AnotherSpin Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 12 minutes ago, Musicophile said: I find Haydn's string quartets to be much more attractive to me than his symphonies. I have yet to find my perfect version but like the Quatuor Mosaique's HIP approach very much, especially after having seen them live, playing op 33 some years ago. +1 Link to comment
AnotherSpin Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 Going back to Haydn symphonies – while 'London' cycle of last 12 symphonies seem to be very popular and often recorded, I prefer some of middle figures symphonies from 'Sturm und Drang' period. 49th, 'La passione' probably most of all. accwai 1 Link to comment
sphinxsix Posted May 30, 2017 Author Share Posted May 30, 2017 Just got this: And I'm very happy. Don't know any other versions but I think it's great. So what would your essential Bach recordings (cello suites, Goldberg v, keybord concertos, mass in b minor, orchestral suites, sonatas, partitas, fugue, Brandenburg concertos, WT clavier, anything else.?) be.? Link to comment
accwai Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 On 5/29/2017 at 4:26 PM, Old Listener said: Well, I'm a big Haydn fan so I'll weigh in. There is no set of all 12 London symphonies that I'd recommend for purchase. [...] That leaves No. 104. my favorite is Kuijken/La Petite Bande. I like McGegan/Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra a lot too. These are HIP / Period Instrument recordings. Thanks. What do you think of the Kuijken/La Petite Bande London symphonies set as a whole? 9 hours ago, AnotherSpin said: Going back to Haydn symphonies – while 'London' cycle of last 12 symphonies seem to be very popular and often recorded, I prefer some of middle figures symphonies from 'Sturm und Drang' period. 49th, 'La passione' probably most of all. Well yes. At one point I was considering the complete Dorati set. But then I came across the 7 disc Tafelmusik/Bruno Weil set which has a good selection in the 45-65 range, plus the Paris symphonies. So now I'm probably going to do something about the London symphonies and be done with this stuff. Link to comment
AnotherSpin Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 5 hours ago, sphinxsix said: Just got this: And I'm very happy. Don't know any other versions but I think it's great. So what would your essential Bach recordings (cello suites, Goldberg v, keybord concertos, mass in b minor, orchestral suites, sonatas, partitas, fugue, Brandenburg concertos, WT clavier, anything else.?) be.? This is a question. Well, there is about ten or fifteen essential recordings of each Cello Suites and Goldberg Var. which I am not willing to part with. My recommendation will be too lengthy. Also it changes constantly, one time I prefer HIP approach, the other time I am listening to modern renditions, than again HIP...) At the same time I believe there was a discussions for both pieces at CA before - I guess many people were sharing their preferences there, me too. Sorry..) Link to comment
Popular Post Old Listener Posted May 31, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted May 31, 2017 4 hours ago, accwai said: Thanks. What do you think of the Kuijken/La Petite Bande London symphonies set as a whole? Other than 103/104, they sound undernourished. 4 hours ago, accwai said: Well yes. At one point I was considering the complete Dorati set. But then I came across the 7 disc Tafelmusik/Bruno Weil set which has a good selection in the 45-65 range, plus the Paris symphonies. So now I'm probably going to do something about the London symphonies and be done with this stuff. I have the Tafelmusik CDs and like them. Good sound, crisp performances. (HIP) An enjoyable set. My favorite for the Paris Symphonies as a set is Bruggen. However, a different performance on a single CD with 88 is my favorite for that work. Bernstein/NYPO is still one of my favorites for 82. accwai and AnotherSpin 2 Link to comment
Popular Post Old Listener Posted May 31, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted May 31, 2017 13 hours ago, AnotherSpin said: Going back to Haydn symphonies – while 'London' cycle of last 12 symphonies seem to be very popular and often recorded, I prefer some of middle figures symphonies from 'Sturm und Drang' period. 49th, 'La passione' probably most of all. My favorite works in that period are 45, 39 (a nervous, unsettled minor key work like 45) and 48 (a manic C major work.) The Derek Solomons/L'Estro Armonico performances of these and other works in this period. A few works are on Sony CDs and the rest are available as transfers from LPs from Haydn House I think. My other favorite performances are by David Blum/Esterhazy Orchestra. These were on Vanguard CDs. MP3 versions in in two Vox Haydn and Haydn Symphonies Big Boxes for $ 0.99 from Amazon for a huge amount of music. Other people have made good recordings of Haydn 'Sturm und Drang' works too. There is a lot of first rate Haydn beyond the London, Paris and 'Sturm und Drang' symphonies. How about 88-92 for a start? Musicophile, accwai and AnotherSpin 3 Link to comment
