Avner Werner Less

Giovanni Paisiello was one of the most admired composers of opera in the second half of the 18th century. His reputation was mainly based on his comic operas which he composed while working in Naples. Although not born in Naples, he considered himself a Neapolitan, having studied at the Conservatorio di S Onofri. Paisiello's career can be divided into three stages. In the first he concentrated on composing comic operas, mainly for Naples.

Giovanni Paisiello was one of the most admired composers of opera in the second half of the 18th century. His reputation was mainly based on his comic operas which he composed while working in Naples. Although not born in Naples, he considered himself a Neapolitan, having studied at the Conservatorio di S Onofri. Paisiello's career can be divided into three stages. In the first he concentrated on composing comic operas, mainly for Naples.

Henze recordings don’t come my way very often, but when they do I’m reminded of just how versatile a composer he is. There are also fine DVDs of his best stage works; L’Upupa und der Triumph des Sohnesliebe (Euroarts) is a treat for the eye and ear, and there’s an unmissable Ondine from Covent Garden, with Miyako Yoshida in the name part.

How odd that a German conductor and record company and an Australian orchestra should be unearthing a British composer of whom even very few Britons have heard, and symphonies by him that, around the time of their composition (the 1830s), very few Britons wanted to hear. ‘A pompous, melancholy Scotsman’ was Wagner’s unflattering description of him – inaccurate description, in fact, as Macfarren was born, mainly lived, and died a Londoner. The occasion of their meeting was a visit from Wagner (Macfarren’s exact contemporary) to London in 1855 to conduct an opera of Macfarren’s, which he seemed to enjoy rather more than the Englishman’s company, ‘on account of [the music’s] peculiarly wild, passionate nature’.