A Record Library

Fredrik,

It is only one page, so seems silly to buy the whole thing. I rarely reread the articles anyway so I shall send it to you.

regards, Tam

Dear Tam,

Only a page for a whole mag! Well in that case I'll enjoy your precis! Fredrik

quote:

Originally posted by Tam:

Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Jonathan Miller, Alan Bennett:
-The Complete Beyond the Fringe


regards, Tam

What no Derek and Clive then? Truely one of the funniest moments must be from "Jump", to probably misquote:

"We haven't laughted so much so Grandma died or Auntie Mabel caught her left tit in the mangle"

Doubly funny at age 15 with an Auntie Mabel.

Jono

quote:

Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:
Only a page for a whole mag!

Indeed. He's clearly not as photogenic as one Anna Catrina Antonacci. Mind you, I've not been able to get on with the Gramophone's bizarre editorial decisions since they virtually ignored Mackerras's 80th. Fortunately, Radio 3 did him proud.

regards, Tam

Fredrik,

It seems I have slightly mislead you! I had naively assumed that a page headed 'A Boult Bounty', and with a photograph of the great man, might be entirely about Boult. There are, in fact, merely 3 paragraphs, covering 3 reissues (Elgar and Mendelssohn violin concertos and Elgar's second symphony).

regards, Tam

quote:

Originally posted by Jono 13:
What no Derek and Clive then?

Is that available on CD?

Damn, something else I'll have to buy!

regards, Tam

Tam, check out the link for Derek and Clive stuff.

http://www.townsend-records.co.uk/artist.php?artist=Derek+And+Clive

Jono

For smu. Fredrik

For EW, Fred

I thought Cramps were what was used to hold the front of a violin down while the glue stuck! [Smiley]! Fredrik

Since Fredrik and Tam have posted their lists of chosen recordings above, I would like to do the same. This is a rather hard task. I tend to collect multiple recordings of my favourite works, and all the recordings, I own, are worth a listen several times and most of them much more. But in order not to make the list too long, I have opted for the method Tam used above, so in case I own more than four interpretations of a certain work or work-cycle, I have decided to list my two or three preferred versions in casual order, beginning with the most important instrumental-music of Bach. Basically I am a HIP-ster, but not so much as to exclude extraordinary non-HIP interpretations. A problem is, that some of my preferred versions at the moment are out of print (oop), but I am convinced, that most of these will be made available again.


Brandenburg Concertos 1 – 6 :

For hip-sters:

Linde Consort led by Hans-Martin Linde (EMI) (oop)

English Concert led by Trevor Pinnock (Archive)

Freiburger Barockorchester led by Gottfried van der Goltz (TDK DVD)

La Stravaganza, Hamburg led by Siegbert Rampe (Virgin)

For non hip-sters:

Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York / Richard Kapp (Sony)

Combattimento Consort, Amsterdam led by Jan Willem de Vriend (Chall)
This recording is one of the finest, I ever have heard. Modern instruments are used, but hip-style adapted in a playful and inventive and never mannered way.


Violin Concertos:

Akiko Suwanai with Chamber Orchestra of Europe (Philips)
A modern instrumental performance with hip playing style. Fast, light and brilliant.

Kolja Blacher with Cologne Chamber Orchestra / Müller-Brühl (Naxos)

Wolfgang Schneiderhan with Lucerne Festival Strings led by Rudolf Baumgartner (DG/Archiv)
A bit dry and academic, but in service of the music.

Sigiswald Kuijken with La Petite Bande (German Harmonia Mundi)


Harpsichord Concertos (complete):

Robert Levin et alii with Bach-Collegium, Stuttgart / Helmut Rilling (Haenssler)

Robert Hill et alii with Cologne Chamber Orchestra / Müller-Brühl

Trevor Pinnock et alii with English Concert (Archiv)

Concerti for one harpsichord and strings:

Nbs.1, 2 & 3:
Lars Ulrik Mortensen with Concerto Copenhagen (CPO)
Very spirited performance
Nbs.1, 2, 4 & 5:
Ralph Kirkpatrick with Lucerne Festival Strings / Rudolf Baumgartner (Archiv)
Even a bit academic, plain music making


Orchestral Ouvertures:

The Boston Early Music Soloists / William Malloch (Koch)
A hip-performance, stressing the original dance character of the music.

