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The Music Room => Great Recordings and Reviews => Topic started by: Mandryka on May 05, 2012, 10:22:13 AM

Title: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on May 05, 2012, 10:22:13 AM
A new thread to talk about interesting younger harpsichordists of your choice.

One recording I really love by a young harpsichordist is Marco Farolfi's Scarlatti CD, which  to me to to have a wonderful collection of sonatas.  He plays in an inspired, spontaneous way, charged with an entirely appropriate spirit of duende, and yet he is at the same time brimming over with humanity. It has all the inspiration of Skip Sempe's Scarlatti CD without the hardness. And all the humanity of Pieter Jan Belder at his best, but none of Belder's carefulness.

(http://www.arkivmusic.com/graphics/covers/full/51/515644.JPG)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: premont on May 05, 2012, 11:12:25 AM
Quote from: Mandryka on May 05, 2012, 10:22:13 AM
A new thread to talk about interesting younger harpsichordists of your choice.

One recording I really love by a young harpsichordist is Marco Farolfi's Scarlatti CD, which  to me to to have a wonderful collection of sonatas.  He plays in an inspired, spontaneous way, charged with an entirely appropriate spirit of duende, and yet he is at the same time brimming over with humanity. It has all the inspiration of Skip Sempe's Scarlatti CD without the hardness. And all the humanity of Pieter Jan Belder at his best, but none of Belder's carefulness.

(http://www.arkivmusic.com/graphics/covers/full/51/515644.JPG)

I have not investigated the ongoing Stradivarius Scarlatti cycle other than two of the volumes by Ottavio Dantone, - good but not remarcable. I have now put the Farolfi CD on my wish list.

An interesting and very individual Scarlatti interpreter I would like to mention is Enrico Baiano. His two Scarlatti CDs are IMO remarcable from an expressive point of view, as well as his Froberger and Frescobaldi CDs. I do not own others than these, but I know that Que has collected a number of his recordings.

Link to Amazon.fr with Baiano recordings:
http://www.amazon.fr/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?__mk_fr_FR=%C5M%C5Z%D5%D1&url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=enrico+baiano&x=15&y=24

And Amazon.it:
http://www.amazon.it/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?__mk_it_IT=%C5M%C5Z%D5%D1&url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=enrico+baiano&x=20&y=18
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Antoine Marchand on May 14, 2012, 09:06:02 PM
IMO, some interesting new names (although not all of them are particularly young) are: Benjamin Alard (http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/search?fastsearch=alard%20benjamin&rubric=classic&pd_orderby=score); Aapo Häkkinen (http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/search?fastsearch=hakkinen&rubric=classic&pd_orderby=score); Cristiano Holtz (http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/search?fastsearch=Cristiano%20Holtz&rubric=classic&pd_orderby=score) and Pascal Dubreuil (http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/search?fastsearch=dubreuil%20pascal&rubric=classic&pd_orderby=score). Probably Celine Frisch is quite more familiar, but I would recommend unreservedly her Die Quellen des jungen Bach, as the best example of her artistry: http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Celine-Frisch-Die-Quellen-des-jungen-Bach/hnum/1115301.

:)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on May 15, 2012, 10:34:02 AM
Quote from: (: premont :) on May 05, 2012, 11:12:25 AM
I have not investigated the ongoing Stradivarius Scarlatti cycle other than two of the volumes by Ottavio Dantone, - good but not remarcable. I have now put the Farolfi CD on my wish list.

An interesting and very individual Scarlatti interpreter I would like to mention is Enrico Baiano. His two Scarlatti CDs are IMO remarcable from an expressive point of view, as well as his Froberger and Frescobaldi CDs. I do not own others than these, but I know that Que has collected a number of his recordings.

Link to Amazon.fr with Baiano recordings:
http://www.amazon.fr/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?__mk_fr_FR=%C5M%C5Z%D5%D1&url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=enrico+baiano&x=15&y=24

And Amazon.it:
http://www.amazon.it/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?__mk_it_IT=%C5M%C5Z%D5%D1&url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=enrico+baiano&x=20&y=18

I knew his aristocratic, extremely confident, Frescobaldi recording before.  I got Vol 2. of the Scarlatti, I'm very  tempted to get Vol 1 too. He has a mind of his own, Baiano. What do you think of the way he plays K 132? I find it very moving because it's so flexible.

Another interesting K 132 I found on spotify is from Bertrand Cuiller -- he's another youngish harpsichordist I'd like to see. I got to know of him through his Byrde CD, which is also on spotify.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: premont on May 15, 2012, 11:03:37 AM
Quote from: Mandryka on May 15, 2012, 10:34:02 AM
I knew his aristocratic, extremely confident, Frescobaldi recording before.  I got Vol 2. of the Scarlatti, I'm very  tempted to get Vol 1 too. He has a mind of his own, Baiano. What do you think of the way he plays K 132? I find it very moving because it's so flexible.

I find his very individual and flexible playing very rewarding.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: milk on May 18, 2012, 03:57:06 AM
Quote from: Mandryka on May 15, 2012, 10:34:02 AM
I knew his aristocratic, extremely confident, Frescobaldi recording before.  I got Vol 2. of the Scarlatti, I'm very  tempted to get Vol 1 too. He has a mind of his own, Baiano. What do you think of the way he plays K 132? I find it very moving because it's so flexible.

