If I was buying one JS Bach recording, which should it be?
Posted by: hungryhalibut on 29 April 2006
While painting doors downstairs, I have been listening to Radio 3 a lot. I keep hearing bits of Bach and thinking 'that's good'.
I heard one piece the other day and bought it only to discover that it was by CPE Bach, JS's son. I'll probably find that the critical view is that CPE Bach is crap, but I like it. So I still need one JS Bach CD.
Which should I buy, at a sensible price? Only one mind.
I hope this choice does not cause Fredrik any angst!!
Nigel
I heard one piece the other day and bought it only to discover that it was by CPE Bach, JS's son. I'll probably find that the critical view is that CPE Bach is crap, but I like it. So I still need one JS Bach CD.
Which should I buy, at a sensible price? Only one mind.
I hope this choice does not cause Fredrik any angst!!
Nigel
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by pe-zulu
Viewed from another angle you can say, that Brittens interpretation is a little romantic.
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by RiNo
quote:Originally posted by stephenjohn:
and Rickard, no AH WTC?
Ooops, I knew that I'd forgotten one (OK, two)
It's on my shortlist, but some weeks ago I received a bunch of LPs (11 titles, mostly speakers corner, for 400 euros, so the music account is rather "diluted").
Yes, Bach equals lovely music, even works through the Bang&Olufsen that's connected through the Nait5i.
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by hungryhalibut
This thread shows what a great asset the Forum is. I looked on Amazon for Bach and the number of recordings is enormous.
I mentioned CPE Bach on my original post - I bought the flute and oboe concertos on Phillips and it's really good - it has Heinz Holliger who according to Radio 3 is the bee's knees. Is this stuff critically lauded, or just OK. Anyway, I like it!
Nigel
I mentioned CPE Bach on my original post - I bought the flute and oboe concertos on Phillips and it's really good - it has Heinz Holliger who according to Radio 3 is the bee's knees. Is this stuff critically lauded, or just OK. Anyway, I like it!
Nigel
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by u5227470736789439
Dear nigel,
Heinz Holliger is one of the really great oboe players. Very briefly in 1975, I learned the oboe myself, taught by a guy called Pat Purcell, and I knew of the Leon Goosens and Evelyn Rothwell [Lady Barbirolli, and wife of Sir John], but not Holliger.
My teacher told me that in his view I was right about Lady Barbirolli, but the really great player was Holliger!
I did not continue the oboe as I changed school and music lessons were out!
You have a nice choice there dear Nigel! ATB from Fred
Heinz Holliger is one of the really great oboe players. Very briefly in 1975, I learned the oboe myself, taught by a guy called Pat Purcell, and I knew of the Leon Goosens and Evelyn Rothwell [Lady Barbirolli, and wife of Sir John], but not Holliger.
My teacher told me that in his view I was right about Lady Barbirolli, but the really great player was Holliger!
I did not continue the oboe as I changed school and music lessons were out!
You have a nice choice there dear Nigel! ATB from Fred
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by RiNo
Yes Heinz is really good. I've got at least two albums with him. Vivaldi oboe concertos on phillips with, you guessed it I Musici. A disc on DG with Strauss oboe concerto. Very nice.
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by mtuttleb
Nigel
I assume this is the phillips eloquence CD. I also have bought quite a few of these over the past few months since they are great music and quite cheap.
As Fredrik says, Heinz Holliger is great. Another CD you may enjoy is the bläserkonzerte CD from J. Haydn.
Regards
Mark
I assume this is the phillips eloquence CD. I also have bought quite a few of these over the past few months since they are great music and quite cheap.
As Fredrik says, Heinz Holliger is great. Another CD you may enjoy is the bläserkonzerte CD from J. Haydn.
Regards
Mark
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by hungryhalibut
Mark
It's a Philips Duo, 1994, number 442 592-2. I bought it from Amazon. I have yet to master how to place pictures of CDs here.
I'm very tentatively buying a few more classical recordings - Mozart and Montiverdi are my favourites. I have recently bought a lovely recording of Beethoven piano sonatas (109, 110 and 111) by Mitsuko Uchida. Much better than the latest Morrissey album!!
Nigel
It's a Philips Duo, 1994, number 442 592-2. I bought it from Amazon. I have yet to master how to place pictures of CDs here.
I'm very tentatively buying a few more classical recordings - Mozart and Montiverdi are my favourites. I have recently bought a lovely recording of Beethoven piano sonatas (109, 110 and 111) by Mitsuko Uchida. Much better than the latest Morrissey album!!
Nigel
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by u5227470736789439
Dear Nigel!
Careful! Or you will end up like me, and that would never do! [Smiley]. Fredrik
Careful! Or you will end up like me, and that would never do! [Smiley]. Fredrik
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by Basil
quote:Originally posted by pe-zulu:
Viewed from another angle you can say, that Brittens interpretation is a little romantic.
