What are you listening to now?

[Moonfish]

For a long time, I didn't care for the harpsichord;  it always sounded the same to me, and I couldn't listen to more than, say, a half an hour of it. Then . . . I got to be friends with a really good harpsichordist.  Heard him play a few times, and (predictably, really) of course, being there in the space while the music is being performed is a much richer experience.  Then, I wrote a piece for the two of us to play together (Lunar Glare), and after we rehearsed it and performed it in public some three times, the world of the harpsichord was opened unto me.  Rameau, Louis Couperin, François Couperin, Scarlatti, Frescobaldi . . . now I hear how entirely different each composer's work is, and I can listen to harpsichord music for hours on end.

That sounds like a delicious gateway - live interaction, composing and performing - to the harpsichord.  I keep listening but I find myself a bit tense and the music often comes across as a bit jarring.  I will keep at it with different performers and composers as I also have discovered that this has been my gateway to genres that I initially did not enjoy much (e.g. operas and even piano sonatas *gasp*). I guess we all form relationships with composers and eras as well as with the instruments used in the performances.   One of my projects this year is Ross performing Scarlatti...        Wish me luck!

[Moonfish]

Moonfish!

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Avoid the Borgstede on Brilliant. Many will tell you otherwise. But that guy on Amazon Baklavaboy found to be so preternaturally reliable said
"I found this a bit gonzo: harsh and loud, and aggressive. I much prefer Olivier Baumont's set on WCJ, available for about the same price, but more varied and eloquent.Couperin: Complete Works for Harpsichord "

Yes, I happen to have Borgstede performing Couperin. It does come across as a bit harsh although very energetic in an excellent recording. I will follow your advice with Baumont.      What about Verlet?

[North Star]

For a long time, I didn't care for the harpsichord;  it always sounded the same to me, and I couldn't listen to more than, say, a half an hour of it. Then . . . I got to be friends with a really good harpsichordist.  Heard him play a few times, and (predictably, really) of course, being there in the space while the music is being performed is a much richer experience.  Then, I wrote a piece for the two of us to play together (Lunar Glare), and after we rehearsed it and performed it in public some three times, the world of the harpsichord was opened unto me.  Rameau, Louis Couperin, François Couperin, Scarlatti, Frescobaldi . . . now I hear how entirely different each composer's work is, and I can listen to harpsichord music for hours on end.

I don't see Byrd there
Hearing Aapo Häkkinen,  Miklós Spányi, and a couple of others live might have helped me too.
Since we're discussing harpsichord now, I really want this (but wouldn't want to pay £13 for it...)
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[Moonfish]

Like Karl, I love Couperin on the harpsichord - and Tharaud's recording on piano is very nice, too.
Yes, there are very different sounding harpsichords - not to mention such cool things like lautenwerks.
What I've heard from Baumont's Couperin has certainly been superb. Nothing wrong with Rousset either, though.

Do you mean all the recordings in this Lumières box? Marvelous set, best value for money in anything I've ever seen (not just music) when I bought it - Herreweghe's Campra Requiem & LvB 9th, René Jacobs' Haydn 92th symphony, Mozart Le nozze & Jupiter, and Orfeo & Euridice, Müllejans & Freiburg's Mozart & Haydn symphonies, Staier's Mozart sonatas, Christie's Rameau Castor & Pollux, Seiler & AfAMB's Quattro Stagioni

Ah, you do come across as a great fan of the harpsichord! Did it take you long to befriend that instrument or was it love at first sight/ear exposure? Karl's experience seems ideal - wish we all could have that type of transition into the realms of instruments and eras.
I need to keep digging further into the Lumières box. I was a bit amazed by the amount of information they included in the booklet - quite a guide to music - as that is not exactly typical nowadays....

[Moonfish]

Switching from Bach to Haydn....

Haydn: Symphonies No 82, 83 & 84     Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment/Kuijken

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[North Star]

Ah, you do come across as a great fan of the harpsichord! Did it take you long to befriend that instrument or was it love at first sight/ear exposure? Karl's experience seems ideal - wish we all could have that type of transition into the realms of instruments and eras.
I need to keep digging further into the Lumières box. I was a bit amazed by the amount of information they included in the booklet - quite a guide to music - as that is not exactly typical nowadays....

Like Karl, I didn't have the stamina to listen to harpsichord for a long time at first, but that changed as I listened to more, and hearing harpsichord(s) live must have helped.
The booklet is indeed rather wonderful.

[Moonfish]

Like Karl, I didn't have the stamina to listen to harpsichord for a long time at first, but that changed as I listened to more, and hearing harpsichord(s) live must have helped.
The booklet is indeed rather wonderful.