Another interesting K 132 I found on spotify is from Bertrand Cuiller -- he's another youngish harpsichordist I'd like to see. I got to know of him through his Byrde CD, which is also on spotify.
The Cuiller Byrd recording is really magical!
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: milk on May 18, 2012, 04:01:08 AM
Quote from: milk on May 18, 2012, 03:57:06 AM
The Cuiller Byrd recording is really magical!
But I just realized one of the tracks I really love is In Nomine, MB 9 by John Bull.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on September 07, 2016, 04:33:26 AM
(http://pxhst.co/avaxhome/3c/31/003f313c_medium.jpg)


This guy, Justin Taylor, can really play - that's to say he knows how to make the textures varied and how to let one voice lead over another. He is a thinker - the vision of Forqueray presented here is pretty well original for its nobility and its refinement. No one else uses ornaments in Forqueray like Justin Taylor does.  The image on the CD shows a young man, but that does not seem to impede depth of feeling and sense of style, much more impressive than Jean Rondeau IMO. In fact the depth of feeling is such that I'm almost ready to claim that he's part of the new wave of French music, which finds more emotion and reflectiveness than was previously dreamt of  - joining the ranks of Bertrand Cuiller and possibly Rousset if his latest Rameau if anything to judge by. He won a prize  at a competition in Bruges and you can hear why he impressed the jury. One to watch.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: hpowders on September 17, 2016, 01:34:17 PM
I don't know if you would consider them "new", but I have a preference for Kenneth Weiss and Benjamin Alard in the solo works of J.S. Bach. Not "old", by any means.
Title: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: B_cereus on January 14, 2017, 09:04:15 AM
I like Francesco Corti :)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: André on January 14, 2017, 12:26:32 PM
A splash is made about everything Jean Rondeau does: his playing, his attire (he sometimes plays barefoot), his hairdo, etc. Sort of a Nigel Kennedy of the harpsichord.  Youtube videos abound, with tens of thousands of viewings. I'm not convinced. In Les Sauvages by Rameau for example, his descending scales are so fast as to blur the notes.

That's my initial impression. I might be wrong of course. Any opinions ?

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/812mLDnrd-L._SX522_.jpg (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/812mLDnrd-L._SX522_.jpg)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: bioluminescentsquid on January 14, 2017, 06:33:32 PM
Quote from: Mandryka on September 07, 2016, 04:33:26 AM
(http://pxhst.co/avaxhome/3c/31/003f313c_medium.jpg)


This guy, Justin Taylor, can really play - that's to say he knows how to make the textures varied and how to let one voice lead over another. He is a thinker - the vision of Forqueray presented here is pretty well original for its nobility and its refinement. No one else uses ornaments in Forqueray like Justin Taylor does.  The image on the CD shows a young man, but that does not seem to impede depth of feeling and sense of style, much more impressive than Jean Rondeau IMO. In fact the depth of feeling is such that I'm almost ready to claim that he's part of the new wave of French music, which finds more emotion and reflectiveness than was previously dreamt of  - joining the ranks of Bertrand Cuiller and possibly Rousset if his latest Rameau if anything to judge by. He won a prize  at a competition in Bruges and you can hear why he impressed the jury. One to watch.

Although I 'gotta say that Justin Taylor is a mighty fine harpsichordist, it seems like I'm the only person who isn't very impressed with this Forqueray release.
It could be just because I'm used to the Leonhardt and Koopman playing Forqueray, but I find that Taylor's approach is a rather hit-or-miss one: he does has an exceptional talent in stringing the phrases together, with "fluid" playing, along with plenty of charming ornaments that I like to think as ligatures or flourishes (as in typography) which tie things together.

(http://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sshot238.png)

But at the same time, with his agogics, it seems like some of the drive, bite, and growl (to me, the sine qua non of Forqueray) of the music is sacrificed, and he occasionally can even seem a bit lost, as I found in La Rameau of the 5th suite. But I see how you, Mandryka, would love his very free style, since you've mentioned your love for Ruiter-Feenstra's Froberger, which I've also avoided because of similar reasons.

But I have to say that the slow movements (such as La Silva, which he even improvises on) are absolutely amazing, and sufficient reason to get the disc - so is the final Jupiter!

Meanwhile, I like Jean Rondeau - although (physically) flashy, he does play, for me, in the best of tastes: his Royer is the interpretation nonpareil.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on January 14, 2017, 09:40:23 PM
For me bliss and pain are more of a sine qua non than bite and growl in Forqueray. I can enjoy Koopman, but it's Leonhardt's final recording which most developed my expectations in this music.

Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: André on January 15, 2017, 07:13:56 AM
Thanks, squid ! Very informative post.  :)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on January 15, 2017, 07:15:58 AM
Quote from: bioluminescentsquid on January 14, 2017, 06:33:32 PM
his Royer is the interpretation nonpareil.

No just hold on there. We have two extraordinary discs by Rousset to think about.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Kontrapunctus on January 15, 2017, 09:05:22 AM
Despite looking like Jerry Lewis from "The Nutty Professor" in this photo, he is a very fine player:

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71y7Qs2B5kL._SL500_.jpg)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: bioluminescentsquid on January 15, 2017, 09:57:20 AM
Quote from: Toccata&Fugue on January 15, 2017, 09:05:22 AM
Despite looking like Jerry Lewis from "The Nutty Professor" in this photo, he is a very fine player:

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71y7Qs2B5kL._SL500_.jpg)

The Goldberg was OK (still like Rannou, Hantai, Leonhardt etc.) but the rather tinny sound of the harpsichord turned me off of this one.