Linde Consort / Hans-Martin Linde (EMI or Virgin)

English Concert / Trevor Pinnock (Archiv, his first recording of the suites ca. 1984)



Sonatas and Suites for solo violin:

Rachel Podger (Channel Classics)
She really makes music of these almost unplayable works

Nathan Milstein (DG)

Julia Fischer (Penta Tone Classics)
She is very young, and her interpretation is not always “mature”. But she has got a rare command of the violin (resulting in “shivering down Sjust´s spine”), and I understand why. She plays the four part fugues and the virtuosic last movements of the Sonatas apparently completely effortless, actually reminding me of the super human virtuosity of the young recorder player Michala Petri and with much the same tendency to mechanical rhythm. She is less successful in the more reflective pieces, most notably the Preludes and slow third movements of the sonatas.

And not to forget

Nigel North´s brilliant arrangements for luth (Linn Classics)
And
Gustav Leonhardts arrangements for harpsichord (German Harmonia Mundi)


Suites for solo violoncello.

Morten Zeuthen (Classico) My preferred version – not because he is Danish and even a distant relative (I don´t know him personally), but because his playing is agile and very dancing, pure joy.

Wieland Kuijken (Arcana) Meditative, introvert, often a bit sombre.

Ralph Kirchbaum (Virgin) Pure beauty, both the instrument and his way of handling it.

Pierre Fournier (DG) His noble interpretation does much more for me, than the (dare I say it?) fuzzy Casals or the creamy Rostropowitsch.


Sonates for traverse flute and cembalo / continuo:

Frantz Brüggen / Gustav Leonhardt (Sony)
Only the authentic sonatas.

Eckhardt Haupt / Christina Schornsheim
Even the non-authentic sonatas.


Sonatas for violin and cembalo / continuo:

John Holloway / Davitt Moroney (Virgin)

Elisabeth Blumenstock / John Butt (French Harmonia Mundi)

Both beautiful and expressive interpretations in hip-style.


Sonatas for viola da gamba and cembalo:

Vittorio Ghielmi / Lorenzo Ghielmi (Ars Musici)
Lorenzo Ghielmi plays on a period fortepiano, rather interesting combination.

Ekkehard Weber / Robert Hill (Ars Musici)
Robert Hill plays on a lute-harpsichord, an interesting combination too.

John Dornenburg / Malcolm Proud (Brilliant Classics – part of the Bach set)


Musicalisches Opfer:

Jordi Savall with the Hantaï brothers (Astreé)

Gustav Leonhardt with the Kuijken brothers (Sony)


Die Kunst der Fuge

Harpsichord versions:

Gustav Leonhardt (German Harmonia Mundi)
Assisted by Bob van Asperen in the mirror fugues.

Menno van Delft (Brilliant Classics – part of the Bach set)

Davitt Moroney (French Harmonia Mundi)

Leonhardt is tense and expressive, Delft calm and cantabile, Moroney dry and strict.
Every way has got its own advantages.

Organ versions:

Helmut Walcha (Archiv) Powerful, expressive.

Wolfgang Rübsam (Philips 1977) (oop)

Hakan Wikman (Finlandia)



Complete organ works:
My general recommendations are recordings that constitute parts of more or less complete cycles.

Hans Fagius (Brilliant Classics) playing on restored Swedish baroque organs. Sometimes a bit severe, but he has always got the complete grasp of the music.

Marie-Claire Alain (Erato) recorded the cycle three times. The first and second are oop. The third cycle in DDD was recorded on restored German and Dutch organs. Generally a most imposing version, as to organ sound and style.

Helmut Walcha (Archiv) made two cycles, both on historical organs. They complement in a way each other, and I find them both mandatory for people, who are seriously interested in Bach´s organ works. Walcha´s style is severe and austere, and to the stylistically aware listener his style may seem contrived in its stubborn individuality, but his actual playing says very much about the music, which you don´t hear elsewhere.

Peter Hurford (Decca) . Hurford plays on well chosen modern organs. He plays with great authority, his primary aim (like Walcha´s) to demonstrate the structure and counterpoint of Bach´s music. He plays with a strong rhythmic sense and detailed clear articulation, and the more I listen to him, the more I find even him mandatory. He may also seem a little severe sometimes, but not annoyingly so.

