Harnoncourt: Mozart – La clemenza di Tito (2 CD, FLAC)

Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Warner
Size: 502 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Ouverture
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. Recitativo. Ma chè? sempre l’istesso
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Lucia Popp
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. No. 1. Duetto. Come ti piace imponi
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Lucia Popp
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. Recitativo. Amico, il passo affretta
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Delores Ziegler, Lucia Popp
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. No. 2. Aria. Deh se piacer mi vuoi
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Lucia Popp
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. Recitativo. Amico, ecco il momento
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Delores Ziegler
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. No. 3. Duettino. Deh prendi un dolce amplesso
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Delores Ziegler
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. No. 4. Marcia
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. No. 5. Coro. Serbate, oh Dei custodi
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. Recitativo. Basta, basta
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Philip Langridge, Delores Ziegler
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. No. 6. Aria. Del più sublime soglio
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Philip Langridge
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. Recitativo. Non ci pentiam
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Delores Ziegler, Ruth Ziesak
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. No. 7. Duetto. Ah perdona al primo affetto
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Delores Ziegler, Ruth Ziesak
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. Recitativo. Che mi rechi in quel foglio?
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Philip Langridge, Laszlo Polgar
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. Recitativo. Di Tito al piè
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Philip Langridge, Ruth Ziesak
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. No. 8. Aria. Ah, se fosse intorno al trono
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Philip Langridge
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. Recitativo. Felice me!
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Lucia Popp, Ruth Ziesak
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. Recitativo. Ancora mi schernisce
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Lucia Popp
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. No. 9. Aria. Parto, ma tu ben mio
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. Recitativo. Vedrai, Tito, vedrai
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Delores Ziegler, Laszlo Polgar, Lucia Popp
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. No. 10. Terzetto. Vengo… aspettate
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Delores Ziegler, Laszlo Polgar, Lucia Popp
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. No. 11. Recitativo accompagnato. Oh Dei, che smania
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 1. No. 12. Quintetto con coro. Deh, conservate, oh Dei
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Delores Ziegler, Laszlo Polgar, Lucia Popp, Ruth Ziesak
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. Recitativo. Sesto, come tu credi
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Delores Ziegler
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. No. 13. Aria. Torna di Tito a lato
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Delores Ziegler
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. Recitativo. Partir deggio, o restar?
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Lucia Popp
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. Recitativo. Sesto! – Che chiedi?
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Laszlo Polgar, Lucia Popp
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. No. 14. Terzetto. Se al volto mai ti senti
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Laszlo Polgar, Lucia Popp
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. No. 15. Coro. Ah grazie si rendano
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Philip Langridge
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. Recitativo. Andremo, Publio
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Philip Langridge, Laszlo Polgar
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. No. 16. Aria. Tradi s’avvede
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Laszlo Polgar
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. Recitativo. No, così scellerato
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Philip Langridge, Delores Ziegler, Laszlo Polgar
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. No. 17. Aria. Tu fosti tradito
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Delores Ziegler
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. Recitativo. Che orror! che tradimento!
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Philip Langridge
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. No. 18. Terzetto. Quello di Tito è il volto!
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Philip Langridge, Laszlo Polgar
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. Recitativo. Eppur mi fa pietà
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Philip Langridge
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. No. 19. Rondo. Deh per questo istante solo
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. Recitativo. Ove s’intese mai più contumace infedeltà?
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Philip Langridge
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. Recitativo. Publio. – Cesare.
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Philip Langridge, Laszlo Polgar
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. No. 20. Aria. Se all’impero, amici Dei
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Philip Langridge
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. Recitativo. Non giova lusingarsi
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Delores Ziegler, Lucia Popp, Ruth Ziesak
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. No. 21. Aria. S’altro che lacrime
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ruth Ziesak
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. No. 22. Recitativo accompagnato. Ecco il punto, o Vitellia
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Lucia Popp
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. No. 23. Rondo. Non più di fiori
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Lucia Popp
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. No. 24. Coro. Che del ciel, che degli Dei
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. Recitativo. Sesto, de’ tuoi delitti
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Philip Langridge, Lucia Popp
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. No. 25. Recitativo accompagnato. Ma che giorno è mai questo?
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Philip Langridge
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

# La Clemenza di Tito, opera, K. 621 Act 2. No. 26. Sestetto con Coro. Tu, è ver, m’assolvi
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Zurich Opera Orchestra
with Ann Murray, Philip Langridge, Delores Ziegler, Laszlo Polgar, Lucia Popp, Ruth Ziesak
Conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

The Wild Man of Borneo in Flavian Rome

Mozart was pithy when entering works into his Catalogue (used from K 449 onwards). One big exception is La Clemenza di Tito where he praised his librettist, Caterino Mazzola, for updating the marmoreal melodrama into “true opera”. From his infancy, Mozart loved opera seria; it is so evident in La Clemenza di Tito. The old accusation that it is the product of haste and fatigue is felonious. K 621’s toe-hold on the repertoire is growing. Operabase lists 89 performances of 17 productions in 16 different cities in the past two years. More importantly, it continues to bedazzle the Australian Knappertsbusch Association, one and all.

Nikolaus Harnoncourt, God-Emperor of the Dayaks, is a protean figure indeed. Many a recording is made to reassure his people that the Wild Man of Borneo is alive and well and living in Vienna. In other recordings, Harnoncourt transmutes masterpieces into muesli. And on occasions when the stars are in alignment and his daemon is repressed, he can be the most insightful conductor in the current guild.

What of his March 1993 recording of La Clemenza di Tito? Does it compel one to don a loincloth and feast on brains? Should one spit out oats and raisins in response? Or is it a contender in a congested field where all recordings are eclipsed by the Davis `76?

There is much to like here. A large hall was used as a recording venue which the engineers have mastered by the barest of margins; one is always conscious of its cavernous acoustic.

Harnoncourt is in fine form here. There are no postcards from Borneo. Tempos and the overall pacing are insightful. He refuses to `hogwood-ise’ the orchestra of the Zurich Opera which plays with finesse, power and tonal beauty. There is also plenty of vibrato from the singers: Harnoncourt is no ideologue.

To the soloists. In a comparative sense, I have never heard Ann Murray sing so beautifully; her `Deh per questo istante solo’ for instance is highly listenable though I am no fan of her lower register: bovine associations come to mind. This was the last recording made by Lucia Popp before her death (brain cancer claimed her six months after this recording). There is no hint of `Susannah’ in drapery; she vividly brings Vitellia to life in all her machinations: what a `Non più di fiori’. In contrast to Murray it is a feast to hear her lower register. Ruth Ziesak does not efface memories of Edith Mathis as Servilia – the latter is unbeatable in S’altro che lagrime – but she is fine enough all the same. Much the same could be said of Delores Ziegler as Annio. Polgar’s Publius is Sejanus writ large: stupendous and minatory.

The drawback here is Phillip Langridge as Tito. Weak in projection and blustery of tone, he is unlistenable. Endure – if you can – his opening bars in Del più sublime soglio – it could almost be the voice-over in the old cartoon series of Space Ghost.

To summarise, this performance of K 621 is gutsy, dramatic and tender by turns. The finales of both Acts – Mozart at white heat – are vividly characterised by a fine cast.

As things stand, I am inclined to award the Bronze Medal to this performance, with the Silver going to Bohm and Sir Colin Davis, as ever, claiming the gold.