CELEBRATING 53,000 Classical CD reviews on-line (Sept 2016); 21,000 page views each day. Return to MusicWeb International
Ralph Moore Surveys
Posted by Noah Tunell on December 5, 2023, 12:14 am
I would like to thank Ralph Moore for his excellent surveys. I became interested in classical music about 3 years ago (I am still a teenager, so I have not wasted my musical life!) and your excellent surveys have helped me discover some wonderful music and great recordings of it. I feel that your surveys are the best existing tool for finding recordings, and your criticism is well written and much fairer than most other sources. (I used to watch David Hurwitz's videos, as he is American like me, and found them to contain excessive ranting, and often times statements that have no basis in fact, as well as some overly strong opinions.) Thanks for your great reviews, and I hope you will write more surveys!
Re: Ralph Moore Surveys
Posted by Ralph Moore on December 5, 2023, 9:35 am, in reply to "Ralph Moore Surveys"
Many thanks, Noah; as a retired teacher, I am especially gratified that my surveys are useful in enhancing the enjoyment of a young person such as you. I am just passing on my enthusiasm which in my own late teens as a student was sparked by knowledgeable people. Maybe as time goes by, you will do the same. I am currently working on "Die Fledermaus".(You might be aware that I am no fan of DH and regret his considerable influence over too many people; I find his presentations to be rambling, rude and often highly prejudiced.)
Previous Message
I would like to thank Ralph Moore for his excellent surveys. I became interested in classical music about 3 years ago (I am still a teenager, so I have not wasted my musical life!) and your excellent surveys have helped me discover some wonderful music and great recordings of it. I feel that your surveys are the best existing tool for finding recordings, and your criticism is well written and much fairer than most other sources. (I used to watch David Hurwitz's videos, as he is American like me, and found them to contain excessive ranting, and often times statements that have no basis in fact, as well as some overly strong opinions.) Thanks for your great reviews, and I hope you will write more surveys!
I am excited for your new survey. The only recording of Die Fledermaus I am familiar with is the Karajan 1960, with a great cast and a ridiculously star-studded party scene. I am also curious about recommendations for a recording of Faust. Not all the music is inspired, but some of it is high quality and I want to have the bass arias to learn. Neither the Bonynge nor the Clutyens seems to have ideal cast. I am wondering which one you like best. Many Thanks
Previous Message
Many thanks, Noah; as a retired teacher, I am especially gratified that my surveys are useful in enhancing the enjoyment of a young person such as you. I am just passing on my enthusiasm which in my own late teens as a student was sparked by knowledgeable people. Maybe as time goes by, you will do the same. I am currently working on "Die Fledermaus".(You might be aware that I am no fan of DH and regret his considerable influence over too many people; I find his presentations to be rambling, rude and often highly prejudiced.)
Previous Message
I would like to thank Ralph Moore for his excellent surveys. I became interested in classical music about 3 years ago (I am still a teenager, so I have not wasted my musical life!) and your excellent surveys have helped me discover some wonderful music and great recordings of it. I feel that your surveys are the best existing tool for finding recordings, and your criticism is well written and much fairer than most other sources. (I used to watch David Hurwitz's videos, as he is American like me, and found them to contain excessive ranting, and often times statements that have no basis in fact, as well as some overly strong opinions.) Thanks for your great reviews, and I hope you will write more surveys!
"Faust" is an odd one, Noah, as it is obviously now nowhere as popular as it once once; maybe its content doesn't sit so well with modern taste and sensibilities, but it contains so much lovely music that you have to have at least one if you are an operaphile. I rather enjoy the WNO recording conducted by Carlo Rizzi, with that excellent tenor Jerry Hadley and great bass Sam Ramey - and you might have caught this review: https://musicwebinternational.com/2023/10/gounod-faust-malibran-music/
This is a legendary account of the most famous aria (disregard the execrable French of the announcer; worse than Corelli's):
The final top C diminuendo is a dream.
