English-language versions of choral pieces
Sat, Jan 15 2011, 11:53PM
In this months Gramophone 'Replay' article Rob Cowan refers to an English-language version of Brahms's German Requiem. I wasn't aware that such a thing existed and will be buying that recording. I know that many people don't agree but I find English versions fascinating.
Do forum readers know of any other not so well known pieces in English? Surely a Verdi Requiem or Mahler etc in English is too much to hope for...
I'm familiar with the Chandos Opera in English series and that has proved to be very popular so maybe my question is not as odd as may at first seem.
Sun, Jan 16 2011, 3:05PM
#2
RE: English-language versions of choral pieces
A big thank-you Ted. I have just ordered the Alexander Nevsky from Amazon for less than £6 and really look forward to hearing it. I use The Gramophone Music Guide,Penguin Guide,'1001 Classical Recordings you must hear before you die' and 'Classical 1000' by Rob Cowan and nowhere is any mention made of use of English language (not even on the Amazon order site).
Sun, Jan 16 2011, 3:29PM
#3
RE: English-language versions of choral pieces
Novello used to print English language versions of many works - I have an "English Requiem" in a box in the garage - remnant of mother-in law's choral days. Back in the seventies, I remember singing a mass (might have been Mozart's Coronation Mass) with a completely laughable "translation" that bore no resemblance to the words of the mass.
There is a long history of translating music drama. It doesn't happen nearly as much in sacred music. Haydn's Creation is another work that exists in parallel English / German versions.
P
It seems to have been common in the 1950s for Russian works especially. A few recordings that come to mind:
Fritz Reiner's RCA recording of Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky. (Also Ormandy's first CBS mono 1940s recording, an excerpt of which is on a Naxos CD devoted to Jennie Tourel)
Ormandy's 1970s RCA recording of Rachmaninov's The Bells (obtainable as a CD-R from Arkivmusic) or his mono 1950s recording (obtainable as a download only from Naxos Historical archives).
Ansermet's recordings of Stravinsky's Renard (The Fox) and the opera Mavra.
Solti's 1950s LPO recording of Kodaly's Psalmus Hungaricus (not sure if this ever made it to CD, there is a remake from before he died, but don't know language)
Ozawa CBS recording of Honegger's Joan of Arc at the Stake (don't think this ever got to CD, his DG remake is in French).
Ted