BaL 20.10.18 - Bach: Keyboard concertos - BWV.1052-58

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

09.30
Building a Library: Mark Lowther listens to some of the available recordings of Bach's seven keyboard concertos, BWV.1052 to BWV.1058, and makes a recommendation.
Bach's collection of concertos for solo keyboard are the only collection of concertos in his entire oeuvre aside from the Brandenburg Concertos. These 7 concertos, BWV.1052 to 1058, are thought to have been written in Leipzig during the 1730s, using arrangements made from earlier concertos that Bach wrote while he was still living in Köthen. They are amongst the earliest concertos written for keyboard.

Available versions:-

Bob Van Asperen (H), Melante Amsterdam

Michel Béroff, Jean-Philippe Collard, Michel Dalberto, Gabriel Tacchino, Jean-Pierre Wallez, Bruno Rigutto, Bruno Rigutto (all P), Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Jean-Pierre Wallez (download)

Richard Egarr (H), The Academy of Ancient Music, Andrew Manze (download)

Angela Hewitt (P), Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti

Igor Kipnis (H), London Strings, Sir Neville Marriner

Ton Koopman (H), Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra

Yorck Kronenberg (P & H), Zürcher Kammerorchester

Raymond Leppard, (H), English Chamber Orchestra

Robert Levin (H), Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Helmuth Rilling

Konstantin Lifschitz (P), Stuttgarter Kammerorchester

Murray Perahia (P), Academy of St Martin in the Fields

Trevor Pinnock (H), English Concert

Karl Richter (H), Münchener Bach-Orchester

Christophe Rousset (H), The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood

Zuzana Růžičková (H), Prague Chamber Soloists, Václav Neumann

András Schiff (P), Chamber Orchestra of Europe

Christine Schornsheim (H), Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum Leipzig, Burkhard Glaetzner

Andreas Staier (H), Freiburger Barockorchester

Alexandre Tharaud (P), Les Violons du Roy, Bernard Labadie

Julia Zilberquit (P), Moscow Virtuosi, Saulius Sondeckis




H = harpsichord
P = pianoforte

[Richard Barrett]

... plus Lars Erik Mortensen on CPO, Aapo Häkkinen on Aeolus, Tachezi & Leonhardt on Teldec (maybe no longer available) - I think all of those are complete sets of the concertos for a single harpsichord. Häkkinen and Leonhardt, like Egarr, use one instrument per part for the accompaniment which I think is essential to get the music to balance properly without extra help from engineers or the soloist having to use all the stops too often. Leonhardt and his Consort (in all except BWV1052 which is played by Herbert Tachezi and the Concentus Musicus) was always my favourite for this reason, but Egarr's much more recent recording has probably supplanted it now as far as I'm concerned.

[vinteuil]

.

... thanks, Alpie ; and thanks, Richard, for the supplemental - I don't know the Egarr, but I appreciate the 'one instrument per part' approach so will investigate.

There is also Koopman with the Amsterdam Baroque :

http://amzn.eu/d/8clry1M

http://amzn.eu/d/80c4ox6

http://amzn.eu/d/56OeNQS

..

[Pulcinella]

The version I have (Kipnis (h)/London Strings/Marriner) seems still to be available:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Keyboard-Concertos-Bwv-1052-1058/dp/B007WB5DJS/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1539263567&sr=1-1&keywords=Kipnis+bach+concertos

though I have the earlier Sony incarnation:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Harpsichord-Concertos-Die-Cembalokonzerte/dp/B00O4CUVBS/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1539263567&sr=1-2&keywords=Kipnis+bach+concertos

[Lordgeous]

09.30
Building a Library: Mark Lowther listens to some of the available recordings of Bach's seven keyboard concertos, BWV.1052 to BWV.1058, and makes a recommendation.
Bach's collection of concertos for solo keyboard are the only collection of concertos in his entire oeuvre aside from the Brandenburg Concertos. These 7 concertos, BWV.1052 to 1058, are thought to have been written in Leipzig during the 1730s, using arrangements made from earlier concertos that Bach wrote while he was still living in Köthen. They are amongst the earliest concertos written for keyboard.