Quote from: Mandryka on January 14, 2017, 09:40:23 PM
For me bliss and pain are more of a sine qua non than bite and growl in Forqueray. I can enjoy Koopman, but it's Leonhardt's final recording which most developed my expectations in this music.

Yep - Leonhardt's "Bliss and pain" (I have the Diapason re-issue of it) is my favorite Forqueray recording, along with Koopman. It's quite a shame that Leonhardt didn't record more of the 5th suite, since almost all of my favorite pieces (Rameau, Boisson, Jupiter etc.) are in there.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on January 16, 2017, 08:59:49 PM
Quote from: B_cereus on January 14, 2017, 09:04:15 AM
I like Francesco Corti :)

Do you know what sort of harpsichord he plays?
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: bioluminescentsquid on January 16, 2017, 09:17:11 PM
Quote from: Mandryka on January 16, 2017, 08:59:49 PM
Do you know what sort of harpsichord he plays?

On this one (which is on Spotify), apparently he plays the Neuchatel Ruckers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-hhGKcszSI

Rather nice - although it might not oust van Asperen, Hogwood or Leonhardt, it's Louis Couperin at its grandest and showiest. Watch out for that Branle de Basque on the CD!

There's also a Partitas CD by him, but I'll have to get more tips before I get it.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on January 16, 2017, 09:36:52 PM
Quote from: bioluminescentsquid on January 16, 2017, 09:17:11 PM
On this one (which is on Spotify), apparently he plays the Neuchatel Ruckers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-hhGKcszSI

Rather nice - although it might not oust van Asperen, Hogwood or Leonhardt, it's Louis Couperin at its grandest and showiest. Watch out for that Branle de Basque on the CD!



Agreed.
Title: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: B_cereus on January 17, 2017, 12:04:04 PM
Quote from: bioluminescentsquid on January 16, 2017, 09:17:11 PM
On this one (which is on Spotify), apparently he plays the Neuchatel Ruckers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-hhGKcszSI

Rather nice - although it might not oust van Asperen, Hogwood or Leonhardt, it's Louis Couperin at its grandest and showiest. Watch out for that Branle de Basque on the CD!

There's also a Partitas CD by him, but I'll have to get more tips before I get it.
Corti was a student of van Asperen :)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: bioluminescentsquid on January 17, 2017, 05:32:17 PM
Quote from: B_cereus on January 17, 2017, 12:04:04 PM
Corti was a student of van Asperen :)

Hmn. I can see the "family resemblance" now that you've pointed it out, but I would never have guessed otherwise!

But I don't think he really counts as a really "new" harpsichordist - he's been active and making recordings for over 10 years.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Kontrapunctus on January 19, 2017, 11:59:10 AM
Quote from: bioluminescentsquid on January 15, 2017, 09:57:20 AM
The Goldberg was OK (still like Rannou, Hantai, Leonhardt etc.) but the rather tinny sound of the harpsichord turned me off of this one.

It doesn't sound "tinny" to me nor have any other reviews complained about the sound. In fact, most praise it. Oh well, to each his own.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: bioluminescentsquid on January 19, 2017, 05:22:30 PM
Quote from: Toccata&Fugue on January 19, 2017, 11:59:10 AM
It doesn't sound "tinny" to me nor have any other reviews complained about the sound. In fact, most praise it. Oh well, to each his own.

I listened to it again through a different pair of headphones, and I'll retract the statement - it doesn't sound "tinny," but I would say that there's a degree of "pinchedness" that probably gave me the tinny impression my first run through it. It actually sounds rather good, and the playing is rather inventive! But I think I would still prefer my favorites, Rannou and Hantai, to it.

Well, to each his own! :)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on March 31, 2017, 07:16:15 PM
I am not sure if he belongs to the new generation in strict term, but I like him.

Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on March 31, 2017, 09:07:36 PM
Spookily, I listened to a couple of Vinkour's Bach partitas just a couple of weeks ago. On the one hand I was really repelled by his po-faced seriousness and textural and timbral flatness, monochromaticity. More positively, I'd say there's a sort of suppleness about his phrasing which is nice, the things flow.

Apart from that the only other thing I've heard is Louis Couperin's Blancrocher Tombeau on that live CD, which ain't bad, but you can do a lot better . . .

I'll just mentioned here that I've just discovered a really fabulous set of Bach partitas - you all probably know it already but it was completely new to me. By Siegbert Rampe.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on March 31, 2017, 09:17:04 PM
Quote from: Mandryka on March 31, 2017, 09:07:36 PM
Spookily, I listened to a couple of Vinkour's Bach partitas just a couple of weeks ago. On the one hand I was really repelled by his po-faced seriousness. More positively, I'd say there's a sort of suppleness about his phrasing which is nice, the things flow.

Apart from that the only other thing I've heard is Louis Couperin's Blancrocher Tombeau on that live CD, which ain't bad, but you can do a lot better . . .

I'll just mentioned here that I've just discovered a really fabulous set of Bach partitas - you all probably know it already but it was completely new to me. By Siegbert Rampe.

As always, thank you for the insightful critique. I must admit that always I avoided Couperin and Handel. I haven't listened to Partitas by Vinkour or Rampe. Thanks a lot for the info and I will check them out.

