Coleridge's Translation of Goethe's "Faust"

Apparently, Coleridge did indeed translate Goethe's play, and published it anonymously, in 1821. For years scholars had thought Coleridge had washed his hands of trying to translate it, but the evidence is compelling that this anonymous version is indeed the master's. Oxford University Press has just published a new edition, and it sounds as though it is the English translation to own.

Prescription for Valentine's Day

Find a recording of Magnard's Hymne a Venus (this is a good one) and play it, at full volume, preferably with the one you love. Magnard wrote it as a paean to his wife. But it's suitable for any "other of significance."

Bloggers Move Product

According to this article, blog mentions help drive album sales. Any record execs reading this blog: starting sending me promotional CDs!

(Via ArtsJournal.)

Met "Otello" Netcast

I just was listening to the Met's season premiere of Otello on Sirius and quite enjoyed it. Johan Botha did not have the forza of del Monaco, or the dramatic intensity of Vickers, or the heroic plangency of Domingo. But he sang beautifully and, what's more, sensitively--not a quality one usually associates with this role. He excelled in the lyric passages, particularly the love duet; when he tried to push his voice the tone coarsened, although that effect did add to his characterization of the role.

Renee Fleming was in great voice. Ravishing, creamy tone from top to bottom, evocative use of chest voice, never a shriek or a croon.

Best of all was Semyon Bychkov's conducting. The orchestra had proper Verdian crispness, but it also sounded "voiced" somewhat differently--deeper, somehow, with the center of gravity a little lower than we're used to, giving the score a kind of ballast. Bychkov's tempi seemed completely spot-on to me: brisk and unfussy, but flexible enough to follow the voices. He kept the tension from first note to last in the fourth act, not an easy trick. And the Met Orchestra played beautifully for him. Good for the Met for engaging him!

Osmo-sis

Osmo Vanska is getting a lot of attention these days for his revitalization of the Minnesota Orchestra. And why not? His performances are generating excitement, he's brought them into the recording studio, and he's a hockey fan (occasionally seen at Minnesota Wild games).

His Beethoven cycle, on the Bis label, with the Minnesotans has been celebrated, so I took the opportunity the other night to check out the Eroica. There's no doubt that he has worked wonders with the orchestra: they sound marvelous. As for Vanska's reading, he went for clarity and balance. From an architectonic point of view, it was impeccable. He essentially grouped the movements into three sections of roughly equal length (the scherzo and finale having the weight of a single unit, even if not performed that way).

That sense of proportion was evident within each movement as well; nothing was distended or distorted. But Vanska didn't apply a straitjacket to the rhythm either.

I thought, though, that the recording was a disappointment. Balance and proportion are nice in Mendelsohn. But this is Beethoven. There was too little edginess; the catharsis of the last movement failed to come off. I didn't hear any creative risks--or, for that matter, anything so new or unique as to justify yet another recording of this familiar music.