The Keyboard Music of Bach

It hasn't arrived yet! The despatch time was given by Amazon Deutschland as 1-2 weeks, and then I got a mail to say that it would be further delayed. It's probably all your fault, you realise - everybody now wants a copy!

 

Despite my incompetence I have compared Bob van Asperen's WTC1 with Parmentier's. van Asperen's approach is much more straightforward and the instrument has more powerful sound. Parmentier's version appears to be very interesting so far, with a quirkier rhytm. Must listen more to both. Parmentier's WTC2 should come out later this year.

 

I've been looking for some really good recordings by harpsichordists of works by Buxtehude, Froberger, Francois Couperin, Forqueray and d'Anglebert. Some research on my part has revealed some less familiar (at least, to me) names like Mitzi Meyerson, Olivier Baumont and Arthur Haas, among the more well-known like Gilbert and Rousset.

Desperately need recommendations. Help!

 

Sn66,

Buxtehude:

Meyerson is good if a little restrained, and my preferred recording is the three-CD-set on DaCapo by Lars Ulrik Mortensen. He uses a meantone-tuned harpsichord and plays with all the virtuosity and vigour one can ask for, and which is so prominent in his Bach-playing.

Another fine Buxtehude-CD is Rinaldo Alessandrinis on Astree, his style not much unlike Mortensens.

Froberger:

As far as I know, Gustav Leonhardt has made three albums with music of Froberger.
1) Telefunken 1960ies (a good one).
2) German Harmonia Mundi 1970ties (even better if VERY austere).
3) SONY late 1990ties coupled with suites of Weckmann, in my opinion the best.

Siegbert Rampe has made two Froberger-CDs for Virgin and two Froberger-CDs for Dabringhaus und Grimm. I have heard only one of the VirginCDs, which is beautiful and rather meditative.

Lars Ulrik Mortensen has made one Froberger-CD for Kontrapunkt.
It is brilliant and more extrovert than Leonhardts. Colourful, as RdS has put it, and I think this is very apt description.

Bob van Asperen has made four Froberger-CD-sets for AEOLUS. I don't know them.


Forqueray:
Leonhardt on SONY coupled with pieces of Duphly, almost a feast in dark sound. This applies to Luc Beausejours Forqueray-CD for Naxos too, and it is (if possible) even more noble and serene than Leonhardts.

As to Francois Couperin I know less than very little, and RdS is the one to ask about him. The same may be true of d'Anglebert. And RdS can say more about the others too.

Regards,

 

And if RdS cannot help you, please do not hesitate to rely upon my vast experience.

 

Bat , I can whole-heartedly say, that you are most welcome to contribute constructively to these topics.
Regards,

 

Just trying to be funny.
Two d'Anglebert CDs are included in the 'Hommage a Scott Ross' 4 CD set, along with Bach and Scarlatti.
That's what I'd buy (in fact just bought).

 

So am I.
Would you mind to report, when you have listened to Scott Ross?
Regards,

 

Many thanks for the replies. In fact, I believe I have the Leonhardt Forqueray(together with Dulphy and Couperin) recording. Majestic recital. His Froberger (with Weckmann) is also available, and I am currently contemplating buying either that or a 1990's recording of Froberger by Blandine Verlet, which is said to have more warmth and feeling. May end up buying both

Believe it or not, I have not heard any of Mortensen's recordings, Bach or otherwise. Must get some of his works. Was he not a pupil of Pinnock? If so, how do their styles compare?

I admire Pinnock's technical ability, although I tend to believe that Rousset is the more natural harpsichordist. Rousset's interpretation of Rameau's pieces de clavecin are superb. I may get his d'Anglebert, although some reviewers have mentioned Arthur Haas's d'Anglebert as superior.

I will be getting Scott Ross's Frescobaldi toccatas and partitas. Most probably will be getting Olivier Baumont's Couperin (Third Book) on Erato, while staying alert for recordings by Gilbert and Rousset.

Any comments and suggestions on the above-mentioned recordings and other recitals would be greatly appreciated.

 

Have been listening to various versions of the French Suites on harpsichord, and have come to the conclusion that Rousset's set, compared to those by Moroney, Jarret, Leonhardt, Hogwood, Kipnis, Cates and Rannou, is probably the best. Except for the gigue in the first suite (a very severe one, which he plays way too slow), the rest is superb.

