Tír Na HiFi

Peter wrote:

Seán wrote:

fergus wrote:Simple....just buy it!!!

Peter, Fergus oozes with passion for Gardiner's Bach and from what little I have heard of it, he's right.

When you have acquired Gardiner's you might want to consider Herreweghe's Bach too.

Does one really need four complete sets of the cantatas (five with Herreweghe)? I suspect that Fergus will say yes....... ; -)

Herreweghe has not recorded a complete traversal, no where close, I just love his performances, they are spiritually uplifting, I am not keen on Suziki. What sets do you have?

Seán wrote: Herreweghe has not recorded a complete traversal, no where close, I just love his performances, they are spiritually uplifting, I am not keen on Suziki. What sets do you have?

My first was the Brilliant Classics compilation (Bach set) followed by Rilling and Harnoncourt/Leonhardt. I very much like the Harnoncourt interpretations. Not sure if gazing into Gardiner's recordings will improve the journey. Convince me Fergus! :)

What about you Seán? Which set/s are you travelling through?

Peter wrote: My first was the Brilliant Classics compilation (Bach set) followed by Rilling and Harnoncourt/Leonhardt. I very much like the Harnoncourt interpretations. Not sure if gazing into Gardiner's recordings will improve the journey. Convince me Fergus! :)

What about you Seán? Which set/s are you travelling through?

As with everything in Life and not just in Music these things are very subjective so it always comes down to one's interpretation of how we want things to be. So it is with Bach and I. Just like you I started off with the Brilliant Classics versions and also followed with Rilling and Harnoncourt/Leonhardt. And then one day I heard Gardiner. I sold every Brilliant Classics CD that I had and basically shelved but kept the others and bought most of the DG Bach Pilgrimage CDs. However that series as you know was abandoned by DG and Gardiner produced the SDG Bach Pilgrimage series and I bought everyone of them as they came out.

Firstly, to answer an earlier question I believe that to really appreciate the Bach Cantatas one needs to hear (not necessarily own) three versions; Suzuki, Herreweghe and Gardiner.
Suzuki is somewhat clinical in his interpretation but that is a good reason to listen to him as he has every note of the music clearly articulated and one clearly hears the lines and structure.
Herreweghe's interpretations are full of wonderful warmth and convey the sense of the religious very well without being pious and they are very well played and sung.
To my ear Gardiner gets to the very essence of Bach's music. His music making is so full of joy. People forget that Bach's Cantatas contained a lot of time signitures pertaining to dance rhythms and Gardiner certainly brings this aspect to the fore. There is never anything laboured and the music constantly flows with a wonderful lilting joy that one would literally be dancing in the aisles a lot if one was near an aisle. The joy of Life continuously bubbles to the surface.
Gardiner also has one other major ace up his sleeve; one of the best choral ensembles around at the moment namely the Monteverdi Choir.

This is no attempt to sell this SDG series merely an expression as to why I go to it in the first instance if I want to listen to a Bach Cantata.

Peter wrote: However, just because religion is a motivation behind the creation of music one cannot necessarily imply that appreciation of such music makes one religious? Does listening and appreciating a specific composer mean that one agrees/comply with the driving forces behind the compositions (psychological/religious/political stances)? Bach is an amazing composer. I have mostly been a devotee of Bach played on the piano, but have started to explore the cantatas which is an amazing musical journey. I am still hesitant about the new Gardiner set (as I alread have three cycles) but everybody seems to rave about these interpretations. Any opinions on that one?

I am not religious Peter, but I'd agree with the first sentence if the term 'religious' were used in it's widest possible context, ie elevated to a spiritual plane, where one's senses are enhanced to such a degree that one feels in touch with a wider reality than the every day and the mundane. It could almost be called 'out of body', but not in the strict religious sense.

As far as Bach on the piano is concerned, I think I've tended to be a minority of one on this forum, but I personally think Bach and Hewitt go together very well:



the set cost me quite a bit, but I dip into it quite regularly.

Jared wrote:
As far as Bach on the piano is concerned, I think I've tended to be a minority of one on this forum, but I personally think Bach and Hewitt go together very well:

No, I am with you there Jared; I think that she has a lovely touch with Bach. I have not bought any of her Bach recordings however but I have heard a number of broadcasts of her performances. As you know I prefer my Bach keyboard music to be played on harpsichord but I do own some wonderful Schiff piano performances. I particularly remember an excellent series that was done on BBC Radio 4 a number of years ago with Hewitt playing the entire Well Tempered Clavier; it was excellent!

^^ it sits there in the corner of the unit, pride of place next to the JEG Bach Cantata box set from the 2000 pilgrimage... both are indispensable for me and get frequent plays...

Jared wrote: I am not religious Peter, but I'd agree with the first sentence if the term 'religious' were used in it's widest possible context, ie elevated to a spiritual plane, where one's senses are enhanced to such a degree that one feels in touch with a wider reality than the every day and the mundane. It could almost be called 'out of body', but not in the strict religious sense.

As far as Bach on the piano is concerned, I think I've tended to be a minority of one on this forum, but I personally think Bach and Hewitt go together very well:
the set cost me quite a bit, but I dip into it quite regularly.

Well put Jared! I agree with that one transcends i(n a fashion) as music resonates with one's being. I presume our personalities and experiences attune differently with the soundscapes put forward by the composers and performers. Music is a peculiar art full of mystery.

I am sorry to say that I cannot agree with you in regards to Hewitt. I should give here some more tine (as I own the set), but I keep bouncing back to other pianists when I listen to Bach. The main staple is probably Schiff (which I think is uniformly performing at a high standard of playing), but I have an attachment to Rosalyn Tureck's playing ( I like slow tempos...). She is amazing (especially the WTC).

http://www.amazon.com/Plays-Bach-Well-T ... ck+clavier

I have not heard much of Tureck's playing but what I have heard I also like Peter.