In my mind there is no better “Wagner” orchestra anywhere in the world than right here in Cleveland. Each music director for the last thirty-plus years (since I’ve been paying attention, at any rate) seems to have Wagner in his heritage and not only really “gets it!” but also excels at bringing it out of his musicians, as well.
Franz Welser-Möst continues this fabulous tradition in fine style on this new CD from Deutsche Grammophon (00289 477 8773) with the magnificent soprano Measha Brueggergosman articulating the Wesendonck-Lieder in her own melting fashion. Even if you don’t speak German, she sings the words so expressively, the meaning is always ultra-clear.
From the Overture to Rienzi, to Preludes to Act 1 of Tristan und Isolde; to Acts III and I (in that order) to that of Act I of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, to the final, very familiar The Ride of the Walkyries, conductor and musicians are all attention to details. Added to the Prelude of Tristan is the Liebestod or Love Death.
Sandwiched in the middle is the Wesendonck-Lieder. Here is a different aspect of Wagner. Oh, of course, he wrote about LOVE in many different guises (always, in fact!) but these songs verge on the erotic in their focus. Mathilde was the wife of Wagner’s neighbor/landlord at the time, and the two of them promptly engaged in an affair that was to be memorialized forever in these songs. She wrote the words, he wrote the music. How could it be other than passionate? Ms. Brueggergosman is the perfect artist for these songs. Her silken voice has many shades of loveliness, and all of them are displayed here. Regardless of pitch or dynamic requirements, her voice is lustrous, confident and gorgeous.
But lest you think this is all bombast, it isn’t! This orchestra not only does the full-Wagner sound like no other, it also plays so super-soft sometimes as to be almost silent. I still marvel how so many musicians can play at the same time, yet play so softly together. They demonstrate this skill admirably on this CD in several selections.
The only way this CD could have been more perfect is if Ms. Brueggergosman had sung the Liebestod. I’m still waiting for that one!
This CD is available anywhere CDs are sold, including the Cleveland Orchestra Store. For more information, visit the website: http://ClevelandOrchestra.com.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz, who writes: My most recently published book is Ardenwycke Unveiled (e-book and trade paper). Cerridwen has another contemporary romance from me, But Not For Love, currently available only as an e-book, but perhaps will be in print later this year. I hope to soon get around to completing some of the 30+ incomplete books in my computer!Actually, I’ve just re-issued my very first published book (from Berkley in NY 1993) Secret Shores which is available now in regular print, plus large print and as a Kindle.
By the way, Cerridwen has also accepted two of my short stories in their Scintillating Samples (complimentary reads) area: Song of the Swan and Unexpected Comfort. I love photography as well, as you can see here. Occasionally I teach writing workshops and sometimes do editing or ghostwriting on a free-lance basis. But over and above everything else, there’s always been the writing. I can’t imagine my life without it.
And now, after more than a few requests, I’ve started a blog about writing. You can find it here.