Concerning the question of historical organs contra modern copies. Old organs have acquired a certain amount of patina during the time, which passed since they were built, and it is true, that you can´t build an organ to day with patina built into it. But how did the now historical organs sound when they were newly-built? We don´t know, but if I say, that they didn´t have patina, nobody can contradict me. So you see, maybe the sound of modern copies of baroque organs is more like the sound of the historical organs, as e.g. Bach heard them. From that point of view, I find the use of modern copies well substantiated, and from a historical point of view maybe even preferable. This doesn´t change the fact, that historical organs (with their patina) sound much better than newly built organs. Like good red wine, gets better with age.


Harpsichord works:

As is the case with Walcha´s recordings of the organ works, I also find his recordings of Bach´s harpsichord works mandatory, and for the same reason. I even dare to claim, that his harpsichord recordings are more original and expressive than his organ recordings (except perhaps the Art of Fugue). You may tire of his uniform tense touch, but in the long run it lends the music an incomparable intensity. He has recorded for Odeon (now EMI) the WTC, the Partitas, the English and the French Suites, the French Ouverture, the Italian Concert, the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, the Goldbergs and the two- and three part Inventions. The recordings are difficult to find, some of them are released in Japan, and French EMI has released the WTC,Goldbergs and Inventions on CD.

Other recommendations:

WTC :

Gustav Leonhardt (German Harmonia Mundi)
Tense and concentrated.

Kenneth Gilbert (Archive)
Beautifully flowing.


Partitas:

Gustav Leonhardt , either (German Harmonia Mundi) or (Virgin)
The first concentrated and expressive, the second more smooth, but with much energy.

Masaaki Suzuki (BIS) very tense and expressive, his most impressive harpsichord recording.


English Suites:

Gustav Leonhardt, either (Sony) or (Virgin).
The same can be said as of the Partitas.

Alan Curtis (Teldec)
Pupil of Leonhardt and much influenced by him. But more distinguished “French” in the style.


French Suites:

Alan Curtis (Teldec) look under English Suites.

Ton Koopman (Erato)
The controversial Koopman strikes just right in this recording with his friendly, intimate mood.


Goldbergs:

Pierre Hantaï (Opus 111) .
Very inventive and dramatic interpretation.

Lars Ulrik Mortensen (Kontrapunkt)
Also very dramatic, but more colourful than Hantaï.


Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue:

Gustav Leonhardt (Sony)

Pierre Hantaï (Virgin)


Toccatas for harpsichord:

Bob Asperen (Teldec)
Even a Leonhardt pupil. These works are youthful with much “Sturm und Drang”,
and van Asperen plays them with much dramatic stylus phantasticus.



Next time I shall concentrate upon some recordings of medieval music.

Regards,

Dear pe-zulu,

No post could possibly have given me more pleasure than your long awaited addition here!

I want to really look through, but I can immediately see a reasonable confluence of ideas! And I can take this as a fine basis to move on in Bach! Especially in the keyboard concertos.

I am especially pleased to see you have Rachel Podger down. I have none of her records, but attended a concert of her's in Malvern not so long ago, which single handedly raised my hopes of what could be achieved in her chosen repertire. I also agree about Casals in the Suites which I once had, and have gone to a home that would enjoy them more than me!

I could go on, but I am off to hit the hay (go to bed), so:

All the best from Fredrik

Saving this from the topic closed axe! Fredrik

Blimey - as if it is not bad enough Naim trying to bankrupt us now Fredrik is at it as well! All I can say is wow! What these lists need is a nice little database, hmmm.
Any advice on Puccini (not the opera works), I'm also looking for a good introduction to Cesar Franck - and I'll throw in choral works. Anything appreciated!
Steve

Dear Steve,

I'm afraid I can't help you on Puccini or Frank, but take a look at this for Choral works.

regards, Tam

quote:

Originally posted by Tam:
ake a look at this for Choral works.

Thanks Tam
Steve - the work house beckons: already in the dog house

Actually, reading that thread again, I wish they didn't lock up automatically as I would rather like to correct that I think I'm significantly less of a baroque heathen than I may have come across - so the answer to pe-zulu's final post on the thread is an emphatic no!

regards, Tam

thank you for an excellent thread.

For Big Brother.

Fredrik's library is on page two, mine is on pages three (classical) and four (everything else) and towards the top of this page you can see pe-zulu's.

regards, Tam