The Bach Cantatas

Started by Que, April 08, 2007, 01:51:45 AM

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aligreto

Quote from: James on November 05, 2016, 04:32:16 AM



Does anyone have this? Wondering how it stacks up against the other cycles out there.

Hi James. I have all of the original box sets on CD. They are very well played and recorded. It all comes down to interpretation and personal preference as to how you like to hear your Bach and these works specifically. There are others that I prefer to listen to way ahead of Suzuki but I am still glad to have them. It is a considerable outlay so just be sure to sample as much as you can before purchase.

GioCar

The final volume of the Suzuki series is out: vol.10 of the secular cantatas.



I'm listening to it right now. Excellent as all the previous ones.

Just wondering if they are going to pack all them in one big box together with the sacred cantatas.


North Star

A separate box set would surely be more reasonable, it would be more attractive to those who already had a set or two of the sacred cantatas, as well as those who already have the Suzuki sacred cantatas..
"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." - Confucius

My photographs on Flickr

jwinter

Quote from: jwinter on August 03, 2019, 08:00:39 AM
Ashamed to admit, my very first listen to the Bach Cantatas.  Leusink from the mega-Brilliant Classics Bach Box, disc 1.   


This box has been sitting on my shelf for a good ten years, and while I've sampled it throughout, and I very much enjoy most of Bach's other music, I've always been rather intimidated by the cantatas -- there's so many of them, I do not speak German, where to even start, etc.  Today I've decided to take the plunge, start at disc 1, and see where it goes.  Ripping the first dozen discs to mp3 so that I can easily listen this week...



Cross-posted from WAYLT.  Setting out on a new voyage here, any guidance or suggestions welcome :)
The man that hath no music in himself,
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils.
The motions of his spirit are dull as night,
And his affections dark as Erebus.
Let no such man be trusted.

-- William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

aligreto

Quote from: jwinter on August 03, 2019, 08:04:11 AM

Cross-posted from WAYLT.  Setting out on a new voyage here, any guidance or suggestions welcome :)

Some like Leusink while others do not. If you do not like what you hear initially, given that you already like Bach's music, do not be overly concerned. It may be an interpretation issue, just like any other music/conductor.

Marc

Quote from: jwinter on August 03, 2019, 08:04:11 AM

Cross-posted from WAYLT.  Setting out on a new voyage here, any guidance or suggestions welcome :)

If you like Leusink... only better things will await. (My tuppence worth.)

If you don't like him, don't turn your back on the works though. In that case, I'd pick a few recordings of Philippe Herreweghe, because, IMHO he's the most solid and (in general) convincing interpreter of the last 3 to 4 decades. (My tuppence worth again. ;))

I.c. the works: here's a 'rating index' by Simon Crouch. Could be helpful. (Of course, his tuppence... never mind.)

http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/works/bachjs/rateindx.php

jwinter

Thanks for the advice!  Going is slow but steady so far, I've got through about the first half dozen discs.  I'm a bit hampered in that Brilliant Classics doesn't provide any English translations for the texts, so I'm obliged to dig around on the web.  I've found a few decent websites with translations, but I'd love to find something that I could download, so that I could easily follow along on an ereader or tablet while listening.

I've read through this thread and a few other places online, and I can see that the overwhelming consensus is that Leusink will need to be supplemented at some point.  For now I'm content to stick with it as I familiarize myself with the works -- heck, I've already got it, and to my ears (having heard no other versions) it sounds fine so far.  If things continue apace I'll probably keep my eyes open for a few single discs to sample other approaches.   

Cheers! 
The man that hath no music in himself,
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils.
The motions of his spirit are dull as night,
And his affections dark as Erebus.
Let no such man be trusted.

-- William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

aligreto

Quote from: jwinter on August 07, 2019, 06:39:34 AM
Thanks for the advice!  Going is slow but steady so far, I've got through about the first half dozen discs.  I'm a bit hampered in that Brilliant Classics doesn't provide any English translations for the texts, so I'm obliged to dig around on the web.  I've found a few decent websites with translations, but I'd love to find something that I could download, so that I could easily follow along on an ereader or tablet while listening.

I've read through this thread and a few other places online, and I can see that the overwhelming consensus is that Leusink will need to be supplemented at some point.  For now I'm content to stick with it as I familiarize myself with the works -- heck, I've already got it, and to my ears (having heard no other versions) it sounds fine so far.  If things continue apace I'll probably keep my eyes open for a few single discs to sample other approaches.   

Cheers!

You are adopting a good strategy and I am pleased that you are still listening to, and enjoying, the music. It is glorious stuff. Continued enjoyment.

milk

I'm surprised to see this thread lapse.

71 dB

#1069
Quote from: milk on June 14, 2020, 02:55:13 AM
I'm surprised to see this thread lapse.

