BaL 15.03.14 - Handel: 12 Concerti Grossi Op.6

[Black Swan]

I have I Musici de Montreal, Yuli Turovsky. When I purchased them many years ago they were highly recommended. I think this is not the case today. So I will listen to the BAL.

[Barbirollians]

I have the Gester raved about in IRR a few years back and it sounds jolly good to my ears.

[MickyD]

I got the Simon Standage/Collegium Musicum 90 set just for the added oboes, but I didn't find they had as much impact as I thought. The sonority is a little richer in places, otherwise no different. I will have to check later on, but I think we are only talking about 3 or 4 out of the 12 which have the oboes, anyway.

Just checked: oboes added only to Nos 1, 2, 5 and 6......

Oh now that is interesting, Waldo...I think those are the very pieces on that single Koopman disc where you can hear oboes...maybe that is why he only did the one disc!

[verismissimo]

I've only ever had two single LPs - one of ASMF/Marriner and the other of Schola Cantorum Basiliensis/Wenzinger. Both from the early period of HIP awareness in recordings.

I shall listen closely to this one...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

They're such wonderful works - not least, the "wonder" of producing so much instrumental colour from an ensemble entirely of strings (I didn't know about the versions with Oboes - not sure how I feel about that; the Op3 set is superb, of course, but my admiration for the seemingly more "limited" timbres of the Strings-alone Op 6 lies at least in part to the fact that timbrally there's nothing else.)

Never much enjoyed the Karajan set when I last heard it (about a quartet-century ago!) - but I have a couple of the Op6 concertos conducted by Furtwangler which I greatly admire: a better sense of where the Music's going than I found in Karajan's "enjoy the moment" readings as I remember them.

[Gordon]

Seems as though [from above comments] there isn't a duff version!! One should not dismiss the Furtwangler or Scherchen versions, they are a different kind of music making and the robust Klemperer Op6 No4 is worth a listen from early stereo [1956] and the Philharmonia strings.

IIRC from the notes by Thurston Dart the wind parts were optional; I think the ASMF/Marriner may gave them and the Leppard/ECO certainly do not. I'm sure that will be cleared up by the reviewer.

[HighlandDougie]

Looking up the Manze set on Amazon and wondering how much it might cost, I realised to my shame that I already had it as part of a Harmonia Mundi re-issue of the Opus 3, Opus 6 and the Opus 4 Organ Concertos. Having now listened to it properly, it is, well, terrific. Stylish playing, great recording, must be a strong contender.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

One should not dismiss the Furtwangler or Scherchen versions...

I would agree, but it's not really a contender as Furtwangler recorded only 2 of the 12.

Hence I haven't listed it.

[Gordon]

I would agree, but it's not really a contender as Furtwangler recorded only 2 of the 12.

Hence I haven't listed it.

Yes of course - what I meant was the style of playing this music even if not complete was worth hearing for its own sake. The fact that it is "old fashioned" should not deter anyone. I have to say that I am not wholly persuaded by some "HIPP"
renditions of music of this period but then having the luxury of several versions one can choose according to the mood of the moment!! One could speculate about what Beecham might have made of them!!

[MickyD]

I wonder if Harnoncourt's will get a mention...I seem to recall it being full of his well-known eccentricities. But nothing shows that better than his take on the Water Music...it's not so shocking now, but when issued in the late 70s, I remember it causing a storm!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Yes of course - what I meant was the style of playing this music even if not complete was worth hearing for its own sake. The fact that it is "old fashioned" should not deter anyone. I have to say that I am not wholly persuaded by some "HIPP"

On that, I can only agree.

[BBMmk2]

I am not too sure about "old fashioned" peformances of period music, Baroque period, that is, or before, but if done in a tasteful way, then surely the over burdening sound of a modern symphony orchestra string section, shouldn't matter?

[Roehre]

....
IIRC from the notes by Thurston Dart the wind parts were optional; I think the ASMF/Marriner may gave them and the Leppard/ECO certainly do not. I'm sure that will be cleared up by the reviewer.

the ASMF are IIRC later than the ECO/Leppard.
Dart's thoughts/opinoins about orchestration/instrumentation of both the Handel concerti grossi as well as the Brandenburgs are to be taken with a big pinch of salt, as they are generally speaking completely conjectural. The ASMF Brandenburgs were recorded using Dart's intentions, and the same IIRC happened with the Handel op.3 and op.6 sets.

Btw, apart from the 3 Concerti a due cori (with the premiere recording of no.1 done by Leppard/ECO on Philips) I don't like the Handel concerti grossi at all (HIP or otherwise). Too handelian for my taste, I'm afraid.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

So far, a brilliant BaL. Fair comparisons without sneering. Balanced judgements.

[verismissimo]

Like the sound of Pinnock's band. Always have in Handel...