P.S. what do you think about the first recording of Partitas by Pinnock? I am strangely attracted to the work in spite of the poor sound.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on March 31, 2017, 10:12:21 PM
Quote from: Forever Electoral College on March 31, 2017, 09:17:04 PM
As always, thank you for the insightful critique. I must admit that always I avoided Couperin and Handel. I haven't listened to Partitas by Vinkour or Rampe. Thanks a lot for the info and I will check them out.

P.S. what do you think about the first recording of Partitas by Pinnock? I am strangely attracted to the work in spite of the poor sound.

I don't know the first Pinnock recording. What I will say is that recently I listened to Pinnock's recording of the Bach toccatas - not music I know very well or normally much enjoy. But I thought Pinnock's recording was fabulous!
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Spineur on March 31, 2017, 11:09:43 PM
Besides Jean Rondeau which has recieved a lot of attention (Vertigo is his best album), I enjoyed Diego Ares Scarlatti and Padre Soler CDs.  Both of them were Diapason d'Or.  I hope he does more recording in the future.  He is quite a talent.

http://www.diegoares.com/ (http://www.diegoares.com/)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on July 07, 2017, 04:54:10 AM
(http://static.qobuz.com/images/covers/24/83/0629048208324_600.jpg)

Mark Edwards, assistant prof of harpsichord at Oberlin. Worth catching this CD, I think, with Aria Sebaldina and the Sweelinck Dorian frantasia, a transcription of the Bach chaconne, a Froberger Tombeau,  he plays sweetly  and energetically. I like it.

Can anyone find a detailed tracklist? Who wrote the famous passacaglia at the end? I know it well but it can't think who wrote it, very annoying.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: premont on July 08, 2017, 10:00:01 AM
Quote from: Mandryka on July 07, 2017, 04:54:10 AM

Who wrote the famous passacaglia at the end?

Johann Caspar Kerll.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on July 08, 2017, 10:53:36 AM
Quote from: (: premont :) on July 08, 2017, 10:00:01 AM
Johann Caspar Kerll.
Vous êtes incollable.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on April 08, 2018, 01:51:28 AM
(https://static.qobuz.com/images/covers/oc/sp/tr15d85nlspoc_600.jpg)

Gorgeous new release from Mutsuko Miwa, and her comments in the booklet reveal a thoughtful musician in the making.



(https://cdn1.imggmi.com/uploads/2018/4/8/72c8106f58fe94b69a1d37fc8a2f2435-full.png)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on April 09, 2018, 03:10:52 PM
Intersting. The Bach works, as well as Rameau by her, are on Youtube. I will check them out.
Quote from: Mandryka on April 08, 2018, 01:51:28 AM
(https://static.qobuz.com/images/covers/oc/sp/tr15d85nlspoc_600.jpg)

Gorgeous new release from Mutsuko Miwa, and her comments in the booklet reveal a thoughtful musician in the making.



(https://cdn1.imggmi.com/uploads/2018/4/8/72c8106f58fe94b69a1d37fc8a2f2435-full.png)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on April 09, 2018, 09:02:23 PM
There's a lot of stuff released by Waon, most of it rather challenging IMO.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on April 09, 2018, 09:39:34 PM
Waon means harmony in Japanese.
Quote from: Mandryka on April 09, 2018, 09:02:23 PM
There's a lot of stuff released by Waon, most of it rather challenging IMO.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Marc on April 10, 2018, 04:05:29 AM
Quote from: Forever Electoral College on March 31, 2017, 09:17:04 PM
As always, thank you for the insightful critique. I must admit that always I avoided Couperin and Handel. [...]

Don't forget: there are more Couperins. :)

Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on April 10, 2018, 07:50:01 PM
Sounds good. I will explore.....
Quote from: Marc on April 10, 2018, 04:05:29 AM
Don't forget: there are more Couperins. :)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on May 01, 2018, 12:31:00 PM
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81%2BAa9ReZgL._SX466_.jpg)

I think this is interesting. Familiar repertoire and composers, or relatively, but played poetically and introspectively. No bravura. Agnes Ratkó is an experience harpsichord teacher who has just made this, her first recording. The instrument is based on the Colmar Ruckers, tuned meantone 1/5 comma. Very well recorded.

This may well be a "top recommendation" for someone who wants a harpsichord taster recording. It reminds me of Trevor Pinnock's CD called Journey, but Ratko is a better musician using a better instrument and is recorded better to boot.

Basically I like this a lot. Once I start listening to it I can't stop.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: premont on May 02, 2018, 02:32:36 PM
Quote from: Mandryka on May 01, 2018, 12:31:00 PM
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81%2BAa9ReZgL._SX466_.jpg)

I think this is interesting. Familiar repertoire and composers, or relatively, but played poetically and introspectively. No bravura. Agnes Ratkó is an experience harpsichord teacher who has just made this, her first recording. The instrument is based on the Colmar Ruckers, tuned meantone 1/5 comma. Very well recorded.

Basically I like this a lot. Once I start listening to it I can't stop.

Thanks for pointing to this. Ordered to day.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on May 25, 2018, 09:45:51 PM
(https://static.qobuz.com/images/covers/38/73/0634065037338_600.jpg)

Elisabetta Guglielmin reveals hereself to be imaginative and poetic in her voice leading - Wolfgang Rübsam would approve I think. There's very little info that I can read on the web about her, apart from her Facebook page: she studied in Salzburg, she works in Turin . . . not much more info than that. She has released this and a Goldberg Variations..  Soft suite French harpsichord on the recording of Elizabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, well enough recorded.


