit with steel and Michel Schwalbé, never published beforehand. 

And for the jollifications to come, of which we will repair yourself, quote DVD with Sony and DG (here and now can buy to you without fear the DVD of the Symphonies n° 4, n° 5 and n° 6 of Tchaïkovski with DG) and, especially, the publication in two immense caskets (symphonic the one of 88 CD, the vocal other of 72 CD) of all the recordings EMI, since 1946.  With DG, only Japan dared a complete one: she totals 240 CD, costs 3000 $ and will be sold in edition limited by subscription! 

Mélodiste and distinguished sayer in the art of the lied, the French mezzo Sophie Koch, student of Jane Berbié to the Cnsm of Paris (after a passage flash to the school of the Opera), asserts itself today on the European scenes, while diversifying its psychological portraits, dress up (The Komponist in Ariadne auf Naxos, that the revealed to the TCE to Paris in 2001), or feminine (Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte of …  Margared in The King of There of Lalo, October 2007, Capitole of Toulouse).  Ample and powerful voice, to the again perfectible joint, the singer seizes nevertheless listens it thanks to his dramatic engagement.  This is this vocal implication that him permit to begin his career to London, to the Covent Garden from 1998 (Rosine of the Barber of Seville of Rossini. ..).  The future productions elaborated by the next director of the Opera of Paris, to the horizon 2009, Nicolas Joel, we should allow hearing it uniformly… 

In February 2008, the mezzo offers a recital with the pianist Sophie Raynaud, to the Theater Marigny to Paris, to the profit of the association Coline in ré.  The profits produces by this musical evening will be transferred to The hope Chain that supports to the international one the sick and disadvantaged children.  To the program: airs of operas and signed melodies Mozart, Meyerbeer, Schubert, Berlioz, Liszt, Ravel, Poulenc, Bizet, Offenbach.  Next disc to come in March 2008 with Cascavelle: lieder of Richard Strauss with Philippe Entremont, piano. 

Paris, Theater Marigny.  Recital of Sophie Koch.  Monday February 11 2008 to 20H.  Evening to the profit of Coline and Ré and Chain of the hope. 

Szell is a child of the Empire austro-hongrois, been born to Budapest, it realizes its studies to Comes.  Among its professors, one raises the names of the composers Max Reger and Eusebius Mandyczewski, a friend of Brahms and as well as pianist Richard Robert.  In the class of the latter, it meets Rudolf Serkin with which it secures himself of a friendship that leads to many collaborations.  Szell is then a child prodigy adulated through Europe.  At the age of eleven years, it undertakes a turn of Europe; the English press the qualifies of “new Mozart”.  It plays the pieces of the catalog but also its own compositions.  For its fourteen years, the prestigious house of edition Universal of Coming offers him a contract of exclusivity rights of 10 years.  Two years later, it does its beginnings of boss of before being invited orchestra, for its ten seven years, to the philharmonie of Berlin.  Piano virtuoso, Szell nevertheless irreparably is attracted by the direction podium.  In 1915, it is engaged by the imperial opera of Berlin where it meets Richard Strauss that recognizes for him an undisputable talent and a big quality of interpreter of his music.  Szell takes besides leaves for the first recording of the symphonic poem Gift Juan. 

