Henry Purcell – Dido and Aeneas

★★★✰

   Henry Purcell was undoubtedly one of best composers in 17th century. As leading English born composer of his time, he was also the one of most popular British composers ever. Position he achieved he owned to his perfectly balanced techniques, stylistic connections with Italian and French Baroque music as well as his individual melodic talent. He left numerous works although he lived only 36 years (1659-1695). He was writing music as a boy, but his earliest known compositions he wrote as eleven years old. He wrote odes, anthems and incidental music. Great collection of religious music, some songs, stage music and instrumental pieces. His operas and masques were famous and gave him privileged position and good reputation. He wrote King Arthur (1691) with great success and  The Fairy-Queen (1692) which was an adaptation of Shakespearian A Midsummer Night's Dream. After composer death the score of this composition was lost for two centuries. In year of his death, he composed The Indian Queen. All these works were semi-operas. The one who made him famous was Dido and Aeneas.

   Chamber opera Dido and Aeneas was Purcell’s only all-sung opera. It was composed in 1680’s to libretto by Nahum Tate. The first known performance was in 1688 in Josias Priest’s girls’ school in London, which is the source of usual to this opera woman cast, so different from typical baroque casting rules. Also the plot of the libretto was not telling the strict story from Book IV of Virgil’s Aeneid. The love between Dido, the Queen of Carthage and Aeneas, the Trojan hero has here an allegoric shape alluded to current political situation in England. In Nahum Tate’s libretto significant role was given to Sorceress and witches, who were not present in Virgil’s story. Here they are allegory of Roman Catholicism and its machinations in England. Dido, who represents people of Britain, became the main character of the opera. Simple means and powerful emotional impact makes this tragic story universal story of love, treason and renunciation.

Henry Purcell – Dido and Aeneas (1968)

   In recording history of Dido and Aeneas there were lots of realizations, and frequently they were the subject of artistic variability. Esthetic ideas, changing over the decades, make collection of different renditions especially interesting. And what is characteristic, this opera in different perspectives is still convincing as a complete and universal work. It’s because Purcell’s style is clear and supports musical universality. Of course most appreciated performances are in accordance with actual trends. But sometimes it can be enriching to remind oneself older recordings and observe how time has changed our point of view. One of the best between historical performances of Purcell’s opera is Charles Mackerras 1967 recording for Archiv Produktion. Monteverdi-Chor Hamburg and NDR Chamber Orchestra are steady base for whole performance with Tatyana Troyanos, Barry McDaniel, Sheila Armstrong, Patricia Johnson, Margaret Baker, Margaret Lensky, Paul Esswood and Nigel Rogers.
   Charles Mackerras (1925-2010) was conductor widely recognized for his Purcell and Haendel interpretations. He conducted Dido and Aeneas with Janet Baker during 1966 Glyndebourne Festival and next year between September 30 and October 4, he recorded this great rendition in Hamburg Eberthalle. Starring in this cast Tatyana Troyanos gave one of most powerful, deeply dramatic performance of Dido. Interesting fact is Paul Esswood performance as Spirit. Famous countertenor was present here four years before his formal debut in Messiah for the BBC in 1971. Also Sheila Armstrong and Barry McDaniel have been recorded in great shape. On the cover of Archiv re-edition Dido and Aeneas painted by Guido Reni ca. 1630. This is nice album and very good rendition, traditional and well balanced, with sustainable choirs and great solo vocal performances. One of these you at least once ought to hear. Three and a half star with no hesitation. 

Harnoncourt and Leonhardt conduct Bach’s Osterkantaten

There are no doubts Johann Sebastian Bach was greatest composer of European music ever known. Building his output almost exclusively on demand, he made synthesis of all genres and techniques used before. Only one form of music was beyond his reach. He never received an order for dramma per musica. And in 17th and early 18th century works, especially operas were composed only on request. Nevertheless Bach shifted his operatic ambitions into his oratorios and cantata works, carrying dramatic action with pure musical agents. Using only church music resources he created highly legible and clear language based on musical rhetorical means and measures strengthening the emotional expression.

Since his music was rediscovered in romantic era, Johann Sebastian Bach for more than a century was the composer who was increasingly recognized as genius who made the formal synthesis of all achievements of the previous music. In 1985 many record labels seized the opportunity of 300 anniversary of the birth of the great cantor from St. Thomas church in Leipzig and made special editions of his works. One of panoramic projects for Bach’s birthday celebration was Teldec Special Edition 1985 „300 Jahre J. S. Bach”. The fifth volume of the series was double album with set of five cantatas for Easter – numbers 4, 6, 31, 66 and 134 in Schmieder’s Bach Werke Verzeichnis. As signed two great personalities, Nicolaus Harnoncourt and Gustav Leonhardt – conductors famous for performing music of the baroque period on original instruments.

Harnoncourt and Leonhardt - Bach's Easter Cantatas

Published by Teldec in Direct Metal Mastering technology album is mostly some kind of collection of older recordings from seventies. There is one newly recorded Cantata 134. Double album is divided between two conductors. First LP featuring Gustav Leonhardt conducting instrumental group Leonhardt-Consort, choirs Collegium Vocale working under direction of Philippe Herreweghe and Knabenchor Hannover leaded by Heinz Hennig includes two cantatas BWV 66 and 134. Second LP contains three cantatas BWV 4, 6 and 31 conducted by Nicolaus Harnoncourt with baroque orchestra Concentus musicus Wien, choirs Wiener Sängerknaben and Chorus Vienensis working under direction of Hans Gillesberger. The core group of soloists is mutual for both records – Paul Esswood (alt), Kurt Equiluz (tenor) and Max van Egmond (bass). In Cantata BWV 134 this group was augmented by soloist of Knabenchor Hannover Sebastian Hennig (sopran) and René Jacobs (alt). The same happened in Cantata BWV 31 with soloists of Wiener Sängerknaben and Siegmund Nimsgern (bass). Beautiful, perfectly tuned up voices, forced in timbre and pitch and totally new sound of baroque music.

This recordings were a part of quiet revolution in art of performing the old music. The top indication of new style was use of original instruments tuned in one of original tempering systems. But this was only surface of deeper changes. When whole sound and metric system has changed, ideas of reading and constructing the work need to be redefining. This is why conductors were the most important artists in these recording sessions. Of course there is always a personal imprint in such complex work as cantata. And obviously these conductors and bands are different. Leonhardt aims to the vision of ancient, raw, so much emotionally clear as sometimes rude musical seting of Bach’s work. Harnoncourt creates equilibrium of historical aesthetics and contemporary sensitivity. While Leonhardt goes towards reconstruction of historical music, Harnoncourt builds more readable parallel of old music for today’s listener. Both represent highest level of musical artistry due to the nature of composers creativity. Different personalities and one ideology to make old music alive, sounding the way it sounded 300 years before and agitate as strongly as it was in Bach’s in early 18th century.