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Track Listings
| Disc: 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ouverture | |||
| 2. Quel jour serein le ciel présage | |||
| 3. Accours dans ma nacelle | |||
| 4. (Ici l'on entend le ranz des vâches) | |||
| 5. On entend des mantagnes | |||
| 6. Pasteurs, que vos accents s'unissent | |||
See all 21 tracks on this disc
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| Disc: 2 | |||
| 1. Quelle sauvage harmonie | |||
| 2. Quel est ce bruit? | |||
| 3. Ils s'éloignent enfin | |||
| 4. Sombre forêt | |||
| 5. Ma présence pour vous est peut-être un outrage | |||
| 6. Oui, vous l'arrachez à mon âme | |||
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See all 27 tracks on this disc
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| Disc: 3 | |||
| 1. Divertissement - Pas de Soldats | |||
| 2. Audacieux, incline-toi! | |||
| 3. Tant d'orgueil me lasse | |||
| 4. Rejoins ta mère, je l'ordonne | |||
| 5. Je te bénis en répandant des larmes | |||
| 6. Sois immobile, et vers la terre | |||
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See all 18 tracks on this disc
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Product Description
Review
The last and grandest of his 40-odd operas, William Tell is also one of Rossini's very finest. Not merely the summation of his well-honed craft, it is also remarkably adventurous and forward-looking. Its vast romantic canvass proved hugely influential on the next generation of operatic masters: composers as widely different as Verdi, Meyerbeer and even Wagner owe it a great debt. The most famous episodes of the Tell legend - the shooting of the head-perched apple, daring escape by boat in a storm - feature in a gripping and human score which proves beyond doubt that Rossini was far more than a musical comedian.
The opera was a massive and - initially, at least - enduring success: in 1868 Rossini attended its 500th performance at the Paris Opera, 39 years after its premiere. But tastes change, and its epic five-hour performance time has been a major factor in its recent neglect. Another is the herculean role of Arnold, an endurance test which few modern-day tenors could pass. One who does, however - and with flying colours - is John Osborn. His combination of supreme vocal agility, phenomenal stamina and tonal beauty is a principal asset of this new set, his sumptuous account of Arnold's Act Four aria a tour de force.
Antonio Pappano directs a taught and often thrilling account of score, aided by his increasingly crack band of Santa Cecilia players. The strong cast includes Gerald Finley, commanding in the title role, and Malin Byström in beguiling voice as Mathilde. Recorded at live concert performances in Rome in 2010, the sound is vivid and atmospheric, though some may find the audience applause between numbers distracting. Its only serious rival (sung in the original French) is the 1972 studio recording with Montserrat Caballe and Nicolai Gedda, also on EMI; this new version is a superb modern alternative. EMI has gone to town on the packaging, from the fat booklet full of photos, intelligent notes and complete libretto (unusual these days) to the witty cover image. Pappano's compelling advocacy, proving that there is much more to William Tell than its famous overture, ought to win Rossini's last operatic word many new fans.
--Graham Rogers
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Product Description
3CD Orch.Naz.St.Cecilia/Antonio Pappano
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By J. Aitken
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
There is so much in Rossini's mammoth opera which hints at middle Verdi that those, who recognise Rossini in works like Barbiere and L'Italiana, will be amazed coming to this work for the first time at the sheer dramatic verve and musical depth to be found within it. Rarely done on stage because of the demands on the singers, particularly that of the tenor Arnold, I have only seen it once, in Paris in an excellent production with Thomas Hampson as Tell. I was impressed then by the sheer dramatic scope of the work. Of course, there are parts where you hear Rossini churning out standard stuff, but there is much wonderful music here.
The performance recorded live in Rome under the baton of Antonio Pappano, benefits from brisk speeds, which cover some of the duller patches in the score, particularly in the first act. Gerald Finley is a commanding presence as Tell and John Osborn, who I recently saw in another killer tenor role - Raoul de Nangis in Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots, is excellent and has a voice which thrills without sounding strained. Malin Bystrom is also fine as Princess Matilde although she cannot eclipse Caballe in the role on the old EMI recording.
