Topic: The Art of Fugue

[Mandryka]

Just a thought about Asperen’s AoF, though a rather recherché one. Elizabeth Farr’s Peter Philips CD does for Peter Philips’s music what Asperen does for AoF - she ornaments it to bits. I like Farr’s recording too, because I think ornamentation is a nice way of marking the pulse.

[Mandryka]

Are there any other recordings of large selections of AoF for four string instruments than these?

Emerson
Fretwork
Italiano
Juliard
Keller
Les Voix Humaines
Modern
Musicarius
Phantasm
Portaland
Quartetto Classico
Sit Fast
Soundiva

[(: premont :)]

Are there any other recordings of large selections of AoF for four string instruments than these?

Emerson
Fretwork
Italiano
Juliard
Keller
Les Voix Humaines
Modern
Musicarius
Phantasm
Portaland
Quartetto Classico
Sit Fast
Soundiva

Ensemble versions of AoF are not my great interest, and of the versions you mention I only know (from listening) the gambe quartet versions and Emerson, Italiano and Juliard and the ones I mention below from the top of my head.

Kölner Violen Consort (suppose you know it)
Roth Quartet
Delmé quartet (haven't heard it)
Bernini quartet (manuscript version and period instruments))
Musica Antiqua Köln, Reinhard Goebel (for the most played OVPP)
Soloists from Collegium Aureum (string quartet with a violone playing 16' parallel with the cello).
Brecon Baroque (with Podger) is also OVPP

Edit: I recall one more for string quartet:

Bell' Arte Ensemble (leader Susanne Lautenbacher)

[Mandryka]

Ensemble versions of AoF are not my great interest, and of the versions you mention I only know (from listening) the gambe quartet versions and Emerson, Italiano and Juliard and the ones I mention below from the top of my head.

Kölner Violen Consort (suppose you know it)
Roth Quartet
Delmé quartet (haven't heard it)
Bernini quartet (manuscript version and period instruments))
Musica Antiqua Köln, Reinhard Goebel (for the most played OVPP)
Soloists from Collegium Aureum (string quartet with a violone playing 16' parallel with the cello).
Brecon Baroque (with Podger) is also OVPP

Cheers. I know some of these, I don't know how I forgot Roth and Delmé and and Kölner Violen Consort. The Delmé is enjoyable when they play faster!  I shall listen to Bernini on Qobuz, I was unaware of them.

[Mandryka]

By the way I’ve listened to a lot of these over the past few weeks. None of them are specially imaginative with the articulation or counterpoint, the best I can say is that there is something very distinctive going on with Les Voix Humaines.

That being said I’ve enjoyed dipping into the introverted, peaceful and expressive Keller and the intense Italiano members version. And some of the others have their moments.

[(: premont :)]

By the way I’ve listened to a lot of these over the past few weeks. None of them are specially imaginative with the articulation or counterpoint, the best I can say is that there is something very distinctive going on with Les Voix Humaines.

Largely agreed. Of the ones in question I know (see above) I find the Bernini quartet to be the most imaginative.

That being said I’ve enjoyed dipping into the introverted, peaceful and expressive Keller and the intense Italiano members version. And some of the others have their moments.

I think the Italiano members' version is shamelessly extrovert and almost cocksure, but that may be what you call intense. 

[Mandryka]

Bernini ain’t bad at all, thanks for pointing it out. Italiano certainly sound as though they would have been knackered after the performance.

[Mandryka]

Also this.

[Jo498]

Is Musica Antiqua/Goebel (Archiv) basically "HIP in string quartet formation" or how do they vary in the ensembles?

[(: premont :)]

Is Musica Antiqua/Goebel (Archiv) basically "HIP in string quartet formation" or how do they vary in the ensembles?

Yes. A few contrapuncti (and the canons) are played on harpsichords by Andreas Staier and Robert Hill..

The string quartet:
Reinhard Goebel violin
Hajo Bäss violin (or viola when the alto part is to low for a violin)
Karlheinz Steeb viola
Phoebe Carrai cello

[Jo498]

thanks, how do they relate/compare to "modern" string quartet performances in that piece?

[Mandryka]

thanks, how do they relate/compare to "modern" string quartet performances in that piece?

They're not as interesting in terms of sonority and articulation as Delian. Not as sweet and pastoral as Delme.

[(: premont :)]

thanks, how do they relate/compare to "modern" string quartet performances in that piece?

A bit faceless I think. On the other hand I'm not particularly keen on MI string quartets in this music. My preferred string quartet version is the recording by the (period instrument) Bernini quartet, though they play the manuscript version and for that reason among other things omit the incomplete four part fugue.

[milk]

I find Rubsam’s AOF on Lautenwerk very natural sounding. Unlike some of his other stuff on that instrument, there’s nothing that jumps out as strange or eccentric or hard to get used to about it - not to me. I even want to say it works especially well on lautenwerk. I think Mandryka wrote that AOF goes best with harpsichord because the jagged nature of the music. That may be but it seems that the lute harpsichord also accommodates 1080 quite well, at least to my ears.

[Mandryka]

What I want now is AoF played by lute ensemble in the madrigal manner of Rübsam. However nice Keith Hill’s lute harpsichord is, it’s not as nice for overtones and resonances as a real lute. And I think the fact that two hands are forming the sound on a real lute makes a big difference to what can be done in terms of attacks and other effects. Apparently some lutes aren’t even fretted - even better! All those microtones! Actually, even guitar would be good!

It’s not so much that I’m feeling down on the harpsichord. It’s more that I want to sing a song of praise for lutes and similar instruments.

[milk]

What I want now is AoF played by lute ensemble in the madrigal manner of Rübsam. However nice Keith Hill’s lute harpsichord is, it’s not as nice for overtones and resonances as a real lute. And I think the fact that two hands are forming the sound on a real lute makes a big difference to what can be done in terms of attacks and other effects. Apparently some lutes aren’t even fretted - even better! All those microtones! Actually, even guitar would be good!

It’s not so much that I’m feeling down on the harpsichord. It’s more that I want to sing a song of praise for lutes and similar instruments.

That would be interesting and I'm surprised it's not been tried given how much is out there these days. John Paul's lautenwerk is less clean and has slightly more overtones I think. But he never got to AOF and his playing is much more straightforward. Rubsam does a wonderful job bringing an emotional fragility to the music that I don't think I've heard/felt before.