Showdown: When I am laid in earth from Purcell's Dido & Aeneas
>> Saturday, May 16, 2009
I've presented three very different performances of Purcell's heart-breaking aria "When I am laid in earth" from Dido and Aeneas. Choose your favorite and tell us why you chose it.
5 comments:
I chose Jessye Norman's performance because of the richness of her tone, the way she sustained the notes and her high register. Second place went to Janet Baker.
The way Jessye Norman sang it, I would definitely "remember" her!
Plus her expressivity is great.
Hi Lynette,
In terms of sound reproduction, the first two miss out compared to Ms Norman's piece. Also Jessye isn't having to perform it totally in character, which the first two are. That said, she does sing it majestically! And perhaps, of the three, Emma is the weaker one.
I don't think the angelic Emma Kirkby should properly be called weaker, she is singing in a style to fit with the "authentic" period instruments, which have much less dynamic range.
Janet Baker certainly uses the full dynamic range of a modern orchestra, and doesn't she do it well! I love how quiet her first set of "Remember me" is.
Jesse has been removed.
I vote for Purcell!
Post a Comment