Jordi Savall/Hesperion recordings

[kishnevi]

In fact, this thread is evidence that Savall is an artist of excellent caliber, since he seems able to produce music of diverse kinds that appeals to diverse people. 

[elotito]

Thanks everyone, lots of good suggestions here.

[Kontrapunctus]

Do you have the Purcell Fantasias? If not, make that disc your next purchase.

[Florestan]

You can't go wrong with anything Savall's, but I especially love these:

[petrarch]

Sybil-La is, I think, Catalan music.

He has 3 different releases with the Song of the Sybil, each taken from different manuscripts and labeled based on their geographical origin (7 in total). The first release on Alia Vox with the Valencia and Mallorca versions is a favorite of mine... And it has, as an intermission track, what is, possibly, to me, the most beautiful piece of music ever written, in an absolute jewel of a performance (but I am repeating myself here):

http://www.youtube.com/v/tEcWniITE7o

And I just counted, I have (gasp) 112 releases by Savall...

The soundtrack to Tous les matins du monde gives a good idea of the "Savall sound". Other favorites already listed are the two Folia releases. But all of them are good in one way or another.

[kishnevi]

He has 3 different releases with the Song of the Sybil, each taken from different manuscripts and labeled based on their geographical origin (7 in total). The first release on Alia Vox with the Valencia and Mallorca versions is a favorite of mine... And it has, as an intermission track, what is, possibly, to me, the most beautiful piece of music ever written, in an absolute jewel of a performance (but I am repeating myself here):

http://www.youtube.com/v/tEcWniITE7o

And I just counted, I have (gasp) 112 releases by Savall...

The soundtrack to Tous les matins du monde gives a good idea of the "Savall sound". Other favorites already listed are the two Folia releases. But all of them are good in one way or another.

That would be this one, correct?
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If the Amazon listings are correct, this was number three, and the Catalan version was the first.
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Which Naive has seen fit to reissue in its latest batch of budget re-issues--with, I assume, the original mastering and not the remastering Alia Vox seems to do with all its issues.
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Amazon being Amazon,  you have to open up the back cover image to figure out which installment of the series it actually is.

[petrarch]

That would be this one, correct?
[asin]B0002XNM64[/asin]

If the Amazon listings are correct, this was number three,

Correct.

and the Catalan version was the first.

Correct, the Catalan (/Latin/Provençal) version was the first.



The second was Galicia/Castilla:

[Wakefield]

The Dowland that Gordo mentioned, I remember discussing it here with someone before. I'm not convinced he finds all the emotional variety that Dowland demands in the preface to the Lachrimae: it's just like a bunch of sad sad bits of music, and that's not what the Lachrimae are about at all. Hving said that, it's hard to find a better commercially available performance - we'll have to wait for Les Voix Humaines to record it, or make do with the uncommercial recording by Schola Cantorum Basilensis.

Apparently, it exists a better alternative for the Lachrimae, or Seaven Teares, superbly performed by the Dowland Consort (Jakob Lindberg) on Bis.

It's available on Spotify. 

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[Mandryka]

Apparently, it exists a better alternative for the Lachrimae, or Seaven Teares, superbly performed by the Dowland Consort (Jakob Lindberg) on Bis.

It's available on Spotify. 

[asin]B0000016CC[/asin]

Yes I enjoyed that one. From the point of view of expression I liked was from Capella De Ministrers too. But the set of lachrimae I've played most isn't on CD unfortunately, recorded for DHM in 1962, from Schola Cantorum Basiliensis Viol Quintet. I can let you have the files if you're interested.

[kishnevi]

An item page with cheaper prices for the Lindberg (on AmazonUS, at least)
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Lindberg recorded all of Dowland's solo lute works; you can find it as a set from BIS or a reissue from Brilliant. 

As a sort of returning the thread to topic relevancy,  it may be noted that Presto is currently running a sale on Alia Vox, although I have not yet compared prices with Amazon, etc.

[Brian]

As a sort of returning the thread to topic relevancy,  it may be noted that Presto is currently running a sale on Alia Vox, although I have not yet compared prices with Amazon, etc.