There is not much I have to say. I collected the church cantatas by Suzuki one by one over 20 years paying big money of them all. Not buying another cycle!! I'd lke to have the secular cantatas by Suzuki beyond volumes 1 & 2, but since I have the Brilliant Classics box (P. Schreier) off them... oh the money money money!!

:P
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

JBS

Quote from: 71 dB on June 14, 2020, 03:45:18 AM
There is not much I have to say. I collected the church cantatas by Suzuki one by one over 20 years paying big money of them all. Not buying another cycle!! I'd lke to have the secular cantatas by Suzuki beyond volumes 1 & 2, but since I have the Brilliant Classics box (P. Schreier) off them... oh the money money money!!

:P

Re the secular cantatas

I have both the Brilliant and Suzuki. Suzuki is much better both in sonics and musicianship. But Herrreweghe is better still, but he recorded only a few of them.

Hollywood Beach Broadwalk

71 dB

Quote from: JBS on June 14, 2020, 05:23:07 AM
Re the secular cantatas

I have both the Brilliant and Suzuki. Suzuki is much better both in sonics and musicianship. But Herrreweghe is better still, but he recorded only a few of them.

Of course, but the Brilliant Classics boxset was dirt cheap used (I had to use adhesive tape to put the box sleeve back together  :laugh: ) and was about the same as one single disc of Suzuki...

...this ENDLESS talk about what recording is better is the most annoying thing about classical music. I am not a fucking millionaire who can just buy the best there is out there. Frankly if the music requires the best performance possible maybe it's not worth it to begin with. At least I have the 55 church cantata disc from Suzuki! That's was enough financial investment (600-700 euros) for one lifetime if you ask me.   :o

Rather than what is the best performance/recording of each work, I am interested of the justification of the "status" of well known big name composers vs. less known composers (e.g. Haydn vs. Dittersdorf), but most of the time when I open my mouth about these things I am told not to question history and canon. It's very frustrating, because I am the kind of guy who questions things other people take for granted, as "given" facts. If it benefits authorities to be "wrong" don't expect them to be right.
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

premont

Calm down, Poju. You are very well served by Suzuki.
γνῶθι σεαυτόν

milk

I takes a lot for me to get into vocal music. I put it on sometimes but not every week, more like once a month. I especially don't like opera nor the sound of that style of singing. Anyway, I collected the Kuijken series and what I like most about this stuff is the sound of the instruments. It seems to me that the focus is not on a grand sound but on the interplay between instruments and vocal. This may just reflect my lack of knowledge cantatas. Recently I heard some of the Montreal Baroque recordings and thought they were good. Also Rifkin.   

Wakefield

Quote from: milk on June 14, 2020, 03:14:47 PM
I takes a lot for me to get into vocal music. I put it on sometimes but not every week, more like once a month. I especially don't like opera nor the sound of that style of singing. Anyway, I collected the Kuijken series and what I like most about this stuff is the sound of the instruments. It seems to me that the focus is not on a grand sound but on the interplay between instruments and vocal. This may just reflect my lack of knowledge cantatas. Recently I heard some of the Montreal Baroque recordings and thought they were good. Also Rifkin.

I tend to agree almost automatically with people liking Rifkin, who is so unfairly underrated.  :)
"One of the greatest misfortunes of honest people is that they are cowards. They complain, keep quiet, dine and forget."
-- Voltaire

aukhawk

#1075
+1
His rendition of Maple Leaf Rag The Entertainer is to die for

Wakefield

Quote from: aukhawk on June 15, 2020, 08:45:06 AM
+1
His rendition of Maple Leaf Rag is to die for

Thanks for this recommendation! I listened to it on St. Tidal, through Audirvana.

Now I will listen to both disks with "Piano Rags by Scott Joplin."  :)
"One of the greatest misfortunes of honest people is that they are cowards. They complain, keep quiet, dine and forget."
-- Voltaire

Papy Oli

*bump*

very late to the party I know...  0:)

Those Cantatas, it turns out...it's good stuff   :P ;D

Read the 50-odd pages here last weekend, a great mine of information, so belated thanks to all involved, past and present.

Olivier

aligreto

Quote from: Papy Oli on May 27, 2021, 12:52:27 PM
*bump*

very late to the party I know...  0:)

Those Cantatas, it turns out...it's good stuff   :P ;D

Read the 50-odd pages here last weekend, a great mine of information, so belated thanks to all involved, past and present.

So, Olivier, you are finding this music mildly engaging?  ;D

Papy Oli

Quote from: aligreto on May 28, 2021, 03:00:52 AM
So, Olivier, you are finding this music mildly engaging?  ;D

Just a tad, and I am only scratching the surface so far. It is a fun exploration for me and quite a breakthrough as Choral Baroque has not always been my cup of tea. What I have heard of Herreweghe and Gardiner to date has been revelatory.
Olivier