#70 The Smell of Mockery

Kožená is definitely not your typical Carmen. But listen closely to the energy, how she's hissing out, listen to the broken smile. She's superior and you have no chance.

Minkowski sets fast tempo and keeps bright sound. In the finale, the music goes into a vortex. Carmen flies high with her last whoop, while we route to drowning.

Composer: Georges Bizet
Work: Carmen, "Les tringles des sistres tintaient"
Recording: Magdalena Kožená, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Marc Minkowski

#40 The Smell of Homesick

What else to listen to, in a hotel room in an unknown city, unknown (i.e. east) coast? The song shoves you into its thrill, the verses are building upon each other, and each is so different. It takes you so high and then, there are just tears and memories...

The symbioses of voice and piano is perfect. They're waiting for each other, communicating. It's like one person singing and playing in the same time.

Composer: Leoš Janáček
Work: Moravian Folk Poetry in Songs, Muzikanti
Recording: Magdalena Kožená, Malcolm Martineau