Musicophile Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 9 hours ago, sphinxsix said: So what would your essential Bach recordings (cello suites, Goldberg v, keybord concertos, mass in b minor, orchestral suites, sonatas, partitas, fugue, Brandenburg concertos, WT clavier, anything else.?) be.? I have yet to find my perfect version of the keyboard concertos, and am torn on the best violin concertos (Podger, Ibragimova, other) but for the rest see below. https://musicophilesblog.com/2015/07/15/bachs-goldberg-variations-and-the-brilliant-pierre-hantai/ https://musicophilesblog.com/2015/08/26/gramophone-award-nominees-baroque-instrumental-a-quick-note-before-its-too-late/ https://musicophilesblog.com/2016/02/04/celine-frischs-beautiful-well-tempered-clavier/ https://musicophilesblog.com/2016/02/11/my-favorite-version-of-the-brandenburg-concertos/ https://musicophilesblog.com/2016/03/25/st-johns-passion-philippe-pierlot-ricercar-consort/ https://musicophilesblog.com/2016/08/16/my-reflections-on-the-2016-gramophone-awards-part-ii-baroque-vocal/ https://musicophilesblog.com/2016/08/18/my-reflections-on-the-2016-gramophone-awards-part-iii-instrumental/ https://musicophilesblog.com/2016/11/13/murray-perahias-french-suites-a-must-have/ https://musicophilesblog.com/2017/04/09/easter-is-coming-up-again-time-to-recommend-a-new-outstanding-matthew-passion-recording-by-john-eliot-gardiner/ sphinxsix 1 Check out my blog at musicophilesblog.com - From Keith Jarrett to Johannes Brahms Link to comment
sphinxsix Posted May 31, 2017 Author Share Posted May 31, 2017 4 hours ago, AnotherSpin said: This is a question I know 4 hours ago, AnotherSpin said: At the same time I believe there was a discussions for both pieces at CA before That's right - I've found these threads, thanks! @Musicophile Thanks! I was just browsing your blog. What would be your second recommendation for cello suites (I've got Watkin but would willingly add one more version to my collection)? Link to comment
Musicophile Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 5 minutes ago, sphinxsix said: I know That's right - I've found these threads, thanks! @Musicophile Thanks! I was just browsing your blog. What would be your second recommendation for cello suites (I've got Watkin but would willingly add one more version to my collection)? So many. But I personally like Isserlis a lot. https://musicophilesblog.com/2015/05/26/bach-cello-suites-purity-at-the-highest-level/ sphinxsix 1 Check out my blog at musicophilesblog.com - From Keith Jarrett to Johannes Brahms Link to comment
Popular Post Bob Stern Posted May 31, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted May 31, 2017 Rostropovich Musicophile and sphinxsix 2 HQPlayer (on 3.8 GHz 8-core i7 iMac 2020) > NAA (on 2012 Mac Mini i7) > RME ADI-2 v2 > Benchmark AHB-2 > Thiel 3.7 Link to comment
AnotherSpin Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 5 hours ago, Bob Stern said: Rostropovich That would be my minus recommendation. 6 hours ago, sphinxsix said: I know That's right - I've found these threads, thanks! @Musicophile Thanks! I was just browsing your blog. What would be your second recommendation for cello suites (I've got Watkin but would willingly add one more version to my collection)? Ok, for cello suites. I would suggest to try Thedeen, recent Wispelwey, Bylsma from 1979, Schiff. Watkin is very good. First recording by Ophelie Gaillard is mesmerizing. sphinxsix 1 Link to comment
sphinxsix Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 Been listening to The Well-Tempered Clavier performed by Andrass Schiff this morning. I love it. Got also Gould and Aimard versions. Any other performances would get your strong recommendations, guys besides Celine Frisch mentioned by @Musicophile ? And one more question - a single Bach organ album (would expect the sound quality to be top-notch - with great church acoustics and 'demonstration' quality bass in addition to good musical performance).? As usually - thanks in advance! Link to comment
Musicophile Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 4 minutes ago, sphinxsix said: Been listening to The Well-Tempered Clavier performed by Andrass Schiff this morning. I love it. Got also Gould and Aimard versions. Any other performances would get your strong recommendations, guys besides Celine Frisch mentioned by @Musicophile ? And one more question - a single Bach organ album (would expect the sound quality to be top-notch - with great church acoustics and 'demonstration' quality bass in addition to good musical performance).? As usually - thanks in advance! On the WTC: I'd either go old-school with Richter (my first recording of this, so I may be biased): or alternatively Angela Hewitt: With regards to Organ, I'm really not an expert. I can only recommend Suzuki, well recorded on BIS. Haven't tried vol. 2 yet, but it's supposed to be very good as well, according to reviews. You'll probably get better advice from others on the organ works though. sphinxsix 1 Check out my blog at musicophilesblog.com - From Keith Jarrett to Johannes Brahms Link to comment
