AuldLochinvar's channel

I do so hate that the old name "cor angl'e", misspelt "cor anglais", is now so widely known by the misleading name of English horn when it's nothing like the French horn, which Wikipedia says is actually of German origin.

Of all his "besa me" performances available, I suspect this is the most fun!

Oops! I was thinking of the Fair Maid of Perth. Bohemia is still a long way from Spain, but it's what they called the gypsies.

Fabulous!

I wouldn't be too harsh about the fact that I prefer Mozart and Sibelius to this, not to mention my favourite Scottish lament - "The Flowers o' the Forest". But we could say that the title is a piece of ill-considered arrogance.

On the other hand, it worries me that Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Handel and many more were rather dependent upon the taste of wealthy aristocrats. How strange that the latter had a sufficient taste for quality!

I've heard on the BBC's "My Music" that at least one famous operatic baritone said he was more nervous about performing this aria than practically any other!

On youtube, I like the John Rawnsley performance.

Cherubino is a very young and attractive young man in the story, always sung by a woman. But I do find it rather difficult to imagine Cecilia as a man, even one whom Figaro calls a "farfallone amoroso", an amorous little butterfly !

Compared with conductor Davis (?) in the Mozart Bassoon concerto uploaded by AroniaTellus, this one's a bit too histrionic, but then again he gets a great performance from the orchestra and principals.

Aha! There is indeed an upload of the movement 2 of this performance.

Oh, and I wish I could go back to read only comments that don't include the word "crap"!

Actually, I'm responding to the questions about so many comments about American students of apparently Asian ancestry seeming to be disproportionately good at music. It's perhaps because their parents are smart enough to discourage them from stupid violent team sports like football.

About critics: After being resident drama critic for a publication in London, G.B.Shaw sent to his friend and successor Max Beerbohm "Attached find two tickets to my new play, bring a friend, if you have one" Beerbohm's response was "Cannot make it to first performance, will gladdly attend second...

As a matter of fact, I'm delighted to hear such a woman sing this. Why should the place appeal only to men?

This is better than her "Carmen".

She's lovely, but perhaps not quite as insanely passionate as Anna Caterina Antonacci, and I think I also prefer Denyce Graves.

to quibbles100: Perhaps the dislikes are proofs that Fortuna is as fickle as the text (libretto?) says.she is!

These guys are NOT responsible for Stalin and Lenin, any more than I was responsible for Nixon, Reagan, or either Bush!

Nor is Leninism any of Marx's fault.

I do not doubt that the Volga is as worthy of honor as the great dark forests of Finlandia.