Gardiner and the Brandenburg Concertos

Egarr

Good news, Masolino. I ordered them some days ago. They are shipped already, and should arrive this week.

 

Whereas it may last more than half a year until Gardiners set is released.

 

Yes, and thanks for the clips you provided. I have listened carefully to these (the fugue is my preferred movement from the whole set) and reached the conclusion, that I shall not stand them in the long run. Like a meal which is too heavily seasoned.
BTW I have acquired Terakado's Cello suites, and what a wonderful surprise they are. Certainly beautiful and expressive, far from the idea I had of him.

 

Hello! I still like IGA's Handel Op6 very much, albeit like you I don't think I will be listening to it all the time. After all that's what alternative recordings of the same music are for! Egarr's Brandenburg is a bit on the slow side (think Savall) but the tonal beauty and textural clarity really more than make up for it. Do you have S. Kuijken's Accent recording of the "cello" suites on the da spalla already? If so, can you do a comparison between it and the Terakado? The Kuijken set is quite expensive here in UK.

for comparison (mp3)

Brandenburg Cto 2 BWV 1047 (first movement)

Cafe Zimmermann Celine Frisch dir.
Academy of Ancient Music 2009 Richard Egarr dir.

 

Thanks Masolino, a wonderful mellow, transparent and flowing interpretation, and a welcome antidote to the nervous Parrott recording or the hyperactive Fasolis recording. I have certainly something to look forward to.

Concerning Sigiswald Kuijken's violoncello suites I find them mandatory. They are more introspective than Terakados, and maybe preferable, but I would still not be without any of them. You know the Wieland Kuijken violoncello suites IIRC. Sigiswald's are much in the same vein, and add to this the extra attraction of the violoncello da spalla. If you want I shall upload some clips for you to morrow (it is rather late here now).

Regards,

 

Thanks pe-zulu, some sound samples would be very helpful. (Lower sound quality is fine.)

Best regards!

 

Here a few examples from Sigiswald Kuijkens recording of Bach's cellosuites on violoncello da spalla:

Suite 1 prelude
http://www.mediafire.com/file/ynommtmfmnt/01 Suite I, prélude.wma

Suite 1 allemande
http://www.mediafire.com/file/0ke03tdcgz4/02 Allemande.wma

Suite 2 courante
http://www.mediafire.com/file/ymfje1k20tf/09 Courante.wma

Suite 2 sarabande
http://www.mediafire.com/file/yiut2z5myen/10 Sarabande.wma

Suite 3 prelude
http://www.mediafire.com/file/zmgyg4ukedm/13 Suite III, prelude.wma

Hope it works, have a nice listening.

Regards,

 

Dear pe-zulu

Many thanks for uploading the examples! I shall post my impressions after giving them a good listen.

Regards,

Masolino

 

I bought these, expecting not to like them (I tend not to like minimalist productions) - and liked them very much. As Masolino says, a beautiful sound, with splendid, crisp playing and nice tempi. A set to which I shall frequently return.

 

Since I know personally Antonini and see him a few times in a year (maybe he'll stay at my place for a few days next year) I could ask him any questions you have about his interpretations and his general point of views.
Since he his very busy he takes sometimes a lot of time to answer my emails.

Last Wendesday I heard his interpretation of the Pastorale of Beethoven and I can understand that some people could have problems with it.

 

Latest from SDG:

October will see the release of the Brandenburg Concertos – Gardiner's first recording of this repertoire- a double album recorded earlier in the year during and after a memorable double-decker concert in which the English Baroque Soloists, with leader Kati Debretzeni and John Eliot Gardiner performed all the six concertos in one day. This followed a series of concerts the previous year, in which the EBS performed the concertos in many European cities, including Köthen, where they performed in the wonderful Spiegelsaal, and where the concertos were performed in Bach's lifetime. Some of you might have already seen the short videos recorded during the rehearsals there, these are posted on the Monteverdi website but if not, I invite you to have a look as they contain not only rehearsal footage but also interesting interviews with John Eliot and the players, illustrating the process by which they arrived at their interpretation- slightly unusual in that the conductor, having rehearsed and concerted the six concertos together with the players, only took to the podium for the larger concertos nos.1 and 2 and left the musicians to perform the rest on their own (though I can reveal he was sitting in the front row…).

The Brandenburgs will be available to buy on our website in similar packaging to the Bach Cantatas, for £24.

 

Thanks, Tones, I shall wait in tension for the stuff to appear.
ATB