Previous Message
I am excited for your new survey. The only recording of Die Fledermaus I am familiar with is the Karajan 1960, with a great cast and a ridiculously star-studded party scene. I am also curious about recommendations for a recording of Faust. Not all the music is inspired, but some of it is high quality and I want to have the bass arias to learn. Neither the Bonynge nor the Clutyens seems to have ideal cast. I am wondering which one you like best. Many Thanks
Previous Message
Many thanks, Noah; as a retired teacher, I am especially gratified that my surveys are useful in enhancing the enjoyment of a young person such as you. I am just passing on my enthusiasm which in my own late teens as a student was sparked by knowledgeable people. Maybe as time goes by, you will do the same. I am currently working on "Die Fledermaus".(You might be aware that I am no fan of DH and regret his considerable influence over too many people; I find his presentations to be rambling, rude and often highly prejudiced.)
Previous Message
I would like to thank Ralph Moore for his excellent surveys. I became interested in classical music about 3 years ago (I am still a teenager, so I have not wasted my musical life!) and your excellent surveys have helped me discover some wonderful music and great recordings of it. I feel that your surveys are the best existing tool for finding recordings, and your criticism is well written and much fairer than most other sources. (I used to watch David Hurwitz's videos, as he is American like me, and found them to contain excessive ranting, and often times statements that have no basis in fact, as well as some overly strong opinions.) Thanks for your great reviews, and I hope you will write more surveys!
Wow. You can certainly understand why his voice declined after singing like that. Even Corelli doesn't attempt that diminuendo. I will try listening to the Carlo Rizzi version and see what I think. I also thought the following might be of interest to you, as you had commented on wondering what castrati sounded like in one of your reviews. Alessandro Moreschi is the only one who ever made a recording, and I think it is an interesting piece of history.
?si=IOC_xRn3vvtMKmeY (if the link does not work you can just look up his name) Apparently, the scooping and gulping were popular at that time, and he was past his best for this recording. Thanks
Previous Message
"Faust" is an odd one, Noah, as it is obviously now nowhere as popular as it once once; maybe its content doesn't sit so well with modern taste and sensibilities, but it contains so much lovely music that you have to have at least one if you are an operaphile. I rather enjoy the WNO recording conducted by Carlo Rizzi, with that excellent tenor Jerry Hadley and great bass Sam Ramey - and you might have caught this review: https://musicwebinternational.com/2023/10/gounod-faust-malibran-music/
This is a legendary account of the most famous aria (disregard the execrable French of the announcer; worse than Corelli's):
The final top C diminuendo is a dream.
Previous Message
I am excited for your new survey. The only recording of Die Fledermaus I am familiar with is the Karajan 1960, with a great cast and a ridiculously star-studded party scene. I am also curious about recommendations for a recording of Faust. Not all the music is inspired, but some of it is high quality and I want to have the bass arias to learn. Neither the Bonynge nor the Clutyens seems to have ideal cast. I am wondering which one you like best. Many Thanks
Previous Message
Many thanks, Noah; as a retired teacher, I am especially gratified that my surveys are useful in enhancing the enjoyment of a young person such as you. I am just passing on my enthusiasm which in my own late teens as a student was sparked by knowledgeable people. Maybe as time goes by, you will do the same. I am currently working on "Die Fledermaus".(You might be aware that I am no fan of DH and regret his considerable influence over too many people; I find his presentations to be rambling, rude and often highly prejudiced.)
Previous Message
I would like to thank Ralph Moore for his excellent surveys. I became interested in classical music about 3 years ago (I am still a teenager, so I have not wasted my musical life!) and your excellent surveys have helped me discover some wonderful music and great recordings of it. I feel that your surveys are the best existing tool for finding recordings, and your criticism is well written and much fairer than most other sources. (I used to watch David Hurwitz's videos, as he is American like me, and found them to contain excessive ranting, and often times statements that have no basis in fact, as well as some overly strong opinions.) Thanks for your great reviews, and I hope you will write more surveys!