During the years 1920 and 1930, it traverses the pits of the principal operas of the Old continent:  Berlin, Strasburg, Prague, Darmstadt, Glasgow before becoming principal boss of the Staatsoper of Berlin in 1924.  In 1930, it crosses the Atlantic and carries out its beginnings with the symphonic orchestra of Holy Louis.  While the war threatens again Europe, it installs himself in 1939 to New York with his family.  It divides then his time between the teaching and the direction of the orchestras of the city: the NBC Symphony Orchestrated Toscanini as early as 1941, then Philharmonie of New York from 1943.  The Metropolitan Opera invites it then descend in his pit.  In 1946, it is naturalizeed American citizen while the Cleveland Orchestrated proposes him the post of musical director.  Although directed by of big names as Nikolai Sokolof (1918-1933), the fantastic but unequal Arthur Rodzinski (1933-1943) then Eric Leinsdorf (1943-1946), the Orchestra of Cleveland is considered as a phalanx of second row behind the orchestras of Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and New York.  Holding a dreamed occasion to forge an orchestra, Szell accepts the suggestion and will remain in post until his death in 1970.  To alongside this very long reign, it transforms this formation in the elite of the American orchestras to the price of an iron discipline and of an intransigence of all the instants.  Formed to the school austro-hongroise, the boss never pleasing with the work and its repetitions are known for the unbelievable intensity that results from its high requirements.  A day that a journalist questions it on the secrets of the level of his orchestra, it replies, breaking, that when its colleagues stop working, him and its musicians begin only.  Hoisting the orchestra to an unequaled level of perfection, it signs a contract with Columbia that leads to complete Beethoven, Brahms and Schumann that mark their era and that continue to do the happiness of the music-loving while its interpretations of the symphonies of Mozart or its concerto accompaniments remain of the models of clarity and of attention.  Nevertheless wanting all check and squeezing its musicians of a fearsome iron hand, the boss forgets sometimes to leave the music to abandon itself.  Virtuoso, conquering but supple and concerned of the balance between the lines mélodiques and the desks, the style of Szell meets thus critics for his emotion absence.  But triumphant turns in Europe, Asia and even in USSR export on of other shores the know-how house.  Szell does not forget to rub itself to eminent others orchestras.  Frequently invited Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, Symphonic one of London and Philharmonie of Coming, the boss marks of his impression the Festival of Salzbourg.

His catalog covers essentially the classical Haydn or Mozart and the Germanic catalog of Brahms to Strauss and Bruckner with a big interest for the contemporary music: this is him that orders to Henri Dutilleux its Métaboles to the occasion of the forty years of his orchestra.  Very interested by the new talents, it invites Rock Roll of which it had heard to speak, one knows the continuations of special relation of the French boss with the American musicians. 

Gotten married to two returns, Szell is outside of his musical life, a fine gourmet and a highly skilled driver refusing often the services of the driver of the orchestra to return at his place to the flying one of his imposing Cadillac.  Having abandoned a pianist career, the boss produces himself occasionally to the piano in room music. 

George Szell is the one of the first American artists of international stature to have returned in Europe after the second World War and in particular to the festival of Salzbourg.  In 1949, it does its beginnings in the Rosenkavalier and in concert with the Philharmonie of Coming.  As early as 1952, it is an uniform guest of the demonstration assuring the world-wide creation of three operas of Rolf Liebermann (Penelope and Said Schule der Frauen) and of Werner Egk (Irische Legende) all while driving productions of Says Entführung air dem Serail and of Says Zauberflöte.  Between 1949 and 1969, it produces himself at the head of the philharmonie of Coming, but also to the desk of the numerous invited orchestras on the shores of the Salzach of the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam to the orchestra of the RTF.  The present and massive casket proposes us therefore a concert selection that comes to complete certain edited bands with Sony, Andante and Orfeo. 

This is well évidement with Mozart that the boss attains a perfection out norms.  If the two symphonies of Mozart at the head of the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam are models, this the accompaniment of the two concertos that touches here to the sublimates.  Helped by soloists all so grandiose, the artist does to shine this music with the brightness of the light of a sunny spring.  The symphony “Oxford” of Haydn is taken by an aesthete, but the valiant orchestra of the RTF has not hardly the silky one of the ropes of Coming, Amsterdam or Dresde; anything to repeat symphony n°3 of sculptured Beethoven in the granit by an attentive boss to the content and to the content.  In terms of concertos of the big deaf one and in spite of a Clifford Curzon highly inspired, one will remain faithful to two other associations of the boss with soloists:  Emil Gilels for the concerto n°3 (live to Salzbourg with Orfeo equally) and concerto n°5 (concert to Comes with Gulda edited by Andante).  Only the concerto n°4 chiseled one with a poetry all romantic one imposes as a big reference. 

The symphony n°7 of Bruckner is licked hyper and served by an ideal orchestra, but it lacks to this version, just as to the other testimonies brucknériens of the boss, an abandonment and a mysticism that transcend the simple orchestral perfection.  The symphony domesticates Strauss is she taken by an insane rage just as the concert 100% XX century that opposes Von Einem, Walton and Prokofiev.  In these three scores of orchestral parade, the boss rouses an incandescent Concertgebouw. 

