# Christoph Gluck



## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck (2 July 1714 - 15 November 1787) was a German composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period. After many years at the Habsburg court at Vienna, Gluck brought about the practical reform of opera's practices that many intellectuals had been campaigning for over the years.

Opera buffa had long lost its original freshness. Its jokes were threadbare and the repetition of the same characters made them seem no more than stereotypes. In opera seria the singing was devoted to superficial effects and the content was uninteresting and fossilised. As in opera buffa, the singers were effectively absolute masters of the stage and the music, decorating the vocal lines so floridly that audiences could no longer recognise the original melody. Gluck wanted to return opera to its origins, focusing on human drama and passions and making words and music of equal importance.

With a series of radical new works in the 1760s, among them _Orfeo ed Euridice and Alceste_, he broke the stranglehold that Metastasian opera seria had enjoyed for much of the century. Effectively he became the transitional figure between Baroque opera (Handel, Rameau, etc...) and the opera of the Classical era as epitomized by Mozart.

The strong influence of French opera in these works encouraged Gluck to move to Paris, which he did in November 1773. Fusing the traditions of Italian opera and the French national genre into a new synthesis, Gluck wrote eight operas for the Parisian stages. One of the last of these, _Iphigénie en Tauride_, was a great success and is generally acknowledged to be one of his finest works. Though he was extremely popular and widely credited with bringing about a revolution in French opera, Gluck's mastery of the Parisian operatic scene was never absolute, and after the poor reception of his _Echo et Narcisse_ he left Paris in disgust and returned to Vienna to live out the remainder of his life.

Gluck is generally admired or respected as a great transitional figure in music... especially opera, but like Carl Maria von Weber, whose operas, especially _Der Freischütz_, are often cited as among the first true works of Romanticism, his reputation often seems to surpass the admiration or even "love" for his music.

Listening recently (again) to Gluck's _Paride ed Elena_...










... I found myself thinking that Gluck deserves far better. Honestly, his operas have been well served... especially over the past few decades... by conductors and performers: John Eliot Gardiner, Marc Minkowski, Paul McCreesh, René Jacobs, Richard Hickox, etc...

So what are any of your favorite bits by Gluck?

I would begin with the obvious:


----------



## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Here's another gem:


----------



## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

I've loved Gluck for years.
I have several of his operas and love them all.


----------



## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Gluck dared to express Orpheus's loss of his Euricice in a major key, and few singers know how to invest it with the proper emotion while preserving its Classical dignity. Here is the only interpretation of this most famous aria I know that captures fully Orpheus's grief and despair:


----------



## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I love Gluck's _Orpheo ed Euridice_, and it seems every time I decide to listen to more of his music the more I am impressed and I also feel that he seems somewhat under-appreciated. _Iphigenie en Aulide_ and _Iphigenie en Tauride _ are also full of excellent music. I hope to explore his Operas in more detail in the near future.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Here's another gem:


​
Definitely one of my favorites , Maurreen Forester - Stich-Rnadall -Steffek.:tiphat:


----------



## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

StlukesguildOhio said:


> ... Though he was extremely popular and widely credited with bringing about a revolution in French opera, Gluck's mastery of the Parisian operatic scene was never absolute, and after the poor reception of his _Echo et Narcisse_ he left Paris in disgust and returned to Vienna to live out the remainder of his life...
> 
> ...So what are any of your favorite bits by Gluck?


In fact, the premiere of Glück's _Iphigénie en Tauride_, in 1779, followed by Nicolà Piccinni's own _Iphigénie_ in 1781, was one of the high points in the rivalry of both composers, supported by two bitter antagonist parties, carrying on a kind of war, to the point of physical aggresion in the streets of Paris.

Today, while Glück's operas are still performed, those by Piccinni have been almost forgotten.

I've listened to quite a few (though not all) of his operas, and also attended several perfomances live in the theater. All in all, I think my favorite one is indeed _Iphigénie en Tauride.

_Here we can listen to the Les Musiciens du Louvre & Marc Minkowski, performing "Ô malheureuse Iphigénie". Mireille Delunsch singing:


----------



## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

schigolch said:


> [/I]Here we can listen to the Les Musiciens du Louvre & Marc Minkowski, performing "Ô malheureuse Iphigénie". Mireille Delunsch singing:


I'm deeply impressed with how greatly indebted Berlioz was to this music. I hear in this one aria virtually the foundation of his long, asymmetrical, suspended-in-space melodic arches. I'd love to know whether anyone else has noticed this.


