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reiner_torheit
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« on: 23:08:14, 07-02-2007 » |
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Mstislav Rostropovich has been rushed into hospital once again this evening. His manager, who had been upbeat about the previous hospitalisation, is this time grim, and has said "signs are not encouraging". Obviously we are all hoping for the best.
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They say travel broadens the mind - but in many cases travel has made the mind not exactly broader, but thicker.
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John W
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« Reply #1 on: 23:23:03, 07-02-2007 » |
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Sad news reiner, I have so many vinyl sleeves with his ever-happy face on them, holding his cello lovingly. He is one of the 20th century greats.  John W |
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #2 on: 13:54:22, 10-02-2007 » |
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I don't know much about Rostropovich. His wife was a famous singer of Bolshoi, but I could never understand why she was there. She was a good looking woman and it might be the reason. She sounds very bad on records. I used to have a record with her singing Tchaikovsky Spring waters еще в полях белеет снег.
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #3 on: 15:22:21, 10-02-2007 » |
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Benjamin Britten had a mad crush on Galina Vishnevskaya (Rostropovich's wife, if anyone doesn't know that), and added the soprano part to the War Requiem for her. I don't understand why myself, but I think it was because she was Russian, and he saw her as somewhat exotic and expressive. He composed the Pushkin cycle "Poet's Echo" for her, in Russian, as well - you rarely hear it now.
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #4 on: 15:25:14, 10-02-2007 » |
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I did not know that Mary Chambers. For the life of me I don't understand why anybody could be inspired by her singing. May be I am too hard on her.  |
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reiner_torheit
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« Reply #5 on: 00:56:41, 11-02-2007 » |
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Rostropovoch's wife was and remains Galina Vishnevskaya. She was one of the greatest performers of the Bolshoi Opera. I somewhat disagree that "The Poet's Echo" is a neglected work? It seems to me to be as frequently performed as Britten's other song-cycles (viz Les Illuminations etc)? Vishnevskaya famously recorded Prokofiev's "War & Peace", and would say it remains the benchmark performance against which all others are measured...
BTW it has become clear that Rostropovich is in a Cancer ward. He was visited in person two days ago by the Russian President.
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They say travel broadens the mind - but in many cases travel has made the mind not exactly broader, but thicker.
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #6 on: 08:36:45, 11-02-2007 » |
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i am sorry to hear about Rostropovich.
As about Vishnevskay, may be I heard her after she passed her prime. I had a few recordings of her and I heard her on the Tele in concerts from Bolshoi and Dvoretz s'ezdov.
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Tam Pollard
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« Reply #7 on: 12:18:08, 11-02-2007 » |
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Very sad news about Rostropovich - I've been a fan of his ever since hearing his wonderful Bach cello suites (his LSO live Shostakovich 11 is also very fine) and I wish him a speedy recovery.
I knew the War Requiem part had been written for Vishnevskaya but must confess that I had no idea she was married to Rostropovich. I think the Britten recording of the work is the only thing I've heard her in, and while she doesn't stick out in my memory of the piece, I certainly had nothing to complain about (Actually, having spoken to several people who were there, I rather wish the wonderful Giulini recording had been made the previous year at the Edinburgh festival when both she and Fischer-Dieskau took their roles).
regards, Tam
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« Last Edit: 12:30:14, 11-02-2007 by Tam Pollard »
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oliver sudden
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« Reply #8 on: 12:28:20, 11-02-2007 » |
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As far as I'm concerned there were two extremely good reasons to have Vishnevskaya in the War Requiem, one being the point of having an English, a German and a Russian vocal soloist, the other being Vishnevskaya's gloriously heaven-storming voice. For me that's plenty.
One of the finest things either of them have given us is that recording of Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, her as Katerina, him as conductor.
Rostropovich is one of the 20th century's indispensable musicians.
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #9 on: 12:33:46, 11-02-2007 » |
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Do you think I am unfair to Vishnevskay ollie? I did not like her tone production. There was another singer in Bolshoi Milashkina. She was better I think. The best was Archipova, but she was mezzo. |
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #10 on: 13:36:58, 11-02-2007 » |
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I think - I'm not 100% sure - that BB only thought of adding a soprano, and the Russian connection, because of Vishnevskaya, whom he met through Rostropovich, of course. I find her voice a bit harsh, but I do see that she has a very strong personality.
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #11 on: 13:43:06, 11-02-2007 » |
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I feel the same about Vishnevskay's voice and personality. May be she should sing Wagner, but may be her voice is not so strong (I don't know). This is why I used that smiley to show how she would be in Wagner.
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reiner_torheit
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« Reply #12 on: 18:20:53, 11-02-2007 » |
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Vishnevskaya remains very active, despite having long since given up the stage. In Moscow she has agitated sufficiently to get Government funding for the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre for Young Singers. This well-funded centre provides professional training for singers who already have a foothold in the profession, but wish to develop their performance skills at the highest level. Opened only 2.5 years ago, the first graduates have yet to emerge from the Centre. The Centre has a fabulous 350-seat theatre, fully equipped with a deep orchestral pit and excellent technical facilities, all built in the centre of Moscow (on Ostozhenka ul). Vishnevskaya remains involved in the teaching at the Centre.
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They say travel broadens the mind - but in many cases travel has made the mind not exactly broader, but thicker.
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #14 on: 14:27:02, 16-02-2007 » |
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Are there any news R-T?
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