Yes, wish I had more live concerts in my area. San Francisco is about 90 minutes away, but it is a haul to drive for three hours for a concert.  I should get my own harpsichord instead...     

[EigenUser]

"Le Martyre du Saint Sebastien"
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[Moonfish]

"Le Martyre du Saint Sebastien"
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That is a wonderful piece, but I have only heard it with Ansermet. How is the Dutoit performance?

[Karl Henning]

I don't see Byrd there

Hah! I need to do something about that.

Buxtehude and Bach, too, of course.  (I mean, I do know and listen to their work on harpsichord . . . .)

[EigenUser]

That is a wonderful piece, but I have only heard it with Ansermet. How is the Dutoit performance?

Being the only performance I have, it's great ! The only reason that I have this album is because of "Jeux". I prefer this "La Mer" for a couple of specific reasons:

[Ken B]

That sounds like a delicious gateway - live interaction, composing and performing - to the harpsichord.  I keep listening but I find myself a bit tense and the music often comes across as a bit jarring.  I will keep at it with different performers and composers as I also have discovered that this has been my gateway to genres that I initially did not enjoy much (e.g. operas and even piano sonatas *gasp*). I guess we all form relationships with composers and eras as well as with the instruments used in the performances.   One of my projects this year is Ross performing Scarlatti...        Wish me luck!

You should avoid older recordings for sure, since the physical sound of the beast is an issue for you. I am going to rsik a lightning strike and suggest you avoid Leonhardt, Walcha, and Landowska. Now St Leonhardt is a hero, and Walcha one of my favourites, but many of their recordings are harsh with big old instruments. Go for the most modern recordings you can.

Thread duty: Heitor Villa-Lobos - Sexteto mistico = Sextuor mystique .

[Moonfish]

You should avoid older recordings for sure, since the physical sound of the beast is an issue for you. I am going to rsik a lightning strike and suggest you avoid Leonhardt, Walcha, and Landowska. Now St Leonhardt is a hero, and Walcha one of my favourites, but many of their recordings are harsh with big old instruments. Go for the most modern recordings you can.

Thread duty: Heitor Villa-Lobos - Sexteto mistico = Sextuor mystique .

Hmm, good advice. Interestingly I do enjoy Landowska, but perhaps it is a combination of sound and her legend. [I like *crispy* sound at times]. Have had great enjoyment in sampling the set from UA. Perhaps it needs a spin today....     
I wish her Bach RCA set wasn't OOP.

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[Lisztianwagner]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, Lisztianwagner, that was wonderful indeed.  Interesting to note that French film director H.G. Clouzot (Diaboliques, Quai des Orfèvres, Wages of Fear, etc.) directed the filming here.

My pleasure. Honestly, I have never watched Clouzot's films, but he did an excellent job with Karajan.

Now:
Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Sonata No.17

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[Brian]

After at least 5 years, I'm finally trying again to like the Goldbergs. The difference: not using Glenn Gould.



This has been quite the week for revisiting difficult music. I'm also giving another run at the Hammerklavier.

[Sadko]

Rimsky-Korsakov

Sadko

Kirov forces
Velery Gergiev

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[Ken B]

After at least 5 years, I'm finally trying again to like the Goldbergs. The difference: not using Glenn Gould.



This has been quite the week for revisiting difficult music. I'm also giving another run at the Hammerklavier.

Leonhardt 1980 recording. In several boxes now.

[Moonfish]

Beethoven: Cello Sonatas     Bylsma/Immerseel

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[Sadko]

That sounds like a delicious gateway - live interaction, composing and performing - to the harpsichord.  I keep listening but I find myself a bit tense and the music often comes across as a bit jarring.  I will keep at it with different performers and composers as I also have discovered that this has been my gateway to genres that I initially did not enjoy much (e.g. operas and even piano sonatas *gasp*). I guess we all form relationships with composers and eras as well as with the instruments used in the performances.   One of my projects this year is Ross performing Scarlatti...        Wish me luck!

And don't forget there are very different instruments, the sound ranging from thin and bodyless to resonant with a strong bass, that can be almost overwhelming (I experienced that only once, finding the resonant bass too overwhelming). I love the piano, and certainly enjoy Rameau and Couperin on the piano, but listening to them on the harpsichord is almost like listening to different pieces of music, very different colours and a the richer overtones merge to a more clusterlike sound, sometimes. And I like players who can make a harpsichord sing - the opposite of the sewing-machine.

[cjvinthechair]

A young Slovenian composer I only chanced to discover this morning:

Ambrož Čopi
Отче наш

http://www.youtube.com/v/T_3Xt-pF5VE

Lovely, isn't it - & there are plenty more by him on YT !