Yes; I had heard that before and, as you say, I think we can safely assume that he was past his best even if he was only in his mid-forties and part of what we hear is, again as you say, attributable to a style now out of favour - but it is still interesting how much he sings out and he goes into his lower register like a properly developed female singer. We do know that the best modern countertenors are natural baritones who have not neglected their lower register while singing in falsetto.
Incidentally, I don't think singing diminuendos like that achieved by Di Stefano is necessarily deleterious to the voice; his problems were exacerbated by over-singing - almost shouting - roles too big for his lyric tenor and a careless lifestyle with insufficient dedication to practice. His career ran almost exactly parallel to that of his even more famous partner, Maria Callas - but her problems were distinctly medical and psychological rather than the result of laziness - quite the reverse; she was supremely dedicated and conscientious.
Previous Message
Wow. You can certainly understand why his voice declined after singing like that. Even Corelli doesn't attempt that diminuendo. I will try listening to the Carlo Rizzi version and see what I think. I also thought the following might be of interest to you, as you had commented on wondering what castrati sounded like in one of your reviews. Alessandro Moreschi is the only one who ever made a recording, and I think it is an interesting piece of history.
?si=IOC_xRn3vvtMKmeY (if the link does not work you can just look up his name) Apparently, the scooping and gulping were popular at that time, and he was past his best for this recording. Thanks
Previous Message
"Faust" is an odd one, Noah, as it is obviously now nowhere as popular as it once once; maybe its content doesn't sit so well with modern taste and sensibilities, but it contains so much lovely music that you have to have at least one if you are an operaphile. I rather enjoy the WNO recording conducted by Carlo Rizzi, with that excellent tenor Jerry Hadley and great bass Sam Ramey - and you might have caught this review: https://musicwebinternational.com/2023/10/gounod-faust-malibran-music/
This is a legendary account of the most famous aria (disregard the execrable French of the announcer; worse than Corelli's):
The final top C diminuendo is a dream.
Previous Message
I am excited for your new survey. The only recording of Die Fledermaus I am familiar with is the Karajan 1960, with a great cast and a ridiculously star-studded party scene. I am also curious about recommendations for a recording of Faust. Not all the music is inspired, but some of it is high quality and I want to have the bass arias to learn. Neither the Bonynge nor the Clutyens seems to have ideal cast. I am wondering which one you like best. Many Thanks
Previous Message
Many thanks, Noah; as a retired teacher, I am especially gratified that my surveys are useful in enhancing the enjoyment of a young person such as you. I am just passing on my enthusiasm which in my own late teens as a student was sparked by knowledgeable people. Maybe as time goes by, you will do the same. I am currently working on "Die Fledermaus".(You might be aware that I am no fan of DH and regret his considerable influence over too many people; I find his presentations to be rambling, rude and often highly prejudiced.)
Previous Message
I would like to thank Ralph Moore for his excellent surveys. I became interested in classical music about 3 years ago (I am still a teenager, so I have not wasted my musical life!) and your excellent surveys have helped me discover some wonderful music and great recordings of it. I feel that your surveys are the best existing tool for finding recordings, and your criticism is well written and much fairer than most other sources. (I used to watch David Hurwitz's videos, as he is American like me, and found them to contain excessive ranting, and often times statements that have no basis in fact, as well as some overly strong opinions.) Thanks for your great reviews, and I hope you will write more surveys!
Re: Ralph Moore Surveys
Posted by Ralph Moore on December 6, 2023, 10:36 am, in reply to "Ralph Moore Surveys"
Noah, I should have mentioned that despite Corelli's iffy French, the complete recording of "Faust" is very good, as his co-singers are Ghiaurov, Sutherland and Massard (as per my second survey of the latter's recordings) - and you have no doubt already seen that you can hear that Rizzi recording on YouTube.
