Your Favorite Recordings of Bach's 6 Sonatas for Violin and keyboard

Started by Bulldog, April 22, 2010, 10:36:36 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Bulldog

You have five selections among the thirty-six choices.  Mine are:

Blumenstock/Butt
van Dael/van Asperen
Carmignola/Marcon
Kuijken/Leonhardt
Ronez/Kubitschek

listener

I"m not voting since I have not heard most of these, but I will look up the Schmid version as I am enjoying his recording (MD&G) of BWV 1001 - 1006 with piano accompaniment composed by Robert Schumann
The pianist is Lisa Smirnova
"Keep your hand on the throttle and your eye on the rail as you walk through life's pathway."

Antoine Marchand

This time I will betray my principles: no polls, no rankings.

This is my list:

Kuijken/Leonhardt

Ngai/Watchorn

Blumenstock/Butt

Glodeanu/Haas (the most sensual version that I have listened to. If I were Goldeanu's husband, I would hit Haas.  :D).

Podger (I love this girl)/Pinnock

Bulldog

Quote from: Antoine Marchand on April 22, 2010, 01:10:22 PM
This time I will betray my principles: no polls, no rankings.

This is my list:

Kuijken/Leonhardt

Ngai/Watchorn

Blumenstock/Butt

Glodeanu/Haas (the most sensual version that I have listened to. If I were Goldeanu's husband, I would hit Haas.  :D).

Podger (I love this girl)/Pinnock

Both Podger and Glodeanu were close to making my top five.

Concerning Ngai/Watchorn, I though Watchorn did a great job; was less enthusiastic about Ngai.  His violin tone is gorgeous, but I found him  a little lacking in vitality.

premont

Difficult task. Most of the twenty four sets I own of these works range between outstanding and very good. But in the end I think I would prefer:

Malgoire / Rannou

Kuijken / Leonhardt

Blumenstock / Butt

Huggett / Koopman

Holloway / Moroney


Some contenders are missing from the poll, among others
Fryden/ Leonhardt, Harnoncourt/Tachezi, Lautenbacher/Galling, Suk/Ruzickova.
γνῶθι σεαυτόν

Antoine Marchand

Quote from: Bulldog on April 22, 2010, 01:28:54 PM
Concerning Ngai/Watchorn, I though Watchorn did a great job; was less enthusiastic about Ngai.  His violin tone is gorgeous, but I found him  a little lacking in vitality.

That's probably right, but it's one of the most balanced versions that I know. And maybe that –to play these pieces like real trio sonatas- implies to restrain a bit the prominence of the violin.

Scarpia

I voted for Grumiaux, Wallfish and Holloway, because I think I have those.  I've never heard any others.   :-[  I also have Mullova/Canino, but it's not listed, I guess because it is not a complete traversal. 

Antoine Marchand

Quote from: premont on April 22, 2010, 01:45:39 PM
Most of the twenty four sets I own of these works...

At least this time I am closer, my completist and learned friend.  :)

Bulldog

Quote from: Antoine Marchand on April 22, 2010, 01:50:31 PM
That's probably right, but it's one of the most balanced versions that I know. And maybe that –to play these pieces like real trio sonatas- implies to restrain a bit the prominence of the violin.

Perhaps, but I'm not the type who likes a restrained baroque violin.  That was also my problem with Manze in the Sonatas for Violin and Keyboard.

Bulldog

Quote from: premont on April 22, 2010, 01:45:39 PM
Difficult task. Most of the twenty four sets I own of these works range between outstanding and very good. But in the end I think I would prefer:

Malgoire / Rannou

Kuijken / Leonhardt

Blumenstock / Butt

Huggett / Koopman

Holloway / Moroney

I have 20 versions; you win.  Your list is very appealing; I was sad to leave out Huggett and Holloway.

Antoine Marchand

Quote from: Bulldog on April 22, 2010, 01:55:29 PM
Perhaps, but I'm not the type who likes a restrained baroque violin.  That was also my problem with Manze in the Sonatas for Violin and Keyboard.

