Bel Canto Arias
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Gioachino Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, Gaetano Donizetti
Label: Philips
Magazine Review Date: 9/1994
Media Format: Cassette
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 434 912-4PH
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (Il) Barbiere di Siviglia, '(The) Barber of Seville', Movement: Largo al factotum |
Gioachino Rossini, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gioachino Rossini, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Guillaume Tell, Movement: Sois immobile, et vers la terre (Resta immobile) |
Gioachino Rossini, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gioachino Rossini, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (La) Favorita, Movement: ~ |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gaetano Donizetti, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (La) Favorita, Movement: A tanto amor, Leonora |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gaetano Donizetti, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (Il) Duca d'Alba, Movement: Nei miei superbi gaudi |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gaetano Donizetti, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Poliuto |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer |
| (L')Elisir d'amore, 'Elixir of Love', Movement: ~ |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gaetano Donizetti, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Don Pasquale, Movement: ~ |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gaetano Donizetti, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Dom Sébastien, Movement: O Lisbone, o ma patrie |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gaetano Donizetti, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Lucia di Lammermoor, '(The) Bride of Lammermoor', Movement: ~ |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gaetano Donizetti, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (Il) Pirata, Movement: Sì vincemmo, e il pregio io sento |
Vincenzo Bellini, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra Vincenzo Bellini, Composer |
| (I) Puritani, Movement: ~ |
Vincenzo Bellini, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra Vincenzo Bellini, Composer |
Composer or Director: Gioachino Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, Gaetano Donizetti
Label: Philips
Magazine Review Date: 9/1994
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 52
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 434 912-2PH
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (Il) Barbiere di Siviglia, '(The) Barber of Seville', Movement: Largo al factotum |
Gioachino Rossini, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gioachino Rossini, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Guillaume Tell, Movement: Sois immobile, et vers la terre (Resta immobile) |
Gioachino Rossini, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gioachino Rossini, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (La) Favorita, Movement: ~ |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gaetano Donizetti, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (La) Favorita, Movement: A tanto amor, Leonora |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gaetano Donizetti, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (Il) Duca d'Alba, Movement: Nei miei superbi gaudi |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gaetano Donizetti, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Poliuto |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer |
| (L')Elisir d'amore, 'Elixir of Love', Movement: ~ |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gaetano Donizetti, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Don Pasquale, Movement: ~ |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gaetano Donizetti, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Dom Sébastien, Movement: O Lisbone, o ma patrie |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gaetano Donizetti, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Lucia di Lammermoor, '(The) Bride of Lammermoor', Movement: ~ |
Gaetano Donizetti, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Gaetano Donizetti, Composer Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (Il) Pirata, Movement: Sì vincemmo, e il pregio io sento |
Vincenzo Bellini, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra Vincenzo Bellini, Composer |
| (I) Puritani, Movement: ~ |
Vincenzo Bellini, Composer
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Baritone Ion Marin, Conductor Philharmonia Orchestra Vincenzo Bellini, Composer |
Author:
There are two tracks here which, if they had been the two sides of an old 78, would have become prized collectors' items by now. One is William Tell's ''Resta immobile'' (as it is here, sung in Italian), performed with steadily growing intensity and a fine concentration of tone. The other, a solo from Il Duca d'Alba, presents not only some exceptionally beautiful singing but also a rare opportunity to hear what must surely be one of the most lovely and eloquent of arias by Donizetti. Mind, the attribution may need refining. Charles Osborne's recent guide to The Bel Canto Operas (Methuen: 1994) outlines the opera's generally unfortunate history. Though written in 1839, it remained unstaged during the composer's life, and was discovered to be unfinished at his death. Act 3, where this aria occurs, like Act 4, was left unorchestrated, the work eventually being done by Matteo Salvi. The orchestration here is certainly a striking feature, and may indeed be Donizetti's own, as the aria was lifted from one of his most completely forgotten operas, Il paria, performed early in 1828. The writing and the singing are alike impressive, and will probably constitute the chief reason for returning to this recital at a later date.
Generally, it is not one to play at a single stretch. Perhaps the programme itself makes that inevitable, yet there are baritones from the past to whom I could listen happily enough throughout its length, fascinated by a range of expression and tone colours which Hvorostovsky does not yet have. The ''Largo al factotum'', first item of all, shows up the limitations immediately: this Figaro is not a funny fellow, scowls rather than sparkles, and when he laughs it does not come as out of the irrepressible gaiety of his mood. In the solo from Poliuto the change from public address to soliloquy needs a more fundamental adjustment of manner. Malatesta's ''Bella siccome un angelo'' calls for a more beguiling suavity. His Belcore inL'elisir d'amore is more in character, and Enrico's ''Cruda, funesta smania'' leaves no doubts about the emotion here.
So this is not bland or expressionless singing, yet neither is it subtle or charismatic. The voice is still one of the most beautiful heard in recent years. Best in the medium range, it has plenty of depth to the tone, and in range extends (as we hear in the cadenza to ''O Lisbona'') to a high B flat. Hvorostovsky preserves a well-controlled legato often enough to make particularly regrettable the occasions when aspirates intrude, however mildly. Throughout, he is beautifully accompanied by the Philharmonia, and the cello soloist in William Tell's aria deserves naming. LS's notes usefully place the excerpts in context, and the recorded sound affords the voice presence without exaggeration or over-reverberance.'
Generally, it is not one to play at a single stretch. Perhaps the programme itself makes that inevitable, yet there are baritones from the past to whom I could listen happily enough throughout its length, fascinated by a range of expression and tone colours which Hvorostovsky does not yet have. The ''Largo al factotum'', first item of all, shows up the limitations immediately: this Figaro is not a funny fellow, scowls rather than sparkles, and when he laughs it does not come as out of the irrepressible gaiety of his mood. In the solo from Poliuto the change from public address to soliloquy needs a more fundamental adjustment of manner. Malatesta's ''Bella siccome un angelo'' calls for a more beguiling suavity. His Belcore in
So this is not bland or expressionless singing, yet neither is it subtle or charismatic. The voice is still one of the most beautiful heard in recent years. Best in the medium range, it has plenty of depth to the tone, and in range extends (as we hear in the cadenza to ''O Lisbona'') to a high B flat. Hvorostovsky preserves a well-controlled legato often enough to make particularly regrettable the occasions when aspirates intrude, however mildly. Throughout, he is beautifully accompanied by the Philharmonia, and the cello soloist in William Tell's aria deserves naming. LS's notes usefully place the excerpts in context, and the recorded sound affords the voice presence without exaggeration or over-reverberance.'
Bel Canto Arias
Bel Canto Arias
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