Precious Jallon of a discography of a big wealth, this casket completes judiciously the famous available recordings henceforth with Sony in economical collections.  The aficionados of the boss will find on the canvas an exhaustive discography of the musician to the address www.szell.co.uk

Some years ago, the symbolic director of the national Center of lyric artists (CNIPAL) Gérard Founau, about the recruitment of its “students” (17 currently of which 10 foreigners) pointed out me:  “If one has trouble to have ténors, one has some again more to have low”.  Useless to say that it appeared me very happy to the coming from the first recital of three of these young people, while learning me that there were some two in the new promotion (of which a good party, we offered, a little later, a pleasant one “concert of Christmas”).  And it added with pride:  “And of equal talent”.  This talent, one in had a proof with the benefit of Nika Guliashvili programmed with two others interpret (an “hour of tea” misogynous: in reality, their feminine foreseen partners had had engagements to the exterior one) and a pianist Nino Pavlennichvilt, very appreciated in the ungrateful role of accompanist that, in addition, conferred a lot of brilliances to the opening of The magpie thief (Rossini).  All sharply being applauded by the numerous public that had not left, in the home of the Opera, any empty seat.  Thus, the three categories of masculine singers fortunately were represented.  The baritone (type more current), this was with Alec Avedissian giving, in particular, a lot of charm to the serenade of the Gift Giovanni of Mozart; to the enticing stamp, to the supple phrasé, to the perfect style in the opera as in the melody.  The ténor, this was Xin Wang, embodying superbly, among others, the melancholic hero of the of Arles one (Cilea), especially remarkable in muted colors, vocalize them, the nuances of the line of song, the transmission ease; his sharp request to become more “polite”.  The Bulgarian one and this Chinese returning, in an impeccable, articulated French as it is it rarely even by our compatriots, the famous duet of the Fishermen of appears, appropriating itself really the score of Bizet.  At last, that to say of this low one?  Sumptuousness, consistency, volume, power, voice length, and which mastery in the interpretation!  Which in fact already the equal one of the prestigious colleagues and elder of the Georgian Guliashvili (often besides Slavs as him).  Brief, ideal, that this be for the Mozart as for the Rossini and Turned greenen.  Yes, once more, the director of the CNIPAL (and his team) did actually “the good choice”. 

TORONTO - The Canadian singer Measha Brueggergosman will do its beginnings in an opera of Mozart, in the spring, to Toronto. 

The young native soprano of Fredericton, to New Brunswick, will hold the role of Elettra in the opera “Idomeneo” that will be given by the Opera Workshop. 

This work will be at the poster of the Theater Elgin, of April 26 to May 3. 

The American ténor Chad Shelton was chosen to interpret the personage of Idomeneo, the king of Crest. 

The production torontoise will be sung in Italian with English and French surtitres. 

It was Sunday evening the ninth annual hearing of the Requiem of Mozart climbed by Michel Brousseau.  His orchestra says “Philharmonic” counted only 30 musicians, but the choir carrying the same ambitious name took on two other choral formations for a big total closely of 200 voices. 

An audience more considerable, more largely younger and more surprisingly more attentive, filled the basilica Our Lady.  Certain will persist themselves nevertheless to repeat a little everywhere that “the classical music dies itself”. 

The ultimate one and unfinished Requiem is not the work more representative of Mozart since it is not of him than in left.  This is not not more a very long score:  50 minutes about.  Two good reasons that call the addition of another Mozart.  Sunday, Mr. Brousseau added, at the beginning of programs, the Concerto for two pianos. 

The two pianists came from Sicily, where Mr. Brousseau will go the next summer with his choir.  “Cultural exchanges” visible?  Maybe.  For the moment, here two pianists that play with a voucher together and that play Mozart with a certain taste, except for a slow movement of an improper slowness. 

The extremely quick tempi adopted for certain parties of the Requiem - for the Said irae, for example - were more justified.  Memory leader, the boss there sacrificed not never the clarity and neglected for as much the meditative episodes.  To signal, the quality of high voices (sopranos and ténors), so often a problem with the choirs, amateurs or no. 

