viola da gamba

Ken,

my favourite viola da gamba disc  [i have quite a few favourites]  

The film is highly recommended too! 

From what i can see on Amazon it costs less to buy it in this 4 x DVD boxset of 4 films:

2 of these films are crap admittedly ~

but Tous les matins du monde & Le Colonel Chabert are both 5 star

plus both use music that makes these films very special.

Debs 

thanks Debs, i already have that CD -- plus others. will probably get the film as well...

enjoy

ken

Hi ken,

I have no recordings of the viola da gamba, but I do have two recordings featuring a somewhat related instrument: the viola d'amore. This instrument is held like a violin, but has 6 or 7 strings that are played as well as a number of sympathetic strings that are not played, but vibrate in sympathy with the strings that are played.

Antonio Vivaldi composed six concertos for the viola d'amore which are catalogued as RV 392-397. The recording I prefer is by I Solisti Veneti conducted by Claudio Scimone on the Erato label. The viola d'amore soloist is Nane Calabrese. I recommend this recording without reservation.

The second recording features Fabio Biondi, and while it is quite good, it seems to pale in comparison with the above recording IMHO. But horses for courses and all that...

Cheers

BBM

Within this forum I was pointed to the below recording. Had to get used to it - but then liked it quite a lot. I don't have more of this kind of stuff.

Nikolaus Harnoncourt playing Viola de Gamba.

And Frans Brüggen on Flute.

Original Telefunken pressing sounds wonderful.

another one of my favourites:

Sophie Watillon 1965 - 2005

[tragically suffered with cancer and died aged just 39]

Apart from her solo works she was also member of Jordi Savall's Hesperian XXI, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, and Le Concert des Nations.

It should be said anything composed by Marais, and played by Jordi Savall is rather superb : )

Debs

Watillon remains in a class of her own. 

Lucile Boulanger is an excellent gambist of the newer generation. Her recording of the Bach gamba sonatas (on Alpha) isn't my first choice (Pandolfo/Alessandrini on HM remains supreme), but well worth having.

Cheers,

EJ

This recent release is very good...

Gee thanks guys. i will let you know what i think when i get the recordings. learnt a new term - "gambist" !

enjoy

ken

i could have sworn i already had the above but just checked -- nope!

what I have:

Marin Marais- Pieces a deux violes du premier livre, 1686

Marin Marais- Pièces de viole du second Livre, 1701

Marin Marias- Suitte d'un Goût Etranger

Marin Marias- Suitte d'un Goût Etranger [CD 2]

enjoy

ken

Hille Perle, any of her recordings. This is good place to start :

Margaret Little solo :

Or Margaret Little and Suzie Napper (Les Voix Humaines)  "Telepathic communication" between the two artists :

http://www.lesvoixhumaines.org...dex.php?s=1&l=en

There are four volumes in this series. Well worth investigating for the playing and recording quality.

Jan

+ 1 for the viola d'amore and the scordatura tuning. My favourite here is :

This is also available on the Analakta website as a hi-res download (24/88). The 16/44 version is already very good, but the hi-res version adds an extra level of detail in the treble, noticeable on the viola d'amore's upper harmonics.

Track 18, Ah que l'amour, aria for viole d'amore, is a standout.

Jan

An outstanding performance of Nima Ben David an a pristine sound provided by MA Recordings:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80mF23zen6s

... and this one too ... more will likely follow. many thanks for suggestion.

enjoy

ken

How are you getting on with this one Ken?

fantastic music in these troubled times Jan-Erik -- thanks for following up. As it happens, my system is in good voice -- and so the combination is quite divine - pacifying even. thanks for the suggestion -- i got a few more that i have been going through as well -- not one disappointment so far!

enjoy

ken

There's something otherworldy about Schenk's music, which I didn't know until this record. Or perhaps its Hille Perl's playing. Can't be sure, but the net result is far off mainstream baroque. Refreshing. But then, music has always been about experimentation and exploration, so why should it have been any different 300 years ago?

A real joy to rediscover this one through the 252+SuperCap into the venerable 250. As you say, pacifying, but there are layers beneath that. Probably the 252 doing its thing. Must be quite something with the 552.

Jan

Oh man, you can say that again!

enjoy

ken

one should feel lucky to have access to such good music, shouldn't one?

enjoy

ken

On Radio 3 right now, featuring 

"Jordi Savall plays music for viola da gamba by Marais, Sainte-Colombe and Bach."

enjoy

ken