FAUST: Can anyone recommend a good recording to buy?????

[Patrick]

Just now looking into the opera FAUST
(Gounod) want to buy a recording, but
would love some recommendations.....
which labels/artists are worth the
investment. Thanks to all....

[Leonard Tillman]

Of studio albums, the most satisfying I've found is
Domingo/Freni/Allen/Ghiaurov. Superb on all counts.

LT
"Whose cruel idea was it for the word 'lisp' to have a 's' in it?" -- A.
"Nonny" Muss.

[GRNDPADAVE]

Date: 10/26/2003 11:33 AM Central Standard Time
Of studio albums, the most satisfying I've found is
Domingo/Freni/Allen/Ghiaurov. Superb on all counts.
LT

~~~~~~~~~~~~
I agree that this one is the best available studio recording, but I'd hardly
call it superb. It is a case of *faute de mieux*. I think two of the assets
of this recording are Thomas Allen's excellent Valentin and George Pretre's
straightforward conducting. Domingo's voice is in mint condition.

Ghiaurov was in better voice on the London/Decca but there you have to deal
with Sutherland and Corelli and the Bonynge's undramatic
conducting.

I rather like two of the "live" Met recordings.

From 1949 there is the excellent Di Stefano with the most ravishing high C I
have ever heard (and this one is in the score). Dorothy Kirsten is a cool
Marguerite. Pelletier's conducting is ordinary. Italo Tajo does not make a
particularly good showing as Mephisto. Leonard Warren is a bit huffy as
Valentin.

The 1959 Met recording has Jussi Bjoerling (who seems to clear his throat on
the opening "Rien"). Swedish soprano, Elisabeth Soderstrom, turn in a rather
faceless Marguerite. But Cesare Siepi is superb as Mephisto and Robert
Merrill's voice seems built for Valentin. Jean Morel leads a clean performance.

A notable studio recording is one that features Victoria de los Angeles (at
last a Marguerite of real charm and sparkle). Nicolai Gedda sings beautiful in
French, but the sensuality in the role is missing. Boris Christoff appears as
Mephisto (like Ivan the Terrible at a costume party). Andre Cluytens gives
suprisingly lacklustre support.

The "histporic" Henri Busser recording I find overrated. Rather fast tempi are
employed (perhaps to accommodate the opera on as few 78-rpm platters as
possible). Cesar Vezzani shows that French heroic tenors actually existed at
one time. Famed French basso Marcel Journet is well beyond his prime.

There's a Beecham recording (from 1947 or 1948) that is fairly good, but omits
Valentin's aria.

A more recent disappointment (late 1980s) is the Colin Davis recording
featuring Francisco Araiza (already in decline and aspirating where a seamless
legato is required) and Kiri te Kanawa (who makes one long for Sutherland).

So, I reluctantly second LT's recommendation.

==G/P Dave

[Classical Music]

Correct. Where the hell IS a good recording of Faust?????

Post by GRNDPADAVE

Date: 10/26/2003 11:33 AM Central Standard Time
Of studio albums, the most satisfying I've found is
Domingo/Freni/Allen/Ghiaurov. Superb on all counts.
LT

~~~~~~~~~~~~
I agree that this one is the best available studio recording, but I'd hardly
call it superb. It is a case of *faute de mieux*. I think two of the assets
of this recording are Thomas Allen's excellent Valentin and George Pretre's
straightforward conducting. Domingo's voice is in mint condition.
Ghiaurov was in better voice on the London/Decca but there you have to deal
with Sutherland and Corelli and the Bonynge's undramatic
conducting.
I rather like two of the "live" Met recordings.
From 1949 there is the excellent Di Stefano with the most ravishing high C I
have ever heard (and this one is in the score). Dorothy Kirsten is a cool
Marguerite. Pelletier's conducting is ordinary. Italo Tajo does not make a
particularly good showing as Mephisto. Leonard Warren is a bit huffy as
Valentin.
The 1959 Met recording has Jussi Bjoerling (who seems to clear his throat on
the opening "Rien"). Swedish soprano, Elisabeth Soderstrom, turn in a rather
faceless Marguerite. But Cesare Siepi is superb as Mephisto and Robert
Merrill's voice seems built for Valentin. Jean Morel leads a clean performance.
A notable studio recording is one that features Victoria de los Angeles (at
last a Marguerite of real charm and sparkle). Nicolai Gedda sings beautiful in
French, but the sensuality in the role is missing. Boris Christoff appears as
Mephisto (like Ivan the Terrible at a costume party). Andre Cluytens gives
suprisingly lacklustre support.
The "histporic" Henri Busser recording I find overrated. Rather fast tempi are
employed (perhaps to accommodate the opera on as few 78-rpm platters as
possible). Cesar Vezzani shows that French heroic tenors actually existed at
one time. Famed French basso Marcel Journet is well beyond his prime.
There's a Beecham recording (from 1947 or 1948) that is fairly good, but omits
Valentin's aria.
A more recent disappointment (late 1980s) is the Colin Davis recording
featuring Francisco Araiza (already in decline and aspirating where a seamless
legato is required) and Kiri te Kanawa (who makes one long for

