French Baroque Music

[Que]

New issue!  (Original harpsichord transcriptions)



Q

[Que]

Another new issue that goes on the list!
It got highest ratings by Diapason and Télérama.
Mandrin and Les Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr have been previously recorded on Astrée.



Read a "sort of translation" of the review by Télérama HERE.

A review on ClassiqueNews.com HERE.

Q

[Coopmv]

New issue!  (Original harpsichord transcriptions)



Q

Christophe Rousset made a number of recordings with Christopher Hogwood and the Academy of Ancient Music as well.  He is an excellent harpsichordist who once studied under Bob van Asperen.  A have a number of CD's by him, though they are not French baroque music ...

[Elgarian]

Another new issue that goes on the list!
It got highest ratings by Diapason and Télérama.
Mandrin and Les Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr have been previously recorded on Astrée.



Read a "sort of translation" of the review by Télérama HERE.

A review on ClassiqueNews.com HERE.

Les Demoiselles de St Cyr made a Clerambault CD that's included in the Chapelle Royale/Versailles 5 CD bargain box, in which they sing like angels. So this new one is definitely one to put on the list. Thanks for this, Que.

[FideLeo]

Davitt Moroney has made several French Baroque albums on his (own?) label Plectra Music, and this is just one of them. 

[Que]

Davitt Moroney has made several French Baroque albums on his (own?) label Plectra Music, and this is just one of them. 

I have to admit to my regret that I was never aware of Plectra Music before!

Thanks!

Q

[Coopmv]

Davitt Moroney has made several French Baroque albums on his (own?) label Plectra Music, and this is just one of them. 

Just bookmarked this CD.  I need to significantly boost my collection of French baroque recordings ...

[Coopmv]

Here are a few of my recently purchased French baroque works ...

[Coopmv]

I have these Couperin'w keyboard works performed by Angela Hewitt on piano and they are quite nice ...

[SonicMan46]

I have these Couperin'w keyboard works performed by Angela Hewitt on piano and they are quite nice ...

Hello Stuart - I also own those Hewitt discs and enjoy each; she seems to do quite well in this repertoire on the piano - and pretty much well received in the reviews, although some may quibble? 

More recently, I became interested in hearing these Couperin works on the harpsichord and picked up the Brilliant box set shown below w/ Michael Borgstede on the keyboard; 11 CDs by as usual a 'brilliant bargain'!

At the same time, I purchased a 'short' book (below, right) - The mirror of human life:  Reflections on Francois Couperin's Pieces de Clavecin by Jane Clark & Derek Connon (2002), which is delightful to read while listening to these works (did not do a thorough comparison but worth another attempt!); apparently, many of these pieces were portrayals of Couperin's times and the people he knew and pictured aurally in his works - not a great description but an inkling of 'bringing to life' these compositions!  Dave 

 

[Coopmv]

More recently, I became interested in hearing these Couperin works on the harpsichord and picked up the Brilliant box set shown below w/ Michael Borgstede on the keyboard; 11 CDs by as usual a 'brilliant bargain'!

I bought the same 11-CD Couperin harpsichord works set last year.  It was a delightful set, though I really did not know anything about Borgstede.  A gem that I really ran across is the following 40-CD set which includes probably all the Bach keyboard works recorded by the late Christiane Joccottet.  Most of her oirginal recordings are now OOP.

[Josquin des Prez]

More recently, I became interested in hearing these Couperin works on the harpsichord and picked up the Brilliant box set shown below w/ Michael Borgstede on the keyboard; 11 CDs by as usual a 'brilliant bargain'!

If i were you i'd try looking for a copy of the Scott Ross recordings. Get the Rameau to since your at it. First rate french harpsichord playing.

[SonicMan46]

If i were you i'd try looking for a copy of the Scott Ross recordings. Get the Rameau to since your at it. First rate french harpsichord playing.

Thanks for the recommendations - pleased w/ the Couperin harpsichord recordings on Brilliant - great bargain, excellent performances, and great review on MusicWeb; however, my Rameau harpsichord ownings are scant, so will certainly explore that area - not sure how available Scott Ross recordings are @ the moment, but would certainly be interested in his or others' suggestions - Dave 

[Que]

If i were you i'd try looking for a copy of the Scott Ross recordings. Get the Rameau to since your at it. First rate french harpsichord playing.

One can always try but both sets are very much OOP.

