Tír Na HiFi

I have recently finished a traversal of this Bruckner symphonic cycle by Wand and I thought that No. 8 in this set was a magnificent performance and a real stand out in the cycle.

Today....





....Part Six for the Feast of the Epiphany.

A terrific listen!

Johann Sebastian Bach
BWV 1041-1043, 1060
Bach Collegium Japan
Masaaki Suzuki - conducting.

This is heavenly music. I have had it on repeat play this afternoon and evening; I am using my new Dalkey Audio, "Bartra Pure Silver", Interconnect Cables too. I'm a happy man!

Seán wrote: This is heavenly music. I have had it on repeat play this afternoon and evening....

Another converted soul LOL!!!

Sean... really pleased you're getting into Bach... ;-)

meanwhile, my extended Haydn odyssey continues unabated..

fergus wrote:

Jared wrote: The Purcell isn't as immediate as his other works; a little more of an acquaired taste, although pleasurable.

Interesting as The Fairy Queen was my introduction to Purcell back when that recording came out and I loved it from the moment that I heard it.

Fergus, I'm slowly revising my opinion of FQ, with further listens... I'm warming to it now, considerably... :-)

Jared wrote:

fergus wrote:

Jared wrote: The Purcell isn't as immediate as his other works; a little more of an acquaired taste, although pleasurable.

Interesting as The Fairy Queen was my introduction to Purcell back when that recording came out and I loved it from the moment that I heard it.

Fergus, I'm slowly revising my opinion of FQ, with further listens... I'm warming to it now, considerably... :-)

I am delighted to read that Jared. I feel that it is a great work and a great performance. Perhaps your ear is just becoming accustomed to the work with more frequent playing.

fergus wrote: Perhaps your ear is just becoming accustomed to the work with more frequent playing.

I think that's it... unlike his other works, the choral parts are very minimal, making the work of a considerably more operatic style than the works in the Pinnock boxset... I think I tend to initially hang my concentration on the choral sections, and build the framework of the solo voices around it, because I often find those sections to require more listening to appreciate.

That said, Purcell's musical language is something I have grown used to considerably over the past 12 months... and there doesn't appear to be much else like it around. A full century after Tallis & Byrd, his work still predates Handel by a good 30/40 years, and seemingly has no German influence... it seems to stand alone as 'Rococco' English repertoire in a late Stuart setting, it's practically unique, isn't it?

Jared wrote: I think that's it... unlike his other works, the choral parts are very minimal, making the work of a considerably more operatic style than the works in the Pinnock boxset... I think I tend to initially hang my concentration on the choral sections, and build the framework of the solo voices around it, because I often find those sections to require more listening to appreciate.

I can certainly understand where you are coming from there Jared. I think that once you have retuned your thinking to Opera rather than to Choral it will make more sense because that is where the work is at, obviously.

That said, Purcell's musical language is something I have grown used to considerably over the past 12 months... and there doesn't appear to be much else like it around. A full century after Tallis & Byrd, his work still predates Handel by a good 30/40 years, and seemingly has no German influence... it seems to stand alone as 'Rococco' English repertoire in a late Stuart setting, it's practically unique, isn't it?

That is quite a good observation Jared and one that I personally feel is something of a general problem for people who are not quite familiar with Purcell; the fact that he has a unique voice....his music does not quite fit in somehow. However, once one grows accustomed to it the music can be quite rewarding.