The Album Review Club - End of Round #9 Break (page 1904)

My issue with reviewing opera is that anyone can sing it. Which version do I listen to? The film? The countless singers? Do I go with your recommendation, which has 30 parts! or find one myself?

Is there any link to all of it on youtube? All I keep finding is parts.
 
BimboBob said:
My issue with reviewing opera is that anyone can sing it. Which version do I listen to? The film? The countless singers? Do I go with your recommendation, which has 30 parts! or find one myself?

Is there any link to all of it on youtube? All I keep finding is parts.
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I appreciate that there can be different singers etc. My recommendation was the highlights with Fleming which has 13 parts/songs/tracks. It's available on Spotify if you type in Rusalka highlights.
 
BimboBob said:
Found it on youtube in 30 parts. Have you seen the film? It's on the tube, done by Petr Weigl.
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No, never seen that. I'll have a watch of it. That's for letting me know. Should be good as I see Beňačková plays Rusalka and she's one of my favourite singers of Czech opera.

If it's in 30 parts, it will be the whole opera and I didn't think most people would be willing to give it a go at that length. Hence my recommendation of the highlights version of the same opera with the same performers (Fleming, Heppner and Urbanová).
 
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Was blessed by the fact that my mother collected a number of classical albums / music pieces from the father Bach to post modern and used to play them day in day out when I was growing up but this one is not on the list of them.

She learnt to play a number of Chopin pieces/works.

Looking forward to listening to this one for the first time.
 
KnaresboroughBlue said:
She must have been a very decent pianist. Chopin is notoriously difficult to play.
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Not at concert level or a Kate Liu despite my bias but could do some justice to a number of his preludes.

Taught me the minute waltz albeit I was more thumbs than fingers and never had a gifted ear for music like she did.

You are spot on with Chopin covered more majors and minors than the early settlers.
 
mancity1 said:
Not at concert level or a Kate Liu despite my bias but could do some justice to a number of his preludes.

Taught me the minute waltz albeit I was more thumbs than fingers and never had a gifted ear for music like she did.

You are spot on with Chopin covered more majors and minors than the early settlers.
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Was always my dream to be a concert pianist but sadly never got anywhere near.

Anyone that can do some justice to Chopin preludes is a fine player.
 
KnaresboroughBlue said:
Was always my dream to be a concert pianist but sadly never got anywhere near.

Anyone that can do some justice to Chopin preludes is a fine player.
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I will let my mother know , I personally believe if not for having 3 children in a relatively short period of time if she had pursued her dream she might have made it to a concert hall but wrong times as such.

if I was at your house I would love to hear you play , along with the violin , the piano is my favourite musical instrument.
 
I'm posting early on this one because I'm off on holiday tonight.

I listened to the "Highlights" / Czech Philharmonic version suggested by @KnaresboroughBlue.

You may be surprised to learn that opera is not high on my listened-to genres, and I found this a tough listen for at least some of the running time. I'm not qualified enough to comment on the technical ability of the singers, but it sounded to me that they were doing what they were supposed to be. The main problem was the female singer - I found her voice uncomfortable to listen to. Let me clarify that point: I don't mean in a "I'm into rock music and I don't like all this poncy opera malarkey" kind of way - I mean it was physically uncomfortable to listen to.

The male voice was fine though, and it sounded good to me. I also liked the drama of the music, which I'd enjoy if it popped up on a soundtrack, but listening to this in isolation, it felt like I was missing out on some drama somewhere.

It's just not my thing and it's not done anything to make me want to listen to any more opera, but kudos for trying something different - hopefully others will get more out of it than me.

5/10 for technical ability and wobbly eardrums aside, it didn't offend me.
 
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