What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol.IX)

Original 1987 Factory CD

"Published  a year after his death, Henry Purcell's eight keyboard suites were long overshadowed by his more celebrated works. They are the heirs to a characteristically English vein, shifting from humor  to seriousness in a delightful casual fashion, like the elegant grounds chosen by Richard Eggar to echo them here; the musical testament of a composer who died all too soon."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9xEmAJ1LZ8

Released six years ago, a favorite Egarr.

Doug,

Thank you for pointing out Lugansky. I will probably get his recording of the two Rachmaninov piano sonatas despite some complaints about the sound quality of the Naive disc. 

Haim

Good album for lazy sunday afternoons nursing a hangover ( should know better at my age )

Mainly Monk with 3 Rollins tracks. G

Nice Graeme.

On vinyl.

UK first press vinyl 

Johann Sebastian Bach: Piano Transcriptions - Volume 6

Jonathan Plowright (Piano)

Series 1:

Ertödt uns durch dein Güte (chorale from Cantata No. 22) BWV 22

Ach wie flüchtig,ach wie nichtig (overture from Cantat No. 26) BWV 26

Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier (organ prelude) BWV 731

Vater unser im Himmelreich (organ prelude) BWV 760

Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan (chorus from Cantata No. 99) BWV 99

Das alte Jahr vergangen ist (organ prelude) BWV 614

Jesus Christus Gottes Sohn (chorale from Cantata No. 4) BWV 4

Series 2:

Wir eilen mitschwachen, doch emsigen Schritten (duet from Cantata No. 78) BWV 78

Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen (sinfonia from Cantata No. 12) BWV 12

Mein gläubig Herz (aria from Cantata No. 68) BWV 68

O Menschen, die ihr täglich sündigt (aria from Cantata No. 122) BWV 122

Das Brausen von den rauhen Winden (aria from Cantata No. 92) BWV 92

Die Welt ist wie ein Rauch und Schatten (aria from Cantata No. 94) BWV 94

Zu Tanze, zu Sprunge (aria (‘Pan’s dancing song’) from Cantata No. 201) BWV 201

Series 3:

Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal (overture from Cantata No. 146) BWV 146

Dein Name gleich der Sonnen geh (Leopold Serenata from Cantata No. 173a) BWV 173a

Lass dich nimmer von der Liebe berücken (cembalo obbligato from Cantata No. 203) BWV 203

Stürze zu Boden (aria from Cantata No. 126) BWV 126

Dich hab ich je und je geliebt (aria from Cantata No. 49) BWV 49

O Gott, du frommer Gott (choral overture from Cantata No. 94) BWV 94

Esurientes implevit bonis aus Magnificat (aria from Magnificat) BWV 243

Series 4:

Gelobet sei mein Gott (chorale finale from Cantata No .129) BWV 129

Die Seele ruht in Jesu Händen (aria from Cantata No. 127) BWV 127

Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir (Michaelis-Ouverture from Cantata No. 130) BWV 130

Vom Himmel hoch, da komm’ ich her (chorale prelude from Christmas Oratorio) BWV 248

Here on Volume 6 already of this Bach Piano Transcription series I can hardly contain my enthusiasm anymore.  After each volume previously, I always felt the current one I had listened to was the best so far.  With Volume 6, this is no exception either but I wonder if this one is also the most challenging too?  One may not get it right off and it may take countless listening and a long time to take root.  This is perfect for me actually.  The best things that ever came to me in life were the toughest things that I did not understand and had to find through sweat and persistence.  The vast majority of transcriptions previously stemmed from organ or violin works but in this volume Rummel derives 22 or his 25 adaptations from choral / vocal works.

First off I have to say that the life of Walter Rummel is fascinating to me as he grew up at the tale end in a world of music and musical endeavors that were common place of the time and nearly foreign in the world of today – hence, my continual need to dream and rely on nostalgia.  An interesting side note was that his maternal grandfather, Samuel F. B. Morse, was the inventor of the telegraph.  He grew up in Berlin but obviously had American & British blood. 

His choice of focusing on Bach’s choral works (Cantatas, Oratorios) really is the first indication of who this man was.  Added to this was his true Romantic nature - that is a musical soul that could apply an equal mix of Apollonian and Dionysian characteristics to himself.  He had a need for order, self-discipline and rational behavior but juxtaposed against the sensual, passionate and emotional aspects of our human condition.

To give you an idea of his view and style, here from the Hyperion program notes is a quote by Rummel:

The deep study of the musical text is as important for the musician–interpreter as the study of fingerprints is for the detective. In truth, the interpreter is the detective of musical sounds and rhythms […] The composer bewitches music, holding it captive behind the prison of five lines; but the interpreter breaks the spell that holds the bewitched princess, he frees Music (‘Pensées musicales’, in a programme booklet for 27 November 1929, Salle Pleyel).

As I indicated earlier that this volume (and maybe the whole series) could be difficult to relate to and that may depend too on just how well you know the original piece or selection.  My enthusiasm is usually connected only to my love or the joy I receive from hearing the (familiar) music or tune and never on the constraint of the idea that it ceases to be important or valid when the form it is delivered in changes.  The connection to Bach and the music is just as important between the ideal, textbook, academic rendering and when I pathetically sing or hum the same musical idea in my shower (and every context or situation in between).  If this were not so then I don’t think we could call it music anymore.

Rummel did tend to occasional double the octave or require a bit more pedal than some might tolerate but this is all inconsequential to me and what I receive in return paid as musical pleasure.  There are too many wonderful creations on these two discs to mention them all.  An interesting one is Overture from Cantata No. 146 (Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal).  Most people when they hear this will say I know this??  Hmmm, isn’t this similar to the d-minor keyboard concerto.  Why yes it is !!!   ...Bach did what????  And this is what fascinates me about the many that would never listen to a transcription or believe Bach would never do this or that or allow a piece he wrote for harpsichord on the piano or in this case use an idea he wrote in a Cantata and turn it into a keyboard concerto.  Well, actually he did do this and enough said…

Possibly the apex of this disc for me, for some reason, is Die Seele ruht in Jesu Händen which is the aria from Cantata No. 127.  Nothing flashy here at all as it quietly unfolds but it only reflects the deep nature that is so entrenched within so much of the music of Bach.  Rummel's take on this is decidedly Romantic period giving it a surreal, dreamy atmosphere as it peels your heart away ruthlessly one layer at a time.  It feels like Schubert at times or even late Liszt yet all the while we are getting closer to Bach than ever.

The disc ends appropriately with Martin Luther’s, Vom Himmel hoch, da komm’ ich her, which comes from the Christmas Cantata and has sparse architecture and more than six minutes of near quiet to end as our doxology.

On vinyl. The 1990s Classic Records version.

In preparation of washing two cars.

Weirdly enough Haim, I'm listening to this (on vinyl)

Bernard Haitink, Das Rheingold

 R2R 1970 - It sounds pretty good on this old format. Sorry could not stop the music just to take a pic. Sure you'll all understand.

Kevin,

How many cars are you washing today?

On the Original Black!

And now his latest again on the Black!

None, as I don't have a car.

But I have been steam cleaning the bathroom and the kitchen - does that count?

Cor!