In short, with excellent singers in the subsidiary roles, this is a performance which can be warmly recommended. I did not find a problem with the sound quality, playing the discs through a blu ray surround system.
Live performances of course have pitfalls and it is always irritating to hear calls of bravi! In the theatre it is fine but on disc such noises are a distraction on repeated listening - easy to remove - EMI take note!
I will not part with the old EMI studio recording with Bacquier as Tell but this new one, available at an exceedingly low price, can be heartily recommended.
The performance recorded live in Rome under the baton of Antonio Pappano, benefits from brisk speeds, which cover some of the duller patches in the score, particularly in the first act. Gerald Finley is a commanding presence as Tell and John Osborn, who I recently saw in another killer tenor role - Raoul de Nangis in Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots, is excellent and has a voice which thrills without sounding strained. Malin Bystrom is also fine as Princess Matilde although she cannot eclipse Caballe in the role on the old EMI recording.
In short, with excellent singers in the subsidiary roles, this is a performance which can be warmly recommended. I did not find a problem with the sound quality, playing the discs through a blu ray surround system.
Live performances of course have pitfalls and it is always irritating to hear calls of bravi! In the theatre it is fine but on disc such noises are a distraction on repeated listening - easy to remove - EMI take note!
I will not part with the old EMI studio recording with Bacquier as Tell but this new one, available at an exceedingly low price, can be heartily recommended.
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By Jeffan
Format:Audio CD
Complete recordings of this work, Rossini's great and final masterpiece, are very rare indeed - especially in the original French,so it may seem a tad ungrateful to not be bowled over by the experience. I have nothing but praise for Pappano and his Italian forces, they all give of their best. The live recording does not disturb me as much as it obviously has other reviewers, however I do take exception to some of the vocal contributions. Gerald Finley gives an indepth and superbly vocalised performance of the title role, in my opinion now the best on record, the smaller roles are well filled, but the leading tenor and soprano leave much to be desired to this listener at least. The much praised John Osborn has neither the heroic quality nor range for Arnold and is no competition for Pavarotti or Gedda, Malin Byström is frankly out her depth (whatever that may be) and gives only a vague impression of Matilde's character. Just compare her to Caballé or Freni, and you realise just how lacking in stature Byström's interpretaion is. A great pity. Those of you who already have the Gardelli or Chailly versions need not rush out to purchase this set unless, like me, you're a Rossini freak!!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a fine recording with Gerald Finley outstanding but I'm puzzled by the disfiguring cut in Act 4. The libretto says it's scenes 5 and 7 that are cut but I think it's scenes 5 and 6 which include a trio for Mathilde, Jemmy and Hedwige and a prayer for Hedwige together with a musical build-up for the approaching storm and some helpful plot exposition. There's about ten minutes of rather good music gone and with someone as talented as Marie-Nicole Lemieux on hand it seems perverse to cut her only solo. Anybody any idea why this was done?
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4.0 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Faux William Tell
Caveat emptor: this is not a complete William Tell.
The cuts are, as a previous reviewer wrote, disfiguring: I would go one further and say that they are catastophic. Read more
The cuts are, as a previous reviewer wrote, disfiguring: I would go one further and say that they are catastophic. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Mr. R. J. Flavell
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Supplement
I expected -- and truly wanted -- to like this recording. But I knew it was against fierce competition. Read more
Published 20 months ago by S. Wells
4.0 out of 5 stars
Decent offering
The recording on offer is, first of all, a pleasure to have given the work's relative neglect. The playing is first rate and the singing is good all-round. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Daniel Hornby
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great piece, great performance, disappointing recording quality
Let me start by saying that this recording is a must-have. Tell is a great work, in which Rossini's typical signature Rossinianisms are mixed with new elements of grand opera and a... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Laurissima86
2.0 out of 5 stars
Music well played, but horribly recorded
To put it short: Don't buy this CD, unless you are a collector. The musicians and singers are doing a fair job, and the music is great. But the recording is simply horrible. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Lars Wichmann
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