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Elizabeth Maconchy’s Héloïse and Abélard was first performed in March 1979 and recorded on that occasion by the BBC. This mono album is taken from that broadcast. Although it seems not to have been much performed these last decades, there is much to admire about this work. It takes the form of a nine-section cantata tracing the tragic love between a philosopher and his student, during the first half of the 12th century. Maconchy stressed that she had drawn up a libretto dealing only in factual sources, without any romantic embellishment, but if the words tell the story without elaboration, the music more than makes up for it. Maconchy’s powerful, emotionally-charged, erotic, and intense writing is anything but dispassionate. The composer shows a deft hand at dramatic pacing throughout her work, be it the amorous play between Abélard and Héloïse, or the terrible fate that awaits the philosopher, who is eventually castrated by order of Heloïse’s uncle. Obviously, the music in the earlier sections of the work sounds barely distinguishable from Britten but as we move towards the ultimate tragedy, Maconchy’s music takes on a very different and highly original hue. This recording is the only one available to date of that masterpiece, so the listener must forgive some slight flaws : the mono source, the sound quality of a live recording, and a choir that is not Britain’s very best. At any rate the musical intensity is intact, and this is an indispensable document to better know Maconchy’s extensive work. © SM/Qobuz
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Héloïse and Abelard, Scene 1 (Dame Elisabeth Maconchy)
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer - English Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Croydon Philharmonic Choir, Choir, MainArtist - James Gaddarn, Conductor
(C) 2018 Lyrita (P) 2018 Lyrita
Héloïse and Abelard, Scene 2 (Dame Elisabeth Maconchy)
Tom McDonnell, Artist - Philip Langridge, Artist - Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer - English Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Hannah Francis, Artist, MainArtist - Croydon Philharmonic Choir, Choir - James Gaddarn, Conductor
(C) 2018 Lyrita (P) 2018 Lyrita
Héloïse and Abelard, Scene 3 (Dame Elisabeth Maconchy)
Tom McDonnell, Artist - Philip Langridge, Artist - Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer - English Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Hannah Francis, Artist, MainArtist - Croydon Philharmonic Choir, Choir - James Gaddarn, Conductor
(C) 2018 Lyrita (P) 2018 Lyrita
Héloïse and Abelard (Dame Elisabeth Maconchy)
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer - English Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Gaddarn, Conductor
(C) 2018 Lyrita (P) 2018 Lyrita
Héloïse and Abelard, Scene 4 (Dame Elisabeth Maconchy)
Tom McDonnell, Artist - Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer - English Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Hannah Francis, Artist, MainArtist - Croydon Philharmonic Choir, Choir - James Gaddarn, Conductor
(C) 2018 Lyrita (P) 2018 Lyrita
Héloïse and Abelard, Scene 5 (Dame Elisabeth Maconchy)
Philip Langridge, Artist, MainArtist - Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer - English Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - James Gaddarn, Conductor
(C) 2018 Lyrita (P) 2018 Lyrita
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer - English Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Croydon Philharmonic Choir, Choir, MainArtist - James Gaddarn, Conductor
(C) 2018 Lyrita (P) 2018 Lyrita
Héloïse and Abelard, Scene 6 (Dame Elisabeth Maconchy)
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer - English Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Hannah Francis, Artist, MainArtist - Croydon Philharmonic Choir, Choir - James Gaddarn, Conductor
(C) 2018 Lyrita (P) 2018 Lyrita
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer - English Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Hannah Francis, Artist, MainArtist - Croydon Philharmonic Choir, Choir - James Gaddarn, Conductor
(C) 2018 Lyrita (P) 2018 Lyrita
Héloïse and Abelard, Scene 7 (Dame Elisabeth Maconchy)
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer - English Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Croydon Philharmonic Choir, Choir, MainArtist - James Gaddarn, Conductor
(C) 2018 Lyrita (P) 2018 Lyrita
Héloïse and Abelard, Scene 8 (Dame Elisabeth Maconchy)
Tom McDonnell, Artist, MainArtist - Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer - English Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - James Gaddarn, Conductor
(C) 2018 Lyrita (P) 2018 Lyrita
Héloïse and Abelard, Scene 9 (Dame Elisabeth Maconchy)
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer - English Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Hannah Francis, Artist, MainArtist - Croydon Philharmonic Choir, Choir - James Gaddarn, Conductor
(C) 2018 Lyrita (P) 2018 Lyrita
Albumbeschreibung
Elizabeth Maconchy’s Héloïse and Abélard was first performed in March 1979 and recorded on that occasion by the BBC. This mono album is taken from that broadcast. Although it seems not to have been much performed these last decades, there is much to admire about this work. It takes the form of a nine-section cantata tracing the tragic love between a philosopher and his student, during the first half of the 12th century. Maconchy stressed that she had drawn up a libretto dealing only in factual sources, without any romantic embellishment, but if the words tell the story without elaboration, the music more than makes up for it. Maconchy’s powerful, emotionally-charged, erotic, and intense writing is anything but dispassionate. The composer shows a deft hand at dramatic pacing throughout her work, be it the amorous play between Abélard and Héloïse, or the terrible fate that awaits the philosopher, who is eventually castrated by order of Heloïse’s uncle. Obviously, the music in the earlier sections of the work sounds barely distinguishable from Britten but as we move towards the ultimate tragedy, Maconchy’s music takes on a very different and highly original hue. This recording is the only one available to date of that masterpiece, so the listener must forgive some slight flaws : the mono source, the sound quality of a live recording, and a choir that is not Britain’s very best. At any rate the musical intensity is intact, and this is an indispensable document to better know Maconchy’s extensive work. © SM/Qobuz
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 01:12:02
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Croydon Philharmonic Choir Hannah Francis English Symphony Orchestra Philip Langridge James Gaddarn Tom McDonnell
- Composer: Dame Elisabeth Maconchy
- Label: Lyrita
- Genre: Klassiek
(C) 2018 Lyrita (P) 2018 Lyrita
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