Harrison Birtwistle: Punch and Judy [Import]

Harrison Birtwistle (Composer), David Atherton (Conductor), London Sinfonietta (Orchestra), David Wilson-Johnson (Performer), Jan de Gaetani (Performer), John Tomlinson (Performer), Philip Langridge (Performer), Phyllis Bryn-Julson (Performer), Stephen Roberts (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: David Wilson-Johnson, Jan de Gaetani, John Tomlinson, Philip Langridge, Phyllis Bryn-Julson, et al.
• Orchestra: London Sinfonietta
• Conductor: David Atherton
• Composer: Harrison Birtwistle
• Audio CD (June 26, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Nmc Records
• ASIN: B000RGSW0C
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #392,209 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Punch and Judy, opera: Prologue

2. Punch and Judy, opera: Homage to Judy

3. Punch and Judy, opera: Resolve 1

4. Punch and Judy, opera: Passion Chorale 1

5. Punch and Judy, opera: Toccata 1 B

6. Punch and Judy, opera: Pretty Polly's Rhapsody 1

7. Punch and Judy, opera: Sinfonia

8. Punch and Judy, opera: War-Cry

9. Punch and Judy, opera: Toccata 2 B

10. Punch and Judy, opera: Pretty Polly's Rhapsody 2

Disc: 2

1. Punch and Judy, opera: Roundel - 1st movement

2. Punch and Judy, opera: Recitative and Passion Aria 2

3. Punch and Judy, opera: Proclamation 3

4. Punch and Judy, opera: Nightmare

5. Punch and Judy, opera: Tarot-Game - 1st Draw

6. Punch and Judy, opera: Quartet

7. Punch and Judy, opera: Toccata 3 A

8. Punch and Judy, opera: Melodrama 4

9. Punch and Judy, opera: Death March

10. Punch and Judy, opera: Triumph

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect performance of modern opera, December 6, 2007

By 

R. Rockwell (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Harrison Birtwistle: Punch and Judy (Audio CD)

This CD has been out of circulation for so many years, I know because I lost it after a move and have been trying to find it. Well the people at NMC have stepped to late to ensure that Gramophone award winning recording will never be deleted from it's titles.
The opera is explicitly explained by the libretto writer Steven Pruslin who was puzzled by the numerous differing explainations of the opera after the premier. He explains that he wanted to expore the schizoid human nature that is capable of excesses of violence at the same time with tenderness and love. Punch's acts of violence ar punctuated by some of Birtwistle's most evil and sinister music while Punch sings(as he is mudeering sokmeone: "No sorrow no pain do I feel at this/ to die for Punch is eternal bliss" and soon after Punch sings tender love songs to Polly with sweet sernades .
Two of my favorite scenes are Judy's "Passion Aria " where she accuuse Punch of murder "Witness avenging gods..." and the quartet of murder victims curse Punch a fractured skull . Birtwistle seems at home at both chorus and solo singers in this opera. Though based on a puppet show, this truly an adult opera and I believe is one of Birtwistle's masterpieces that never left my mind all those years Iv'e been searching for it. Please excuse typos I have a neurologic disease.