----------



## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

I tend to agree with you. Of course, the way Glück was treating the "operatic" time, his particular way of stretching and shrinking the music, and the drama, influenced many composers, not only Berlioz, but maybe we can say especially Berlioz. It's well known the shock that was for the young Berlioz the first time he attended a live performance of "Iphigénie en Tauride" in the 1820s, and also how gratifying was for him to write the version of "Orphée et Eurydice" sung by Pauline Viardot.


----------



## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

Woodduck said:


> Gluck dared to express Orpheus's loss of his Euricice in a major key, and few singers know how to invest it with the proper emotion while preserving its Classical dignity. Here is the only interpretation of this most famous aria I know that captures fully Orpheus's grief and despair:


I'd always wondered about this. Such a cheery tune to express very non-cheery sentiments. I'm not sure if any singer can fully rescue the drama from its incongruous musical setting but I enjoyed Callas, so thanks for that!


----------



## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

The tune is so simple, that is almost a miracle how well it works. Personally, I don't have any issue with the tonal setting of "J'ai perdu mon Eurydice / Che farò senza Euridice". About singers, there are tons of versions. I like a lot this one by Kathleen Ferrier, in Italian:


----------



## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

The first Gluck I remember hearing was this, 'C'est un torrent impetueux' from 'Les Pelerins de la Mecque':






Such poise and charm and ease from the 81 year old Lucien Fugere! I have no idea what is supposed to be going on in the aria, but it's remarkable as an example of French style and unusually an electrical recording by a singer born in the 1840s.

A more dramatic piece now: 'Des noirs pressentiments' from Iphigenie en Tauride- Victor Maurel's famous recording from 1903. It may sound like it was recorded under water but it's fascinating because it's a much better vehicle for his dramatic abilities than the better known Verdi creator recordings. What amazing effects he achieves using purely musical means, including his ability to colour the voice- no Chaliapinesque ranting from this generation of singers! He conveys not just Thoas' terror but also his terrifyingness- when he sings the bit 'J'eprouve l'effroi des coupables' (I feel the terror of the culprits) there is genuine menace, for Thoas is planning to offer the next hapless stranger that crosses his path as a human sacrifice. He takes it much more slowly than Robert Massard is allowed to on the only complete recording of the opera I've heard (where the aria makes little effect) but the phrasing is always shapely and the dramatic effect is only heightened. What beautiful tone, too, for someone whose voice no longer had the strength it had in his prime. I don't know if he ever sang this role in the theatre, but it's a great example of the dramatic potential of music that can be sung as if it's purely decorative.


----------



## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

One more: the tenor aria 'Plus j'observe ces lieux' from Armide. I've chosen Agustarello Affre's recording- it has all the virtues we should expect from him, namely perfect diction, a taut vocal line, and that fascinating, lovely timbre which is dark and yet brilliant at the top. It's also interesting because it's sung more lyrically than one might expect, in contrast to the (quite appropriately) bombastic approach he takes to the tenor fort repertoire that he usually sang, with that way of attacking the note hard and so forth. As well as Renaud in Armide, he sang Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail- I really wish he had recorded something from those two operas besides the aria we are about to hear. It would have been so much more useful than umpteen versions of Deserto sulla terra, as wonderful as those are. I think that this recording (in spite of the muffled sound) really deserves to be better known as an example of French style, both as a historical performance and as a model for how this music should be sung- to the extent that a singer with a probably freak voice and an unusual style can be said to serve as a useful model to others!


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Wasn't it Mozart's father who "warned" Wolfgang about associating himself with Gluck?


----------



## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

schigolch said:


> The tune is so simple, that is almost a miracle how well it works. Personally, I don't have any issue with the tonal setting of "J'ai perdu mon Eurydice / Che farò senza Euridice". About singers, there are tons of versions. I like a lot this one by Kathleen Ferrier, in Italian:


I wish I could appreciate this iconic recording- sadly I have have a blind spot for Ferrier as well as for Che faro! I did enjoy Gerard Souzay's TV performance of the aria, though probably more for his vocal and personal beauty than for any particular dramatic insights:


----------



## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Figleaf said:


> I wish I could appreciate this iconic recording- sadly I have have a blind spot for Ferrier as well as for Che faro! I did enjoy Gerard Souzay's TV performance of the aria, though probably more for his vocal and personal beauty than for any particular dramatic insights:


Voice, style, diction - and what a lovely fellow! I've always enjoyed Souzay. All that said, It's still only Callas in this. I don't know how she does it, honestly, but she finds emotions in music none of the rest of ever suspected were there. One of life's true mysteries. But thanks for this.


