Cabezón, Arauxo, Cabanilles etc etc

[Mandryka]

OK, I'll see what other info I can find. In the meantime Cera's new Brilliant release looks very good, definitely one to get I think.

My own top preference for Arauxo remains Ayarra. It's strange this, because he's possibly the only composer where I have a top choice!

[prémont]

My own top preference for Arauxo remains Ayarra. It's strange this, because he's possibly the only composer where I have a top choice!

I suppose this relates to complete sets, and I agree about this. But as to individual CDs my preferences are Odile Bailleux and Francis Chapelet, even if they have recorded very little.

[Harry]

Well I had the chance to listen through the Bates recordings, all five of them, and decided its not for me. I find his playing too mellow, and the organs he used rather lame, apart from the two last ones in the US. Neither was I fond of the recordings, somewhat diffused and distant. Did not feel connected to the composer at all like in the Cera recordings. I must explore other recordings of this composer.

[Mandryka]

Well I had the change to listen through the Bates recordings, all five of them, and decided its not for me. I find his playing too mellow, and the organs he used rather lame, apart from the two last ones in the US. Neither was I fond of the recordings, somewhat diffused and distant. Did not feel connected to the composer at all like in the Cera recordings.

Much appreciated, I understand where you're coming from.

[Mandryka]

I suppose this relates to complete sets, and I agree about this. But as to individual CDs my preferences are Odile Bailleux and Francis Chapelet, even if they have recorded very little.

Have you had a chance to hear a Andres Cea's Arauxo CD? I think it's well worth hearing, serious, noble.

[Mr. Minnow]

My own top preference for Arauxo remains Ayarra. It's strange this, because he's possibly the only composer where I have a top choice!

Ayarra's set looks very good, but unfortunately it appears to be deleted and impossible to find at anything like an affordable price. For complete sets it looks like a choice between Bates or nothing. There's a very positive review of Bates on Amazon UK by Stephen Midgley, with whom I often find myself in agreement; on the other hand, we have Pjotr on this thread expressing a very different view. No easy choices here!

[Mandryka]

Anyone heard either of these two?

Without wishing to appear racist, I really think that Arauxo needs to be played by a Spaniard on an old Spanish organ, with a split keyboard and meantone tuning. Someone who has duende and the inquisition in his blood. The music is just so much an exploration of Spanish organs and of harmonies in meantone. And the nature of his imagination and his  inspiration, his sensibility, seems so exotic. More so than Cabezon  and Cabanilles IMO.

[prémont]

This one, even if only played on a fine modern organ in Spanish style by Patrick Collon, is also worth considering:

https://www.amazon.de/Francisco-Correa-Arauxo/dp/B000084HF2/ref=sr_1_11?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1528404835&sr=1-11&keywords=correa+arauxo

I know Mersiovsky's CD. She is Portuguese. Short playing time but rather Iberian mood.

Clemente Terni is Italian, I do not know his CD.

[prémont]

Have you had a chance to hear a Andres Cea's Arauxo CD? I think it's well worth hearing, serious, noble.

I have owned it for some years now. Yes rather noble.

[Mandryka]

I have owned it for some years now. Yes rather noble.

There are a lot of recordings by Andres Cea: Scarlatti, compilation CDs of obscure and anonymous early Spanish music, vocal music. At the moment I only know his Cabezon and Correa.

I have Götz's Arauxo but I can't get on with it, it sound too tame.

I found Clemento Terni's Arauxo on Spotify -my first impressions are rather positive. 

It's a long long time since I heard Foccroulle play this music, my memory of it is quite positive.

[prémont]

I own another CD by Cea wit a few more tientos by Arauxo (one of the compilation CDs).

Götz's Arauxo needs perhaps a few re-listenings on your part.

I have ordered Terni's Arauxo from an AMP seller, shall notify you when it arrives.


Just revisited some of Bates' Arauxo CDs. The organs are historically interesting and the recorded sound acceptable, if not up to the high standard we are used to with LOFT. But I agree with you and Harry about the interpretations, whish I find earthbound and unimaginative. It is obviously only completists or listeners with a special interest in Spanish organs, who need this set.

[Mandryka]

I have ordered Terni's Arauxo from an AMP seller, shall notify you when it arrives.


.

Yes I found Teni's CD on Spotify and, though I've hardly been able to listen properly, I doubt you'll be disappointed by your purchase.

[Mandryka]

But as to individual CDs my preferences are . . . Francis Chapelet, even if [t]hey have recorded very little.

All I've heard is on the Livre d'orgue des chiquitos CD. Some of it is very spontaneous and flamboyant playing.

[prémont]

All I've heard is on the Livre d'orgue des chiquitos CD. Some of it is very spontaneous and flamboyant playing.

I own this and a few more. Flamboyant is a good description. I think there is a flamboyant element in many of Arauxos tientos.

[Mandryka]

I own this and a few more. Flamboyant is a good description. I think there is a flamboyant element in many of Arauxos tientos.

I just found this 2017 release from Chapelet, music by Louis Couperin, Arauxo and others. A lot of it is as charismatic as a battering ram, but the Arauxo is not totally uninteresting. 

(They play a Louis Couperin prelude which is supposed to be "fort lent" quite quickly),it would be nice to see the booklet to see what they have to say.




I've also been listening to Céa and Cera play Arauxo, I find Cera a bit tiring to listen to for very long, this is a problem I've had with him on harpsichord, and I find Céa very rewarding. Cera's registrations, colourful and contrasted, may not be my cup of tea. Céa is dusky and mystical.

[prémont]

I just found this 2017 release from Chapelet, music by Louis Couperin, Arauxo and others. A lot of it is as charismatic as a battering ram, but the Arauxo is not totally uninteresting. 

(They play a Louis Couperin prelude which is supposed to be "fort lent" quite quickly),it would be nice to see the booklet to see what they have to say.

Uriel Valadeau (isn't it he who plays the Couperin prelude?) is an unknown name to me, and the programming is too mixed. For that reason I have passed this CD (which was released 2006 according to Amazon fr.) by.

[Mandryka]

Ah it must have been the transfer to music files which was 2017.

[Mandryka]

Anyone heard either of these two?

Without wishing to appear racist, I really think that Arauxo needs to be played by a Spaniard on an old Spanish organ, with a split keyboard and meantone tuning. Someone who has duende and the inquisition in his blood. The music is just so much an exploration of Spanish organs and of harmonies in meantone. And the nature of his imagination and his  inspiration, his sensibility, seems so exotic. More so than Cabezon  and Cabanilles IMO.

Extraordinary slowed down noble spiritual Tiento XV in Terni's recording. Quite a contrast from Ayarra.

[prémont]

Extraordinary slowed down noble spiritual Tiento XV in Terni's recording. Quite a contrast from Ayarra.

Yes, very slow. I find most of the pieces on this CD to be too slow.

[Mandryka]

Yes, very slow. I find most of the pieces on this CD to be too slow.

Tempo varies a lot in the handful of performances I could find of that Tiento. I'm guessing that there's nothing in the score to indicate one tempo over another.