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Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) The Rake’s Progress (1953) [145:50] CD1
Act 1 [43:33]
Act 2 Beginning [29:52] CD2
Act 2 Conclusion [11:51]
Act 3 [57:49]
Epilogue [2:45]
Anne Trulove - Hilde Gueden (soprano)
Baba the Turk - Blanche Thebom (mezzo)
Tom Rakewell - Eugene Conley (tenor)
Nick Shadow - Mack Harrell (baritone)
Mother Goose - Martha Lipton (mezzo)
Trulove - Norman Scott (bass)
Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra/Igor Stravinsky
rec. 1, 8, 10 March 1953, Columbia 30th Street Studio, New
York City. ADD NAXOS
HISTORICAL 8.111266-67 [73:25 + 72:32]
Stravinsky’s
first studio recording of The Rake’s Progress, made
in New York concurrently with the US premiere of his opera
in 1953, was well received at the time. It was subsequently
rather overshadowed by his 1964 stereo version, made in London
and featuring a number of British singers from a famous Sadler’s
Wells production. That later recording is available as part
of a newly-reissued 22 disc set of all Stravinsky’s stereo
recordings made for Columbia/CBS in the 1960s, a fantastic
bargain at around £30.
Stravinsky
had led the premiere of the opera in Venice in 1951, a performance
that is now also available on CD, albeit in rather indifferent
sound. That version is notable for the brilliance of Elisabeth
Schwarzkopf’s Anne Trulove.
The
Met performance opened on 14 February 1953 under the baton
of Fritz Reiner; Stravinsky had been in attendance throughout
rehearsals. Writing subsequently in The New York Herald Tribune,
Virgil Thomson felt that “the musical production was surely,
at least from the instrumental point of view, definitive.
From the vocal point of view it was also virtually perfect,
though the singers were not, as a cast of singers never is,
uniformly powerful in dramatic impersonation.
“Mack Harrell, as Nick Shadow, the devil-valet, gave us everything - fine vocalism,
fine verbal clarity and a strong projection of character. Eugene Conley, as the
Rake, sang angelically and did a lot with his words, too, though I suspect that
he could have done more if he had been less preoccupied with vocal resonance.
More color and less loudness might have added a welcome variety to his part and
would surely have helped him to differentiate vowel sounds. He did, however,
articulate the wide vocal skips without going off pitch and gave to his difficult
role a musicianly reading infinitely agreeable.
“Hilde Gueden, as the faithful sweetheart, was equally handsome vocally but verbally
almost a complete loss, since her English diction is of the sketchiest. Its fault
is not her German accent, which nobody, I am sure, would greatly mind if she
pronounced with more confidence. She simply did not project either vowels or
consonants. And since the role of Anne Trulove, a sort of Micaela, is dramatically
one-dimensional, its only hope for audience sympathy lies in a full exploitation
of the musical and poetic beauties of its formal arias. Musical beauty Miss Gueden
gave us to the full; for this she was ideally cast. The rest of the cast, including
the chorus, both sang and pronounced to perfection.”
With
the work thoroughly under their collective skins the Met
cast moved to the studios in March, with the composer taking
over from Reiner as conductor. The virtues and otherwise
of the theatre production which Thomson identified in his
review have transferred faithfully on to record. Andrew Porter,
in his 1956 Record Guide Supplement review of the
performance admitted to a difference of editorial opinion
as to the relative merits of Stravinsky’s opera. He thought
more highly of the piece than did his colleagues Edward Sackville-West
and Desmond Shawe-Taylor although he recognised it was “highly
artificial, in plot as in expression”. The performance itself,
he felt, was “first-rate” and the recording admirably clear.
Of the performers he agreed with Virgil Thomson in singling
out Mack Harrell’s Nick Shadow for particular praise; Hilde
Gueden was “a good interpreter” of Anne Trulove while Eugene
Conley was “strong, clean and true” as Tom Rakewell. American
accents here and there intruded, no more so than when “the
company of whores enunciates the word ‘curious’, they suddenly
stop being London ladies of the town, and the mind boggles
at an involuntary picture of a gaggle of midwestern Mommas
disporting themselves.” Indeed!
Listening
to this performance after over half a century later it is
easy to forget one of the most striking aspects of the music
when the opera was new - the deliberate archaism of the musical
language and structures. Stravinsky spoke of wishing to emulate
the “Italian-Mozart” style but it is often The Beggar’s
Opera which is called to mind, both musically and in
its Hogarthian setting. This must have been a challenge to
opera singers more familiar with the verismo or Wagnerian
traditions, but generally all acquit themselves well.
In
Act 1 the three principal characters – Rakewell, Anne and
Nick Shadow – are introduced to us early in the proceedings.
Gueden’s diction is certainly indistinct but she conveys
well the character’s ingenuous innocence, Harrell provides
a suave and commanding Shadow and Conley sings with ringing,
heroic tone that is not inappropriate at conveying Tom’s
arrogance. Later in the Act his “Love, too frequently betrayed” is
sung with appropriately dark tone that hints at the tragedy
to come. Hilde Gueden sings Anne Trulove’s scena that closes
the Act with depth of feeling in her aria and brilliance
in the cabaletta, if without the sheer energy and resolve
that Schwarzkopf brought to the part.
At
the opening of Act 2 Conley effectively conveys Tom’s frustration
as he realises that the delights of London have begun to
pale, but musters heroic tone for “My tale shall be told” with
its duet with Shadow. Blanche Thebom makes a suitably imperious
Baba.
The
auction scene which opens the Third Act is energetic and
rhythmically pointed under the composer’s baton, and Paul
Franke is characterful enough as the auctioneer Sellem if
without the wit and elegance that Hugues Cuénod brought to
the role in the premiere. The sepulchral darkness of the
churchyard scene is chillingly conveyed, with Eugene Conley
managing well the florid divisions of Tom’s music as the
trap closes round him. Mack Harrell captures the demonic
suavity of Shadow as he believes victory is his, becoming
powerfully dramatic as he loses the card game to Tom and
curses him with insanity.
In
the final Bedlam scene Conley makes little attempt to vary
his tone to suggest Tom’s madness, but Gueden sings “Gently,
little boat” with touching simplicity. The final pay-off
to the audience is effectively done.
It’s
been fascinating to hear this performance, unavailable for
many years. There’s a real sense of occasion, of familiarity
with the work which comes from stage experience and which
has carried well into the studio. Eugene Conley and Mack
Harrell provide involving performances, contrasting with
Hilde Gueden’s beautifully sung but disappointingly disengaged
approach. The performers give a thoroughly idiomatic account
of the music, although occasionally American accents and
inflexions create the curious illusion that we have strayed
into Broadway! Stravinsky conducts throughout with élan and
authority.
Booklet
notes contain an interesting article on the background to
the opera, the Met performances and biographical sketches
on each artist. There are no texts but a brief track-by-track
synopsis. Transfers are excellent and spacious.
Ewan McCormick