Sutherland).

Post by GRNDPADAVE
So, I reluctantly second LT's recommendation.
==G/P Dave

[David7Gable]

Post by GRNDPADAVE
A notable studio recording is one that features Victoria de los Angeles (at
last a Marguerite of real charm and sparkle). Nicolai Gedda sings beautiful in
French, but the sensuality in the role is missing. Boris Christoff appears as
Mephisto (like Ivan the Terrible at a costume party). Andre Cluytens gives
suprisingly lacklustre support.

Are you discussing the monaural or the stereo recording?

-david gable

[Leonard Tillman]

Post by GRNDPADAVE
A notable studio recording is one that features
Victoria de los Angeles (at last a Marguerite
of real charm and sparkle). Nicolai Gedda
sings beautiful in French, but the sensuality in
the role is missing. Boris Christoff appears as
Mephisto (like Ivan the Terrible at a costume
party). Andre Cluytens gives
suprisingly lacklustre support.
Are you discussing the monaural or the stereo
recording?

The older set, btw, had IMO a superior Valentin, Jean Borthayre. Why
did Cluytens decide to record the opera again, so soon after the first,
and with nearly the identical cast?

Post by GRNDPADAVE
-david gable

LT

[william d. kasimer]

Post by Leonard Tillman

Post by David7Gable
Are you discussing the monaural or the stereo
recording?

Does it matter? They're not very different in any other respect.

Post by Leonard Tillman
The older set, btw, had IMO a superior Valentin, Jean Borthayre. Why
did Cluytens decide to record the opera again, so soon after the first,
and with nearly the identical cast?

Stereo.

Bill

[David7Gable]

Post by william d. kasimer
Does it matter? They're not very different in any other respect.

Gedda's approach to vocal production and resulting timbre are fairly different
in the two recordings, but otherwise I agree.

-david gable

[David7Gable]

Post by Leonard Tillman
Why
did Cluytens decide to record the opera again, so soon after the first,
and with nearly the identical cast?

My guess is that the idea was EMI's. In the late 50's, the major labels
started to rerecord operas in stereo that they had already recorded in mono,
often with the same singers. Thus Tebaldi redid Boheme, Tosca, Butterfly,
Aida, and Otello for Decca, Callas redid Norma and Tosca for EMI, etc. RCA
also did stereo remakes, but less often with the same singers. Thus the
Bjoerling-Perlea Rigoletto was conceived in part as a stereo "replacement" for
the Warren-Cellini, the Price-Tucker-Basile Trovatore was conceived in part as
a stereo "replacement" of the Bjoerling-Cellini, and so forth.

-david gable

[john]

Post by David7Gable

Post by Leonard Tillman
Why
did Cluytens decide to record the opera again, so soon after the first,
and with nearly the identical cast?

My guess is that the idea was EMI's. In the late 50's, the major labels
started to rerecord operas in stereo that they had already recorded in mono,
often with the same singers. Thus Tebaldi redid Boheme, Tosca, Butterfly,
Aida, and Otello for Decca, Callas redid Norma and Tosca for EMI, etc. RCA
also did stereo remakes, but less often with the same singers. Thus the
Bjoerling-Perlea Rigoletto was conceived in part as a stereo "replacement" for
the Warren-Cellini, the Price-Tucker-Basile Trovatore was conceived in part as
a stereo "replacement" of the Bjoerling-Cellini, and so forth.
-david gable

You are correct, sir!