Mr. Brousseau brought back us alas! the enough any soprano of the last year, in red blinding, flanked this time of our very low-cut Julie Nesrallah that one imagines in Amnéris of Assistance rather than to the church.  More of abstemiousness of the masculine side: sweet ténor with Figueroa, harsh stamp with Butcher. 

Violin virtuoso, renowned it “one of the bigger of Europe”, fine blade, brilliant and gallant man, the personality of Joseph of Holy Bologne georges (1745-1799), son of a slave of the Guadeloupe and of a sugar white owner, does not lack to intrigue aujourd’hui again.  Number of biographers looked into his case.  Rock Bardin, the present author delivers, searched very archives often unknown.  His work unveils so far unpublished aspects of the co-founder of the concert of the amateurs, under Louis XV policeman of the guard of the king, doubtless freemason then officer of the national guard, afterward loaded by the Convention to form a legion composed from Black, of which it became the colonel when she was transformed in regiment of hunters to horse. 

The author repositionne Holy georges in the Parisian environment of the people of color to the XVIIIe century.  Itself it recalls to his turn the good feminine fortunes of the young man, that were, for most of the columnists, principal trump of his fame, it in underlines especially triteness:  “When one does 1.80 m and that one is childlike beautiful, one attracts necessarily the most beautiful women.”  The knight made use of his charm, of course, but what returned it maybe even more irresistible and exceptional left it that took the complexity of his musical education and of his game, one compared to the one of Mozart (which is normal but excessive).  How not to attempt to quantify the unknown party, bequeathed by his maternal alignment and that carries in she deeply anchored mysterious and unknown Africa? 

But, will one say, how a hybrid one could it frequent the parlors of the good metropolitan corporation, even though the slavery beat his full one to the colonies?  Bardin shows that, tenured of a load of general inspector of the ordinary one wars, Holy georges evolves in the royal administration.  This privilege awards for him automatically it entitles horseman, then of knight.  The young hybrid one, been born of a liberal and nourished father of ideas voltairiennes in a native family of Holland - and not of Italy as one a long time did it to believe -, is thus legitimized officially by Louis XV.  The work is dense and book an infinity of details.  Too, sometimes, for the reader that stretched to untangle the mixed-up sons that the relate to the mythical knight. 

A page of a handwritten score of the one of the first major works of Mozart was sold Tuesday to the bids for near of 111,000 books (156.047 Euros), surpassing the high fork of his estimation, indicated a spokesperson of the house Sotheby’s. 

It is a matter of the one of the two handwritten pages again existing of the score of the Symphony planning for violin, alto and orchestra in mi damper major composite by the prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1779.  It was 23 years old. 

This page was estimated between 70,000 and 100,000 books (98.000 to 140,000 Euros).  It finally was sold for 110,900 books (156.047 Euros), beating the record for a page of the Austrian genius, announced Sotheby’s, recalling that this symphony had propelled Mozart to the row of the biggest composers. 

It was bought by the of London antique dealer Maggs brothers for the account of a private buyer, underlined the bid house. 

The preceding record for a manuscript of Mozart was held by a leaf carrying its grades for the opening of the Rondo K386 in the major one for piano with orchestra, sold in 1998 with Sotheby’s for 89,500 books. 

If it presents a symphony score planning on the recto, the sold page Tuesday presents to the back of the elements of scores — always feather of Mozart — for horns belonging to two non identified compositions so far. 

“This is the most important unique page of apparent Mozart on the market since decades”, underlined Simon Maguire, person in charge of the department music of Sotheby’s. 

“The + Sinfonia planning + was the true first masterpiece of Mozart: with Bach and Beethoven, it is the one of the three bigger composers of all the times, and this is with this work that the young man of 23 years attained this level for the first time”, it specified. 

The original manuscript of the symphony was misled put to leaves two pages containing two rhythms, that usually were not put to bed on a score but improvised.  What adds to the exceptional character of these documents. 

The page sold Tuesday never had been seen by the public, or accessible summer to the researchers. 

The Mozart SX is a case Thermaltake exclusively reserved to the PCS to multimedia vocation.  It disposes therefore of a design that would have without too much concern to integrate itself in your parlor and of a screen to facilitate his usage.  Our colleague HomeMedia that exactly is specialized in the domain of the PCS Home Cinema was able to test this case and we propose therefore a new item that allows being done a good idea of its real aptitudes.