Review: The Magnificent Elly Ameling Bach Box

[@herbchilds1512]

We're so lucky to have the great Elly Ameling and Dame Janet Baker, both turning 90 this year.

[@shawnhampton8503]

I had the privilege to hear Elly Ameling in recital in 1984. God was she amazing. What a fantastic recital. She did a set of Poulenc chansons that I will never forget. A singer's singer par excellence.

[@pauldavidartistclub6723]

Thank you so much for this review Mr Hurwitz. Your admiration is infectious!

[@tom6693]

I first heard Elly Ameling in the late '60s on what is still my favorite recording of Schubert's "The Shepherd on the Rock" (Jorg Demus a perfect partner on a period fortepiano)--the voice amazingly limpid and pure, the musicianship immaculate, the interpretation intelligent yet affecting. And from then on I pretty much followed her lieder career (Schubert, Schumann, Brahms especially, though she sings the most charming version of Satie's cabaret song "La Diva de l'Empire" that I know!). I finally got to hear her live in the late-'80s in an all-Schubert recital, the voice marvelously intact, the artistry profound, the stage presence a perfect complement to that lovely voice. I can't wait for the Eloquence recital box to fill in the holes in my collection. What a gift!

[@jojaspismusic8531]

She's actually 90, and still gives masterclasses...

[@josephcollins6033]

I LOVE HER, TOO! Such technique! Fabulous teacher, and I know that personally. So kind and generous. You said a 'model'; that is Elly Ameling. She is 89 or 90 now. Thanks!!!

[@Vikingvideos50]

I had the extreme joy and privilege to take part in a ten day masterclass with her and Rudolf Jansen in France many years ago. She was a fantastic teacher, always getting right to the point, always finding a simple and helpful way to improve the performances of both singer and pianist. Jansen was amazing too and their teaching complemented each other well. It was such a joy. Still have the notes!

[@wayneday3116]

I first discovered Elly when listening to a recording of Mahler 4 with Haitink conducting back in the late sixties. I immediately fell in love. I was fortunate to hear her live when she did a recital at Michigan State University in the seventies. I own many of her recordings....she will always be my favorite soprano.

[@woongcho7709]

That's the same recording through which I found her, though for me it was the CD version in the early 90s. It's still one of my favorite Mahler recordings.

[@charliebrown2359]

Saw her give a concert and masterclass in 1989. Wonderful voice.

[@davidaiken1061]

I can only second your enthusiastic review, Dave. These wonderful Bach recordings have been in my collection for many years, and have provided much nourishment. I keep coming back to them, especially the Münchinger St. Matthew and Christmas Oratorio, the Jochum Christmas Oratorio, and the superb recordings of "Dialogue Cantatas" with Prey and Winschermann. I hope some of your viewers who don''t know these recordings from an earlier generation of Bach performance (and historically informed in their way and for their time), will obtain this set and learn how satisfying some traditional interpretations of this composer can be. And as for Ameling, I hope her recorded legacy lingers long in the catalog. Here's to her health at age 90!

[@zdl1965]

A lovely lady. Heard her do a lovely recital at Wigmore Hall in 1989, and I requested for her to come to Singapore sometime. Then it happened... she sang in the final movement of Mahler 4 with the Asian Youth Orchestra in 1992, Lukas Foss conducting. When I saw her again, she said, "...and here I am, in Singapore!" Great that she is still with us!

[@fred6904]

Dear Mr Hurwitz! When you eventually review Elly Ameling The Philips recitals please do consider showing us the covers of the records because I belive they are worth seeing. Best wishes Fred from Kristianstad.

[@stevecook8934]

An all Schubert recital at Tanglewood with Ms Ameling and Rudolph Jansen, in July 1984, is a favorite musical memory of mine.

