Recordings That You Are Considering

[jlaurson]

Bump.  Levine/Met II vs Barenboim for the Ring.

Unless you are a hardcore, die in the wool traditionalist who won't consider for a moment that working creatively on The Ring could bring benefits to a modern audience... but that instead it should be re-enacted as if 125 years hadn't passed, then it's a no-brainer.

Barenboim is vastly superior musically, and Kupfer is vastly superior (though that's a much more subjective matter... so let's say: vastly more creative and intelligently set) direction-wise.

Levine/MET is a musical Viagra-orgy (never does NOT celebrate a single moment...) with pretty pictures and unseemly fat people.

That's simplified, but that's what it comes down to, for me.

[kishnevi]

Unless you are a hardcore, die in the wool traditionalist who won't consider for a moment that working creatively on The Ring could bring benefits to a modern audience... but that instead it should be re-enacted as if 125 years hadn't passed, then it's a no-brainer.

Barenboim is vastly superior musically, and Kupfer is vastly superior (though that's a much more subjective matter... so let's say: vastly more creative and intelligently set) direction-wise.

Levine/MET is a musical Viagra-orgy (never does NOT celebrate a single moment...) with pretty pictures and unseemly fat people.

That's simplified, but that's what it comes down to, for me.

It's not really that simple.
The production on the Levine DVDs is very traditionalist/acting and scenery as Wagner actually wrote it/ production.  Which itself is nowadays something of a revolutionary concept: not a single trace of Regietheater.

There are of course various musical wobbles,  but you're talking fourteen hours of live film, which means some musical wobbling is to be expected.  And I don't really remember it being the way Jens described it.

It's the only DVD set of the Ring I have, and I have it only because at the time I was able to get a very good deal on it.  I have no plans to get another DVD, simply because I don't usually have time to watch the DVDs I own, and just to listen to Wagner on CD is something I have to plan my day around, so the odds of me ever playing those DVDs are so small I may as well just stick to the Levine.

So obviously I don't know about the Barenboim.  For all I know it may be the greatest set of Wagner DVDs ever issued.   But I suppose the decisive factor should be where on the spectrum of traditional/very non traditional productions you want. 

[jlaurson]

So obviously I don't know about the Barenboim.  For all I know it may be the greatest set of Wagner DVDs ever issued.   

No. That's the Rheingold from the Boulez/Chereau Ring. 

[Moonfish]

I hear you, Bogey!  To top things off, you even resurrected a long-dormant Handel thread too! 

Hear are a few Handel recordings I've been eyeing as of late:
La Risonanza/Bonizzoni
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I have been eyeing these Italian cantatas for years now... hmmmm....... 

[Moonfish]

Regietheater

                                           

[HIPster]

Love the Lautten Compagney VERY much on other discs... like their Purcell... but that's admittedly not very specific.

I have you to thank for bringing them to my attention, Jens! 

You posted a while back about their recent Bacharkaden release - so that in turn, led me to their Handel release. . .
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Any thoughts on this release would be most welcome!   

[Ken B]

                                           

You're my kind of cat Moonfish.

[Moonfish]

You're my kind of cat Moonfish.

After the opera performance...

[betterthanfine]

I find the Pollini/Abbado cycle better than the other complete options you mention, and better even than Andsnes, which is quite fine.  (I haven't heard Sudbin.)  I bought the cycle as three full price discs and thought nothing of it.  For $10, it's a steal.

Terrific. No nonsense. One of my favorite sets, alongside Pletnev & Uchida/Sanderling.

This was, of course, all the persuading I needed. Thanks, both of you. Just bought it and am about to pop it in for a listen. 

[Moonfish]

Bach's WTC ---   any thoughts on Peter Watchorn's recording on Omnia? Recommended?

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[Octave]

Bach's WTC ---   any thoughts on Peter Watchorn's recording on Omnia? Recommended?

I think it's awesome, but I have only listened to it once and am still green to that pasture.
FWIW I have gotten split opinions from the harpsichord mavens.  I think the sound of his instruments is gorgeous.

[milk]

I think it's awesome, but I have only listened to it once and am still green to that pasture.
FWIW I have gotten split opinions from the harpsichord mavens.  I think the sound of his instruments is gorgeous.