In 2nd place is, suprisingly, Moroney, who also provides two extra suites. Very well played, scholarly and deliberate at times, but also joyous and exuberant when called for. His tempi is slower than Rousset's, although I'm struck by some similarities in their approach to the suites.

I commented on Cates previously. Jarret is quite good, and plays the gigues very fluently. Leonhardt is his usual impressive style, Kipnis his usual unorthodox style, while Hogwood has some outstanding moments. Those who have heard Rannou's English Suites will know what to expect from her. All in all, all the suites have worthwhile features, but I would go with Rousset. The recording sound is exceptional, better than his English Suites, which, although brilliant, had a somewhat busy and reverberent acoustic. He uses the same Ruckers harpsichord for both recordings.

Anyone care to comment?

 

Sn66,

Even if you own Leonhardts Forqueray, Luc BeausejoursForqueray is a worthy supplement (bargainprice on Naxos).

Mortensens Froberger is most recommendable, as everything he has recorded. Yes, Mortensen is a pupil of Pinnock, but his playing is more individual and interesting.
I have never heard a rutine performance from him.

I don't know Verlets Froberger, but I have considered to try it, as well as one of van Asperens Froberger-sets.

Bat has pointed out, that Scott Ross has recorded some d'Angelbert. Maybe he can be persuaded to elaborate further.

I think that a large part of Frescobaldis keyboard music
is difficult to understand, especially his toccatas (first book as well as second book). The same is IMHO true of many other early baroque italian keyboard toccata composers e.g. Michelangelo Rossi and Claudio Merulo. The music is overloaded with shifting harmonies and figurations, but still it seems to be static and without real development.
Much of it can be played on organ as well as harpsichord.
The static character is most prominent with an organ
rendering.

My favorite Frescobaldi performer is Rinaldo Alessandrini,
who has recorded Fiori Musicali for Astree and the first book of toccatas for Arcana. Both renderings are very beautiful and harbour much energy. He plays much of the music on organ. And the toccatas have some of this static character.

The Scott Ross toccata recital for Virgin and the Pierre Hantaï toccata recital for Auvidis are both very brilliant and individual recitals, which IMO both manages to create at least some tension and some sense of development. Both are exclusively harpsichord recitals.

I only know one of Gustav Leonhardts Frescobaldi recitals,
the Cappriccios on organ for German Harmonia Mundi, which is a wonderful euphonious interpretation of some of the more accessible part of Frescobaldis keyboardmusic. Some find that this is Gustav Leonhardts best-ever recording. I think that his Bach-recordings are much more important.

Sergio Vartolo has recorded all Frescobaldis keyboard music for Tactus (dividing it between organ and harpsichord as to the character of the music). His slow introspective style makes the music almost indigestible,
at least for me.

Regards,

 

Please have patience, I don't have Ross's d'Anglebert record yet.
Aapo Häkkinen's Frescobaldi recording got excellent reviews last year, I am going to check it out too.

 

French suites

Sn66,

Yes, Rousset is brilliant, but I don't think his version is the best among the ones, you mention. I find him to some extent mannered and lacking in individuality, and I don't find much of the subtle expression of, say Leonhardt or Gilbert. And Roussets variations in the repetitions is IMO even a bit contrived, lacking fx the naturalness of Mortensen or Rannou.

Listening to Moroney I was surprised too. Well, he is a scholar, as RdS has pointed out, but Leonhardt and Gilbert are great scholars too. Moroneys version is indeed stylish but also surprisingly expressive and definitely one of the great versions.

And I retain my fondness for Keith Jarretts
version, which I find very human and beautiful.

Rannou is an exciting, brilliant and most stylish player,
much like Mortensen.

I don't care for Hogwood, I find him lacking in direction.
Surprising for someone who has heard his other Bach-recordings.

To make a list of preferences is IMO not possible, there are too many toplist versions, and someone seriously interested in these works must have more versions.

Regards,

 

Have been listening to Rousset's (complete works, no lute transciptions though) and Gilbert's d'Anglebert (transcriptions of Lully only) for the past few days. Rousset plays it like royalty; refined and distinguished. Gilbert is slower and more expressive.

