A treat from GF Handel

Another!

Edwin Fischer plays the Chaconne in G

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9daIKLLX49U

ATB from George

George, the Edwin Fischer playing the G major Chaconne is perfect.  I have been listening to it the past couple of days and it has made my week.  I really do need to fill in the missing gaps in what I have in recordings from Fischer.

Thanks,

Doug

George, this is beautiful, even listening via YouTube. I am Switzerland in a warm living room looking out over the snow covered Jung Frau and Eiger in the autumnal sunlight and it was sublime... Thank you.

Simon

Dear Doug,

These old recordings can connect us to something more or less lost. A human response to an immutable text. But perfectly transcendent, and somehow unrepeatable without a kitcsh element .

Very best wishes from George

Dear Simon,

Thank you,

I keep wanting to share my musical favourites as well as some philosophy on music making. Nice to read that you are in such a fine place [geographically] for such listening!.

Very best wishes from George

George, you whet my appetite with a piece of music  that is almost as rare as hen's teeth in terms of recordings. I have located just one CD with what I believe contains the only recordimg of Handel's Concerto for Lute and Harp, which is the 1960 Osian Ellis and Desmond DuPres with the Philomusica of London recording... I am now waiting for that CD to import from over seas.

Simon

Dear Simon,

Pleased to see you manage to find this to buy!

Here is Annie Fischer playing the Chaconne in G to place alongside Edwin Fischer [not related as far as I know], and showing how two great pianists can be both different in significant details, while overall, being rather similar in aim!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKupUqfP7Ac

ATB from George

Hi George, indeed Annie Fischer sounded incredibly talented - but I think I prefer the sound of the Chaconne in G major played on its intended instrument

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlOhac84rVY

Quite a different impression of the musical work I am sure you will agree - trills on the piano don't always sound right to me - but the harpsichord nails them.

Simon

What a magnificent performance on a magnificent instrument in a aptly clear and mellow recording!

I totally agree that there are times when even the greatest pianists can never approach what can be achieved [when all the ducks are lined up, so to speak] in the harpsichord music of Bach and Handel when played on the instrument the music was conceived for.

This a grand example of the most expressive playing, entirely stylish, and utterly compelling musical performance.

Thanks for the link as I had never heard of Pavao Masic before today, and he certain knows his oats!

Thanks, thanks thanks!

ATB from George

And the same performer playing the Harmonia Blacksmith as beautifully as I ever hope to encounter it!

Flexible and fluid of pulse, warm toned and hearted, perfectly graded in tone and with a touch that has to be listened to be believed!

Simon, you have established me with another grand keyboard player, whose performances I shall be following avidly from now on.

{Edit]: Such a discovery has made my day ... more like my week!

Thanks, muchos!

ATB from George

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW68Pq1O-mA

George, he plays well doesn't he, and I had just discovered him recently too.

BTW the Handel Concerto for Lute  and Harp recording has arrived in from Canada. Ok I have no alpine vistas now I am back in Suffolk! But the recording of that concerto sounds magnificent on the Naim.. It has beautiful warmth and immediacy, which to me is quite a challenge to capture with instruments such as  the lute.

My turn to say thank you!

Simon

Dear Simon,

Our sharing is with any who care to read a lovely correspondence such as this.

For me playing stuff on youtube is just as beautiful as any perfectly state of the art method! It is about the music and not much interest in the method from me by now!

Occasionally I have a bout of inspiration to share, and the interaction and feedback is so often the greatest pleasure for me with new discoveries ... 

The only thing I wish, just a little, is for more activity here away from the mainstream, and we managed it this thread. When discovering new music there is no master pupil relationship for those who may avoid to post for fear of asking some possibly silly question. This is not the Hifi Corner. It is the reason the Hifi Corner exists! There are no silly questions about music itself ... IMHO

ATB from George

George, not sure of any master/pupil relationships on this forum..

Anyway I was trying to find a YouTube link for another truly wonderful work of music from Handel... But I have failed..

But look out for Handel's Trio Sonata in G major Op 5 No 4 for Two Vioins and Continuo, and preferably try and find a recording with the Basso Continuo  part placed with a Harpsichord... I have a recording by the London Baroque Ensemble, and it's sublime.

Dear Simon,

For some inexplicable reason the great, but unknown works of Handel are much rarer than those rare but great [but almost unknown] works of Bach.

Musically it is like the difference between The Messiah and the Saint John Passion. Both almost operas, but one much easier to get - the Messiah for sure!

Yet Handel's lesser known works are so much rarer. You have raised a prospect for me as I am almost ignorant of Handels chamber music pieces, except the keyboard music. I have a complete Bach survey that is never failing to make me joyous!

I shall do some work on the Handel trios over the next days.

Completely new territory for me.

It may be strange to think, but I have investigated Vivaldi from the perspective of Bach's parodies, where Bach humbly wrote out Vivcldi's music to perform himself on the harpsichord or organ so as to learn from the great Italian Master! In the scores he never signed off a parody as to the Sole Glory Of God as he did for every original piece.

Handel was gloriously not religious! In spite of his inspiration in the Messiah!

ATB from George

Away from words - back to music!

Opus 6. No.12:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLWS0gMln1M

ATB from George

And as a sorbet, after the darkness,

The Cuckoo and Nightingale Organ Concerto:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0Wk_DgOvSo

ATB from George

George, thanks, have a listen to this version of Part 4, you might find it more spirited, and you can follow the music score. 

http://youtu.be/SlO4YfRnd0Q

and part 1 and part 2

 http://youtu.be/Tdo8Ai9THGA

Simon

Which happens to be the one [of two] that I have in iTunes, but failed to find on yt!

I agree that what I found was less engaging,

ATB from George

And here is a cracking fine performance [from the 2012 Proms Series] of the Water Musick! 

If blows a few cobwebs out of the ceiling for sure!

Great fun!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcknsYVgdkM

ATB from George

And also included in the link in the post immediately above is the Fireworks Musick!

Uproarious music making that really does seem to bring out the inherent combination of madness and spectacle, though there are some glorious liberties taken as well!

ATB from George

George, I am listening enjoying Pavao Masic playing Handel's Harpsichord Suite No 2 in F major in readiness of the day ahead.... It really sounds beautifully  played and with a lovely textured full bodied recording.. Great for composing the mind.

See if you can seek it out.. 

Dear Simon,

I have subscribed to Pavao Masic's youtube chaneel, and as yet have not found the Second Handel suite, and I am off out now to the cinema for the film, 

The Imitation Game.

I'll look later, but if you see this, it would be very kind if you could post a link to what you have found!

I am ;istening to an amazing performance of Bach's Italian concerto with him at the moment!

Staggeringly fine.

I'll pst that one on my thread,

A treat from JS Bach,

later.

ATB from George

George, I can't find it on Youtube - but here is the CD from Pavao's own website

http://www.pavaomasic.com/1685...andel-scarlatti.html

BTW I will be seeing Imitation Game when it comes to our local Cinema next week. Turing was one of my heroes.

Simon

Dear Simon,

I really found this film to be superb! I would not say it was fun, but along with a tremendous story, it certainly has the power to make a person think!

I am sure that you will enjoy it. Sadly I was in the cinema with only about half a dozen others.

ATB from George.

PS:  Will follow your link up in a minute. Just brewing supper at the moment.

PS: I found the recording in question as a CD from the performer's website. 

It will be my next purchase, though I am on an economy drive till after Christmas ...

Thanks for making me investigate!

ATB from George