BaL 2.11.2019/28.3.20 - Bach: Violin Concerto in E BWV 1042

[edashtav]

Interesting, and good result I'd say. I was listening, and occasionally cutting across to the debacle unfolding on ITV.

I thought Mr Lowther's considered delivery, pauses, etc., effectively cut across AMcG's normal game - sort of Arthur Ashe to Andrew's Jimmy Connors. And coherent thesis. The Perlman came as a shock.

I heard part of this as I was making coffee, and was impressed by Mr Lowther's considered comments and enthusiasm - and very happy with his two last choices.

I heard the comment on the Ibragimova recording describing one moment of interpretation as "adding nothing, and possibly taking something away" - precisely what I felt (as always) about AMcG's twitterings.

I, too, thought that Mr Lowther approached his task in a thoughtful and considered manner analysing both the character of the work and the likely forces employed by JSB. I was shocked by Alina's version: a concerto for Big Lute and piccolo violin. 'Twas a shame that Shunsuke Sato's recent recording was ignored. However, I was happy that the elegant Rachel Podger survived to the end. For once, Andrew was a help rather than a hindrance.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

With the acquisition of so many big box sets of CDs, I’ve acquired a few extra versions of the piece, but Manze and Podger are my prefered versions

Ms Podger was given the laurels this morning, rfg, with Cafe Zimmermann "runners-up". I'm very fond of that Manze disc, too - on which Ms Podger also shares the solo honours, of course.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

For once, Andrew was a help rather than a hindrance.

Really, ed - how? (I must have missed the "helpful" bit.)

[edashtav]

Really, ed - how? (I must have missed the "helpful" bit.)

Andrew suggested to his reviewer that he might have a final example to add to his selection of moments from the Adagio just as Mr Lowther was on the brink of cutting to the chase of the finale.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Thank you - yes, a slip that wouldn't've happened if Mr Lowther had been in charge of his own script. But you're right: literally for once, a moment where Mr McG prevented a minor mishap.

[ardcarp]

Record Review

9.30am – Building a Library – Mark Lowther on J. S. Bach’s Violin Concerto in E BWV 1042

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

Reviewer: Mark Lowther

Recommended Recording:

Rachel Podger (violin/director)

Brecon Baroque

Channel Classics CCSSA30910 [Hybrid SACD]



Other Recommended Recordings:

Pablo Valetti (violin)

Café Zimmermann

ALPHA ALPHA 013



Janine Jansen (violin / director)

Janine Jansen and Friends

DECCA 4785362



Renaud Capucon (violin / director)

Chamber Orchestra of Europe

ERATO 4632322



Isabelle Faust (violin / director)

Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin

HARMONIA MUNDI HMM90233536







Forgive me for including the above. 'I grew up with' the Bach violin concertos. i.e. this one, the A minor and (when a friend was available) the double, and accompanied them both as 'the orchestra' and as continuo many, many times. I'm glad Mark L. began with how they used to sound in the Oistrakh/Menuhin era. (Lucky really that tempi were slower then, or I'd never have got my 12-year-old fingers around the outer movements.) Mark was clearly focused on the one-instrument-per-part versions, which is fine, but I'm not sure that is 'based on modern scholarship' as he implied. These are not concerti grossi. However, given his self-imposed limitations, I preferred the Cafe Zimmerman...which I possess...and which has a livelier acoustic than the Podger/Brecon Baroque. My out and out favourite, however, is Isabelle Faust/AAM which I also have and (unlike many of my CDs) gets played a lot, because it has a lot of other beautifully played Bach works on it (or should I say them, 'cos there are two in the box). This is my recommendation for what it's worth, mainly because Isabelle elicits so much more colour from her instrument. Rachel Podger, great player though she is, uses such a 'straight' sound in her performance, I fear it may tire on repeated listening.

I'd have liked Mark, in this review, to have (a) done less stating the b******g obvious about present day styles and speeds (b) spent a little more time on the violin sound and technique of the players he preferred, and (c) been given a free hand..i.e. have no pointless AMcG interjections.

PS Was Mark Lowther at one time (maybe still is?) part of the Record Review production team?

[zola]

Andrew suggested to his reviewer that he might have a final example to add to his selection of moments from the Adagio just as Mr Lowther was on the brink of cutting to the chase of the finale.

In marked contrast to his treatment of Marina Frolova-Walker and the Prokofiev Classical Symphony !

[doversoul1]

Record Review



I'd have liked Mark, in this review, to have (a) done less stating the b******g obvious about present day styles and speeds (b) spent a little more time on the violin sound and technique of the players he preferred, and (c) been given a free hand..i.e. have no pointless AMcG interjections.

It may not be so to the listeners who want to acquire his/her first recording of this work.

[vinteuil]

It may not be so to the listeners who want to acquire his/her first recording of this work.

... a very good point. Actually an essential point : too easy for those who know the terrain to forget that (heureusement!) there are many coming up for whom all of this is new, unexplored.

And for those of us who are more up to speed (ho ho) - always instructive to be reminded how leaden performances could be c. 1972, even with performers of the calibre of Itzhak Perlman, Daniel Barenboim, the ECO...

.

[jayne lee wilson]

Shunske Sato/Pomo D'Oro any mention....? I think it's wonderful, shame if it was left out.....

[doversoul1]

Shunske Sato/Pomo D'Oro any mention....? I think it's wonderful, shame if it was left out.....

#16

[jayne lee wilson]

#16

JLW duh!
Thanks ds.... great shame, do seek it out anyone if your buying/streaming resources allow....can't see anyone being disappointed...

[mikealdren]

The Perlman came as a shock.

It shouldn't have done if you had heeded PG and my warnings..... Rather unfair to give this as an example of how things used to be done, it was awful even when new.

[Richard Tarleton]

It shouldn't have done if you had heeded PG and my warnings..... Rather unfair to give this as an example of how things used to be done, it was awful even when new.

apologies I should have re-read the thread, spur-of-the-moment reaction, shooting from the HIPP....startling, though.

[ardcarp]

It may not be so [lengthy discussion of historical tempi] to the listeners who want to acquire his/her first recording of this work.

I take your point. I'd just say that a newbie who fell in love with the work would be unlikely to rush out and find a vinyl of Heifetz or someone like that. I'd also suggest while many R3 programmes are aimed at a wider (younger?) music-loving audience, there is a place for the occasional more considered slot...such as BaL.