Available versions:-

Bob Van Asperen (H), Melante Amsterdam

Michel Béroff, Jean-Philippe Collard, Michel Dalberto, Gabriel Tacchino, Jean-Pierre Wallez, Bruno Rigutto, Bruno Rigutto (all P), Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Jean-Pierre Wallez (download)

Richard Egarr (H), The Academy of Ancient Music, Andrew Manze (download)

Angela Hewitt (P), Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti

Christopher Hogwood (H), The Academy of Ancient Music,

Igor Kipnis (H), London Strings, Sir Neville Marriner

Ton Koopman (H), Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra

Yorck Kronenberg (P & H), Zürcher Kammerorchester

Raymond Leppard, (H), English Chamber Orchestra

Robert Levin (H), Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Helmuth Rilling

Konstantin Lifschitz (P), Stuttgarter Kammerorchester

Murray Perahia (P), Academy of St Martin in the Fields

Trevor Pinnock (H), English Concert

Karl Richter (H), Münchener Bach-Orchester

Zuzana Růžičková (H), Prague Chamber Soloists, Václav Neumann

András Schiff (P), Chamber Orchestra of Europe

Christine Schornsheim (H), Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum Leipzig, Burkhard Glaetzner

Andreas Staier (H), Freiburger Barockorchester

Alexandre Tharaud (P), Les Violons du Roy, Bernard Labadie

Julia Zilberquit (P), Moscow Virtuosi, Saulius Sondeckis




H = harpsichord
P = pianoforte

Thanks for footnote Alpie. I'd never have guessed!

[MickyD]

Alpie, a correction is needed here for the Academy of Ancient Music set - the harpsichordist is Christophe Rousset, not Christopher Hogwood.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Alpie, a correction is needed here for the Academy of Ancient Music set - the harpsichordist is Christophe Rousset, not Christopher Hogwood.

I did wonder about that.

Will adjust,

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

... plus Lars Erik Mortensen on CPO, Aapo Häkkinen on Aeolus, Tachezi & Leonhardt on Teldec (maybe no longer available) -

Any links would be appreciated.

[MickyD]

I did wonder about that.

Will adjust,

Thanks! Like Mr Barrett, my preference was always for the old Leonhardt set, but I never got round to acquiring it on CD. Looks like it is available here, I really should invest.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Concertos-Harpsichord-Leonhardt-Consort/dp/B00000E8ON/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1539326181&sr=1-2&keywords=Bach+harpsichord+concertos+leonhardt

I have the Egarr and Rousset versions. Very much looking forward to this BAL, long overdue. Incidentally, has anyone heard the Staier/Freiburg set?

[gurnemanz]

For many years I did not have these concertos as a complete set. The first one I had was the very satisfying piano version from Andras Schiff. My only complete harpsichord set is Leonhardt on Teldec, as mentioned above.

They frequently appear separately - as in some of my current favourite recordings with Café Zimmermann on Alpha. These will be hors de combat for BaL, since they only do four of the series and spread them over 6CDs. These recordings have received rave reviews, fully justified in my view, and Céline Frisch is a very fine soloist.

[vinteuil]

.

... sadly the 'one instrument to a part' set with Robt: Woolley and the Purcell Quartet on chaconne/chandos seems to be no longer (easily/cheaply) available.

.

[Bryn]

Thanks! Like Mr Barrett, my preference was always for the old Leonhardt set, but I never got round to acquiring it on CD. Looks like it is available here, I really should invest.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Concertos-Harpsichord-Leonhardt-Consort/dp/B00000E8ON/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1539326181&sr=1-2&keywords=Bach+harpsichord+concertos+leonhardt

I have the Egarr and Rousset versions. Very much looking forward to this BAL, long overdue. Incidentally, has anyone heard the Staier/Freiburg set?

Also in this:



and in the earlier version, which is rather more expensive but replete with DVD and flip-top box.

[cloughie]

Andras Schiff - my unHIPP favourite!

[Bryn]

I have to admit that I only rarely listen to these works, though I have Gould, Leonhardt, Levin and Schonsheim, Cafe Zimmermann et al at my disposal. I will listen closely to this BaL, hoping it revitalises my interest.

[BBMmk2]

Murray Perahia’s recordings, are they not available anymore?