Indeed, but I don't think excessively so, at least I didn’t mention Karajan’s interpretation!
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by Huwge
Nigel,
for something a little different you could do worse than try Edgar Meyer playing the cello suites arranged for double bass, it seems to be difficult to get hold of now but very worth the effort.
Am quite partial to the violin sonatas and partitas myself - Perlman, Szeryng, Oistrakh, Mullova, Kremer - so many to choose from.
On the cello - Casals and Fournier. More than one, but a delve into JSB can become an expensive and time consuming pre-occupation. It is the only music that can allow me to resolve complex conditional formulae in Excel!
for something a little different you could do worse than try Edgar Meyer playing the cello suites arranged for double bass, it seems to be difficult to get hold of now but very worth the effort.
Am quite partial to the violin sonatas and partitas myself - Perlman, Szeryng, Oistrakh, Mullova, Kremer - so many to choose from.
On the cello - Casals and Fournier. More than one, but a delve into JSB can become an expensive and time consuming pre-occupation. It is the only music that can allow me to resolve complex conditional formulae in Excel!
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by HR
quote:Originally posted by Huwge:
Nigel,
for something a little different you could do worse than try Edgar Meyer playing the cello suites arranged for double bass, it seems to be difficult to get hold of now but very worth the effort.
Nigel,
Huwe's choice of Edgar Meyer is an excellent choice for something a little different. Stefan Hussong playing English Suites on the accordion is even more out there, but clearly my preference for a different Bach.
Regards,
Haim
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by Tam
quote:Originally posted by Huwge:
On the cello - Casals and Fournier. More than one, but a delve into JSB can become an expensive and time consuming pre-occupation. It is the only music that can allow me to resolve complex conditional formulae in Excel!
I haven't heard those ones, but, particularly from what I've read of Casals, I wouldn't have thought it was the best place to start. Personally, I don't think one can go too far with Schiff's wonderful set (which is at budget price) and Rostropovich also has a special something.
regards, Tam
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by u5227470736789439
Dear Friends,
As a retired bass player I can assure you that, great artist that he is on the bass, Edgar Meyer is never going to do more than make a superb job of representing the Cello Suites. They are technically impossible on the Double bass for reasons that only a seconds thought will clarify, and any performance on the bigger instrument involves missing out notes Bach wrote and also possibly playing others playing others he did not, depending on the arrangement.
In fact most orchestral bass players attempt to play some of it, and I used to have a small amount I could just about play, but it was a real struggle as the music so does not fit bass fingering or tuning in fourths rather than fifths.
I hope no one minds me pointing that out. They are hard enough on the Cello!
Fournier is my favourite set on DG, and very cheap nowadays!
Fredrik
As a retired bass player I can assure you that, great artist that he is on the bass, Edgar Meyer is never going to do more than make a superb job of representing the Cello Suites. They are technically impossible on the Double bass for reasons that only a seconds thought will clarify, and any performance on the bigger instrument involves missing out notes Bach wrote and also possibly playing others playing others he did not, depending on the arrangement.
In fact most orchestral bass players attempt to play some of it, and I used to have a small amount I could just about play, but it was a real struggle as the music so does not fit bass fingering or tuning in fourths rather than fifths.
I hope no one minds me pointing that out. They are hard enough on the Cello!
Fournier is my favourite set on DG, and very cheap nowadays!
Fredrik
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by Cosmoliu
Right then, if we are going to venture into the cello, I have to say that a couple of weeks ago I acquired the Janos Starker (3)LP reissue of the unaccompanied suites and it is stunning both musically and sonically. The cello's tone is so much better captured on vinyl than in digital bits.
Norman
Norman
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by graham55
That's easy: Arthur Grumiaux's solo violin sonatas and partitas (just about to be re-re-re-released as part of Philips' entry into Universal's "Originals" series.)
Graham
Graham
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by RiNo
quote:Right then, if we are going to venture into the cello, I have to say that a couple of weeks ago I acquired the Janos Starker (3)LP reissue of the unaccompanied suites and it is stunning both musically and sonically. The cello's tone is so much better captured on vinyl than in digital bits.
Norman
Me too
I was mezmerised by it, having Rostropovich from the 90s before. Though I played only one side!
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by sjust
quote:Originally posted by Cosmoliu:
Bravo Fredrik,
I agree completely on the Pinnock Brandenbergs and Angela Hewitt's Goldberg Variations. I have Julia Fischer's well reviewed Unaccompanied Violin Sonatas and Partitas on order and look forward to seeing how it compares with my other half dozen or so versions.
Norman
Norman,
my (personally signed... druel...) copy of her partitas and sonatas are high ranking in MY list of versions. Amongst the rising (and falling) violin stars, my hope is that she'll stay for a little longer. Very serious woman...
cheers
Stefan
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by sjust
quote:Originally posted by stephenjohn:
Dear Hungry Halibut
you will buy 20 or more CDs now. It is unavoidable.
