Terrific Bach discovery! Thanks Andrew!

[Nick Armstrong]

Enjoyed Andrew McG's survey of Bach recordings yesterday, but in particular, was bowled over by the extract from the new recording on Alpha by 'Pygmalion' of two Missae Breves by JS Bach. What a piece that Gloria is! Those funky trumpets! An instant and addictive favourite.

As I am in post-Christmas 'limit the number of CDs bought' mode, I was delighted to find that for 79p I can download that movement on its own - pending further more costly investigation of this CD (and its predecessor with two other similar pieces). What else can you buy for 79p these days, let alone a fantastic piece, brilliantly performed, like this?! The 21st century is very good news sometimes...

It was the Gloria of the Missa Brevis in F, track 2 on the disc:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Missae-Breves-BWV-233/dp/B0042HYEF4/ref=dm_cd_album_lnk?ie=UTF8&qid=1296987835&sr=8-1

Go on... throw caution to the winds... splash out 79p... You won't regret it!

[MickyD]

Thanks for flagging this, Caliban - I must take time out this week to listen to that extensive survey, which looks absolutely chock-ful of baroque treasures! I'm keen to hear how that new disc by Pygmalion sounds - the Missa Breves have been done before by the likes of Herreweghe and Junghanel and I wonder how this new version compares. Comments, anyone?

[Nick Armstrong]

Thanks for flagging this, Caliban - I must take time out this week to listen to that extensive survey, which looks absolutely chock-ful of baroque treasures! I'm keen to hear how that new disc by Pygmalion sounds - the Missa Breves have been done before by the likes of Herreweghe and Junghanel and I wonder how this new version compares. Comments, anyone?

I'm glad you're on to it Micky, was going to drop you a PM if not. Pygmalion's earlier disc of 2 other Missae Breves was apparently a 'Diapason D'Or de l'Année'... They are not pieces I know at all. I'd be fascinated to hear Herreweghe in the Gloria of BWV233 which hooked me.

[MickyD]

Caliban, all four Missa Breves by Herreweghe were available on a budget price 2CD set on Virgin Classics, which to my dismay I see has disappeared from the catalogue and is only available as a download...maybe as you have already downloaded that Gloria you could do the same with Herreweghe - it is on the EMI website.

Meantime I think I'm going to scour the French record shops and see if a lone copy of the CD is lurking anywhere. Of course there is always the complete set by Junghanel on Harmonia Mundi which I haven't heard. I agree with you, Pygmalion do the piece very winningly. I would love to hear it with boys' voices - I have such a version of one of the other masses BWV 234 on an Academy of Ancient Music CD from EMI, performed with the Choir of King's College Choir, which sounds divine.
Maybe this might be a good project for Edward Higginbottom and his New College Oxford Choir?

[mercia]

What a piece that Gloria is! Those funky trumpets!

Go on... throw caution to the winds... splash out 79p... You won't regret it!

Well I've splashed out and haven't regretted it, I always like Bach in dancing mood. Before spending my money I thought 'What is Bach doing with trumpets in F major?', then remembered that Brandenburg 2 is in F, but on listening I believe them to be horns in the Gloria BWV 233.

[Nick Armstrong]

Well I've splashed out and haven't regretted it, I always like Bach in dancing mood. Before spending my money I thought 'What is Bach doing with trumpets in F major?', then remembered that Brandenburg 2 is in F, but on listening I believe them to be horns in the Gloria BWV 233.

Ah! my mistake... Yes the bach-cantatas website lists the scoring as including "2 corno"...

MickyD - having sampled both the Herreweghe and Junghänel versions, I'm satisfied that this new reading is much more felicitous. In fact I think I'm going to listen to it again now...