I like watching old movies, the really old black and whites, and seeing the occupations people had back then. Jobs like elevator operator, soda jerk, gas-station attendant, and switchboard operator. Today, those jobs seem archaic. And unnecessary. But I’m sure many jobs today will seem that way in 20 years. If there are any jobs […]
Entries Tagged as 'Edith Mathis'
Of Unusual Occupations and Unfinished Operas (German Operas, Box 16)
May 28th, 2010 · No Comments · Allazim, Armin Ude, Bernhard Klee, Box 16: German Operas, Drei Sklaven, Edith Mathis, Gomatz, Gunther Koch, Ingvar Wixell, Joachime Vogt, K344, K344 (Part I), Mozart at 23, Mozart at 24, Osmin, Peter Schreier, Reiner Suss, Salzburg (1779-80), Staatskapelle Berlin, Sultan Soliman, Vorsanger, Walter Weih, Werner Hollweg, Wolfgang Wagner, Zaide
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Of Oil Spills and Last CDs (Early Italian Operas, Box 13)
May 3rd, 2010 · No Comments · Arleen Auger, Aufidio, Box 13: Early Italian Operas, Cecilio, Celia, Edith Mathis, Giunia, Gulf Oil Spill, Helen Donath, Julia Varady, K135, K135 (Part III), Leopold Hager, Lucio Cinna, Lucio Silla, Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg, Obama Administration, Peter Schreier, Salburger Rundfunk-und Mozarteumchor, Salzburg or Milan (Autumn 1772), Werner Krenn
I wonder what the Obama administration was thinking while the oil slick approached the Gulf of Mexico? I mean, why wait over 10 days to take action? I remember how the media came unglued when former President George Bush took two days to act on Katrina. And here the Obama administration took nearly two weeks […]
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Of Long Walks and Roman Generals (Early Italian Operas, Box 13)
May 2nd, 2010 · No Comments · Arleen Auger, Aufidio, Box 13: Early Italian Operas, Cecilio, Celia, Edith Mathis, Giunia, Helen Donath, Julia Varady, K135, K135 (Part II), Leopold Hager, Lucio Cinna, Lucio Silla, Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg, Peter Schreier, Salburger Rundfunk-und Mozarteumchor, Werner Krenn
What a gorgeous day! My wife and I spent the day walking nearby rail trails, stomping through the woods, turning over logs to find salamanders, watching ducklings and goslings, and soaking up some sun. We were headed to Pickerel Lake to walk through the woods. But an early-morning rain storm prevented that. So we improvised. […]
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Of Rainy Saturdays and Un-Cared-For Music (Early Italian Operas, Box 13)
May 1st, 2010 · No Comments · Arleen Auger, Aufidio, Box 13: Early Italian Operas, Cecilio, Celia, Edith Mathis, Giunia, Helen Donath, Julia Varady, K135, K135 (Part I), Leopold Hager, Lucio Cinna, Lucio Silla, Lucius Sulla, Mozart at 16, Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg, Peter Schreier, Salburger Rundfunk-und Mozarteumchor, Salzburg or Milan (Autumn 1772), Werner Krenn
As usual, I liked the Overture best of all. And this Overture was the best to date. It was very lively, very Mozart. It was delightful. Then the singing started. And it all went downhill. But not so far downhill that I can’t appreciate the talent involved with this piece of music. I can appreciate […]
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Of Ducklings and Drama (Early Italian Operas, Box 13)
April 30th, 2010 · No Comments · Box 13: Early Italian Operas, Claes H Ahnsjo, Costanza, Ducklings, Edita Gruberova, Edith Mathis, Emilio, Fortuna, Il sogno di Scipione, K126, K126 (Part II), Leopold Hager, Licenza, Lucia Popp, Mozart at 15, Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg, Peter Schreier, Publio, Salzburg Kammerchor, Scipione, Thomas Moser
It’s duckling time in Michigan! Is there anything cuter than ducklings skimming across the surface of a lake, chasing bugs, their mom floating watchfully nearby, no doubt wondering how to keep a half dozen swiftly moving balls of fuzz in line? Every year, my wife and I look forward to the birth of a new […]
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Of Malaise and Dreams (Early Italian Operas, Box 13)
April 29th, 2010 · No Comments · Angel, Box 13: Early Italian Operas, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Chorus: Heroes, Claes H Ahnsjo, Costanza, Edita Gruberova, Edith Mathis, Emilio, Firefly, Fortuna, Il sogno di Scipione, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, K126, La Licenza, Leopold Hager, Lucia Popp, Mozart at 15, Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg, Peter Schreier, Publio, Salzburg Kammerchor, Scipione, Thomas Moser