I just saw this too. I think the prices are fairly good, though if better are available that would be nice. My Presto shopping cart has 13 Alia Vox CDs right now... and Presto already sent me the Syria, Balkan, and Sublime Porte albums.

[petrarch]

Presto already sent me the Syria, Balkan, and Sublime Porte albums.

Syria?

[Brian]

Syria?

It just came out a couple weeks ago.

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[petrarch]

It just came out a couple weeks ago.

[asin]B00EJQT83Q[/asin]

Thanks, I knew of that one but never checked the secondary title.

[Reverend Bong]

I'm feeling something of a philistine here.  I have Le Royaume Oublie, the first Orient - Occident, and Esprit d'Armenie, and while they are magnificent recordings, simply sublime through the stacked Quads - with a palpable realism to the acoustic and the percussion especially - I am afraid I find it rather difficult to tell them apart....  I wouldn't rush to buy another of his long-lost-repertoire-I-found-in-an-attic-somewhere-in-the-near-east-and-rewrote discs.  On the other hand I hadn't realised that there were all these recordings of established composers available as well: that's exciting: Purcell is a recent favourite, in particular.  I shall put some of these on my wish-list...

[Gurn Blanston]

I'm feeling something of a philistine here.  I have Le Royaume Oublie, the first Orient - Occident, and Esprit d'Armenie, and while they are magnificent recordings, simply sublime through the stacked Quads - with a palpable realism to the acoustic and the percussion especially - I am afraid I find it rather difficult to tell them apart....  I wouldn't rush to buy another of his long-lost-repertoire-I-found-in-an-attic-somewhere-in-the-near-east-and-rewrote discs.  On the other hand I hadn't realised that there were all these recordings of established composers available as well: that's exciting: Purcell is a recent favourite, in particular.  I shall put some of these on my wish-list...

So a little goes a long way then? I suspected that. Actually, his ventures with established composers are excellent, as far as my own experience goes, I think you will be content.

[Brian]

I'm feeling something of a philistine here.  I have Le Royaume Oublie, the first Orient - Occident, and Esprit d'Armenie, and while they are magnificent recordings, simply sublime through the stacked Quads - with a palpable realism to the acoustic and the percussion especially - I am afraid I find it rather difficult to tell them apart....  I wouldn't rush to buy another of his long-lost-repertoire-I-found-in-an-attic-somewhere-in-the-near-east-and-rewrote discs.  On the other hand I hadn't realised that there were all these recordings of established composers available as well: that's exciting: Purcell is a recent favourite, in particular.  I shall put some of these on my wish-list...

Esprit d'Armenie is his most melancholy "eastern" album; it was recorded after the death of his wife and I think he found a lot of solace in the melancholia that he perceived in the Armenian culture. I don't know if Armenia is really a beautiful lament like the album is, not having been there, but it's interesting to suppose that Savall was projecting, a bit.

Balkan Spirit, by contrast, is a vivacious, exuberant, life-affirming album full of hypnotic stomping dances. Of the "Savall Goes East" series so far my favorite is Istanbul, but that's because I'm Turkish. 

I just got a box of 12 or so new Alia Vox CDs yesterday. I think my collection is done for a few years...

[Florestan]

Esprit d'Armenie is his most melancholy "eastern" album; it was recorded after the death of his wife and I think he found a lot of solace in the melancholia that he perceived in the Armenian culture. I don't know if Armenia is really a beautiful lament like the album is, not having been there, but it's interesting to suppose that Savall was projecting, a bit.

Balkan Spirit, by contrast, is a vivacious, exuberant, life-affirming album full of hypnotic stomping dances

Well, Balkan folklore music have many facets and it can be just as melancholy as the Armenian. OTOH, I'm sure there are vivacious, exuberant, life-affirming Armenian dances.  I certainly agree that his wife's death played a major part in selecting the pieces on that album.

Of the "Savall Goes East" series so far my favorite is Istanbul, but that's because I'm Turkish. 

That's my favorite too, but that's because I'm Romanian, as Dimitrie Cantemir, the transcriber and compiler of the music, was.

[HIPster]

I just got a box of 12 or so new Alia Vox CDs yesterday. I think my collection is done for a few years...

Wonderful!

Please post the list when you get a chance, Brian.

Thanks!