BaL 6.12.14 - Bach: 4 Orchestral Suites (BWV 1066-69)

[BBMmk2]

Café Z seem to be quite pioneering in some ways, from what I have seen. It looks worth acquiring this recording?

[Nick Armstrong]

Don't think you need the question-mark there, Bbm....

[BBMmk2]

Don't think you need the question-mark there, Bbm....

Thanks, Cali!! :) Have a virtual Spitfire on me!! :)

[LeMartinPecheur]

I am in the middle of listening to the Café Zimmerman version of suite no.3 on YouTube, and I must say that I like it very much. As you say, Cali, what a shame it got short shrift - but for what reasons we know not.

Possibly the reviewer thought it not really a library choice on economic grounds, because you have to buy it on a lot of CDs (6?) with a lot of other music.

He didn't say so explicitly but he did mention this factor, slightly regretfully I thought.

[hedgehog]

Possibly the reviewer thought it not really a library choice on economic grounds, because you have to buy it on a lot of CDs (6?) with a lot of other music.

He didn't say so explicitly but he did mention this factor, slightly regretfully I thought.

Except that you get a pretty decent bunch of Brandenburgs & etc along with them. 6 Cd's worthy of any library shelf!

[gurnemanz]

Except that you get a pretty decent bunch of Brandenburgs & etc along with them. 6 Cd's worthy of any library shelf!

Quite. Some listeners, as yet unaware of the generally acknowledged merits of the Cafe Z recordings might have enjoyed being pointed in their direction and seen the six CDs, available as mid-price set, as a good way of getting the Suites.

[clive heath]

As promised I have checked and uploaded the 3rd and 4th Suites by the Busch Ensemble (replacing the 1st Suite which has been removed for re-checking). I was worried by the spinelessness of the opening of the 3rd suite especially the trumpets and thought to check. The Warner site:

http://www.warnerclassics.com/shop/3253410,5099921269929/adolf-busch-bach-brandenburg-concertos-and-orch-suites

convinced me, at least a little, that there is some quaveriness in the original recording. Once past that the music bounces along very nicely. I like the way the strings are balanced with chunky chording and no sense of top-lining, a besetting sin in my book.

http://www.cliveheathmusic.co.uk/transcriptions_07.php

[frankwm]

The besetting sin in your Suite 1 transcription was the effect of digital noise-reduction: lower strings were particularly affected by the 'underwater effect': this may be unavoidable if attempting to pretend that the HMV shellac is not scratchy: Hardwick would have vinyl's to work from: though I'm delighted that my LP dubbing is deemed sonically superior to the EMI/Warner CD's (and not for the first time); with cloth-eared tinkerers having created a sanitised variant for their clueless punter/s.

So the readers, here, can save themselves (yet another) tenner..

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The besetting sin in your Suite 1 transcription was the effect of digital noise-reduction: lower strings were particularly affected by the 'underwater effect': this may be unavoidable if attempting to pretend that the HMV shellac is not scratchy:

So true. I much prefer the Nimbus method of transferring 78s.

[Tony Halstead]

Yes, I agree with you, although, at first acquaintance, the idea of digitally and 'ambisonically' recording the analogue output of a huge 'acoustic horn' powered by a thorn needle may seem clumsy and incongruous, there can be no doubt that it 'gets results'... and very fine ones!

[clive heath]

..but the Suite No.1 has been removed so why comment on it ? Are the replacements, Suites 3 and 4 equally dreadful, if so, why not say so? These are not meant to be commercial, just indications of what you will get if you do splash out although I agree that with all the sampling now, less important than it might have been.... and what does saving a tenner mean?

[frankwm]

My time for this lark is limited: but had downloaded Suite 1.
I could've commented then - but tend not to criticize (non-commercial) transfer/ers.

So there's no need to be pained by my now commenting: at the time I would've noted that problem; I have no idea if you have done #'s 3/4 a mischief; and would've suggested trying 33rpm dubbing (I can do that into my soundcards in-built 'flat' phono-stage from the Shure V15/3 -then re-eq afterwards) which offers benefits: it's the 'I'm-gonna-remove-all-traces-of-surface-noise' which causes your problem - as with others (even established "pro's").

Well..you linked the Warner site @£9.99 for mp3's (etc) - not me! (these truly excellent/musical performances are not on CD now - and deserve not to be degraded).

[clive heath]

I shouldn't have suggested that any and all comments weren't welcome, of course they are. What I have noticed is that my work tends to sound really awful on headphones, especially the Sennheisers but to my cloth-ears, acceptable (when listening in the front room to a normal hi-fi set-up) as a guide to the performing styles of earlier times and to the quality of performance.

[Barbirollians]

I bought the winner recently and like the performances a great deal . I do not have a problem with any clicking sounds either on my system !

[Karafan]

Marriner 1970 [recorded Kingsway December 7-10th!, the second version of 1978 is also Kingsway but the 1984 is Abbey Road - just if you're interested!],
Leppard/ECO [Wembley 1968] but not listed at the top of this thread,
Goodman/Brandenberg,
Busch [only 2 of the 4],
and Klemperer [Testament, also Kingsway, 1954].

I'm ALWAYS interested, Gordon - thanks! PS Hope you are fit and well ;-)