Previous Message
I would like to thank Ralph Moore for his excellent surveys. I became interested in classical music about 3 years ago (I am still a teenager, so I have not wasted my musical life!) and your excellent surveys have helped me discover some wonderful music and great recordings of it. I feel that your surveys are the best existing tool for finding recordings, and your criticism is well written and much fairer than most other sources. (I used to watch David Hurwitz's videos, as he is American like me, and found them to contain excessive ranting, and often times statements that have no basis in fact, as well as some overly strong opinions.) Thanks for your great reviews, and I hope you will write more surveys!
I agree with you about di Stefano. What I had meant to say was that his decline was caused by pushing himself too hard. I have always loved Callas, partly because her Carmen was the first opera I ever heard. I personally believe that her decline was caused by taking on both high coloratura roles and heavy dramatic roles, and perhaps losing her weight made it harder to support both types of roles. It seems that the singers with the least vocal decline were the ones that had proper technique and stayed mostly within the right Fach, like Melchior (his 70th birthday concert puts most modern Heldentenors to shame) Kurt Moll, Mario del Monaco (Obviously he was more than the leather-lunged bawler he is made out to be; he seems to have been a very intelligent singer, and I would give up a hundred singers like Peter Pears for one Del Monaco) Mirella Freni and Sesto Bruscatini, along with several others. Sorry for the rant :-)
Previous Message
Noah, I should have mentioned that despite Corelli's iffy French, the complete recording of "Faust" is very good, as his co-singers are Ghiaurov, Sutherland and Massard (as per my second survey of the latter's recordings) - and you have no doubt already seen that you can hear that Rizzi recording on YouTube.
Previous Message
I would like to thank Ralph Moore for his excellent surveys. I became interested in classical music about 3 years ago (I am still a teenager, so I have not wasted my musical life!) and your excellent surveys have helped me discover some wonderful music and great recordings of it. I feel that your surveys are the best existing tool for finding recordings, and your criticism is well written and much fairer than most other sources. (I used to watch David Hurwitz's videos, as he is American like me, and found them to contain excessive ranting, and often times statements that have no basis in fact, as well as some overly strong opinions.) Thanks for your great reviews, and I hope you will write more surveys!
I honestly do not think Callas' weight loss had much to do with her vocal issues; being fat is of no benefit to diaphragmatic support or the operation of the vocal cords. Her health issues were much more deep-seated and only recently has more evidence emerged regarding their true nature - possibly Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. The YouTube post "Diagnosing Callas - What REALLY happened to the voice?" is interesting.
Feel free to rant - it is a MWI speciality.
Previous Message
I agree with you about di Stefano. What I had meant to say was that his decline was caused by pushing himself too hard. I have always loved Callas, partly because her Carmen was the first opera I ever heard. I personally believe that her decline was caused by taking on both high coloratura roles and heavy dramatic roles, and perhaps losing her weight made it harder to support both types of roles. It seems that the singers with the least vocal decline were the ones that had proper technique and stayed mostly within the right Fach, like Melchior (his 70th birthday concert puts most modern Heldentenors to shame) Kurt Moll, Mario del Monaco (Obviously he was more than the leather-lunged bawler he is made out to be; he seems to have been a very intelligent singer, and I would give up a hundred singers like Peter Pears for one Del Monaco) Mirella Freni and Sesto Bruscatini, along with several others. Sorry for the rant :-)
Previous Message
Noah, I should have mentioned that despite Corelli's iffy French, the complete recording of "Faust" is very good, as his co-singers are Ghiaurov, Sutherland and Massard (as per my second survey of the latter's recordings) - and you have no doubt already seen that you can hear that Rizzi recording on YouTube.
Previous Message
I would like to thank Ralph Moore for his excellent surveys. I became interested in classical music about 3 years ago (I am still a teenager, so I have not wasted my musical life!) and your excellent surveys have helped me discover some wonderful music and great recordings of it. I feel that your surveys are the best existing tool for finding recordings, and your criticism is well written and much fairer than most other sources. (I used to watch David Hurwitz's videos, as he is American like me, and found them to contain excessive ranting, and often times statements that have no basis in fact, as well as some overly strong opinions.) Thanks for your great reviews, and I hope you will write more surveys!