Here playing Froberger, rather cool headed, but again interesting voicing. 

https://youtube.com/v/HMDzd368JXc&feature=youtube
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on May 27, 2018, 09:39:51 AM
(http://www.baryton.it/79-thickbox_default/girolamo-frescobaldi-toccate-canzone-e-partite.jpg)

I hope this is not a sad story. Born in Japan; studied in Milan. That's all I can find out about Yu Yashimi. This Frescobaldi recording is excellent in absolutely every way. In the toccatas the sections are dramatically contrasted, it's not a linear interpretation, and yet they are unified. The harpsichord sounds fabulous. She demonstrates a noble and reflective disposition. It is a very promising debut album, which was released a couple of years ago.  Someone to watch out for, I would have said.

Why sad? Well, if you search for her on YouTube, there's just one track, something by Forqueray, and you find this comment, my guess from someone who knows her

QuoteCarmelo Bonifacio Malandrino
Mi dispiace che non sia stato accolto con gratitudine questo Autore che apprendo adesso essere molto ricco di talento melodico.Ma si sa: non tutti gli artisti sono fortunati da che mondo è mondo.
3 years ago

Well, let's hope she hasn't missed the boat.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on June 04, 2018, 07:56:02 AM
(https://static.qobuz.com/images/covers/vb/pr/ua4hrldrzprvb_300.jpg)

Picchi: Toccata; Pass' e mezzo
T. Merula: Toccata im 2. Ton; Capriccio cromatico
Frescobaldi: Cento partite sopra passacaglia; Toccata Nr. 12
Storace: Ballo della battaglia; Ciaccona
Rossi: Toccata Nr. 7
G. Strozzi: Toccata de Passacagli, e ciascheduno puo sonarsi a solo; Toccata Nr. 1

Marianna Henriksson is a student of Mitzi Meyerson in Berlin and she has studied with Francesco Cera. This is her debut recording where she plays 17th century Italian harpsichord music.

One of Marianna Henriksson's main sources of inspiration is Roland Barthes'  Fragments d'un discours amoureux. In particular she is impressed by Barthes' idea that one of the things that art - literature or music - can do is simulate love, in addition to analyse and  describe it.

Heriksson believes that these pieces of music are declarations of love, and that her job as performer is to present them as if being said in the first person by the lover. To stage them. The I who says "I love you", Herrickson herself, is at the heart of the performance.

She also adopts a view which she claims is derived from 17th century Italian ideas that music is visceral - that it can effect bodily fluids to arouse passions in the listener. Her aim, for example, in playing a Rossi toccata is to make the listener feel sick.

The result is passionate to the point of melodrama and histrionics even. Operatic.

Lovely modern Italian harpsichord, 1/4 comma meantone,  well recorded. One of the tracks, a Strozzi toccata, has been adapted by Hericksson and has been heavily processed by her sound engineer to provide the effect of a drone.

An important release by any stretch of the imagination - only Blandine Verlet has played harpsichord like this before. Judge for yourself

https://www.youtube.com/v/7y-KgFAIiJM     https://www.youtube.com/v/dnjDqcOvpFo
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Wakefield on June 05, 2018, 06:25:06 AM
Quote from: Mandryka on May 25, 2018, 09:45:51 PM
(https://static.qobuz.com/images/covers/38/73/0634065037338_600.jpg)

Elisabetta Guglielmin reveals hereself to be imaginative and poetic in her voice leading - Wolfgang Rübsam would approve I think. There's very little info that I can read on the web about her, apart from her Facebook page: she studied in Salzburg, she works in Turin . . . not much more info than that. She has released this and a Goldberg Variations..  Soft suite French harpsichord on the recording of Elizabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, well enough recorded.


Here playing Froberger, rather cool headed, but again interesting voicing. 

https://youtube.com/v/HMDzd368JXc&feature=youtube

She is very interesting, indeed. Beautiful touch...
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Wakefield on June 05, 2018, 06:46:49 AM
Jean Rondeau is young, but he doesn't qualify as a discovering.

He's probably one of the most gifted harpsichordists of his generation: A wonder, a monster of technical dexterity... and that will be the main "problem" that he must overcome.

Judging on the basis of his recent Goldbergs for the project "All of Bach," he is walking the good road.  :)

http://allofbach.com/en/bwv/bwv-988/
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: JCBuckley on June 05, 2018, 09:56:33 AM
Thanks for the link, Gordo. Terrific video. Not sure about the Howard Hughes hairstyle though.

Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Marc on June 05, 2018, 09:19:20 PM
Quote from: JCBuckley on June 05, 2018, 09:56:33 AM
Thanks for the link, Gordo. Terrific video. Not sure about the Howard Hughes hairstyle though.

I must admit I could not care less.

(https://images2.imgbox.com/c8/5e/aUnmMp3C_o.jpg)

(https://images2.imgbox.com/6d/bd/YYecA1sC_o.jpg)

(https://images2.imgbox.com/0e/7d/mkgqlCfs_o.jpg)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on June 05, 2018, 09:26:02 PM
Rondeau has very good marketing support. The cultivated demeanour, the names of his concept CDs, Vertigo à la Hitchcock, Imagine à la John Lennon, Dynastie à la Blake Carrington. All carefully designed to attract Generation Y. Even his choice of harpsichord makes us think of Scott Ross, which adds to his coolness and the suggestion of artist/poet.

