The Romantics in Period Performances

[milk]

I'm principally a listener of Baroque music too, but Brahms is one of my favorite composers.

But who knows, perhaps he is simply not your cup of tea. Anyway before you decide this, I will recommend to try again some discs, specially of chamber music (clarinet quintet, his sonatas for violin, clarinet and cello and so) because I don't know if the piano music is the best introduction to his work... and I would give another chance to that wonderful and exhilarating disc by La Gaia Scienza. Actually, I think I will hear it right now. 

Thanks. I won't give up on it. I also have the Ilia Korol & Natalia Grigorieva recording of the violin sonatas and the Paul Komen & Pieter Wispelwey performance of the cello sonatas. Perhaps I need to invest some more time in these three recordings before moving on to the piano pieces.

[Antoine Marchand]

Thanks. I won't give up on it. I also have the Ilia Korol & Natalia Grigorieva recording of the violin sonatas and the Paul Komen & Pieter Wispelwey performance of the cello sonatas. Perhaps I need to invest some more time in these three recordings before moving on to the piano pieces.

Two beautiful discs, indeed.

Anyway, I will say this in low voice: I don't consider period instruments essential for Brahms and the majority of my favorite recordings are played on modern instruments. Additionally, recordings on period instruments of his music are quite scarce yet.

[Geo Dude]

Two beautiful discs, indeed.

Anyway, I will say this in low voice: I don't consider period instruments essential for Brahms and the majority of my favorite recordings are played on modern instruments. Additionally, recordings on period instruments of his music are quite scarce yet.

On that note, does anyone have a suggestion for an oh-so-rare period instrument recording of the string sextets?

[Antoine Marchand]

On that note, does anyone have a suggestion for an oh-so-rare period instrument recording of the string sextets?

I have this version:



Hausmusik is another Monica Huggett's ensemble.

It's a version carefully done, but I miss some extra dose of passion regarding the performance itself.

[Que]

On that note, does anyone have a suggestion for an oh-so-rare period instrument recording of the string sextets?

I agree with Antoine's comments on the Hausmusik recording. This will provide what you need:



Q

[Geo Dude]

Thanks for the lead.  Any thoughts on the Brahms symphonies by Gardiner?  I've seen one glowing review by a person in this thread, but it gets mixed reviews at Amazon.

[kishnevi]

Thanks for the lead.  Any thoughts on the Brahms symphonies by Gardiner?  I've seen one glowing review by a person in this thread, but it gets mixed reviews at Amazon.

I have all four.  I find them more valuable for the accompaning works (mostly choral), some by Brahms, some not, which Gardiner included as context for each symphony.  For the symphonies themselves, nothing good nor bad stands out in my memory.

[milk]

The HIPsters are taking over the board!

And why not?

For Schubert I'm very fond of these two discs:




Prégardien/Staier is the perfect combo in Winterreise. Both are sweet-toned and impassioned.

I quite enjoy the Egmond/Crawford recordings of Die schöne Müllerin and Winterreise. Furthermore, I have all the Atlantis chamber recordings. These include recordings of works by Schubert, Schumann, Beethoven and Mendelssohn (piano trios, piano quartets and piano quintets). I know the Scienza recordings are good (of the Schumann Quartets) as are The Benvenue Fortepiano Trio recordings, but I gravitate more towards the Atlantis recordings (maybe I'm in the minority here).
I really love the double fortepiano versions of Schumann's pedal pieces by La Gaia Scienza, Federica Valli & Lorenzo Ghielmi: "Robert Schumann: Für Meine Clara."
Absolutely spellbinding!
I also think the Tobias Koch & Lisa Marie Landgraf album "Schumann: Complete Works for Violin and Piano" is great great great.
Liv Glaser & Ernst Simon Glaser have a nice recording of Schumann's cello works: "Schubert & Schumann" - it may be that the piano is period and the cello isn't?
Nicolas Deletaille (playing a real Arpeggione!) & Paul Badura-Skoda have a great recording: "Schubert: Sonate Für Arpeggione Und Klavier, D. 821 & Streichquintett, D. 956"
Finally, Staier's recording, "Schumann: A Tribute to Bach" is justifiably lauded. It's just wonderful!
I've been undecided on whether or not to purchase Ishay and Daskalakis's recordings of Faure's Violin Sonatas 1 and 2 (on period instruments). I don't know Faure well and I don't know these works. I'd love some advice about these compositions and/or the recording (Faure: L'Horizon Fantastique). 

