Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Deposuerit

I confess, I have been thinking about politics this week—probably more than a student of English literature should.  But I swear this selection was not inspired by those meditations.  Still, there's no denying it's a happy thought, this deposuit potentes.

P.S.  Yes, that's the same mad conductor we've seen here before.  This is actually the best version of the half dozen that I've listened to for the purpose of selection, although this gentleman has perhaps the best voice, and this one the best tempo.

P.P.S.  Did I say mad conductor?  He's got nothing on the tenor.


2 comments:

Belfry Bat said...

Those eyes! And those eyebrows!
On investigating, it seems your favourite voice has quite the hall to fill, which impresses all the more as the orchestra he's up against there looks at least twice as large. I don't know about tempos; there's something about virtuoso articulation that tends eventually to obscure the music. Some of Heifetz' recordings do that to me, though your pick for up-beat isn't nearly so exaggerated.

But, wow! what a music! I then wandered-off to listen to Monteverdi's treatment of the same text, and then forgot to pay attention at the key moment... another time. As ever, thanks!

Jacob said...

Ian Bostridge is awesome. So, of course is Harnoncourt.