The thing I enjoyed most from him is Zaide (Royer)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Marc on June 05, 2018, 10:16:15 PM
Quote from: Mandryka on June 05, 2018, 09:26:02 PM
Rondeau has very good marketing support. The cultivated demeanour, the names of his concept CDs, Vertigo à la Hitchcock, Imagine à la John Lennon, Dynastie à la Blake Carrington. All carefully designed to attract Generation Y. Even his choice of harpsichord makes us thing of Scott Ross, which adds to his coolness and the suggestion of artist/poet.

The thing I enjoyed most from him is Zaide (Royer)

I.c. the attraction of Generation Y: most people I've met from that particular generation, have got no clue about nor much interest in Hitchcock, Lennon or Dynasty. If Rondeau really wants to attract them, I guess he should pick other names.

But this is a bit off-topic: I liked Rondeau's Goldbergs from the AllOfBach project, and I also enjoyed listening to his Vertigo disc (with Rameau and Royer). That's, for this time being, more than enough for me. The entire marketing thing is, in the end, his or his manager's choice. Whatever generation they wish to attract, I wish them good luck, but it will probably work only for a limited amount of time.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on June 05, 2018, 10:41:30 PM
Quote from: Marc on June 05, 2018, 10:16:15 PM
I.c. the attraction of Generation Y: most people I've met from that particular generation, have got no clue about nor much interest in Hitchcock, Lennon or Dynasty. If Rondeau really wants to attract them, I guess he should pick other names.

But this is a bit off-topic: I liked Rondeau's Goldbergs from the AllOfBach project, and I also enjoyed listening to his Vertigo disc (with Rameau and Royer). That's, for this time being, more than enough for me. The entire marketing thing is, in the end, his or his manager's choice. Whatever generation they wish to attract, I wish them good luck, but it will probably work only for a limited amount of time.

Zaide (Royer) is good. I'm not in the mood for the Goldberg Variations I can't bring myself to listen to it.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Wakefield on June 06, 2018, 06:36:12 AM
Quote from: Mandryka on June 05, 2018, 10:41:30 PM
Zaide (Royer) is good. I'm not in the mood for the Goldberg Variations I can't bring myself to listen to it.

What it's perfectly useless in a conversation about a new interpretation of the Goldbergs, isn't it?

Anyway, your comment about Rondeau – as a sort of product of marketing – seems to imply a latent criticism about him, and ultimately about the people deceived by these commercial tricks. Personally, I don't care about this "paraphernalia."

I think he is a great harpsichordist, especially in French Baroque repertoire, and his ensemble "Nevermind" has recorded, at least, one essential and perfect disk (I want to mean "canonic"), devoted to the music by Jean-Baptiste Quentin.

His skills as a Bach performer, well, are an open debate.  :)
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on June 06, 2018, 06:55:33 AM
Quote from: Gordo on June 06, 2018, 06:36:12 AM
What it's perfectly useless in a conversation about a new interpretation of the Goldbergs, isn't it?

Anyway, your comment about Rondeau – as a sort of product of marketing – seems to imply a latent criticism about him, and ultimately about the people deceived by these commercial tricks. Personally, I don't care about this "paraphernalia."

I think he is a great harpsichordist, especially in French Baroque repertoire, and his ensemble "Nevermind" has recorded, at least, one essential and perfect disk (I want to mean "canonic"), devoted to the music by Jean-Baptiste Quentin.

His skills as a Bach performer, well, are an open debate.  :)

Yes I remember you liked the music and performances in that Nevermind CD.  I try to hear it soon.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on June 07, 2018, 10:09:07 PM
Quote from: Gordo on June 06, 2018, 06:36:12 AM
What it's perfectly useless in a conversation about a new interpretation of the Goldbergs, isn't it?


Well he's playing these variations in London next week, I have a ticket now and so we shall see.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on June 17, 2018, 04:46:16 AM
Rondeau's Goldberg Variations this morning in London:

1. The audience was good.
2. He was good with ornamentation
3. He wasn't stiff rhythmically.
4. He took all the repeats, occasionally with a bit of imagination, but often they sounded to me much like simple repetitions. At some point I caught myself wondering whether the musical idea justifies the length when it's played like this.
5. Wrong notes - too many IMO for a public paying professional concert in a central venue in a city of the stature of London
6. He gave the impression of being the shy and studious type
7. Rich sounding harpsichord, more resounding than subtle. I don't know what it was, I didn't buy a programme and the bloke next to me said it wasn't mentioned, but who knows?  He didn't make it sound beautiful or nuanced.
8. The way the voices were made to interrelate often produced busy textures which were a bit boring after a short time.
9. He was at his best in the opening aria (ornamentation) and variation 28 (fast and fun, he was clearly enjoying playing it, in French you'd say "ça sentait l'écurie")
10. A pretty conventional performance with nothing obviously new or interesting to say,  not particularly well executed. In short, a non-event.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Wakefield on June 18, 2018, 07:16:04 AM
Quote from: Mandryka on June 17, 2018, 04:46:16 AM
Rondeau's Goldberg Variations this morning in London:

1. The audience was good.
2. He was good with ornamentation
3. He wasn't stiff rhythmically.
4. He took all the repeats, occasionally with a bit of imagination, but often they sounded to me much like simple repetitions. At some point I caught myself wondering whether the musical idea justifies the length when it's played like this.
5. Wrong notes - too many IMO for a public paying professional concert in a central venue in a city of the stature of London
6. He gave the impression of being the shy and studious type
7. Rich sounding harpsichord, more resounding than subtle. I don't know what it was, I didn't buy a programme and the bloke next to me said it wasn't mentioned, but who knows?  He didn't make it sound beautiful or nuanced.
8. The way the voices were made to interrelate often produced busy textures which were a bit boring after a short time.
9. He was at his best in the opening aria (ornamentation) and variation 28 (fast and fun, he was clearly enjoying playing it, in French you'd say "ça sentait l'écurie")
10. A pretty conventional performance with nothing obviously new or interesting to say,  not particularly well executed. In short, a non-event.

It sounds like a disappointing experience! Maybe he had a bad day...

Anyway, not everyone has thought like you about the same recital. This seems a pretty well informed review published on "The Boston Musical Intelligencer" two months ago: https://www.classical-scene.com/2018/04/23/rondeau-does-bwv-988/
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on June 18, 2018, 08:12:08 AM
Yes and don't forget he was playing a different instrument. Some of that review is about the music. When she does talk about what Rondeau made of the music,  there's some of what she says which applies to London, some not. For example this is probably fair

QuoteKeeping it all together, and holding our engaged attention for an hour and a half without intermission, was first of all his unfailing sense of rhythm. Notes were stretched or shrunk, suspenseful pauses intervened, the underlying pulse established for each movement always recovered its equilibrium.

However if she thinks this

QuoteFinally, Variation 30 is a Quodlibet that in lieu of a canon humorously combines two popular songs in free imitation with an ornamented version of the bass line.

she would have been pretty pissed off at the dour way Rondeau played it yesterday. And if she'd have caught the finger slips, she may have been a bit reluctant to say

QuoteRondeau's sure pacing made the most dazzling displays of virtuosity seem entirely natural

By the way, sitting next to me was a girl in her 20s I'd say, a science postgrad who likes music, played piano till her late teens,  but had never heard the Goldbergs taken with repeats, or indeed heard them on a harpsichord. She said she only knows Gould's recording. It made me reflect again on how "iconic" Gould's recordings of it have become.

Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on July 10, 2018, 09:46:37 PM
Quote from: Mandryka on May 25, 2018, 09:45:51 PM
(https://static.qobuz.com/images/covers/38/73/0634065037338_600.jpg)

Elisabetta Guglielmin reveals hereself to be imaginative and poetic in her voice leading - Wolfgang Rübsam would approve I think. There's very little info that I can read on the web about her, apart from her Facebook page: she studied in Salzburg, she works in Turin . . . not much more info than that. She has released this and a Goldberg Variations..  Soft suite French harpsichord on the recording of Elizabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, well enough recorded.


Here playing Froberger, rather cool headed, but again interesting voicing. 

https://youtube.com/v/HMDzd368JXc&feature=youtube

And yet, on revisiting this recording, I find the voicing much less imaginative than in (eg) Elizabeth Farr's Jacquet de la Guerre. And I find that Elisabetta Guglielmin is much less sensitive to the affects of the music than Farr, which seems a major problem. So this is one which doesn't seem to survive repeated listening very well.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on February 07, 2019, 01:09:50 PM
(https://d27t0qkxhe4r68.cloudfront.net/t_300/722056278027.jpg?1547888161)

She has a special interest in temperament

QuoteEMPERAMENTS
The three temperaments used in tuning the harpsichord for this recording provide an
overview of French temperaments during the Baroque era.
Chaumont (1695)
Chaumont described two ways to tune the harpsichord. The first of these corresponds
to the quarter-comma meantone temperament, while the second distributes the 'wolf
fifth' (the unusable interval of the meantone temperament) over two other fifths, making more of the sharp keys practicable. We used the first of these temperaments for
the works of D'Anglebert, since it was better suited to the keys of C major and G minor.

Rameau (1726)
In his Nouveau système de musique théorique, Rameau describes a temperament midway
between the meantone and the tempérament ordinare described by d'Alembert. We used
this temperament for Rameau's works. Four of its major thirds are pure, while the others are progressively wider, which can be used to expressive effect:
QuoteFor it is worth noting that we receive different impressions from intervals according
to their alteration. For example, the major third, which naturally excites us to joy,
impresses us with feelings approaching fury when it is too wide; and the minor third,
which carries tenderness and softness, saddens us when it is too narrow. Able musicians know how to profit from these different effects of intervals and take expressive
advantage of the alteration which could be criticized.
J.-P. Rameau, Nouveau système de musique théorique (1726)
D'Alembert/Rousseau (1752/1767)
Only a major third remains pure in this temperament, the 'wolf' has completely disappeared, and all keys are practicable. The effect of this temperament, used here for the
suite by Forqueray, is quite pronounced in certain chords, emphasizing both the doleful
character of La Sylva and the fury of Jupiter, god of thunder and lightning.

First impressions are that this is rather expressively and thoughtfully played, slightly monochromatic harpsichord but I don't want to grumble. Strangely I can't see any info about the instrument.

