English suites
sn66 said:
How would you rank him in the English Suites in comparison with the performances of Rousset, Rannou, Leonhardt, Rubsam, Curtis, Watchorn etc?
Regards.
Trying to answer your question, I have listened almost exclusively to English suites this week, a magnificent experience, but I feel a little brainwashed now.
Seven sets until now, which are:
Leonhardts first version 1973 for DHM is played upon the Skrowronek after Dulcken, Leonhardt earlier favoured. It has a rather spiky sound.
The interpretation is one of the most impressive ever made. Relative calm tempi, introvert and reflective and with great breath of wiew but still strong attention to details. The allemandes meditative, with trace of Frobergers style. IMO the allemandes ought to be played rather slow, as he does, since I regard the standard suite i.e. allemande, courante, sarabande and gigue as a secular equivalent of the sonata da chiesa which has the standard sequence of movements: slow, fast, slow, faster. Although shorter articulated Leonhardts interpretation has much in common with Gilberts refined introvert style.
Leonhardts second version 1984 for EMI (Virgin)
is played on a restored french late baroque full sounding instrument. His wiew has changed considerably. More extrovert style, faster tempi, more rhytmic drive, often almost hypnotic in overall effect. I have never heard the prelude of suite 2 so effortless played. With this recording Leonhardt actually matches anyone as to virtuosity and grandeur. What a pity he didn't make the repeats exept in the sarabande of suite 4, which he models from the examples in suite 2 and 3.
Alan Curtis is a pupil of Leonhardt, His version is from a stylistic point of wiew much like Leonhardts second version, but much more dramatic and passionate with a high level of tension all through. Only suite 2 is a bit unsuccesful. You get the impression that he sat down at the instrument and started playing without first rehearsing, and there is a couple of wrong notes in the prelude and the allemande and courante are nervous. In the italian gigue he plays the da capo with all sorts of diminutions and embellishments making it sound like one of Scarlattis less interesting sonatas. But the other suites are tremendous listening.
Christiane Jaccottets version from 1984 is played on a relatively dry sounding Hans Ruckers. The first four suites ar played much like Leonhardts first version, calm with subtle expression. Wonderful pastoral mood of the first suite with the reflective allemande. The suites 5 and 6 are on the other hand extrovert and dramatic like Curtis, the gigue of suite 5 almost like a danse macabre and the sixth suite with strong tension ending desperately with the dispair of the gigue.
The recording is a little bright. I think close miking makes the partials too audible.
Fernando Valentis version from ca. 1955 is horrible. Instrument elephantine, style completely unacceptable, deserves oblivion.
And then I listened to a few versions played on piano.
Robert Levins version (1999 - part of the complete Haenssler edition) is fast, brilliant, stylish. Reminds me of Rousset, but Levin is much more inventive and expressive within the limits of good style. In fact he uses the piano in a very restrained way, and I wonder why he didn't choose to record the suites on a harpsichord.
And at last a version by the danish pianist Sverre Larsen. Tremendous fast and brilliant, but grey and undifferentiated in expression, almost a Staier approach, and for that reason indescribably dull all way through, Nothing to remember.
Status so far:
Leonhardt 1 and 2 mandatory.
Curtis and Jaccottet important supplementary listening.
Levin very interesting despite his use of piano.
Valenti and Larsen nothing to write about.
More versions will follow .
Regards,