----------



## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Gluck was famously criticized as a composer not having / exhibiting a scrap of counterpoint whatsoever, but when you can come up with what he did, who cares, really?

I've a major soft spot for _che puro ciel_, from Orpheus et Euridice.... here, Maureen Forrester


----------



## Metairie Road (Apr 30, 2014)

Iphigenie in Aulis - Ouverture (arr. Wagner)

Wiener Philharmoniker conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler

I've heard other versions of this that are either too fast or too slow. I think Furtwängler gets the tempo just about right (in my opinion, for what it's worth).






Einem Bach der fließt from 'Die Pilger von Mekka' - Arleen Auger





One of my favorite CD's at the moment is Gluck's one act opera 'L'Innocenza Giustificata'. I'd love to see a live production of this. The sight of the Vestal virgin Claudia dragging a ship across the stage (the Tiber) would be quite a spectacular scene.

Gluck - L'Innocenza Giustificata: Aria: D'atre nubi - Veronica Cangemi





Best wishes
Metairie Road


----------



## silentio (Nov 10, 2014)

Here is my most favorite Gluck recital. One could hardly go wrong with Dame Janet Baker






​
http://www.amazon.com/Gluck-Opera-Arias-Christoph-Willibald/dp/B00008FJHY


----------



## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Currently listening to this:










Orfeo is quite naturally the opera by Gluck that I have the most recordings of. Still nothing like what I have by Wagner or Mozart. Jacobs' may just be my favorite modern (and HIP) recording... although Gardiner's is quite fine as well. I'd need to listen to them both side by side. By favorite "old school" recording is this marvelous Dutton Labs version of the recording with Kathleen Ferrier:










Member Bigshot placed a high-quality file of this recording on the site some years back which was better than the available recordings on CD at the time... but Dutton, as expected, was a game changer.


----------



## Metairie Road (Apr 30, 2014)

Nice posts here. I'm a big fan of Gluck. I'll be the first to admit that he was not in the same league as Mozart or Handel or Haydn all of whom produced consistantly excellent music, but when Gluck was good he was very good indeed, and certainly their equal.

The aria 'O Malheureuse Iphigénie' and the additions to Orphée et Eurydice (Paris version) remind me that Gluck was a notorious recycler of his own music.

*Sesto's aria from La Clemenza di Tito*





I've listened to many of recordings of Gluck's works and there are a lot of 'Name That Tune' moments; it's become a bit of a game with me.

Some say that Gluck was lazy, but I doubt it. Composing operas on demand for rich patrons was not a career for the faint of heart. Before the era of mechanical/electronic recording; recycling was normal practice with most composers.

Best wishes
Metairie Road


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Is the Great Operas box on Decca a good place to start, or are there better individual performances? I'm listening to a radio broadcast of Alceste on YouTube w/ Von Otter and Muti. Sounds beautiful.


----------



## Metairie Road (Apr 30, 2014)

starthrower, I don't own this set but I have most of the these recordings on other CDs. This set was compiled by someone who obviously knows the subject. The seven operas in this set are certainly the ones I would have selected as Gluck's best.

The two versions of Orfeo are sufficiently different to be considered as separate operas. Decca could have justifiably included the Berloz version but I guess they had to draw the line somewhere. It's all a bit murky, maybe some friendly Gluckite could step in here and straighten out this 'version' business.

All the recordings are relatively recent (1980's to present). The sound quality is pristine - as it should be from Decca - and you'll get your fill of period instruments, countertenors, candlelight and powdered wigs.

All the performances are excellent - including Minkowski, whom I usually find annoying; He's always in such a hurry. Maybe sedatives would help.

This is a great set.

Buy it now.

That's an order.

Best wishes
Metairie Road


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Thanks! I'll probably grab it. I found a price on the box set that is only a few more dollars than some of the individual operas. I've listened to three of the operas on YouTube, and I really enjoyed them all.


----------



## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

1714 Christoph Willibald Gluck, Austrian composer


----------

