Record Review: non-BaL discs reviewed, etc.

[VodkaDilc]

I enjoyed Richard Wigmore's Bach discussion with AMcG this morning - he talks much sense, certainly concerning irksome Jacobsisms . I'm minded to investigate the Collegium 1704 disc of the Mass in B Minor further - I thought the 'instrumental' voice of the countertenor in the 'Agnus Dei' sounded very fine indeed.

I enjoyed the Bach reviews too. I am glad that I know that the irritating pauses at the end of each chorale line occur throughout the Jacobs Matthew Passion. I would have been most annoyed if I had bought it only to find out when it was too late. Why does he do such a thing?

I though that both reviewers were a bit too dismissive if things did not fit their preconceived agendas. The Angus Dei singer got a rough ride, yet sounded superb to me - and they completely failed to put Ristenpart into a 1950 context. It's easy to sneer at 60 year old recordings for a cheap laugh - but these were significant advances on what had gone before.

[MickyD]

I agree with you, VodkaDilc - considering I'm an all out HIPster, I wasn't greatly shocked by the Ristenpart version...it put me in mind of some of those early 60s recordings by Karl Richter, and those certainly were what opened my ears to Bach. Mind you, I have to agree with the reviewers that that aria in Jacobs version sounded as if it was coming from the end of a corridor - and I noticed today that a purchaser on French Amazon has expressed his disappointment that much of the set sounds like that.

[VodkaDilc]

I didn't like the sound of the remote Second Choir either, but I might have given the set a try if the chorales had been swifter. I love the chorales in the Passions (reminds me of the endless attempts I made at harmonising them for A Level!), but not with those pauses.

The Ristenpart set of cantatas (The RIAS Bach Cantatas Project) is an excellent set of 9 CDs. As one of the reviewers said yesterday, Bach, above all others, can withstand any variety of performance style; I enjoy the Kuijken cantatas, at the other end of the spectrum, just as much..

(An after-thought: I felt the Ristenpart showed the same sort of devotion on the part of the performers as the Vaughan Williams recording of the St Matthew Passion - completely wrong in many ways, but very moving as a performance.)

[Nick Armstrong]

I though that both reviewers were a bit too dismissive if things did not fit their preconceived agendas.

I thought that applied less to AMcG than to Richard W, who I thought was sounding particularly grumpy!

[Thropplenoggin]

Did anyone hear Igor Levit's Late Beethoven Sonatas and Nelson Goerner's Debussy disc this morning?

These are two of my favourite new releases of the year to date. ZigZagTerritoires is proving to be an excellent new label.

[Bryn]

Did anyone hear Igor Levit's Late Beethoven Sonatas and Nelson Goerner's Debussy disc this morning?

These are two of my favourite new releases of the year to date. ZigZagTerritoires is proving to be an excellent new label.

Excellent, yes, but just how new is the label? I have been buying their CDs for a good few years now, as best as I can recall.

[Ah, they started 16 years ago,]

[amateur51]

Did anyone hear Igor Levit's Late Beethoven Sonatas and Nelson Goerner's Debussy disc this morning?

These are two of my favourite new releases of the year to date. ZigZagTerritoires is proving to be an excellent new label.

I appreciated Levit's tempi for the opening of Beethoven Hammerklavier sonata op.106 and it is certainly very clean but somehow too controlled. Not fair to judge on such a short hearing so I'll explore further. I wish we had be offered some extracts from the other works on this 2CD set too.

The Goerner sounded excellent - how do those who know rate it alongside J_E Bavouzet?

I loved what I heard of the Pletnev set, not least because it was great to hear him playing again after his recent travails and long-standing tendency to conduct rather than to play. The story of how the recordings were made was intriguing and I applaud the decision to release them.

[Thropplenoggin]

Excellent, yes, but just how new is the label? I have been buying their CDs for a good few years now, as best as I can recall.

[Ah, they started 16 years ago,]

As recently as that?! Gosh, they are new!

--

Amateur51: 'Goerner fuses Bavouzet's meticulous clarity with Michelangeli's thoughtful poetry.' Dr. Y.U. Thropplenoggin

[amateur51]

As recently as that?! Gosh, they are new!

--

Amateur51: 'Goerner fuses Bavouzet's meticulous clarity with Michelangeli's thoughtful poetry.' Dr. Y.U. Thropplenoggin

Michelangeli's solicitor will be in touch after the weekend, Doctor.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

On Saturday 23rd November, CD Review is a Britten Special, with no BaL. It should be interesting.

[amateur51]

Just enjoyed Andrew's review of the Malcuzynski ICON boxed set - how wonderful to have so many difficult-to-find recording all in one place.

I wish someone would do the same for Stefan Ashkenase as well

[Ferretfancy]

Did anyone hear Igor Levit's Late Beethoven Sonatas and Nelson Goerner's Debussy disc this morning?

These are two of my favourite new releases of the year to date. ZigZagTerritoires is proving to be an excellent new label.

I bought the Goerner Debussy, and I'm afraid I was rather disappointed in it. He seems to use a lot of sustaining pedal and perhaps is not helped by the rather foggy acoustic. Others may enjoy it more than I have done. Have a listen to his Isle Joyeux and compare with Bavouzet or Livia Rev who both capture the rhythm of this piece better than Goerner.
Incidentally, Zig Zag Territoires have been around some time, there's an excellent disc of Ravel's D minor concerto on this label played on an original Erard piano which is quite a revelation.

[amateur51]

I greatly enjoyed the anticipated fur-fight between Roger Vignoles and Geoffrey Norris who both behaved as the gents they are and provided much food for thought.

Jeremy Denk's Goldberg variations CD sounded wonderful and is a must-have for me. I wasn't that impressed by the Andras Schiff double-Diabelli set, though I'd love to listen to the fortepiano performance in detail. The Boris Giltberg CD sounded to be a real treat.

As for the Rattle/Lang Lang set, i was pleased to hear Rattle and BPO getting their fair share (more than?) of the credit - Rattle has always impressed me as an orchestral accompanist and this disc seems to confirm that side of his art. I'd like to listen to the Bartok

An expensive session, potentially

Please may we have more of the Vignoles/Norris double-act? - and more of Vignoles as a solo reviewer too. Thoughtful. imaginative, experienced, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and a good talker.

[Bryn]

... I wasn't that impressed by the Andras Schiff double-Diabelli set, though I'd love to listen to the fortepiano performance in detail. The Boris Giltberg CD sounded to be a real treat. ...

Funny thing is, that while the Schiff was criticised for lack of humour, it is the humour that he emphasizes in his booklet notes for the double album.

[Thropplenoggin]

For more on Denk's Goldberg Variations, see this thread, which gives an insight into his approach: http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...ht=Jeremy+Denk