sphinxsix Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 Just now, Musicophile said: or alternatively Angela Hewitt: I do have a very good opinion on her performing Bach in General. Would you agree? (I don't have her WTC though). Link to comment
Musicophile Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 42 minutes ago, sphinxsix said: I do have a very good opinion on her performing Bach in General. Would you agree? (I don't have her WTC though). Hewitt has a very personal style in Bach, but she always has something to say. She clearly is one of the leading Bach players of our time. Check out my blog at musicophilesblog.com - From Keith Jarrett to Johannes Brahms Link to comment
Popular Post AnotherSpin Posted June 4, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted June 4, 2017 WTC: I've been cherishing Rosalyn Tureck recording for years, however, the sound quality is well beyond modern standards. I like Zhu Xiao-Mei piano recording, Blandine Verlet from harpsichord versions. sphinxsix and Musicophile 2 Link to comment
Popular Post WAM Posted June 4, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted June 4, 2017 Aahhh... favorite Bach recordings... I have got most of his solo works in multiple versions. Which one I like most, depends on my mood (ask me tomorrow, and fat chance you will get different list). But there are a few recordings I like a little bit more then the others. - Cello Suites: Fournier, Wispelwey (the Evil Penguin recording). Also worth checking out: Mayke Rademakers. - Sonatas & Partitas for Violin: Nathan Milstein, Isabelle Faust. - WTK: Richter. Nice alternative book one: Pollini. - Goldberg Variations: Koroliov. - English Suites/French Suites: Perahia. - KdF: Angela Hewitt. Also very good, but " for something completely different": Emerson String Quartet - Partitas: Schiff - Inventionen: Fellner If you want a one-box-solution for the keyboard works: Ivo Janssen (rather nice, gets a lot of playing time, actually). > I avoid harpsichord and organ (sorry.. just don't bear it...). Musicophile and sphinxsix 2 Link to comment
sphinxsix Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 @WAM Thanks! 8 hours ago, WAM said: " for something completely different": Emerson String Quartet Sounds intriguing! Will check it out for sure. 8 hours ago, WAM said: I avoid harpsichord Not in 100% but I'm not a fan of its sound either. Link to comment
Popular Post Norton Posted June 6, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted June 6, 2017 Echoing Teresa's comments a few pages back, I can't speak for anyone else, but these would be among my essential classical albums, as in the first on my list to replace if I lost my music collection. Most are RBCD, but exceptional performances and recordings preferable IMO to HiRes competitors. https://www.discogs.com/Händel-Academy-Of-St-Martin-in-the-Fields-Neville-Marriner-Concerti-Grossi-Opus-3-And-Opus-6/release/6517977 (On CD too) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Handel-Messiah-Georg-Friederich/dp/B000003FB8 https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Concertos-Orchestras/J-S-Bach-Violin-Concertos-Rachel-Podger/B003X06BFW https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vaughan-Williams-Complete-Symphonies-Adrian/dp/B00004YA0V http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Lyrita/SRCD221 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgar-Dream-Gerontius-Music-Makers/dp/B00000GCAV https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgar-Concerto-Pictures-Overture-Cockaigne/dp/B010OVTNES/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_15_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=F593EGRYP2KQYAMRW0V9 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mahler-Complete-Symphonies-Decca-Collectors/dp/B0000041Z6 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rachmaninov-Piano-Concertos-Nos-1-4/dp/B00000427L/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_15_img_0/258-4835457-6711019?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RN06J4F8DZ54DBETC8H7 https://referencerecordings.com/recording/bruckner-symphony-9/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bruckner-Symphonies-4-9-Otto-Klemperer/dp/B008YKRRH2 https://referencerecordings.com/recording/copland-100-minnesota-orchestra/ http://www.allmusic.com/album/aaron-copland-billy-the-kid-and-rodeo-suite-ferde-grofégrand-canyon-suite-mw0001812294 https://mariinskylabel.com/collections/products/products/tchaikovsky-the-nutcracker?variant=22552232711 http://www.wyastone.co.uk/finzi-let-us-garlands-bring-farewell-to-arms.html https://www.highdeftapetransfers.com/products/balakirev-symphony-no-1-in-c-major-kiril-kondrashin-moscow-philharmonic-orchestra-pure-dsd https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sir-William-Waltons-Film-Music/dp/B000000AL8 christopher3393 and sphinxsix 2 Link to comment