I always enjoy something different – whether it be a different key within a composition, an unexpected high note from a soprano, or particularly interesting passage of music. That works for just about anything, really. Some of my favorite movies were ones I didn’t regard very highly (or about which I had no expectation at […]
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Of Winds Gone and Mythologies Here (Early Italian Operas, Box 13)
April 27th, 2010 · No Comments · Aceste, Agnes Baltsa, Arleen Auger, Ascanio, Ascanio in Alba, Box 13: Early Italian Operas, Clark Gable, Edith Mathis, Fauno, Genii, Gone With the Wind, K111, K111 (Part II), Leopold Hager, Lilian Sukis, Milan (October - November 1771), Mozart at 15, Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg, Olivia de Havilland, Peter Schreier, Salzburg Kammerchor, Silvia, Venere, Vivien Leigh
Tonight, my wife and I get to experience something we never have before: Gone With the Wind on the big screen. Yes, that Gone With the Wind. Rhett Butler, Scarlett O’Hara, Ashley, Prissy, and the rest – all set against sweeping backdrop of the Civil War. The Hollywood movie to end all Hollywood movies is […]
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Of Highs and Lows (Arias, Vocal Ensembles, Canons, Box 12)
April 14th, 2010 · No Comments · Box 12: Arias Vocal Ensembles Canons Lieder Notturni, Edita Gruberova, Edith Mathis, Francisco Araiza, K431, K505, K512, K513, K528, K538, K539, K541, K578, K582, K583, K612, Kapp245, Leopold Hager, Lilian Sukis, Lucia Popp, Mozart at 22, Mozart at 23, Mozart at 24, Mozart at 25, Mozart at 26, Mozart at 27, Mozart at 30, Mozart at 31, Mozart at 32, Mozart at 33, Mozart at 35, Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg, Munich (1778) - Vienna (March 4 1788), Prague (November 3 1787), Prague (September 1791), Robert Lloyd, Vienna (1783), Vienna (August 1789), Vienna (December 26 1786), Vienna (March 19 1787), Vienna (March 23 1787), Vienna (March 5 1788), Vienna (March 8 1791), Vienna (May 1788), Vienna (October 1789), Walter Berry
Ugh. After the high note (literally) that was yesterday’s CD, this is quite a let down. When I told my wife how I felt about this morning’s music, she said she noticed something about my Mozart blog. She said that I either love or hate the vocal performances. For example, yesterday I raved to the […]
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Of Edita Gruberova. Period. (Arias, Vocal Ensembles, Canons, Box 12)
April 13th, 2010 · No Comments · Box 12: Arias Vocal Ensembles Canons Lieder Notturni, Double Wow, Edita Gruberova, Edith Mathis, Leopold Hager, Lucia Popp, Mannheim (February 27 1778), Mozart at 22, Mozart at 23, Mozart at 25, Mozart at 26, Mozart at 27, Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg, Munich, Munich (March 8 1781), Paris (1778) or Munich (1779), Quadruple Wow, Robert Lloyd, Thomas Moser, Triple Wow, Vienna (April 2 1781), Vienna (January 8 1783), Vienna (May 29 1782)
Sopranos to the rescue! Wow. No. Let’s be honest. This music rates a Double Wow in my book. If you want to hear some outstanding voices, listen to this CD. Track 2, for example: Popoli di Tessaglia… Io non chiedo, K.316, performed by Edita Gruberova. She hits a few of those only-dogs-can-hear notes that I […]
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Of Monday Morning and Monster Men (Arias, Vocal Ensembles, Canons, Box 12)
April 12th, 2010 · No Comments · Box 12: Arias Vocal Ensembles Canons Lieder Notturni, Claes-HÃ¥kon Ahnsjö, Edita Gruberova, Edith Mathis, Francisco Araiza, Hanna Schwarz, K209, K210, K217, K255, K256, K272, K294, K295, K74b, K82, K83, Leopold Hager, Lillian Sukis, Lucia Popp, Mannheim (February 24 1778), Mannheim (February 27 1778), Milan (1770), Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg, Rome (April 25 1770), Rome (April-May 1770), Salzburg (August 1777), Salzburg (May 1775), Salzburg (May 19 1775), Salzburg (October 26 1775), Salzburg (September 1776)
Tenors to the rescue! The first few tracks of this CD were painful to my ears. They were everything that frosts my cookies, all in one circular silver package: mediocre music and sopranos with warbly, screechy voices. (And not because they lack talent, either. It’s because of how Mozart wrote the music.) Vocal histrionics from […]
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You can call me Amadeus. But don't expect me to answer to that.