Tír Na HiFi

mcq wrote:First of all, Fabio Bonizzoni's wonderful recordings of Handel's Italian cantatas on the Glossa label. Fiery and passionate in the grand Italianate style.

I heard a performance by Emma Kirkby on the radio of some Handel Italian cantatas and they are sitting in my Wish List at the moment; perhaps I should sample these as well by the sound of it!!

Seán wrote:Take off yer hi-fat hat for a mo, ( a sacrilege in these parts I know) and listen to the music.

Of course I listen to the music! What else would I be doing? Anyway it was just an observation I made. :-)

mcq wrote:Secondly, Riccardo Muti's exceptional series of Cherubini masses collected in a bargain-priced EMI box. Perhaps Muti's greatest achievement (although I do love his 70s recordings of the Verdi operas on EMI). You can sense Muti felt a strong personal attachment to this composer's deeply beautiful music.

Fourthly, the Avison Ensemble's glorious recordings of Handel's Concerti Grossi Op.6 on Linn. These concerti grossi of Handel are compositions that, like Bach's immortal Brandenburg Concertos, I find difficult to resist. Rather more measured in tempi than some period instrument recordings, they are nonetheless deeply rewarding.

Fifthly, Frans Bruggen's noteworthy performance of Bach's Mass in B Minor on Glossa. Perhaps the greatest testament I can pay to this richly powerful recording is that I listened to Gardiner's classic performance the day before and was startled to find that I preferred Bruggen by no small margin. An intensely involving and overwhelmingly emotional experience of this greatest of masterpieces.

Finally, Philippe Pierlot's simply beautiful rendition of Bach's Magnificat on Mirare. This is a simply wonderful and truly heart-gladdening experience which might well be the greatest Magnificat of them all.

We do not hear from you in some time, then you come back with a post like this and now there are 6 new discs on my Wish List!!!

Ciaran wrote:

mcq wrote:Isabelle Faust's and Alexander Melnikov's superb performances of the Beethoven violin sonatas on Harmonia Mundi. The Martha Argerich/Gidon Kremer recordings on DG have been some of my most most-played discs of the last year and must surely count as some of either artist's greatest achievements. The new recording comes close, very close, to that exalted level. They dig deep into these great masterpieces (which, to me, are some of the most personal music in Beethoven's canon), highlighting the almost Haydnesque wit and charm inherent in this beautiful music.

I've been enjoying the Faust/Melnikov set too: I think it's really wonderful.

You guys make a compelling argument for this set!!

JSB – Cantata BWV69a for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity....

fergus wrote:JSB – Cantata BWV69a for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity....

Do you have all of these recordings Fergus? Has Gardiner recorded all or most of the cycle yet?

DaveF wrote:

fergus wrote:JSB – Cantata BWV69a for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity....

Do you have all of these recordings Fergus? Has Gardiner recorded all or most of the cycle yet?

There are 27 in the complete set of which 25 have been issued....I have 24 of the cycle so only 3 more to go Dave!

JS Bach: English and French Suites no. 1 played by Alan Curtis....

DaveF wrote:

fergus wrote:JSB – Cantata BWV69a for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity....

Do you have all of these recordings Fergus? Has Gardiner recorded all or most of the cycle yet?

In the year 2000 JEG and the Monteverdi Choir made their Cantata Pilgrimage, travelling around the world performing each Sunday the Bach cantatas appropriate to the day (or some nearby feast), them spending the rest of the week rehearsing for the next Sunday and travelling to the next location. A mad and inspiring thing to do, though JEG points out that JSB did something similar (though without the travelling) and also composed the next week's cantata too! The performances were all recorded and the plan was that DG (to whom JEG was signed at the time) would release them all as a complete cantata cycle. DG did release a few (and included some older studio recordings in the same series) but then got cold feet and pulled the plug. JEG bought the rights for the unreleased ones and started bringing them out on SDG, his own label, and I think he has acquired the rights for the ones DG released. Some of the cantatas did not actually get performed during the Pilgrimage: JEG is talking about recording these to complete the series.

I have mixed feelings about the Pilgrimage recordings: previously I didn't like JEG in Bach cantatas, but I do like a lot of these. They are all live recordings, however, which means that they can have an extra sense of excitement and involvement, but they are recorded pretty closely, which I'm not so keen on.

DaveF wrote:

fergus wrote:Dave is that the re-issue of the original and earlier Sony cycle?
I have no Mahler performed by Bernstein and that situation will be rectified in due course but the question, as always, is which one to get? The early Sony cycle seems to be the one that is most commented on.....

Its a reissue of the original cycle Fergus from Sony or Columbia as it was back then. Sonically the later cycle with DG is the better one and there are some fine performances there but for me and many others the earlier cycle is the one to get. The reissued version of the early cycle has had some very worthwhile sonic improvements made to it. The 3rd symphony is absolutely epic! :-)

That Third Symphony is one of the first I ever heard and it's still one of my favourites!