2012 was, for small, cherubic, mewling reasons, not a year in which I saw very much live music at all. A top ten list would be a bit of a joke, since it would have to include the odd school concert just to make up the numbers.
However, I was fortunate that among the few productions of live music for which I did manage to scrub the baby porridge off myself and get out of the house was a genuine game changer: the first complete production of Stockhausen’s MITTWOCH.
Since I wrote my rather effusive review back in August, I have discovered that audio of the entire opera (four scenes, plus a greeting and a farewell) is available on YouTube. Some of that audio even comes with video: scene 4, Michaelion, can be watched complete in its premier performance (1998) by the Sudfunk Chor, Stuttgart. A 20-minute clip of the same scene – the one that bothered most critics (including me) – from the Birmingham Opera production can also be found.
Here, then, are all six parts in order, interspersed with a few of those video extracts recorded by members of the audience in Birmingham, included for comparison and/or context.
(With thanks to Alex Ross, who first drew my attention to the video of Andrew Connington’s aquatic tromboning.)
I am so geeked with new music pleasure. What a way to face the alleged Mayan apocalypse!
well, there goes my friday
any idea if this recording will ever be released on cd/dvd? i imagine it’ll be a while before Mittwoch gets put on again :<
I don’t know if a recording of BOC’s Mittwich will be released (I suspect not). Several of the scenes above are taken from the Stockhausen-Verlag CDs though, which are commercially available.
Hi there
Special mention for Jeremy Watts and his berserk performance on double bass (whilst being shadowed by The Mummy) during the 3rd section of Mittwoch.