Sir Charles Mackerras

[whipped guy]

I just learned of the death of Sir Charles Mackerras at the age of 84 on July 14.

While he was renowned as a champion of the works of Czech composer Leos Janacek, he was also a noted musicologist and as such was an expert regarding music of the 18th and even early 19th centuries.

I particularly recall a series of Mozart recordings that he made for the Telarc label where he used modern instruments in an attempt to recreate the tempi and sound that might have been achieved in the composer’s time. He was also the first maestro to conduct Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor at the MET as originally conceived regarding orchestration, key signatures, and embellishments that the composer would have recognized.

That he felt equally at home conducting the symphonies of Gustav Mahler and the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan is testimony to his aptitude and flair for music of a range of styles.

[uwsman2]

Sir Charles

 

This is sad news, indeed.

He had a long and very distinguished career. One of the first LPs that I bought as a kid back in the 1960s was a Mackerras encores disc. His Janacek was superb, but so was his Mozart, both symphonies and operas. And his recording of the Walton symphonies, absolutely first-rate. This is a big loss for the musical world.

[whipped guy]

Interesting Mozartian choices

 

...his Mozart, both symphonies and operas.

I have not really heard much of his his Mozart opera recordings whereby he insisted on the proper usage of the approgiatura, but the symphonies are quite intriguing... and especially regarding the his choice of tempi for the third movement minuets in the later symphonies as recorded in the 1980s. Mackerras attempted to mirror the metronome markings of the very early 19th century whereby the tempo di minuetto was more akin to the tempo normally associated with a scherzo... Think the third movement minuet of Beethoven's first symphony, which is actually in essence a scherzo of sorts, and is traditionally performed at a much faster clip than any similar movement from the final symphonies of Haydn and Mozart. Makerras didn't quite make these minuets "rock" as a true scherzo would, but he certainly came closer than any other conductor that I have heard in these works to approximating such an approach. Still, it shows how Makerras was willing to explore and take chances that bucked the traditional approach.

 

Interestingly Mackerras re-recorded some of this repertory and I have not heard those remakes... Consequently, I am not sure if he changed his mind in the intervening years.

[+ Charlie]

I saw Mackerras conduct often when I lived in London in the 70s. Although he was known especially for his Czech specialties, like Kat'a Kabanova, he also conducted a wide range of other composers; I remember a Manon, Rosenkavalier, Traviata, Mary Stuart (sung in English by Janet Baker), even La Belle Helene. The most impressive, however, was my first Jenufa, in which I literally jumped out of my seat at the end of the second act, when Amy Shuard made the Kostelnicka's outburst of fear. (No one suspected it would be her final performance: she died suddenly shortly thereafter.)

[whipped guy]

I recall how mezzo Marilyn Horne first met Mackerras. It must have been quite early in her career and she was at a party at Joan Sutherland's home in London. The place was totally crowed and she was in the kitchen having a heated discussion regarding some sort of musical matter (I forget what) with an unidentified person... and since she disagreed with everything he was espousing and he seemed so adamant in his beliefs, Horne in desperation finally said to the guy, "And who the hell are you?!" The response was, "I'm Charles Mackerras..." Gasp... Moment of silence... a quasi foot in mouth moment... As I recall she suddenly realized that the guy might have known a bit about that which he was speaking! I know that they eventually collaborated in the operas of Handel.

[+ Charlie]

I know that they eventually collaborated in the operas of Handel.

Although I'm not overly fond of Handel operas, that is something I would like to have seen.

[whipped guy]

Although I'm not overly fond of Handel operas...

Neither am I... but I have enjoyed quite a few. I did see Horne in Rinaldo... the final dress rehearsal at the MET in as I recall 1985... I don't recall the conductor, but it was not Mackerras... she was great... but even better... I remember Sam Ramey making his entrance as Argonte riding a chariot and wielding a whip... He drove the place into a frenzy with his entrance aria... and most of the people there were the old ladies of the Met Opera Guild and staid patrons...

[uwsman2]

Handel can be quite a trip. I saw Tolomeo at Glimmerglass last weekend, and it was a blast. Especially cute young countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo in the title role. There can be quite a bit of comedy in Handel, but you have to be in the mood and the production and cast have to be just right.

[whipped guy]

The so-called "Largo"... actually the aria "Ombra mai fu" that appears shortly after the curtain rises in the first act of Xerxes is really quite funny as the aria is sung to a tree... Certainly not at all the religious sounding piece that some of us grew up thinking it was!

 

Of course lots of Handel can sound quite similar... but the same can be said of other composers as well. Still, working within the old opera seria tradition of mostly da capo arias it is amazing the variety and diversity of ideas that he puts forth... The mark of a genius!

 

I hate some of the updating in Handel... I think setting a production in the proper time and place is the way to go... actually that works best for any composer.

[uwsman2]

Agreed - the production should be set in the time of the story. The current trend is to set "historical" Handel operas in the time they were written, which I find bizarre, since during the early 18th century, an opera production of a plot set in Ancient Rome or Greece would try to present some simulacrum of those times in terms of sets and costumes. Tolomeo was an Egyptian king of the Greek period, but they saddled the cast with early 18th century garments and the setting was vaguely early 18th century as well. It probably would have been less expensive to drape them in ancient garments!

[whipped guy]

Updating

 

...The current trend is to set "historical" Handel operas in the time they were written, which I find bizarre...

NYCO/Glimmerglass who often share productions are certainly guilty of that... The Xerxes mentioned above was seen at NYCO a few seasons back and was quite bizzare... with early 18th Century English costumes... They had the singers come onto the stage prior to the overture to state their character's name and explain in a nutshell who they were... in a silly attempt to made sense out of the updating. I recall the singer who portrayed Xerxes saying, "I am Xerxes... I am the king." Who the heck was named Xerses in England during that perioed... Plus, he was supposed to be the king!!!???? Perhaps if they changed the name of the opera to George it would have made a bit more sense! Fortunately the singing was on a very high level with David Daniels and the late Lorraine Hunt Lieberson in the cast.

 

In contrast the Rinaldo referenced above was done in the proper setting and was much more effective as a result.

[+ Charlie]

I remember seeing a Xerxes somewhere in which the characters in one scene were in bathing costumes lying on colorful beach chairs (it's actually all that I can remember of the production).