Search - Mozart, Harrer, Vienna Boys Choir :: Bastien & Bastienne / Mozart Edition 27

Disappointing

John Cragg | Delta(greater Vancouver), B.C Canada | 01/14/2000

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This is, not surprisingly, pleasant but hardly magnificent music. But it is interesting and superior to much of 18th century opera -- what an astounding genius Mozart was to compose such music even at such a tender age! However, this recording is disappointging. Whether it is the singer, or the engineer, I find Bastienne's (Dominik Orieschnig) singing harsh to the point of being unpleasant while Harrer's conducting is somewhat leaden."

Wonderfully written by a child. Sadly, sung by them too.

darragh o'donoghue | 07/27/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Mozart's one-act songspiel was written when he was twelve as a commission for the notorious Doctor Mesmer, and based on a libretto parodying Jean-Jacques Rousseau's interlude 'Le devin du village'. it tells the story of a shepherdess, her fickle lover and the supposed magician who brings them together. The twist is that the parts are sung by children, and Mozart has great fun colouring these caricatures of adult passion with music of restless playfulness. There are tantalising glimpses of later masterpieces throughout: the spooky dark drama of arias 10 and 14, for instance, look to 'The Magic Flute', while Bastien's rapture in no. 11 matching later such moments in 'Figaro' and 'Cosi'. the scathing and intense duet leading to reconciliation already suggests Mozart's precocious insights into the tragicomedy of heterosexual relationships. The problem is the singing - as Charlotte Church has shown, children's voices tend to be monotonous and emotionally colorless - Georg Nigl as Bastien is particularly unattractive with his rheumy declamation. this aspect also ruins the two otherwise gorgeous lieder that close the set - 'Contentment', an early stab at 'I got plenty of nuttin'', and 'Come, dear zither, come'."

Very good

Max | Varese, Italy | 06/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"good piece and well performed by WSK singers.... Remember this is an opera that Mozart wrote when he was 12yo.... It's written for boychoir and this is a great performance made by one of the best boychoir in the world. I dunno...but I think that european musical tradition is not well understood in USA In Europe boys learn to sing respecting one secular tradition.



"