The Gods must be crazy! This week, we’ll survey the trials and tribulations of mortal and immortal beings, brought to life by Berlioz, Gluck, and Handel. Bill muses on works inspired by myths, with emphasis on the many symphonic and operatic works telling the stories of Orpheus (aka Orphee, L’Orfeo, or Black Orpheus) who was the first musician, the mortal to whom the gods gave the gift of music. We will listen to Monteverdi’s opera L’Orfeo performed by The English Baroque Soloists and His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts. Bill also takes a close look at works about Troilus and Cressida, Dido and Aeneas, and Venus and Adonis.
Hit or Myth
the famous temple on the hill in Greece
Playlist
Episode 1
Glass, Philip: Interlude from Orphee
Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra/ Davies
Symphony No. 2
Nonesuch 79496
2:24
Monteverdi, Claudio: L’Orfeo (excerpts)
English Baroque Soloists/ Monteverdi Choir/His Majesty’s Sagbutts &
Cornetts/ Gardiner; Johnson, Baird, von Otter, soloists
L’Orfeo
Archiv 419250
22:10
Gluck, Christoph Willibald: Orfeo ed Euridice (excerpts)
Orchestra & Chorus of the San Francisco Opera/ Runnicles;
Larmore, Upshaw & Hagley, soloists
Orphée Et Eurydice
Teld 4509-98418
3:33
Gluck, Christoph Willibald: Orfeo ed Euridice (excerpts)
Orchestra & Chorus of the San Francisco Opera/ Runnicles;
Larmore, Upshaw & Hagley, soloists
Orphée Et Eurydice
Teld 4509-98418
6:04
Stravinsky, Igor: Orpheus (excerpts)
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Stravinsky: Orpheus; Danses concertantes
DG 459 644
10:06
Bonfa, Luiz: Manha de Carnaval from Black Orpheus
Paula Robison and friends
Brasileirinho
Omega 3016
2:45
Episode 2
Jobim, Antônio Carlos: A Felicidade from Black Orpheus
Paula Robison and friends
Brasileirinho
Omega 3016
3:36
Liszt, Franz: Symphonic Poems / Sinfonische Dichtung /
Poèmes Symphoniques – 4 Orpheus No.4
Gewandhaus Leipzig/ Masur
Symphonic Poems
EMI 69022
9:34
Monteverdi, Claudio: L’OrfeoAct IV
English Baroque Soloists/ Monteverdi Choir/His Majesty’s Sagbutts & Cornetts/ Gardiner; Johnson, Baird & von Otter, soloists
Monteverdi: L’Orfeo
Archiv 419250
15:49
Gluck, Christoph Willibald: Orfeo ed Euridice (excerpts)
Orchestra and Chorus of the San Francisco Opera/ Runnicles;
Hagley,Upshaw & Larmore, solists
Orphée Et Eurydice
Teld 4509-98418
6:16
Gluck, Christoph Willibald: Orfeo ed Euridice (excerpts)
Orchestra and Chorus of the San Francisco Opera/ Runnicles;
Hagley,Upshaw & Larmore, solists
Orphée Et Eurydice
Teld 4509-98418
7:26
Stravinsky, Igor: Pas de deux & Apotheosis from Orpheus
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Danses concertantes
DG 459 644
5:16
Stravinsky, Igor: Pas de deux & Apotheosis from Orpheus
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Danses concertantes
DG 459 644
1:35
Episode 3
Walton, William: Prelude and Seascape & Scherzo from Troilus and Cressida
London Phil/ Thomson
Walton: Symphony No. 2
Chan 8772
16:32
Berlioz, Hector: Royal Hunt and Storm from The Trojans
LSO/Davis
Berlioz: Les Troyens
LSO 0010
9:07
Purcell, Henry: Dido and Aeneas- Act III
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment/Jacobs;Dawson, Joshua & Finley, soloists
Dido & Aeneas
HM 901683
23:09
Episode 4
Handel, GF: “Where Shall I Fly?” from Hercules
Lausanne Chamber Orchestra/ Lopez-Cobos; Larmore, mezzo soprano
Jennifer Larmore – Where Shall I Fly
Teld 4509-96800
6:25
Barber, Samuel: Medea’s Meditation and Dance of Vengeance
St. Louis Symphony/ Slatkin
Music of Samuel Barber
EMI 49463
13:02
Franck, Cesar: Psyche and Eros (excerpts)
RSO Berlin/ Ashkenazy
Franck: Symphony, Psyché, Djinns
Lon 425432
10:33
Blow, John: Venus and Adonis (excerpts)
London Baroque/ Medlam; Argenta, Dawson & Varcoe, soloists
Blow: Venus & Adonis
HM 901276
18:47
Episode 5
Debussy, Claude: Syrinx
James Galway
James Galway
RCA 7173
2:18
Nielson, Carl: Pastorale, Op. 19, Pan and Syrinx
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/ Rattle
Sibelius: Symphony No 5; Nielsen: Symphony No 4
EMI 64737
8:27
Britten, Benjamin:Pan, Phaeton and Bacchus fr. Six Metamorphoses after Ovid
Roy Carter, oboe
Anglo-American Chamber Music Series – Benjamin Britten
EMI 64737
5:29
Britten, Benjamin: Pan, Phaeton and Bacchus fr. Six Metamorphoses after Ovid
Roy Carter, oboe
Anglo-American Chamber Music Series – Benjamin Britten
EMI 64737
3:00
Roussel, Albert: Bacchus and Ariane, Suite II
Orchestre de Paris/Dutoit
Bacchus Et Ariane / Suite En Fa
Era 2292-45278
18:36
Mozart, WA: “Vivat Bacchus” from Abduction from the Seraglio
Vienna Phil/Solti; Zednik, tenor
Mozart: Die Entführung Aus Dem Serail
Lon 417402
1:56
Offenbach, Jaques: Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld
New York Phil/ Bernstein
Bernstein Century – Bizet: Symphony No 1
Sony 61830
9:42
Britten, Benjamin: Six Metamorphoses after Ovid
Roy Carter, oboe
Anglo-American Chamber Music Series – Benjamin Britten
EMI 55398
3:00