Jessye Norman - The Unreleased Masters (3CD)

Ms Norman, the great singer in French repertoire and in German opera and song, made these six unreleased recordings over a ten-year period between 1988–1998, when signed exclusively to Philips.

MORE INFORMATION

The first disc in this set, recorded in 1998, represents an incomplete but invaluable studio recording of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde with Kurt Masur and the Leipzig Gewandhausorchester and tenors Thomas Moser (Tristan) and a young Ian Bostridge (The Young Seaman). For various reasons, this was never completed. However, what we do have is just over 66 minutes of Highlights.

Disc Two, couples music synonymous with Ms Norman, Strauss’ Four Last Songs, recorded in May 1989 (her second recording of this repertoire), with Wagner’s Wesendonck-Lieder, recorded in November 1992. Both were recorded ‘live” with the Berliner Philharmoniker and James Levine.

The final disc presents a sensational programme, tailor-made for the great diva. Recorded at concerts in February 1994 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Seiji Ozawa, the three queens represented in the programme are Britten’s Phaedra, Haydn’s Berenice and Berlioz’s Clêopatre.

TRACK LIST

CD 1 (studio recording)
WAGNER: Tristan und Isolde WWV 90 (excerpts)
1. Prelude: Langsam und schmactend
Act I
Scene 1
2. “Westwärts schweift der Blick” (Seemann · Isolde · Brangäne)
Scene 2
3. “Frisch weht der Wind der Heimat zu” (Seemann · Isolde · Brangäne)
Scene 3
4. “Weh, ach wehe! Dies zu dulden” (Brangäne · Isolde)
5. “Wie lachend sie mir Lieder singen” (Isolde · Brangäne)
Act II, Scene 2
6. “Isolde! Geliebte! – Tristan! Geliebter!” (Tristan · Isolde)
7. “Doch es rächte sich der verscheuchte Tag” (Isolde · Tristan)
8. “O sink hernieder, Nacht der Liebe” (Tristan · Isolde)
9. “Einsam wachend in der Nacht” (Brangäne · Isolde · Tristan)
10. “Unsre Liebe? Tristans Liebe? Dein’ und mein’” (Tristan · Isolde)
11. “So starben wir, um ungetrennt” (Tristan · Isolde · Brangäne)
Act III, Scene 3H
12. “Mild und leise wie er lächelt” (Isoldes Liebestod) (Isolde)
Isolde & Brangäne*: Jessye Norman soprano
Tristan: Thomas Moser tenor
Seemann: Ian Bostridge tenor
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig / Kurt Masur
*Jessye Norman sings the parts of both Isolde and Brangäne

CD 2 (live recording)
R. STRAUSS: Vier letzte Lieder TrV 296
1. I Frühling (Hesse)
2. II September (Hesse)
3. III Beim Schlafengehen (Hesse)
4. IV Im Abendrot (Eichendorff) 
WAGNER: Wesendonck-Lieder (orch. Felix Mott)
5. No.1  Der Engel
6. No.2  Stehe still!
7. No.3  Im Treibhaus
8. No.4  Schmerzen
9. No.5  Träume
Jessye Norman
Berliner Philharmoniker / James Levine

CD 3 (live recording)
HAYDN: Scena di Berenice Hob. XXIVa:10
1. Recitativo: “Berenice, che fai?”
2. Cavatina: “Non partir, bell’idol mio” –
3. Recitativo: “Me infelice!” –
4. Aria: “Perché, se tanti siete”
BERLIOZ: Cléopâtre H.36
5. Allegro vivace con impeto – Récitatif: “C’en est donc fait!” –
6. Lento cantabile: “Ah! qu’ils sont loin ces jours, tourment de ma mémoire” –
7. Méditation: Largo misterioso: “Grands Pharaons, nobles Lagides” –
8. Allegro assai agitato: “Non! … non, de vos demeures funèbres”
9. Allegro non troppo – Recitativo misurato: “Dieux du Nil”
BRITTEN: Phaedra Op.93
10. Prologue: “In May, in brilliant Athens”
11. Recitative: “My lost and dazzled eyes saw only night”
12. Presto: “You monster! You understood me too well”
13. Recitative: “Oh Gods of wrath”
14. Adagio: “My time’s too short, your highness”
Jessye Norman
Boston Symphony Orchestra / Seiji Ozawa