What vocal music have you purchased recently?

[Florestan]

Now there's a reminder from the past -- my Mom had that Messiah recording when I was in high school.

Probably on vinyl then.

[MAuer]

Yup. (At least you didn't say shellac . . . )

[Florestan]

Yup. (At least you didn't say shellac . . . )

Well, my mother had 78s! No wax cylinders in the family anyway.

[MAuer]

Yes, my Mom had a couple of 78s as well -- one with tenor Franz Völker singing Tamino's arias (one aria per side!) and the other with another tenor, Alfons Fügel. Don't recall what the latter had recorded, though.

[Florestan]

Sung in English, which is how I like my oratorios (can be had in French or German too):

[Florestan]

[Florestan]

This is the mezzo who sings Nancy alongside Lucia Popp in the CD set of Flotow's Martha.
Although I really "discovered" Doris in this video where her performance is awesome!

It includes a track from Martha, sung in Italian. Nice assortment of tracks:
Stabat mater: Quae moerebat et dolebat
La clemenza di Tito, K.621, Act I: Parto, parto, ma tu ben mio
Tancred, Act I: Di tanti palpiti
La donna del lago, Act II: Tanti affetti in tal momento
Le siege de Corinthe, Act III: Avanziam
Maometto II, Act II Scene 4: Non temer: d'un basso affetto
L'Italiana in Algeri (The Italian Girl in Algiers): L'italiana in Algeri, Act I: Cruda sorte! Amor tiranno!
La favorite, Act III: Aria: Fia dunque vero … O mio Fernando
Martha: Martha, Act III: Esser mesto il mio cor
Les Huguenots, Act I: Nobles seigneurs, salut!
Carmen, Act I: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle, "Habanera"
Séhérazade: Sheherazade: II. La flute enchantee

[MAuer]

And she's still performing, though not in major roles anymore.

[Florestan]

And she's still performing, though not in major roles anymore.

In her 70s. Hanging in there like Mariella Devia.

[Florestan]

Track List on Back Cover

[Florestan]

[MAuer]

A note about this recording to those on the western side of the pond: when I checked Amazon, the site made reference to only one disc, even though information on JK's unofficial web site indicated there would be two CDs, one with German Weihnachtslieder and the other with international carols. So I took a look at Presto Classical, and their web site also indicates two CDs. So I just made the purchase from Presto, even with mail service moving slowly again of late. I wonder if folks at Sony just decided that no one in North America would want the CD with German carols. Official release date is 13 November, so if I'm lucky, I may receive the set around the end of the month.

[MAuer]

And this one's guaranteed kitsch-free -- unlike that Christmas CD set. (I suppose the cover design of the latter should have been a clue.)

[Florestan]

[Florestan]