sphinxsix Posted June 6, 2017 Author Share Posted June 6, 2017 @Norton Thanks for this! Appreciated! Link to comment
Popular Post accwai Posted June 6, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted June 6, 2017 On 6/4/2017 at 5:00 PM, WAM said: I avoid harpsichord On 6/5/2017 at 2:01 AM, sphinxsix said: Not in 100% but I'm not a fan of its sound either. The difference between piano and harpsichord goes much deeper than the sound. For me their expressions are fundamentally different and are not interchangeable. How plausible a piano rendition is depends on the piece itself. A lot of the more well known Bach pieces work Ok with piano. But some do not translate well to piano at all. Those are usually closer to fantasticus style. And they are the ones essential to me personally. Story: In a recent local music festival, ARCT List A is divided into WTC and non-WTC categories. Almost everybody in the non-WTC group played one of the Toccatas in the BWV 910-916 range. Some of them are very expressive in piano terms, but not a single one even come close to the fantastic and extravagant style required for these pieces. At the end, the adjudicator mentioned to one of the players "I'd be very interested in hearing you play Chopin." Umm... Plus many of the French Baroque keyboard work do not make much sense when played on piano. François Couperin is a good example. Even Angela Hewitt is unable to pull a rabbit out of the hat here. It's perfectly fine to remove harpsichord from your consideration, but doing that will also render a rather substential portion of Baroque keyboard works inaccessible. Just my 2 cents... sphinxsix, Musicophile, christopher3393 and 1 other 4 Link to comment
Musicophile Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 4 hours ago, accwai said: The difference between piano and harpsichord goes much deeper than the sound. For me their expressions are fundamentally different and are not interchangeable. How plausible a piano rendition is depends on the piece itself. A lot of the more well known Bach pieces work Ok with piano. But some do not translate well to piano at all. Those are usually closer to fantasticus style. And they are the ones essential to me personally. Story: In a recent local music festival, ARCT List A is divided into WTC and non-WTC categories. Almost everybody in the non-WTC group played one of the Toccatas in the BWV 910-916 range. Some of them are very expressive in piano terms, but not a single one even come close to the fantastic and extravagant style required for these pieces. At the end, the adjudicator mentioned to one of the players "I'd be very interested in hearing you play Chopin." Umm... Plus many of the French Baroque keyboard work do not make much sense when played on piano. François Couperin is a good example. Even Angela Hewitt is unable to pull a rabbit out of the hat here. It's perfectly fine to remove harpsichord from your consideration, but doing that will also render a rather substential portion of Baroque keyboard works inaccessible. Just my 2 cents... I'm much less sophisticated than Accwai on this topic but agree that harpsichord really is a different animal and an acquired taste. But it is one well worth acquiring as it opens up a whole new universe. (Writing this while listening to Jean Rondeau play his beautiful harpsichord on "Imagine"). sphinxsix 1 Check out my blog at musicophilesblog.com - From Keith Jarrett to Johannes Brahms Link to comment
Bob Stern Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Two comments on harpsichord music: 1. I normally find solo harpsichord tiresome, so I prefer Bach on the piano. However, Scarlatti is an exception for me. His music is so perfectly adapted to the sound of the harpsichord that I enjoy it that way. I'm no Scarlatti expert, but the recordings I enjoy are the recent ones by Hantaï and the old ones by Ralph Kirkpatrick. On the modern piano, Horowitz often played Scarlatti, and he has a distinctive style. 2. I enjoy the unusual color the harpsichord can add to some 20th Century compositions, similar to Bartok's use of the celeste in his "Music for Strings, Percussion & Celeste" (fantastic piece — do listen if you don’t know it). Dutilleux—Les Citations for oboe, harpsi, bass, percussion. Schnittke's Symphony 4 (1984) includes harpsichord, celeste & piano, but not recommended unless you like modern music. christopher3393 1 HQPlayer (on 3.8 GHz 8-core i7 iMac 2020) > NAA (on 2012 Mac Mini i7) > RME ADI-2 v2 > Benchmark AHB-2 > Thiel 3.7 Link to comment
Bob Stern Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Here's another 20th Century piece with harpsichord, just as good as Dutilleux and much more approachable than Schnittke: Kokkonen—Durch einen Spiegel (1977) Metamorphosis for Harpsichord & 12 Strings, Vanska conducting Lahti Sym, on BIS 528. HQPlayer (on 3.8 GHz 8-core i7 iMac 2020) > NAA (on 2012 Mac Mini i7) > RME ADI-2 v2 > Benchmark AHB-2 > Thiel 3.7 Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now