Bal 19.05.18 - Handel: Concerti a due cori

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Marriner (Argo) Third Ear says "early prime... crying out for reissue." There is a box set "Marriner the Argo Years" that was released recently. Not sure if it's in there or not...
Marriner (Phillips) "smooth" I think this is the one in the London box set...

No ... "London" was the name Decca (who made the Argo recordings) traded under in the USA: the box you link to is the Argo set, not the later, smoother PHILIPSeses.
I was surprised to discover how little Handel is in the Argos box - no Water Music, Fireworks, Op6, Organ Concerti, or Due Cori!

smooth is good, yes? :)

As with paté, the benefits of "smooth" are a matter of taste - personally, I prefer the pearls that arise from grittier playing on Period-type instruments and playing.

[Mal]

No ... "London" was the name Decca (who made the Argo recordings) traded under in the USA: the box you link to is the Argo set, not the later, smoother PHILIPSeses...[/I]

Thanks for putting me straight, I had it in my head that Philips merged with Decca, and London was Decca, and joined the dots wrongly. I find it difficult to decide between period and modern, having preferences on both sides for different pieces. It will be interesting to hear the period/modern comparisons in Handel.

Decca have two "Best of Handel" duos out (one Marriner, one Hogwood) maybe they don't want to compete with themselves by putting all the Marriner goodies in the Argo box, just a nice tempter to get you to buy the duo...

[MickyD]

The Hogwood 2 disc set can be had as a splendid bargain on Amazon - it includes the Water and Fireworks Music and a charming suite from 'The Alchymist'. At just six pounds, this really should be had as the vintage performances were such important landmarks in period performance practice.

Mind you, I have noticed that Decca have now gathered together nearly all Hogwood's recordings, at a very enticing price:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Handel-Recordings-Christopher-Hogwood/dp/B06Y3JQ961/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1526409962&sr=1-1&keywords=Handel+Hogwood

For some bizarre reason, the Op.3 Concerti Grossi are in the box, but not the Op.6. An oversight on Decca's part?

[Bryn]

The Hogwood 2 disc set can be had as a splendid bargain on Amazon - it includes the Water and Fireworks Music and a charming suite from 'The Alchymist'. At just six pounds, this really should be had as the vintage performances were such important landmarks in period performance practice.

Mind you, I have noticed that Decca have now gathered together nearly all Hogwood's recordings, at a very enticing price:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Handel-Recordings-Christopher-Hogwood/dp/B06Y3JQ961/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1526409962&sr=1-1&keywords=Handel+Hogwood

For some bizarre reason, the Op.3 Concerti Grossi are in the box, but not the Op.6. An oversight on Decca's part?

THe Op. 6 set, but not the Op.3, were in the Florilegium "The Baroque Era" box which is not currently available in the U.K., I think. I got mine from amazon.fr around the time of its release (£60.45 including p&p for 50 CDs).



THe 1983 Hogwood Due Cori are in the Decca Handel Masterworks box:

[MickyD]

But don't you think it strange, Bryn, that the Op.6 were not put in the new Hogwood box whilst the Op.3 were?

[Bryn]

But don't you think it strange, Bryn, that the Op.6 were not put in the new Hogwood box whilst the Op.3 were?

Indeed so. After all, Decca/Universal have plenty of previous form when it comes to duplicating the content in various boxed sets. Just think of the L'Oiseau-Lyre Hogward Haydn Symphonies and the Decca complete HIPP Haydn Symphonies boxes.

[vinteuil]

Mind you, I have noticed that Decca have now gathered together nearly all Hogwood's recordings, at a very enticing price:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Handel-Recordings-Christopher-Hogwood/dp/B06Y3JQ961/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1526409962&sr=1-1&keywords=Handel+Hogwood

... even more enticing from the Italians -

http://amzn.eu/7Rp3Kzo

.

[Mal]

Oops, correction, in studying the booklet I find that the Concerti a due cori is performed by Hogwood/AAM in the 8 disc London box of Handel's Orchestral Music advertised as purely Marriner/ASMF on the box. Everything else in the box is Marriner/ASMF except "Alexander's feast" by Granville Jones and the Philomusica of London.

I greatly enjoyed Hogwood's performance, like in the best of his Haydn, the orchestra seem so involved, and seem to do everything right. The due cori are two choruses of wind instruments, placed on both sides of the orchestra, my booklet tells me, and the effect from Hogwood's bassoons, horns and oboes was very good here, brio and beauty combined. If I have to criticise, I might ask for more speed in the allegros, and maybe the horns to blare out a bit more. So a bit more liveliness overall. But, then, this might detract from the wonderful air of relaxed exuberance. So it will take an exceptional performance to even match Hogwood, I feel, and I'll probably not be adding to my library.

[MickyD]

... even more enticing from the Italians -

http://amzn.eu/7Rp3Kzo

.

Isn't that the same link to the box that I posted yesterday, Vints?

[vinteuil]

Isn't that the same link to the box that I posted yesterday, Vints?

... same box - but your amazon uk link has £53.46 ; the amazon italy link has €48.99...


.

[MickyD]

Ah right, sorry, I didn't notice that, Vints. A bargain for anyone looking for a great Handel/Hogwood collection, but the lack of the Op.6 set would be a serious omission for me...

[Bryn]

The Tafelmusik/Lamon recording is to be found on disc 18 of their Sony boxed set:



The disc is also available separately (amazon.co.uk ASIN: B007N0SXB8|).

[BBMmk2]

I do not like it when recording companies suddenly gather up all their recordings of a composer into one recording. half the time, I have those CDs anyway. Ah well, marketing ploys, no doubt?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I do not like it when recording companies suddenly gather up all their recordings of a composer into one recording. half the time, I have those CDs anyway. Ah well, marketing ploys, no doubt?

Oh, I love it when they do this, Bbm: the boxes are usually very cheap (although they've increased in price recently) and superb recordings that I've missed (because individual CDs were full-price) become affordable: that's my kind of "marketing ploy"! My most recent purchase is the SONY Salonen Stravinsky box - all seven discs for less than the shop price of a single full-price CD, and a superb overview of the composer - but my shelves have many such boxes.

More frustrating are big boxes like the Tafelmusik collection Bryn links to: I already have the Haydn and Mozart discs (on a couple of those SONY composer boxes, as it happens!) - do I invest in the megabox, and pass on the discs I have to charity shops? (But then, I'll have to rearrange the shelving & storage .... )

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The disc is also available separately (amazon.co.uk ASIN: B007N0SXB8|).

... and in a smaller (6 CD) box with more Handel (although, sadly, not the Op6 ) and Purcell, Geminiani, etc:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Handel-Geminiani-Purcell-Tafelmusik/dp/B005TLWO68