Cabezón, Arauxo, Cabanilles etc etc

Mandryka · October 22, 2021, 12:14:59 AM

Revisiting the tracks on the Lerma organ on first CD of this with Glen Wilson's concept of delicate fluency and otherworldliness in mind, and yes it is delicate, it is fluent and it is otherworldly. However it is severe and unsmiling. The otherness is a sort of non-humanity.

https://www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs_reviews.asp?item_code=8.572475-76&catNum=572475&filetype=About%20this%20Recording&language=English

Mandryka · October 22, 2021, 01:03:32 AM

And this is the only other recording I can find of the interesting Lerma organ

How well that image on the cover seems to go with the drama and passion of the music in Cea's hands. Quite a contrast from Uriol's style in Cabezon.

bioluminescentsquid · October 22, 2021, 02:46:14 PM

Quote from: Mandryka on May 04, 2018, 12:15:02 AM
And as far as I can see there is no other recording of the organ at Santa Maria church of Garrovillas de Alconétar. It sounds like the way an organ should sound in Arauxo!

Cera sounds as though he's enjoying himself to me, a mature and thought-through performance, warm and rich. I hope he can find a spirit of abandon and adventure in the music, and find an essence of each piece -- make each piece sound distinct. I think these have been the weaknesses in some of the other recordings I've heard from Cera.

https://www.youtube.com/v/jqK5gbmI9BM

This is still my favorite Correa de Arauxo recording so far, I like the natural feel to the playing but also the organ, really beautiful (and full of those black sounds we all love!). I think I am finally warming to his music.

Mandryka · October 23, 2021, 07:37:30 AM

Quote from: bioluminescentsquid on October 22, 2021, 02:46:14 PM
This is still my favorite Correa de Arauxo recording so far, I like the natural feel to the playing but also the organ, really beautiful (and full of those black sounds we all love!). I think I am finally warming to his music.

Well that sent me off listening to it, not sure I ever properly did when it came out.

Mandryka · October 23, 2021, 07:51:07 AM

Quote from: Mandryka on October 23, 2021, 07:37:30 AM
Well that sent me off listening to it, not sure I ever properly did when it came out.

First reaction: The recording quality sounds squeaky clean, like a new organ in an non reverberant environment! No sense of hall. This somehow gives the music energy, no doubt helped by Cera's intense playing, that energy is something I'd associated more with Cabanilles and Bruna and Heredia than Arauxo before.

(Have you heard Ayarra?)

bioluminescentsquid · October 23, 2021, 10:01:40 PM

Quote from: Mandryka on October 23, 2021, 07:51:07 AM
First reaction: The recording quality sounds squeaky clean, like a new organ in an non reverberant environment! No sense of hall. This somehow gives the music energy, no doubt helped by Cera's intense playing, that energy is something I'd associated more with Cabanilles and Bruna and Heredia than Arauxo before.

(Have you heard Ayarra?)

I'm curious what you you think of this recording, on the same organ. I do like the Garrovillas de Alconétar organ a lot, sounds ancient to me and very different from later Spanish organs from the 17th century on.

Ayarra I've heard and tried to like, very arcane playing on equally strange instruments captured by outdated recording technology - but I think I am also starting to appreciate it.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k8AMaU4uX_x1g9fc42Cati4YF7M04tO0o

I think out of all the composers named above I like Heredia the most. A bit more concise version of Correa de Arauxo I think.

bioluminescentsquid · October 24, 2021, 06:29:36 PM

Anyone heard this yet?

Ablitzer, his Titelouze has now become my favorite.

bioluminescentsquid · October 24, 2021, 06:54:47 PM

A very nice recital on a nice organ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab76oFRgul4
Frédéric MAYEUR on a copy of a 17th century Peruvian organ.

prémont · October 25, 2021, 12:50:53 AM

Quote from: bioluminescentsquid on October 24, 2021, 06:29:36 PM
Anyone heard this yet?

Ablitzer, his Titelouze has now become my favorite.

Yes. owned it for half a year or so. As expected played in the usual Ablitzer-authoritative way. Very recommendable.

Darasse is my Titelouze favorite (he only recorded four of the hymns in Sarlat), and Bates (Bolbec) is the one who comes nearest to him.

Mandryka · October 25, 2021, 06:55:37 AM

Quote from: bioluminescentsquid on October 23, 2021, 10:01:40 PM
I'm curious what you you think of this recording, on the same organ. I do like the Garrovillas de Alconétar organ a lot, sounds ancient to me and very different from later Spanish organs from the 17th century on.

Ayarra I've heard and tried to like, very arcane playing on equally strange instruments captured by outdated recording technology - but I think I am also starting to appreciate it.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k8AMaU4uX_x1g9fc42Cati4YF7M04tO0o

I think out of all the composers named above I like Heredia the most. A bit more concise version of Correa de Arauxo I think.