I've also come to like these quite a bit. Though I don't like any other part of his Bach cycle. I'm still interested though. I think Art of the Fugue is a piece he may shine on. I'm interested in what he'll do with the Goldberg variations also.

[Moonfish]

I think it's awesome, but I have only listened to it once and am still green to that pasture.
FWIW I have gotten split opinions from the harpsichord mavens.  I think the sound of his instruments is gorgeous.

Yes, sampling the recordings definitely brings across a beautiful soundscape. I also like the tempos and sense of hesitation that I seem to encounter quite a bit (listening to the English Suites atm). Definitely tempted to explore his renditions further. After all, one can never listen to too much Bach!  Hmm, have you listened to his other recordings as well? So is he involved in a longterm recording project focused on Bach?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iIBGF-iC4E

[North Star]

Yes, sampling the recordings definitely brings across a beautiful soundscape. I also like the tempos and sense of hesitation that I seem to encounter quite a bit (listening to the English Suites atm). Definitely tempted to explore his renditions further. After all, one can never listen to too much Bach!  Hmm, have you listened to his other recordings as well? So is he involved in a longterm recording project focused on Bach?

http://www.youtube.com/v/6iIBGF-iC4E

I think he's recording all of the harpsichord music.

See here:

Art of Fugue will occur in 2014 (on pedal harpsichord). PW

E: At Musica Omnia website:

This is the latest volume of Musica Omnia’s Complete Works for Harpsichord by J. S. Bach.

[Moonfish]

I think he's recording all of the harpsichord music.

See here:
E: At Musica Omnia website:

Thanks North Star! 

[Pat B]

Bach's WTC ---   any thoughts on Peter Watchorn's recording on Omnia? Recommended?

I like it.

[kishnevi]

The "Transcribe Concertos" (the concertos after Vivaldi and others for solo keyboard) in the Hanssler Bachakademie set are played by Watchorn.  I was moderately--but only moderately--impressed by his performance when I gave it a first listen a few days ago.

1) How typical of his playing is that recording?
2) Is it known whether he will re-record those concertos, or will the Hanssler recordings simply be re-issued by Omnia/

[Que]

The "Transcribe Concertos" (the concertos after Vivaldi and others for solo keyboard) in the Hanssler Bachakademie set are played by Watchorn.  I was moderately--but only moderately--impressed by his performance when I gave it a first listen a few days ago.

1) How typical of his playing is that recording?

I agree about your reservations on that recording. Though I haven't properly heard any from his MO series. His rendition in the Hänssler series of the Toccatas in the same series is less desirable BTW.

Seek out in that series any of the recordings by Robert Hill - those are great! There is a bargain single disc with the Vivaldi transcription played by Olivier Baumont (Erato) - recommended.

2) Is it known whether he will re-record those concertos, or will the Hanssler recordings simply be re-issued by Omnia/

I believe he redoes everything for MO, on pedal harpsichord.

Q

[Pat B]

I believe he redoes everything for MO, on pedal harpsichord.

Minor clarification: I only have the WTCs, which are on pedal harpsichord, but I believe most of them are not with the pedal. So if you want to hear the pedal, go for one or both of the WTCs. I think you are correct that all the Musica Omnia releases are new recordings.

[kishnevi]

I agree about your reservations on that recording. Though I haven't properly heard any from his MO series. His rendition in the Hänssler series of the Toccatas in the same series is less desirable BTW.

Seek out in that series any of the recordings by Robert Hill - those are great! There is a bargain single disc with the Vivaldi transcription played by Olivier Baumont (Erato) - recommended.

Q

But I have the Hanssler box!   In fact, I'm midway through playing the keyboard works in that==I've got the English and French Suites, the Partitas and the WTC to go.  (Part of a concentrated effort to actually listen to that entire box that I've got for about two years now.)   After that will come the chamber music, and then it really will be done.

I'd forgotten that Watchorn plays the Toccatas in that box.  In fact, I almost forgot that I've already played the Toccata CD in that box,, which probably is all I need to say about Watchorn's performance on that one.

And I've got the Baumont, both as individual CD and as part of the Teldec Complete Bach box.  And yes it is good.