Yolanda Kondonassis - Terra Infirma - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Paisiello distances himself, his sentiments and intellect, from his characters; he describes theatrical realities that on the surface do not seem the least bit serious in parodically grave tones. Voices from another world, Elisi and Iperuranio, who sing alternating Macaronic Greek with a stinging parody of a more recent scene from Hell the one from Orfeo ed Euridice by Calzabigi and Gluck, performed in Naples barely a year before with modifications and additions by Johann Christian Bach and others.

Kalevala, the Finnish national epic, begins with the creation of the world - from a duck's egg - and goes on to relate a series of tales of magic and adventure. One of the most memorable characters is Kullervo, a flawed hero whose tragic story is told in the course of six songs or runos. These describe multiple murders, rape, incest and finally suicide - a powerful brew that has inspired several Finnish artists. Among them is Jean Sibelius, who in 1891 was a young music student in Vienna. At home in Finland a wave of nationalism was gaining momentum and the Kalevala was an important symbol in the struggle for independence from Russia. Sometimes called a choral symphony, Sibelius's Kullervo was premiered in 1892, receiving a mixed reception and the work was soon overshadowed by the First Symphony. Only in the 1970s did it became more widely known, at which time the score caused something of sensation. Faithful to the urgency and brutality of the score, the present recording was made at live performances at Symphony Hall in Minneapolis, with Osmo Vänskä directing the forces of the Minnesota Orchestra, joined by their Finnish guests Lilli Paasikivi, Tommi Hakala and the eminent YL Male Voice Choir.

Goteborg BaroqueMagnus KjellsonThe long-awaited of Goteborg Baroque's recording of Dietrich Buxtehude's InchMembra Jesu NostriInch is finally out! This legendary musical work has been interpreted countless times, and yet Goteborg Baroque brings something new to the table. Recorded in arstads kyrka outside the Swedish town of Falkenberg, artistic director Magnus Kjellson and his group of musicians succeed in delivering an intimate and genuine rendition of InchMembra Jesu NostriInch, with the unmistakable quality that the ensemble has become acclaimed for the live feeling, that of being in the room with the musicians even when listening to a recording. Goteborg Baroque is pleased to share a most human and heartfelt interpretation of one of the most wondrous works in music history.