Curiously, I had the same impression in the morning when I read your opinions. On the other hand, I love when the performers are particularly worried about the balance between the instruments and that notion of trio sonata. Even Manze's liner notes begin with a well-known quotation of CPE Bach, where he calls these works "the six harpsichord trios". IIRC, Watchorn says some interesting things about this issue in the extra CD (or the notes?) of his set.

Bulldog

Quote from: Antoine Marchand on April 22, 2010, 02:21:53 PM
Curiously, I had the same impression in the morning when I read your opinions. On the other hand, I love when the performers are particularly worried about the balance between the instruments and that notion of trio sonata.

I think most of us place some priority on balance of musical lines; that's a prime reason I love the Bach of Gould and Sheppard. 

Bulldog

Any favorite movements from the 6 Sonatas?  Mine is the cembalo solo from the G major/BWV 1019, perhaps Bach's most joyous and bubbly solo keyboard piece.  If you listen to that solo from Alessandrini, van Asperen or Moroney, you're in for a big treat.  I bet you can't stay still.

Sticking with the cembalo solo, I'm amazed that the Goebel/Hill version excludes it based on using BWV 1019a.  There may be some historical accuracy for the exclusion, but I don't take well to my favorite movement missing in action.

Antoine Marchand

Do you have that Terakado/Henstra set, Don? It looks very enticing to me.

Bulldog

Quote from: Antoine Marchand on April 22, 2010, 03:02:00 PM
Do you have that Terakado/Henstra set, Don? It looks very enticing to me.

Yes I do.  FWIW, I found the performances well-manicured and polite - not my cup of tea.  Also, Henstra is earth-bound in the Cembalo solo.

However, when I listen to the Terakado in isolation, it sounds mighty fine.

SonicMan46

Quote from: Scarpia on April 22, 2010, 01:54:01 PM
I voted for Grumiaux, Wallfish and Holloway, because I think I have those.  I've never heard any others.   :-[  I also have Mullova/Canino, but it's not listed, I guess because it is not a complete traversal.

Well, I'm w/ Scarpia - i.e. I've not heard most of these recordings so cannot really give an honest opinion nor a vote - I do own 3 sets:  Mullova-Dantone, Wallfisch-Nicholson, & Grumiaux-Jaccottet and have culled these out over the years based on reviews, comments here, & my own listening.  However, the Blumenstock-Butt recordings seem to be getting some repeated attention - is this a set worth pursuing?   :)

Antoine Marchand

Quote from: Bulldog on April 22, 2010, 03:00:57 PM
Any favorite movements from the 6 Sonatas? 

Third movement (Andante un poco) of the Second Sonata BWV 1015; then the third movement (Adagio ma non tanto) of the Sonata No. 3 BWV 1016, both of them so full of, I don't know, can I say... not melancholy, but compassion for the poor, small human being?

Bulldog

Quote from: SonicMan on April 22, 2010, 03:16:45 PM
Well, I'm w/ Scarpia - i.e. I've not heard most of these recordings so cannot really give an honest opinion nor a vote - I do own 3 sets:  Mullova-Dantone, Wallfisch-Nicholson, & Grumiaux-Jaccottet and have culled these out over the years based on reviews, comments here, & my own listening.  However, the Blumenstock-Butt recordings seem to be getting some repeated attention - is this a set worth pursuing?   :)

Nah.  Folks are just voting for it to trick you. ;)

Bulldog

Quote from: Antoine Marchand on April 22, 2010, 03:18:35 PM
Third movement (Andante un poco) of the Second Sonata BWV 1015; then the third movement (Adagio ma non tanto) of the Sonata No. 3 BWV 1016, both of them so full of, I don't know, can I say... not melancholy, but compassion for the poor, small human being?

Nope, it's compassion for Wall Street bankers. :D

Those two movements are exceptional.  As it happens, my two favorites of the Adagio come from Terakado and Manze.

Josquin des Prez

Quote from: Antoine Marchand on April 22, 2010, 01:50:31 PM
That's probably right, but it's one of the most balanced versions that I know. And maybe that –to play these pieces like real trio sonatas- implies to restrain a bit the prominence of the violin.

That's an interesting observation. I have to try this set.