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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great opera, and topical,
By
This review is from: Dallapiccola: Il Prigionero (Audio CD)
This opera should change the minds of the most truculent enemies of 20th century music (even 12-tone)because, as the other reviewer has said, its dramatic power and the sheer beauty of the music will capture and hold almost any listener. Dramatically it has much to say to us in the 21st century; although it is set during the sixteenth century Spanish inquisition, the issues of the abuse of power and the ambiguities of guilt and innocence in the midst of political conflict are derived from 19th century sources and resonate in today's political climate. More importantly, the marriage of music and drama in this brief work is unusually effective for a modern opera. This performance is well-recorded and the orchestral and choral forces perform excellently, as does Jorma Hyninnen in the title role; what keeps this recording from being unquestionably superior to the Mondo Musica set, which includes also Dallapiccola's _Job_, is the less effective singing of Phyllis Bryn-Julson. Bryn-Julson is an effective singing actress, but her voice is edgy and unpleasant at times and seems not as right for the role as that of Magda Laszlo on the other recording. Because this set is a single CD and less expensive, it is likely to be the usual choice and there is no harm in that--it is a fine introduction to a great work, but if possible, try to hear the Gracis recording as well.
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't like modern music? You haven't heard THIS!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Dallapiccola: Il Prigionero (Audio CD)
Everyone arguing that recent modern music took a wrong track with Schonberg and his followers needs to hear what happens when serialism goes to Italy, via Dallapiccola. I call him the 12-tone Puccini. What a vibrant, passionate, accessible composer who at the same time never sacrifices or panders.z Why isn't this wonderful opera on all the world's stages? The opening line of the mother is indelible, the choral interludes stunning, the "fratello" motif both musically haunting and politically charged. The Songs of the Imprisoned is an amazingly beautiful choral work and utilizes the Dies Irae in a most moving fashion. Great instrumental sounds from an unusual instrumentation. Check out his Sappho Fragments also. The conducting and playing are superb, and the engineering is fine.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A 20th Century Masterpiece,
By Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Dallapiccola: Il Prigionero (Audio CD)
Luigi Dallapiccola wrote both the music and libretto for his opera 'Il prigioniero' (The Prisoner), a work with a prologue and one act. The opera was written between 1944 - 1948 and was first broadcast by the Italian radio station RAI on 1 December 1949. The work is based on the short story La torture par l'espérance ("Torture by Hope") from the collection Nouveaux contes cruels by the French writer Auguste Villiers de l'Isle-Adam and from La Légende d'Ulenspiegel et de Lamme Goedzak by Charles de Coster. Dallapiccola's early experiences under the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini colored his outlook and output for the rest of his life. He once supported Mussolini, believing the propaganda, and it was not until the 1930s that he became passionate about his political views, in protest to the Abyssinian campaign and Italy's involvement in the Spanish Civil War. Mussolini's sympathy with Adolf Hitler's views on race, which threatened Dallapiccola's Jewish wife Laura Luzzatto, only hardened his stance. His first protest work, 'Canti de prigioniero' from 1938 is included on this recording for a live performance of both the opera and the three choruses in March of 1995 in Sweden. Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts the Swedish Radio Symphony and Choir and the soloists are Phyllis Bryn-Julson, soprano, Howard Haskin, tenor, Lage Wedin, bass, Sven-Erik Alexandersson, tenor, and Jorma Hynninen, baritone. It is a desperately moving work and one that pleads to be performed more frequently.
The radiant performance of 'Canti Di Prigionia for chorus, 2 pianos, 2 harps & percussion' is a treasure. For this listener the performance echoes those in the early 1960s when Dallapiccola was composer in residence in Los Angeles and conducted our college ensemble in these three parts: Preghiera Di Maria Stuarda (Mary Stuart's Prayer), Invocazione Di Boezio (The Invocation Of Boethius), and Congedo di Girolamo Savonarola (Girolamo Savonarola's farewell). As many listeners will find, the music at first seems difficult to understand (it is very difficult to sing....), but after a listening or two the music becomes so natural an expression of agony that it can only be considered on of the more important choral works of the last century. Salonen brings to this performance/recording all the elegance and security he feels for the lyricism of Dallapiccola's twelve tone compositions. It is a secure and passionate pair of performances an done that belongs in the libraries of all those who want to understand more about contemporary music. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, August 11
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