In the de los Angeles biography published some years ago (early
1980s?), she says as much. She talked about re-recording in stereo
the complete operas she recorded in mono and said she only agreed to
do so if she thought it would be better than the first recording. She
re-recorded Barbiere, Faust, and Butterfly, but not (the now-classic)
Bohème.

john

[REG]

But she was scheduled to redo the Bohere, with Jussi and Beecham. They both
died, and the project went away. I believe that it was Legge who
miscalculated the advantage of stereo.

Post by john

Post by David7Gable

Post by Leonard Tillman
Why
did Cluytens decide to record the opera again, so soon after the first,
and with nearly the identical cast?

My guess is that the idea was EMI's. In the late 50's, the major labels
started to rerecord operas in stereo that they had already recorded in mono,
often with the same singers. Thus Tebaldi redid Boheme, Tosca, Butterfly,
Aida, and Otello for Decca, Callas redid Norma and Tosca for EMI, etc.

RCA

Post by john

Post by David7Gable
also did stereo remakes, but less often with the same singers. Thus the
Bjoerling-Perlea Rigoletto was conceived in part as a stereo

"replacement" for

Post by john

Post by David7Gable
the Warren-Cellini, the Price-Tucker-Basile Trovatore was conceived in part as
a stereo "replacement" of the Bjoerling-Cellini, and so forth.
-david gable

You are correct, sir!
In the de los Angeles biography published some years ago (early
1980s?), she says as much. She talked about re-recording in stereo
the complete operas she recorded in mono and said she only agreed to
do so if she thought it would be better than the first recording. She
re-recorded Barbiere, Faust, and Butterfly, but not (the now-classic)
Bohème.
john

[donpaolo]

Get the one with Corelli as Faust....2,3,4....

DonP.

Post by Patrick
Just now looking into the opera FAUST
(Gounod) want to buy a recording, but
would love some recommendations.....
which labels/artists are worth the
investment. Thanks to all....

[OmbraRecds]

Post by Patrick
Just now looking into the opera FAUST
(Gounod) want to buy a recording, but
would love some recommendations.....
which labels/artists are worth the
investment. Thanks to all...

Alfredo Kraus suits the role of Faust perfectly. Renata Scotto has the drama
and flexibility to do justice to Margherita, something many sopranos lack,
particularly the flexibility in voice. I would higjhly recommend their live
performance from Tokyo 1973. It was originally available on the label. Standing
Room Only, but should now be available on many pirate labels. I believe there
is a video as well. Look on Bel Canto's website as well as Houseofopera.com and
premiereopera.com, all great sources of live recordings.

Charles Gounod 1818-

[stephenmead]

Post by Patrick
Just now looking into the opera FAUST
(Gounod) want to buy a recording, but
would love some recommendations.....
which labels/artists are worth the
investment. Thanks to all....

There is a splendid recording in superb sound issued by EMI in 1991 with
Cheryl Studer (yes!), Richard Leech, Jose van Dam, Thomas Hampson and the
chorus and orchestra of the Capitole de Toulouse conducted by Michel
Plasson. Excellent perfomances all round, very complete and the Chorus of
the French Army is added in the Soldier's Chorus to thrilling effect.
Stephen

[Sergio H. da Silva]

The safest recommendation is the classic Gedda, de Los Angeles, Christoff.
There are two editions, one was recorded in mono and the same cast recorded
it later in stereo. Both are superb.
I personally like the long deleted Araiza, Kanawa, Nesterenko/Davis
(conductor) on Philips. Davis is a superlative conducter of this score,
Araiza is at his best and Nesterenko nonwithstanding the bad French
pronunciation really lives the role.
I do not like the Studer,Leech, Van Dam/Plasson mainly because all the high
notes are gone and I do not find Leech pleasant as Faust. Van Dam and Studer
are fine.
The Gasdia,Hadley,Ramey/Coboz on Teldec is fine but they also revisit the
score which kind of irritates me. Gasdia is stresed in some parts of the
role but phrases well. Ramey sings well but does not interpret much.
The Domingo,Freni,Ghiaurov is a semi-classic. Domingo is unidiomatic in
French although his first Act is pretty good. Freni also is unidiomatic but
sings well. Ghiaurov is past his best here.
The Sutherland,Corelli,Ghiaurov is a non-french idiomatic singing festival.
Sutherland is brilliant in the coloratura and phrases well enough. Corelli
thinks he is singing Manrico but if high notes are your thing you should
check it out. Ghiaurov is in superb form and his singing is almost worth the
set alone. He is still unidiomatic though.