Re Melisande herself, here's the CV

QuoteMélisande McNabney performs keyboard music of all periods, on harpsichord, piano and
fortepiano. In August 2015 she received the third prize at the International Competition Musica Antiqua in Bruges, Belgium. Ms McNabney is a graduate of the Amsterdam Conservatory,
where she studied harpsichord, continuo and fortepiano in the classes of Bob van Asperen
and Richard Egarr. She was granted her Doctorate at McGill University in May 2017, under
the guidance of Hank Knox and Tom Beghin, thanks to the support of the Joseph-Armand
Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships Program.
Very active on the concert scene, Mélisande McNabney has been invited as a soloist in series
such as Clavecin en concert or the Série Jacques-Dansereau. She is regularly invited to play
with ensembles such as Les Violons du Roy, Arion Orchestre Baroque, Les Idées heureuses,
the Theatre of Early Music and Ensemble Caprice. She is a member of Pallade Musica and
Ensemble Les Songes, with whom she took part in numerous tours of Canada and the USA.
Ms McNabney has received scholarships from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Banff
Centre, the FQRSC and the CALQ.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on March 16, 2023, 11:29:03 AM
Quote from: Mandryka on June 04, 2018, 07:56:02 AM(https://static.qobuz.com/images/covers/vb/pr/ua4hrldrzprvb_300.jpg)

Picchi: Toccata; Pass' e mezzo
T. Merula: Toccata im 2. Ton; Capriccio cromatico
Frescobaldi: Cento partite sopra passacaglia; Toccata Nr. 12
Storace: Ballo della battaglia; Ciaccona
Rossi: Toccata Nr. 7
G. Strozzi: Toccata de Passacagli, e ciascheduno puo sonarsi a solo; Toccata Nr. 1

Marianna Henriksson is a student of Mitzi Meyerson in Berlin and she has studied with Francesco Cera. This is her debut recording where she plays 17th century Italian harpsichord music.

One of Marianna Henriksson's main sources of inspiration is Roland Barthes'  Fragments d'un discours amoureux. In particular she is impressed by Barthes' idea that one of the things that art - literature or music - can do is simulate love, in addition to analyse and  describe it.

Heriksson believes that these pieces of music are declarations of love, and that her job as performer is to present them as if being said in the first person by the lover. To stage them. The I who says "I love you", Herrickson herself, is at the heart of the performance.

She also adopts a view which she claims is derived from 17th century Italian ideas that music is visceral - that it can effect bodily fluids to arouse passions in the listener. Her aim, for example, in playing a Rossi toccata is to make the listener feel sick.

The result is passionate to the point of melodrama and histrionics even. Operatic.

Lovely modern Italian harpsichord, 1/4 comma meantone,  well recorded. One of the tracks, a Strozzi toccata, has been adapted by Hericksson and has been heavily processed by her sound engineer to provide the effect of a drone.

An important release by any stretch of the imagination - only Blandine Verlet has played harpsichord like this before. Judge for yourself

[flash=200,200]https://www.youtube.com/v/7y-KgFAIiJM[/flash]     [flash=200,200]https://www.youtube.com/v/dnjDqcOvpFo[/flash]

Tried this again today and thought it was totally uninteresting playing

Quote from: Mandryka on July 07, 2017, 04:54:10 AM(http://static.qobuz.com/images/covers/24/83/0629048208324_600.jpg)

Mark Edwards, assistant prof of harpsichord at Oberlin. Worth catching this CD, I think, with Aria Sebaldina and the Sweelinck Dorian frantasia, a transcription of the Bach chaconne, a Froberger Tombeau,  he plays sweetly  and energetically. I like it.

Can anyone find a detailed tracklist? Who wrote the famous passacaglia at the end? I know it well but it can't think who wrote it, very annoying.

And tried this again and thought it was rather enjoyable
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: San Antone on March 16, 2023, 12:26:08 PM
It would be helpful if you placed at the top of your posts the name of the harpsichordist, in bold, you are talking about.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: premont on March 16, 2023, 01:20:48 PM
Quote from: Mandryka on March 16, 2023, 11:29:03 AMTried this again today and thought it was totally uninteresting playing

Don't know her but think I shall investigate her CD.

Quote from: Mandryka on March 16, 2023, 11:29:03 AMAnd tried this again and thought it was rather enjoyable

Yes, indeed.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on March 17, 2023, 10:10:18 AM
Quote from: premont on March 16, 2023, 01:20:48 PMDon't know her but think I shall investigate her CD.



You should, I must be in a better mood because it I think it's very good today.
Title: Re: Harpsichordists - The New Generation
Post by: Mandryka on March 18, 2023, 02:39:20 AM
Quote from: Mandryka on May 01, 2018, 12:31:00 PM(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81%2BAa9ReZgL._SX466_.jpg)

I think this is interesting. Familiar repertoire and composers, or relatively, but played poetically and introspectively. No bravura. Agnes Ratkó is an experience harpsichord teacher who has just made this, her first recording. The instrument is based on the Colmar Ruckers, tuned meantone 1/5 comma. Very well recorded.

This may well be a "top recommendation" for someone who wants a harpsichord taster recording. It reminds me of Trevor Pinnock's CD called Journey, but Ratko is a better musician using a better instrument and is recorded better to boot.

Basically I like this a lot. Once I start listening to it I can't stop.

Another fabulous one to revisit, not just the playing but also the selection of music.  It looks like there was a plethora of  releases from interesting new young harpsichordist five years ago, but either I've not got my eye on the ball or it's all dried up.