I'll add a note to that effect, too, about Gli Abencerragi, Chris. I recall listening to the live recording of Cherubini's Lodoïska some years ago - not the currently available Muti or the newer one conducted by Rohrer but the one from 1961 conducted by de Fabritiis with a good cast - and honestly think that it was awful - lots of men clumping about and shouting, far too much dialogue and hardly a tune to throw at a dog - but no doubt now someone will tell me that I am scandalously denigrating a masterpiece...
Thanks Ralph. I've since noticed that Giulini's 1956 Florence performance with a cast including Anita Cerquetti and Mario Petri was issued on LP in 1969 and according to Amazon a CD issue is still available. I don't know how far unofficial retrievals of this kind affect a later recording's "world première" status and I can't imagine anyone actually recommending it in preference to the new one, or even to the Maag. Probably an issue for admirers of Cerquetti (what opera buff isn't?) rather than for the work itself.
Thank you, Chris; I will make some changes to the review to reflect that information, especially the fact that this is indeed a first studio recording.
Hardly a month seems to pass without a "first recording" appearing of a work that has actually been recorded before.
Michael Cookson's extremely detailed review of the Bru Zane recording of Cherubini's Les Abencérages (https://www.musicwebinternational.com/2023/03/cherubini-les-abencerages-bru-zane/) states twice that this is a first recording. I presume Michael is repeating a claim by the recording company.
A previous recording, conducted by the renowned Peter Maag and with a cast including Margherita Rinaldi and Jean Depouy, was issued on Music Arts in 2006 and gived a highly favourable review in MWI by Ian Bailey (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2006/july06/Cherubini_Abencerages_430662.htm). I'm not sure about the current availability of this as hard copies, but it is available for streaming in various places.
It is a pity that the opportunity has been lost for a comparison between the two, especially since the Bru Zane recording can claim at least some "firsts".
- It is the first studio recording (the Maag was recorded at a public concert)
- it is the first digital recording
- it is the first recording on period instruments (those who resist these might have liked to know there is an alternative)
- it is 49 minutes longer than the Maag so, unless the new recording is almighty slow (or the the Maag is almighty fast) this must mean that there are in fact substantial sections of hitherto unrecorded music, and it would be interesting to know what is at stake here (two different versions by Cherubini himself? Vicious cuts by Maag?)
I can only conclude by repeating my appeal that recording companies should check their "world première recording" claims more carefully. A couple of minutes on Google would have been enough.
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