You might have thought you could have stopped at just one- I can try Bach, it's a free country, just one wont hurt- but you never could.
In fact before you started you were lost: Frederiks recomendation, one with which I wholeheartedly agree, was for three disks packaged as one [originally sold as two, or three depending on which country you live in].
Now you're being recommended the Goldbergs: Angela Hewtitt. On a Naim systen absolutely wonderfully beautiful. But, what about the harpsichord, and then Glen Gould too [two]. And violin partitas, the cello suites, the....
You might have noticed you got a relatively large number of replies in a relatively short time period. This is no coincidence.
Unless you want to spend hundreds of pounds, thousands of hours, stop now. Say no. It might not be not too late.
SJ
...and stay with Angelo Branduardi and Andreas Vollenweider, for the rest of your life...
Just kidding,
SJ
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by Cosmoliu
quote:Originally posted by sjust:
Norman,
my (personally signed... druel...) copy of her partitas and sonatas are high ranking in MY list of versions. Amongst the rising (and falling) violin stars, my hope is that she'll stay for a little longer. Very serious woman...
cheers
Stefan
Thanks Stefan. Now I am REALLY looking forward to getting my copy. I had read the reviews when the (SA)CDs came out last year, and getting a copy went from back burner to off the stove totally until I was at my Dad's home recently and read a biographical article on her in STRINGS magazine. She sounded like an unusually serious and intense young woman, as you say. Signed copy, eh? I really am jealous!
Norman
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by u5227470736789439
Can I just put a word in for Rachel Podger's Sonata and Partita recordings? I went to a concert of her in Malvern not too long ago, and she is such an artist. I have advocated her cause before, and I believe she will soon be even more recognised than now as a really great violinist, who just happens to choose to play on a Baroque Violin. After I get the rest of Solomon's Bethoven she is up next from some serius CD investment in this quarter!
Fredrik
PS: I completely agree with the praise for Athur Grumieaux, violinist. In Bach (as elsewhwere) he is one the true greats...
Fredrik
PS: I completely agree with the praise for Athur Grumieaux, violinist. In Bach (as elsewhwere) he is one the true greats...
Posted on: 30 April 2006 by pe-zulu
quote:Originally posted by Basil:quote:Originally posted by pe-zulu:
Viewed from another angle you can say, that Brittens interpretation is a little romantic.
Indeed, but I don't think excessively so, at least I didn’t mention Karajan’s interpretation!
Agreed, and this was my reason for writing a little romantic and not just romantic
Posted on: 01 May 2006 by Cosmoliu
quote:Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:
Can I just put a word in for Rachel Podger's Sonata and Partita recordings? Fredrik
Very interesting post, Fredrik. Rachel Podger is another young violinist whose work I have been intending sample. Forgive me if my memory serves poorly, but I think that she is one of the very few young artists you have endorsed here. I will definitely have to check her out!
Norman
Posted on: 02 May 2006 by RiNo
Does anyone know where to get Bach: solo partitas (or what's they're called) for the unaccompanied violin with VICTORIA MULLOVA!!!!
Please
Rickard
Please
Rickard
Posted on: 02 May 2006 by Cosmoliu
quote:Originally posted by RiNo:
Does anyone know where to get Bach: solo partitas (or what's they're called) for the unaccompanied violin with VICTORIA MULLOVA!!!!
Please
Rickard
Rickard,
My favorite by far of the half dozen or so versions I own. Sadly, as far as I know, it is out of print. That being the case, I may be able to offer some assistance. Email me: normanatwork (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Norman
Posted on: 02 May 2006 by Cosmoliu
Rickard,
Scratch that last comment. It looks like it has been reissued! Check out this Amazon.com listing. Of the scant information in the web page, it looks like one of the two discs is the three Partitas, and I don't remember seeing any anouncement that she has re-recorded them. My guess would be that Philips is trying to get some mileage from some of her earlier releases, what with the same alluring cover photo being on several 2006 offerings. Living where I do, I have no hope of getting a copy in my hands to check out the recording date(s). In general, I must order classical titles online. Still, if the several 2006 offerings include such previously discontinued recordings as her Bach Partitas, it is a happy development indeed.
Norman
Scratch that last comment. It looks like it has been reissued! Check out this Amazon.com listing. Of the scant information in the web page, it looks like one of the two discs is the three Partitas, and I don't remember seeing any anouncement that she has re-recorded them. My guess would be that Philips is trying to get some mileage from some of her earlier releases, what with the same alluring cover photo being on several 2006 offerings. Living where I do, I have no hope of getting a copy in my hands to check out the recording date(s). In general, I must order classical titles online. Still, if the several 2006 offerings include such previously discontinued recordings as her Bach Partitas, it is a happy development indeed.
Norman