I am not quite sure how to approach d'Anglebert's music as I'm not very familiar with it. What I can say is that it has a lot of ornamentation and seems to require a serious and understated approach. In Rousset's Rameau, one can hear the exuberance and flamboyance overtly, whereas in d'Anglebert, Rousset plays fast and less excitingly, seemingly on purpose. I'm hoping RdS, who cites d'Anglebert as one of his favourites, could instruct and edify further.

Bat, where did you get Scott Ross's d'Anglebert? Is it the whole boxed set of complete recordings? I have heard some good things about his interpretation. How does he compare to Arthus Haas, Gilbert and Rousset? Hope you can post a review soon. Scott Ross recordings are hard to come by, I've been looking for his partitas to no avail.

pe-zulu, I am on alert for recordings by Mortensen. Perhaps I am right in saying that he is probably your favourite composer?

Regards.

 

pe-zulu,

I agree that my list for comparison is relatively small but I can only comment (and not very well at that! ) on versions that I'm somewhat familiar with. Interesting that you should consider Rousset mannered and contrived, for I find the French Suites eminently suited to his style of playing. I feel he plays it very naturally (I must apologise for any lack of technical knowledge of these suites as I am a non-musician). All I can say is that I enjoy his interpretation very much from a layman's point of view.

Did you enjoy Rannou's French Suites more than her English Suites? If so, why? I am also very much looking forward to your view on Parmentier. I don't have his WTC 1, but both his partitas and English Suites appeal strongly to me.

I have to admit that it seems that I'm very pro-Rousset and -Parmentier, but in my defence, I can only say that I like what I like. Music is, I think, possibly the most subjective of all the arts, and for that matter, the most widely debated upon.

Regards.

 

Sn66,

I didn't write, that I don't like Roussets version, but that I (for the mentioned reasons) prefer some of the other versions. I think Roussets style is much better suited to the English suites.

Listening to Rannou I learned that her English suites grew better with repeated listening. You get used to her style, and learn to appreciate the subtleties of her playing. And I was fortunate to get her French suites too, and they are IMO (if possible) even better than her English suites.

Having listened to French suites the last weeks I havent heard much Parmentier, but I think the turn has come to the English suites again.

You don't need to defend your taste. It is interesting for me to hear some other points of view. Otherwise I should easily become too narrow-minded. I hope that this is not yet the case.

Regards,

 

Sn66,

Scott Ross' recording of Bachs Partitas (2 CD) can be aquired at
www.jpc.de for 11 EURO (+postal charge). Search Scott Ross from the main page. There are two editions of the same Partitas, take the cheapest, it is excellent (I own it myself).

Regards,

 

I will reply in deapth as you seem to esteem my opinion. I am very honoured. Ross's D'Anglebert doesn't stand a candle to Rousset's.

But I will try to get some time to listen to the records (I have most of the ones you all mentioned), and I hope I can post something of interest. Problem is: I am rather overworked and, worse, my health is not very good right now. However, I will try. Thank you all.

 

pe-zulu, thanks! I will check it out immediately.

RdS, I truly hope that your workload is decreased and, more importantly, your health improves. We would be all the poorer without your contributions.

I have been listening to d'Anglebert extensively for the past few days, and I can honestly say that his music is among the most sublime that I've heard. Repeated listenings bring out the beauty of his works and his transcriptions of Lully's music are quite magnificent.

As to the interpretations, I have hitherto only heard Rousset, Gilbert and Parmentier. Rousset is superb and he plays an exquisite 1629 Ruckers tuned to a meantone temperamant. However, his reading is very straightforward and I sometimes wonder if he should exercise more interpretation. There is no doubt that he is fully capable of doing so as he has prodigoius technique and skill. Maybe it is the fact that he always puts himself at the "service of the music" and is reluctant to deviate from the text, preferring to let the music itself come to the fore. I have quite a few of his recordings and all of them, fantastic as they are, are very direct readings with minimal interpretative decisions.

Gilbert is much slower and very dance-like in his version, which only contain trancriptions of Lully's works. I feel that his phrasing and ornamentation (due to his slower tempi) are, at times, more developed and musically intergrated than Rousset's, which sometimes sounds a bit rushed. It is quite a wonderful interpretation. Parmentier is very, very good, and he plays with passion and fire. He employs interesting phrasing and his Passacaille d'Armide is breathtakingly dramatic.

All in all, three marvellous interpretations of d'Anglebert's music. In the future, I am looking forward to hearing Arthur Haas's recording, which is said to be excellent.

Regards.