Dave, for Rameau you need to look no further than Christophe Rousset.

Q

[Coopmv]

One can always try but both sets are very much OOP.

Dave, for Rameau you need to look no further than Christophe Rousset.

Q

Indeed, I first came across Christophe Rousset on a CD where he played harpsichord with Christopher Hogwood (Bach Concertos for 4 Harpsichords) and went on to get a few more of his solo CD's.  He is an excellent harpsichordist ...

[SonicMan46]

One can always try but both sets are very much OOP.

Dave, for Rameau you need to look no further than Christophe Rousset.

Q - thanks for the recommendation of Rousset in the Rameau works; I have this performer on a number of harpsichord discs (mainly JS Bach) and do enjoy him; will do some searching but not sure 'how' available this recording may be @ the moment? 

But, in searching for Rameau on harpsichord (now & in the past), I've looked @ the 2 discs on Naxos w/ Rowland - great price and generally good reviews; more recently, I've also been reviewing the two recordings by Sohpie Yates on Chandos (one of the discs shown below); the Amazonians like both of her recordings of this music, the MusicWeb Reviewer seems to prefer her playing & interpretations over those of Rousset, and Tom Moore from Fanfare makes the same preference (quoted below).

So, who is it to be?  Rousset, Rowland, or Yates (or someone else)?  Would appreciate any thoughts and opinions from all - thanks.  Dave 

I have had the pleasure of reviewing a string of discs from Sophie Yates here, and, like those with uniformly high marks, her Rameau is also a palpable hit. Elliott S. Hurwitt waxed enthusiastic about Gilbert Rowland's Rameau (for Naxos), but Rowland's efforts are not on Yates's level; too prosaic to my ears, not sufficiently French, and with ornaments from Rowland that sound unidiomatic. Rousset's set for Oiseau-Lyre (1991 ) is recommendable, but to my ears Yates is still preferable. Her tempos are well chosen, the music sings, the phrases breathe, there is poetry in the rise and fall, there is agogic emphasis, but within the context of an organic rhythm, her technique in the quicker movements is impeccable. The sound of her Goujon harpsichord ( 1749, in the Conservatoire National de Musique, Paris) is luscious. Would that some enterprising impresario would bring Yates to our shores on tour! Barring that, we can look forward to more inspired and inspiring discs. Warmly recommended.   Tom Moore

[71 dB]

But, in searching for Rameau on harpsichord (now & in the past), I've looked @ the 2 discs on Naxos w/ Rowland - great price and generally good reviews;

I have those two discs. I enjoy them a lot.  

[Coopmv]

Q - thanks for the recommendation of Rousset in the Rameau works; I have this performer on a number of harpsichord discs (mainly JS Bach) and do enjoy him; will do some searching but not sure 'how' available this recording may be @ the moment? 

But, in searching for Rameau on harpsichord (now & in the past), I've looked @ the 2 discs on Naxos w/ Rowland - great price and generally good reviews; more recently, I've also been reviewing the two recordings by Sohpie Yates on Chandos (one of the discs shown below); the Amazonians like both of her recordings of this music, the MusicWeb Reviewer seems to prefer her playing & interpretations over those of Rousset, and Tom Moore from Fanfare makes the same preference (quoted below).

So, who is it to be?  Rousset, Rowland, or Yates (or someone else)?  Would appreciate any thoughts and opinions from all - thanks.  Dave 

I will get all of them.  I never limit myself to just a small handful of artists ...

[SonicMan46]

I have those two discs. I enjoy them a lot.  

Poju - thanks for the comments on the Rowland discs - great price and some excellent reviews; sure that the recordings would please me; however, those Yates discs look enticing to me, despite their higher cost - hoping others will 'chime in' w/ some personal aural opinions on the latter - Dave 

[Drasko]

New issue!  (Original harpsichord transcriptions)



Q

I have that transcription played by Beaumont on Adda (don't think it made to reisssue on Accord). If I'd to be nice I'd say that music is intermittently interesting, really dull to be frank. Nowhere near Rameau's dedicated clavecin output, there are many better ways to spend listening to hour of harpsichord music. Beaumont is admittedly not the most flamboyant of players (though I'm sure he does his best) so if anyone could put this tedium across it's Rousset with his bludgeoning flair, but it won't be going on my shopping list anyhow, to many more interesting stuff around.