Post by Patrick
Just now looking into the opera FAUST
(Gounod) want to buy a recording, but
would love some recommendations.....
which labels/artists are worth the
investment. Thanks to all....

[Commspkmn]

***@pobox.com wrote:
<< The safest recommendation is the classic Gedda, de Los Angeles, Christoff.
There are two editions, one was recorded in mono and the same cast recorded
it later in stereo. Both are superb. >>

They are both wonderful recordings. Unfortunately, the CD remastering of the
mono set is pretty horrible, very harsh and distortion-ridden. The latest
(Great Recordings of the Century) remastering of the stereo Faust is a vast
improvement over the first CD issue.
Best,
Ken

[Singer709]

Post by Commspkmn
<< The safest recommendation is the classic Gedda, de Los Angeles, Christoff.
There are two editions, one was recorded in mono and the same cast recorded
it later in stereo. Both are superb. >>
They are both wonderful recordings. Unfortunately, the CD remastering of the
mono set is pretty horrible, very harsh and distortion-ridden. The latest
(Great Recordings of the Century) remastering of the stereo Faust is a vast
improvement over the first CD issue.
Best,
Ken

Agree with Comms. There are several good recordings of Faust, but I
prefer the remastered stereo version from EMI classics (Angel
subsidiary), Conductor Cluytens, w. Nicolai Gedda, Victoria de Los
Angeles, and Boris Christoff. This is a full length 3-CD set, with a
nice thick booklet containing all the libretto in a good translation.
The sound is superb, and the CD set is available at a very reasonable
price.

[Lehobe]

My first choices are the aforementioned di Stefano and Bjoerling documentations
of their Met performances. I like the Erato recording with Caballe', Aragall
and Plishka who were all in excellent voice. Alain Lombard conducts the
Strasbourg Philharmonic; and the church scene often omitted in performance is
included. Les

[REG]

I actually much prefer the first of Vicky's recordings here - to me, she
really sounds the age of Marguerita, and loses a little of that enthusiam
the second time around.

Post by Sergio H. da Silva
The safest recommendation is the classic Gedda, de Los Angeles, Christoff.
There are two editions, one was recorded in mono and the same cast recorded
it later in stereo. Both are superb.
I personally like the long deleted Araiza, Kanawa, Nesterenko/Davis
(conductor) on Philips. Davis is a superlative conducter of this score,
Araiza is at his best and Nesterenko nonwithstanding the bad French
pronunciation really lives the role.
I do not like the Studer,Leech, Van Dam/Plasson mainly because all the high
notes are gone and I do not find Leech pleasant as Faust. Van Dam and Studer
are fine.
The Gasdia,Hadley,Ramey/Coboz on Teldec is fine but they also revisit the
score which kind of irritates me. Gasdia is stresed in some parts of the
role but phrases well. Ramey sings well but does not interpret much.
The Domingo,Freni,Ghiaurov is a semi-classic. Domingo is unidiomatic in
French although his first Act is pretty good. Freni also is unidiomatic but
sings well. Ghiaurov is past his best here.
The Sutherland,Corelli,Ghiaurov is a non-french idiomatic singing festival.
Sutherland is brilliant in the coloratura and phrases well enough. Corelli
thinks he is singing Manrico but if high notes are your thing you should
check it out. Ghiaurov is in superb form and his singing is almost worth the
set alone. He is still unidiomatic though.

Post by Patrick
Just now looking into the opera FAUST
(Gounod) want to buy a recording, but
would love some recommendations.....
which labels/artists are worth the
investment. Thanks to all....