Search - Bela Bartok, Ferenc Fricsay, Swedish Radio Orchestra :: Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle

Great soprano, wretched sound

L. E. Cantrell | Vancouver, British Columbia Canada | 11/29/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Source: Live broadcast from February 10, 1953.



Sound: Since an original taping by the broadcaster could reasonably be expected to display better sound, I assume that this version of "Bluebeard's Castle" was snatched off the air by some individual with low-end recording equipment, even by the standards of 1953. The sound on the CD is boxy, constricted and far removed from the orchestra.



Cast: Duke Bluebeard - Bernhard Sönnerstedt; Judith - Birgit Nilsson. Conductor - Ferenc Fricsay with the Sveriges Radiokorkester.



I must admit that I was drawn to this recording by the previous Amazon reviewer. Frankly, I wondered how any recording that featured the great Birgit Nilsson could possibly deserve a one-star rating.



This version of Bartók's Hungarian language, 1918 original is in German, that is, "Herzog Blaubarts Burg," and presumably in the translation provided by the wife of the composer. Because it involves people singing a continuous text over an orchestra and is often staged, "Bluebeard's Castle" is casually lumped into the category of opera. To me, however, an opera is a sung drama or comedy--and that, "Bluebeard's Castle" most assuredly is not. It is a ritual, perhaps even a revery. It has no drama insofar as the singers are concerned; their characters have neither choice nor conflict. All the drama, all the color, all the power is reserved for the orchestra. The singers merely recite their symbolic words on pitch, for there really are no actions. As for the symbolism, well, let's face it, even for 1918 the symbols were absurdly simple-minded.



Nilsson sounds fine. She is clearly holding herself back, squeezing her enormous persona into the tiny space that is Judith. But a Valkyrie is a Valkyrie and Nilsson inevitably gives the impression that if Bluebeard got fresh, she would haul him up by the scruff of his neck and casually heave him off the wall of his castle. Sönnerstedt seems to have been a journeyman baritone of sufficient merit to sing under the baton of the mighty Furtwängler. As Bluebeard, he is adequate, but not especially memorable.



From this recording, it is difficult to be sure, but the dimly recorded Swedish Radio Orchestra seems to have been a fairly respectable band.



If Nilsson had only had something worthwhile to sing, I'd have given this CD three stars for her simple presence. However, as the real weight of the piece is in the orchestra and as this recording does great disservice to the orchestra, I can only assign two stars.



Too bad."

Boycotted?

L. Ackerman | Ashburn, VA (USA) | 03/22/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"The orchestral sound for this recording is so blurred and atrocious, I cannot understand what the "producers" were thinking. Does Opera d'Oro 'cheapens' it on purpose? How can the original source be so bad? And if so, why release it, then? Not for more than a buck, sorry. Because yes; Nilsson is interesting to hear and Fricasy was a great one, but the orchestral colors of this beautiful score need decent sound; and this is in-decent."