Dip Your Ears, No. 184 (Colin Davis from the Wolf’s Glen)

C.M.v.Weber, Der Freischütz Sir C.Davis / LSO / C.Brewer, S.Matthews, S.O’Neill, L.Woldt LSO Live SACDs

High Resolution Thunder

Colin Davis’ last recording was, fittingly, the Berlioz Grande Messe des morts. His last release, however, was Weber’s Der Freischütz, and that’s fitting too, because it’s frankly a much more interesting recording than the total dud that is the Berlioz. In fact, with Sally Matthews as Ännchen and Christine Brewer as Agathe, the girls’ cast is as good as it gets these days. Lars Woldt adds dark luster as Kaspar, Simon O’Neill healthy, youthful naïveté as Max, and the orchestra plays passionately and with unusual warmth and presence. Davis is jaunty in the rustic bits and deliciously dark in the spine-chilling parts. The omitted German dialogue won’t be missed by anyone who’s in it for the music. 

Charles’ review of this Der Freischütz can be read here.