[@sejacko]

I will definitely be getting both Eloquence Ameling boxes, thanks for whetting our appetite for them, Dave. I also have the long-out-of-print DHM/BMG “Early Years” box set (a limited release from the 1990s). If you can lay your hands on that, highly recommended! It includes, amongst more bitty things, her very highly regarded early Schubert/Schumann lieder collections (with Jorg Demus, no less, on a couple of very clunky-but-charming old fortepianos), but also a gorgeous collection of Brahms lieder+folk song arrangements, sensitively accompanied by Norman Shetler. I didn’t know any of these Brahms songs before, but her performances have completely bowled me over. Great to the see her sublime-yet-artless artistry so splendidly collected in these two handy Decca sets. Bravo Australian Eloquence (the last bastion of tasteful catalogue exploitation) and Long Live the Divine Miss Ameling.

[@atomkraftteddy]

She had a newspaper interview over here in the Netherlands a while ago. She's doing very well, living in Alblasserdam. One recording which should be ripe for reissue is her recording of Constantijn Huygens' "Pathodia Sacra Et Profana" (With Max van Egmond) om (Dutch) EMI. It was never issued on CD.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Lots of luck waiting for that one!

[@dinytecker5808]

In the 5 cd box of Elly Ameling's 75 Jaar live radio recordings (issued in 2008 on the Omnium label) are 5 arias from Constantijn Huyghens Pathodia Sacra et Profana to be heard, viz. from the Latin Psalms "In quo corriget a solencentior" and "Memor fui dierum; from the Italian arias: "Morte dolce" and "Riposta dalla finestra"; from the French arias: "Graves tesmoins de mes délices".

[@steveschwartz8944]

Her Bach was, as Dave says, "artless" (difficult to bring off in Bach) and poetic. She also made wonderful recordings of Renaissance music. One of my favorite albums is her performing from the Great American Songbook. The English may be heavily accented, but her joy in and care for the repertoire shine through. Her "I Got Rhythm" (with a whistling obbligato) delights. I bought it as an LP, After Hours, but by now it might be on CD.

[@richardfrankel6102]

Hah! I just ordered this box yesterday--right after pre-ordering the "Recitals" box. I'd been waiting for these two. I'm a happy boy!

[@woongcho7709]

Oh, I have to buy this set. But this is going to be my last Bach purchase. I've said something like that before--mutiple times, but this time I really mean it.

[@carlcurtis]

A great review--and not the first time you've mentioned her. I think it was your reference to her Haydn box that inspired me to buy it.

[@pauloqueiroz9611]

Fabulous singer, amazing recitalist and linguist! I Only wish Sony Classics would reissue 3 delightful Lps with songs in 10 languages, including Fauré's La Bonne Chanson and Debussy's Bilitis and Ariettes Oubliées

[@jdeeside]

Like you I'm not really a Bach person so had a look on KZbin for other Ameling recordings. In truth she isn't an artist I'm familiar with. I was delighted to find a live recording from 1982 of Strauss 4 Last Songs. These songs live and die for me on the way one line is sung: "so tief im abendrot" and she does it very well. Light, delicate, thoughtful. Now I like a grand Diva (Jessye Norman gives THE recording in my opinion) but I'm very glad to have discovered Ameling.

[@robkeeleycomposer]

I remember my first ever Poulenc song I heard (aged about 15) was sung by this terrific artist. I must get this box ( I most certainly AM a Bach person!) Dave, would you consider doing a video in Raymond Leppard?

[@salocindejuan9648]

First let me wish you a happy New Year. I have been listening all CDs of this marvelous box. Besides enjoying the magnificent performance of Elly Ameling I have been surprised by the quality of the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester. Have you already reviewed the two Münchinger boxes that Australian eloquence has issued? If not, are you planning to do it?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

No, they were a while ago and I don't have plans to cover them now.

[@salocindejuan9648]

I see, they were issued in 2019. Lástima, I would have been interested in your appraisal of the Kammerorchester relative to other chamber orchestras.​@@DavesClassicalGuide

[@IsaacMeadow]

My reference recordings of some of Vivaldi's vocal works are with Elly Ameling, she's an amazing soprano.

[@robertdandre94101]

elly ameling has recorded a lot .... I only remember 2 records of this magnificent voice ..... the little book by anna magdalena bach, with gustav leonhardt, and cantata no 202 (wedding) with the collegium areum