[5/11/2012] Preview: Put these two little orchestral excerpts together, and you'll know the subject of Sunday's post (continued)

Yes, you can click to enlarge.

LET'S START WITH EXCERPT 2

It's an exceedingly brief moment of lyrical repose from, of course, the Beethoven overture we know as Leonore No. 3. As I mentioned, we've heard the piece before, and since I like the performances we've already heard, I thought we'd bring them back for an encore hearing. Our excerpt begins at about 0:32 of the Walter performance, 0:37 of the Leinsdorf.

BEETHOVEN: Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72a


Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Bruno Walter, cond. Live performance, Feb. 22, 1941

Philharmonia Orchestra, Erich Leinsdorf, cond. Capitol/EMI, recorded c1958


NOW HERE'S EXCERPT 1 AGAIN, ONLY (AS PROMISED)
TAKEN A BIT FARTHER -- AND WITH A BRIEF BONUS

Excerpt 1, extended version (with bonus second track)

[track 1]
God! What darkness here!
O dreadful silence!
[track 2]
In the springtime of life
good fortune fled from me.
Truth I dared to speak unafraid,
and these chains are my reward!

Reiner Goldberg, tenor; Staatskapelle Dresden, Bernard Haitink, cond. Philips, recorded November 1989


IN THIS WEEK'S SUNDAY CLASSICS POST --

In case you haven't worked it out, we're going to be focusing on the full version of Excerpt 1.


RETURN TO THE BEGINNING OF THE POST

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