Monday, July 30
Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman died early today. He was 89. Music figures prominently in at least two of his films: Mozart's Magic Flute and Sondheim's A Little Night Music. In tribute, we hear selections from both works. A Little Night Music is a fine musical, by the end of which one actually understands the lyrics of "Send in the Clowns." I haven't seen Bergman's version of that, but I can strongly recommend his adaptation of The Magic Flute. After a display of audience faces from around the world during the overture, he whisks us seamlessly between opera house stage and life-sized scenes beyond. During intermission we glimpse cast members playing chess backstage. It's sung in Swedish, and well. Hakan Hagegard is adorable as Papageno. You can rent the DVD from Netflix:
Here are three of today's CDs: a Mozart piano concerto, a Palestrina mass, and Chopin's Third Piano Sonata (and see Elgar below).
11 AM
- Mozart: The Magic Flute: "O Isis und Osiris." RIAS Chamber Chorus, Berlin Phil, Bohm (DG 457 196)
- Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21. Stefan Vladar, Camerata Salzburg (Harmonia Mundi 901942)
- Gottschalk: Souvenirs of Andalusia. Ceclie Licad (Naxos 8.559145)
- Palestrina: Missa Viri Galilaei. European Vocal Ensemble of La Chapelle Royals, Ensemble Organum, Herreweghe (Harmonia Mundi 901388)
- Lully: Chaconne in G for oboe, strings and organ. Musica Antiqua Koln, Goebel (Archiv 453 418)
- Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 3. Nelson Freire (Decca 289 470 288)
- Jarnefeldt: Korsholm Castle. Finnish Radio Sym, Soderblom (YLE 9701)
- Sondheim: music from A Little Night Music. Boston Pops, Williams (Philips 2606)
- Elgar: Symphony No. 1. Baltimore Sym Orch, Zinman (Telarc 80310)