Why do you say arcane? It's true that I hear a sort of spooky mysterious quality, and somehow I've always associated that with Arauxo rather that Ayarra -- but maybe I was wrong.

BY the way, re Hedera, the only recording I own is Ablizer, which I shall play soon and comment on if anything comes to mind.

bioluminescentsquid · October 25, 2021, 12:24:52 PM

Quote from: Mandryka on October 25, 2021, 06:55:37 AM
Why do you say arcane? It's true that I hear a sort of spooky mysterious quality, and somehow I've always associated that with Arauxo rather that Ayarra -- but maybe I was wrong.

BY the way, re Hedera, the only recording I own is Ablizer, which I shall play soon and comment on if anything comes to mind.

I don't know, it's just a bit of a weird sounding recording to me. Also somewhat old-school. I need to listen more to it, that's for sure.

Mandryka · October 26, 2021, 12:46:25 AM

Heredia - I have two CDs dedicated to his music, Ablitzer and Miguel del Barco Diaz on Brillant. Love the Diaz, both at the level of interpretation and of organology.

Mandryka · October 26, 2021, 11:14:18 PM

Really enjoying this, Uriol at Zaragoza on Valois. In fact I may be enjoying it more than any other Heredia I've heard, though that may be just a reflection of my mood. The recording is full of composers I've never even heard of, Andres de Sola and Diego Xavara and Jusepe Ximenes and Sebastian Duron . . . All baroque petits maîtres who are maybe worth a listen once at least, though for me they've mostly outstayed their welcome before their music is over.

Mandryka · October 28, 2021, 12:16:40 AM

This one is tremendous! Fabulous Heredia and the other minor composers sound fabulous too. It may be just that the sun is shining, but this sounds like the best of the Uriol bunch that I've heard.

I didn't realise that there was a whole organ school associated with Zaragoza. I have only been there once, and I remember a working city dominated by a cathedral with some impressive paintings and an old district with a lively market and a weird name for an Englishman - tubo. At the time I wasn't interested in organ so I never explored it, it was a filthy wet November in the early 1980s, I missed out on something obviously . . . .

Anyway this is a good recording worth hearing probably many times.

bioluminescentsquid · October 29, 2021, 02:27:09 AM

Now for something completely different:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-BJkJMHKS4

Mandryka · October 29, 2021, 01:42:25 PM

Quote from: bioluminescentsquid on October 29, 2021, 02:27:09 AM
Now for something completely different:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-BJkJMHKS4

By coincidence just yesterday I discovered this CD, which is full of music by Arauxo played on a harpsichord - I'm not sure what I think.

prémont · October 29, 2021, 03:32:23 PM

Quote from: Mandryka on October 29, 2021, 01:42:25 PM
By coincidence just yesterday I discovered this CD, which is full of music by Arauxo played on a harpsichord - I'm not sure what I think.

As far as I recall, we discussed this CD a few years ago and agreed it was very impressive, I think I used an expression "Lydia Maria Blank's recordings are self-recommending" cf. her Trabaci and Göttweig manuscript recordings. I have enjoyed it several times since then.

Mandryka · November 08, 2021, 12:34:27 AM

Returning to this this morning, it's obvious that the music gains a lot from the colourful instrument, and from the fact that Berben doesn't press forward aggressively, and that he finds a sobre yet sweet tone of voice. Not a hint of the Grand Inquisitor about these performances.

Certainly one of the more interesting Cabezon recordings out there, and a pleasure to hear.

Harry · November 08, 2021, 01:52:37 AM

Quote from: Mandryka on November 08, 2021, 12:34:27 AM

Returning to this this morning, it's obvious that the music gains a lot from the colourful instrument, and from the fact that Berben doesn't press forward aggressively, and that he finds a sobre yet sweet tone of voice. Not a hint of the Grand Inquisitor about these performances.

Certainly one of the more interesting Cabezon recordings out there, and a pleasure to hear.

Well then, high praise indeed. On the order list. But first the Hieronymus Praetorius double CD, on which I wait impatiently.

Mandryka · November 09, 2021, 01:27:26 PM

Quote from: (: premont :) on October 29, 2021, 03:32:23 PM
As far as I recall, we discussed this CD a few years ago and agreed it was very impressive, I think I used an expression "Lydia Maria Blank's recordings are self-recommending" cf. her Trabaci and Göttweig manuscript recordings. I have enjoyed it several times since then.

I think I'd assumed it was just full of music based on La Follia, which didn't appeal - I remember talking to you about the Trabaci and thr Goettweig Sonatas, but not this. Anyway, it is really outstanding.