Customer Reviews

Stradella - San Giovanni Battista

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The performance and the recording get A+ but the presentation gets a failing grade. There is no documentation to accompany this wonderful music, so be prepared to do your own research.

Yes, the difficulty of language and document on this CD is a little flaw in it, but I think Minkowski and the signer still give me the overall enjoyable satisfacation. The association of Minowski and Stradella is a fresh experience, as I know. However, I am appreciated in his expression to touch my deeply heart, so I still decide give this one a good 5 star.

The first CD pressing (produced back in 1992) has the libretto -- written in Italian, not Latin -- that many people sorely miss in this reissue. Incidentally, if you are more comfortable with French or want to brush up your rusty German, you're in luck -- there are three translations in all.

The first pressing is available through Amazon at the time of this review. This particular recording by Minkowski is worth every penny of your investment, libretto or no libretto. It's no stretch at all to say that Minkowski's revival of Stradella puts this oratorio (quasi un'opera) in the same league as the very best of Rameau -- perhaps the very best of opera, period.

Just to kvetch about this a little longer: It's one thing to say MODERN opera libretti are so commonplace that CDs can be reissued without them. Foolishly, Erato's marketers, obviously cutting corners, would have you believe that libretti of baroque works are dispensable. Not so.

This recording of Stradella's marvellous oratorio is superb in every way. Tempos are well chosen (not too extreme), phrasing is beautifully handled, the singers are all excellent and project their characters well, and the sound is first-rate. The only problem with this edition is that there is no libretto (let alone a translation of it). Unless you speak Latin, you will have no idea what is going on. It seems nearly criminal that record companies issue vocal recordings without incuding the sung text and a translation in the package (especially when it is a dead language!). At the very least, the lack of a libretto should be noted on the outside of the packaging, so that the buyer would have some idea of what they're getting into. Ah, well! It's still a very enjoyable experience...

This curiously operatic 'oratorio' was composed with an Italian libretto. The music is full of odd passions that will seem disembodied and extraneous without at least a cursory notion of who the character is who's singing, and what she/he is singing about. King Herod especially needs his language, since basso Philippe Huttenlocher does odd stuff with his voice in order to suggest the King's madness. Even if you speak fluent Italian, by the way, as I do, you won't be able to follow the words. In fact, you'll be outraged at the abysmal accents.

Nevertheless, this is a sparkling performance, a five-star job of singing, so DO look for the 1992 release!