If the orchestrally lush, star-studded recordings of Georg Solti represent one end of the Mozartian taste spectrum, then this 1999 Così fan tutte by René Jacobs, the Concerto Köln, and a less well known cast surely represents the other. In the pursuit of period authenticity, Jacobs employs a greatly downsized original-instrument ensemble, including a pianoforte for the secco recitatives, and he rethinks many aspects of tempo and articulation. The result is a very different Così -- one that is revelatory in its sound and ...
Read More
If the orchestrally lush, star-studded recordings of Georg Solti represent one end of the Mozartian taste spectrum, then this 1999 Così fan tutte by René Jacobs, the Concerto Köln, and a less well known cast surely represents the other. In the pursuit of period authenticity, Jacobs employs a greatly downsized original-instrument ensemble, including a pianoforte for the secco recitatives, and he rethinks many aspects of tempo and articulation. The result is a very different Così -- one that is revelatory in its sound and effect, but which may not appeal to mainstream opera fans. The most ear-grabbing elements of the recording are the wind instruments; the staccato, almost clipped articulation of short notes in the orchestra; the frequent ornamentation of the vocal lines; and Nicolau de Figueiredo's highly caffeinated pianoforte playing. The oboes, in particular, sound so unlike their modern equivalents that they take on a completely different character within the score; their duck-like entrance in the...
Read Less
Portions of content provided by Rovi Corporation. © 2024 Rovi Corporation.