May 19, 2022
After having received some wishes from Paola to play a bit more similar to the Stockholm sax quartet who first performed this piece some years ago, I have now slightly modified it by slowing down on the tempo (ritardandi) in the end of the piano phrases. In particular in the beginning of the piece. To receive that strong ritardando the quartet presented I have also on some occasions simply added an empty bar of two beats as I hope you may see from the new version now uploaded here: www.nyopera.se/bee
May 5, 2022
The concert in S:t Tomas church will be at 7PM on June, 22nd.
Yesterday I was invited to my friend and an excellent mezzo-soprano Axelina Lindholm, who also is quite critical towards today’s vocalists and their lacking ability in general of communicating the text in vocal pieces. And quite frankly I have to admit that I do share her criticism. The singing technique today is not what it used to be during the times of our fantastic tenor Jussi Björling who really could articulate the lyrics, while the preference in our days, on the other hand, firstly amounts to stress the importance of the vocal sound before the very contents of the words. Having said this I do hope we will achieve both ingredients as convincing as possible in June.
April 30, 2022
”Svetala, il bel paese” : the tenor’s last note in bar 65 should be a C, not a B.
The placement in score of the lyrics in ”Tidig Morgon” and ”Mattina di Primavera” has been corrected.
April 22, 2022
- We will have a third concert on June 22 in S:t Tomas kyrka in Vällingby (just outside the centre of Stockholm).
- Extra piece if requested at the concert: A bee or not a bee?
April 5, 2022
Dear friends,
Please don’t hesitate to interpret the pieces in a free manner.
I have really nothing against listening to the tenor’s part performing quite freely as to the duration of the notes for example, and perhaps lifting a bit of a syncopation even if the score itself doesn’t communicate that in its notation. For me the most important thing is that the singing text feels as natural as possible, and alive, rather than performing ”mechanically” and exactly as notated. I hope you may understand what I mean and perhaps that you also agree on that. I love Chopin.
I have now for example slowed down the tempo in the ”refrain/corus” of Helig är Anden (Santo è lo Spirito), as you may now see in the updated score on the web site, since I consider this will add some contrasting spiritual flavour.
To Paola: I have removed the 8va in bar 20 of ”Porslinsblomman…. (Il fiore….)
