The Amazon.de reviewer thinks Antonini's interpretation is too harsh and too strange, and that is an understandable response - not everyone sincerely believes that this is ensemble music at its most dramatic and deserves an all-out reading. Indeed his preferred versions all sound too reverential to me, too much confined to the pleasant and polite "drawing room" sensibilities as compared to the more daring renditions by Antonini and by Thomas Fey (only 4 out of 12, Accent). There is simply more fantasy and imagination in the IGA Handel than all the British interpretations I have owned -- Pinnock, Hogwood, Manze included.
Yes, and thanks for the clips you provided. I have listened carefully to these (the fugue is my preferred movement from the whole set) and reached the conclusion, that I shall not stand them in the long run. Like a meal which is too heavily seasoned.
BTW I have acquired Terakado's Cello suites, and what a wonderful surprise they are. Certainly beautiful and expressive, far from the idea I had of him.
Egarr's Brandenburg is a bit on the slow side (think Savall) but the tonal beauty and textural clarity really more than make up for it. Do you have S. Kuijken's Accent recording of the "cello" suites on the da spalla already? If so, can you do a comparison between it and the Terakado? The Kuijken set is quite expensive here in UK.
You know the Wieland Kuijken violoncello suites IIRC. Sigiswald's are much in the same vein, and add to this the extra attraction of the violoncello da spalla. If you want I shall upload some clips for you to morrow (it is rather late here now).
Thanks pe-zulu, some sound samples would be very helpful. (Lower sound quality is fine.)
Best regards!
Without much fanfare, Egarr's recording of Brandenburg Concertos is out (SACD).
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Beautiful sound - recorded at the lower Kammerton, with one player to a part throughout, apart from the continuo, which has harpsichord and sometimes a theorbo, too.