[Geo Dude]

I have all four.  I find them more valuable for the accompaning works (mostly choral), some by Brahms, some not, which Gardiner included as context for each symphony.  For the symphonies themselves, nothing good nor bad stands out in my memory.

Thanks.  If this is the case, they're not on my high priority list.

Anyone else?

[Leon]

Thanks.  If this is the case, they're not on my high priority list.

Anyone else?

I am listening to #3 as I type this, and finding it very refreshing.  If you have other more "Romantic" recordings I'd say that the Gardiner set would make a very nice contrasting take.  IMO, Brahms can suffer from an approach which emphasizes the "gravitas", if you know what I mean, and his music benefits from the HIP thinning of the texture and in general, utilizing a less ponderous style.

Again, I would not recommend Gardiner as someone's first or only Brahms set, but as a pallette cleanser from the predominant modern orchestra sound it is a nice alternative.

[Que]

.[asin]B005DUDCIE[/asin]

Another Trout on period instruments is out!  Is this the 4th one around?

Jan Vermeulen (fortepiano), Christine Busch (violin), France Springuel (cello), Paul de Clerck (viola) & Jan Buysschaert (double bass)

Q

[PaulSC]

.[asin]B005DUDCIE[/asin]

Another Trout on period instruments is out!  Is this the 4th one around?

Jan Vermeulen (fortepiano), Christine Busch (violin), France Springuel (cello), Paul de Clerck (viola) & Jan Buysschaert (double bass)

Q

Side question: is the Arpeggione sonata played on an arpeggione?

[Que]

Side question: is the Arpeggione sonata played on an arpeggione?

No, on a 5-string cello piccolo.

Q

[PaulSC]

No, on a 5-string cello piccolo.

Q

Oh, that's an interesting choice! Have to hear this. Thanks for pointing it out...

[Opus106]

Oh, that's an interesting choice! Have to hear this. Thanks for pointing it out.

I think that's the HIPPI's usual choice of substitue for the arpeggione.

[milk]

I guess I've posted this before. I love the sound of the arpeggione on this recording.
Is there another recording out there with an authentic arpeggione? 

[PaulSC]

I think that's the HIPPI's usual choice of substitue for the arpeggione.

I didn't realize that. Is there anything truly historically-informed about this choice? I would have assumed the violoncello piccolo was seen as archaic, to the extent it was known at all, by the early nineteenth century.

[Opus106]

I didn't realize that. Is there anything truly historically-informed about this choice? I would have assumed the violoncello piccolo was seen as archaic, to the extent it was known at all, by the early nineteenth century.

I'm afraid I don't have an answer to your question, but I'd like to learn more; and hopefully someone else will reply. The recording with Bylsma which I have features an instrument from c. 1700!

[Florestan]

I guess I've posted this before. I love the sound of the arpeggione on this recording.
Is there another recording out there with an authentic arpeggione?

2001: Ars Produktion (recorded on July 13 and 14, 2000)
Alfred Lessing (arpeggione) / Jozef de Beenhouwer (pianoforte)
On the same CD (arpeggione and guitar):
Vincenz Schuster: Drei Stücke (1825)
Anton Diabelli: Andante con moto A-Dur
Friedrich Burgmüller: Drei Nocturnes
(Harald Mohs, guitar)

[milk]

2001: Ars Produktion (recorded on July 13 and 14, 2000)
Alfred Lessing (arpeggione) / Jozef de Beenhouwer (pianoforte)
On the same CD (arpeggione and guitar):
Vincenz Schuster: Drei Stücke (1825)
Anton Diabelli: Andante con moto A-Dur
Friedrich Burgmüller: Drei Nocturnes
(Harald Mohs, guitar)

Looks interesting!