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Haydn – Philemon und Baucis

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Catalogue numberBIS-1813 SACD
Release date2009-08-15
Discs1
Orig. sample rate44100Hz
Total time59:43

Marionette, or puppet plays and performances were highly popular in 18th century Vienna, both among the common people and in aristocratic circles. It is therefore not surprising that Haydn’s employer, Prince Esterhazy, had a special puppet theatre built on his estate, or that the composer wrote six operas for it. Of these, Philemon und Baucis is the only one to have survived more or less intact, although not in the version of the first performance, given in honour of the Empress Maria Theresa in 1773. The present recording is based on a later version which included orchestral intermezzos by other composers, in accordance with the standard practice of the time. The opera (or rather Singspiel, with spoken dialogue) takes one of Ovid’s Metamorphoses as its point of departure, and tells the story of how Jupiter and Mercury visit earth, and are shocked by ‘the horrors and vices’ of mankind. It is only the virtue and hospitality displayed by the aged couple Philemon and Baucis that save the world from divine punishment. In the words of the eminent Austrian actor Hermann Beil, who has also made the text adaptation used here, ‘Haydn’s opera seems like a charming, Magic Flute-like moral tale – one in which everybody has a lesson to learn.’ During 2009, three previous titles with Haydn Sinfonietta Wien and Manfred Huss have appeared on BIS. Two of these are collections of previously released recordings: the Complete Overtures (‘a re-release which puts many of the new recordings appearing during this Haydn-year in the deepest shadow’, according to klassik.com) and a set including the Notturni and Scherzandi (described by ClassicsTodayFrance as ‘a perfect collection of the most delightful and unknown ‘Haydn-off-the-beaten-track’.) The third release with the orchestra is another rare Haydn opera, namely Acide: ‘an hour-plus of enchantment in every instant’ (OpusHD.net). The present recording involves four vocal soloists (a young but experienced cast), two spoken parts (two of the most well-respected actors in the German language) and choir (one of Austria’s most well-respected chamber choirs) in a work that for long has only been a foot-note in the Haydn literature and discography.
 
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$ 12.38
 
Extra material for download
 
 
  Composer: Haydn, Joseph
  Overture ‘Der Götterrat’ 08:11
01 Adagio e maestoso – Allegro di molto 04:24 $ 0.92 USD
02 Andante moderato 03:47 $ 0.79 USD
 
03 Prologue on Mount Olympus (Jupiter, Merkur) 02:53 $ 0.61 USD
 
  Overture ‘Philemon und Baucis’ 05:48
04 Allegro con espressione 03:50 $ 0.81 USD
05 Andante poco allegro 01:58 $ 0.41 USD
 
  Scene 1
06 Coro: In Wolken, hoch emporgetragen 03:13 $ 0.68 USD
 
07 Scene 2 (Jupiter, Merkur) 01:02 $ 0.22 USD
 
08 Intermezzo. Adagio in G major 00:58 $ 0.20 USD
 
09 Scene 3 (Philemon, Baucis) 00:39 $ 0.14 USD
 
10 Scene 4 (Jupiter, Merkur, the above) 00:52 $ 0.18 USD
 
11 Scene 5 (Jupiter, Merkur, Philemon) 00:13 $ 0.05 USD
 
12 Aria (Philemon): Mehr als zwanzig Jahr’ Vermählte 02:48 $ 0.59 USD
 
  Scene 5 (continued) 01:02
13 Scene 5 (continued) 00:33 $ 0.12 USD
 
14 Aria (Philemon): Ein Tag, der allen Freude bringt 02:28 $ 0.52 USD
 
  Scene 5 (continued) 01:02
15 Scene 5 (continued) 00:29 $ 0.10 USD
 
  Intermezzo 03:56
16 Intermezzo 00:54 $ 0.19 USD
 
17 Scene 6 00:44 $ 0.15 USD
 
  Scene 7 03:12
18 Scene 7 00:32 $ 0.11 USD
19 Aria (Baucis): Heut fühl ich der Armut Schwere 02:40 $ 0.56 USD
 
20 Scene 7 (continued) 00:15 $ 0.05 USD
 
21 Scene 8 00:27 $ 0.09 USD
 
22 Scene 9 00:32 $ 0.11 USD
 
23 Scene 10 00:40 $ 0.14 USD
 
  Intermezzo 03:56
24 Intermezzo 00:58 $ 0.20 USD
 
25 Scene 11 00:30 $ 0.11 USD
 
26 Scene 12 00:18 $ 0.06 USD
 
27 Aria (Aret): Wenn am weiten Firmamente 02:32 $ 0.53 USD
 
  Scene 12 (continued) 00:42
28 Scene 12 (continued) 00:26 $ 0.09 USD
 
29 Aria (Narcissa): Dir der Unschuld Seligkeit 03:11 $ 0.67 USD
 
  Scene 12 (continued) 00:42
30 Scene 12 (continued) 00:16 $ 0.06 USD
 
31 Duetto (Narcissa, Aret): Entfloh’n ist nun der Schlummer 03:36 $ 0.76 USD
 
32 Scene 13 00:14 $ 0.05 USD
 
33 Scene 14 01:07 $ 0.23 USD
 
  Intermezzo 03:56
34 Intermezzo 00:24 $ 0.08 USD
 
35 Scene 15 01:05 $ 0.23 USD
 
  Intermezzo 03:56
36 Intermezzo 01:40 $ 0.35 USD
 
37 Scene 15 (continued) 00:16 $ 0.06 USD
 
38 Scene 16 00:51 $ 0.18 USD
 
39 Scene 17 04:41 $ 0.98 USD
 
  Album total 59:43
OrchestraHaydn Sinfonietta Wien
ComposerHaydn, Joseph
ConductorHuss, Manfred
ChoirVoacalforum Graz
TenorGenz, Christoph
Petryka, Jan
Mezzo-sopranoEngelhardt, Maren
SopranoReinprecht, Alexandra

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