Recommendations for issues on the label Alpha?

[Que]

Alpha is sold at reduced (mid) price at MDT.

Any recommendations? Must-haves?

I can recommend the ones I already have:

Bach - "Concerts avec plusieurs instruments", volumes I, II & III by Café Zimmermann
Bach - Goldberg Variations by Céline Frisch

Thanks!

Q

[Don]

Leaving aside the Frisch Goldbergs, these are my favorite Alpha discs:

Bach's WTC Bk. 1 from Andrei Vieru - there's also a Book 2, but it hasn't hit U.S. shore yet.
Bach's Cello Suites from Bruno Cocset.
Bach's Violin Sonatas from Frisch and Pablo Valetti.
Biber's Mystery Sonatas from Les Veilleurs de Nuit.
D'anglebert - Harpsichord from Frisch.
Couperin/Frescobaldi - Harpsichord from Gustav Leonhardt.
Gossec - St. Quartets from Ad Fontes Quartet.
Louis Couperin - Harpsichord from Skip Sempe.
Franz Richter - St. Quartets from Rincontro.
Shostakovich - Various Chamber Pieces.

[The new erato]

I have a lot of Alphas. My two absolute favorites are;

BEETHOVEN Piano Concertos 4 & 5 'Emperor'. Arthur Schoonderwoerd, Cristofori Ensemble, Nachtmusique.

A fabulous recording that makes one listen to these warhorses in a totally new way.

Emilio de Cavalieri: Lamentations. Le Poeme Harmonique / Vincent Dumestre

A totally unknown and deeply gripping masterpiece, again in a superb recording

[stingo]

I've enjoyed Sophie Watillon's recording of Marais a lot.

[prémont]

To the recommendations above I would add:

Byrd / Leonhardt
Bach / Rechsteiner
Rossi / Bötticher
Bach / Helene Schmitt (2 CDs violin solo sonatas and partitas)

[sidoze]

thanks for mentioning this. I've wated to hear Vieru's book 1 for ages and have just ordered it. I was not fond of his book 2, but i never learn from my mistakes

[sidoze]

Emilio de Cavalieri: Lamentations. Le Poeme Harmonique / Vincent Dumestre

A totally unknown and deeply gripping masterpiece, again in a superb recording

I'm not sure if you'd be willing to do this but would you mind uploading a small part of one of the Lamentations? I'm interested in this but don't fancy spending £9+ to test it out. Thanks.

[The new erato]

I'm not sure if you'd be willing to do this but would you mind uploading a small part of one of the Lamentations? I'm interested in this but don't fancy spending £9+ to test it out. Thanks.

I'm sorry - I don't usually rip or upload - if you have an easy user "guide" of how to I could try in a few days, I am just packing for a three day weekend away from computers and CD's. It's especially the upload bit I am unsure about since I don't "subscribe" to any services (I'm not a youtube user etc.....).

[sidoze]

That's okay. I will check around commercial sites for short samples. Thanks for considering it.

[Que]

That's okay. I will check around commercial sites for short samples. Thanks for considering it.

Sidoze, here is the clip from the Alpha site:


[mp3=200,20,0,left]http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fugalibera.com%2Fdata%2Fcds%2F107%2Fclip.mp3[/mp3]

Q

[Gabriel]

Even if it's closer to the world of folkloric music, I would recommend without hesitation a CD called "Plaisir d'amour - Chansons et romances de la France d'autrefois". It's a compilation of French songs and instrumental works from the late XVIII and early XIX centuries (or at least, published in that period) which is enjoyable from the beginning to the end: magnificently recorded, beautifully sung and played. It's a remarkable testimony of times when popular music reflected the essence of people (it should be etymologically obvious) and not mostly commercial purposes, as it is now.

[Que]

Many thanks to all those that have posted recommendations sofar!

These are my contenders at the moment - I still have several weeks to make up my mind.

   
[mp3=200,20]http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fugalibera.com%2Fdata%2Fcds%2F243%2Fclip.mp3[/mp3][mp3=200,20]http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fugalibera.com%2Fdata%2Fcds%2F175%2Fclip.mp3[/mp3]

 
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fugalibera.com%2Fdata%2Fcds%2F170%2Fclip.mp3[/mp3]
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fugalibera.com%2Fdata%2Fcds%2F146%2Fclip.mp3[/mp3]

 
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fugalibera.com%2Fdata%2Fcds%2F125%2Fclip.mp3[/mp3]
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fugalibera.com%2Fdata%2Fcds%2F123%2Fclip.mp3[/mp3]
Awesome sound of that pedal-harpsichord! 


 
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fugalibera.com%2Fdata%2Fcds%2F114%2Fclip.mp3[/mp3]
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fugalibera.com%2Fdata%2Fcds%2F99%2Fclip.mp3[/mp3]

My conclusion is that Alpha's catalogue is stunningly good and tasteful. 

Q

[George]

[ 

This one sounds delicate and warm. 

[sidoze]

Bach's WTC Bk. 1 from Andrei Vieru - there's also a Book 2, but it hasn't hit U.S. shore yet.

I am enjoying this much more than his recording of book 2. His slow, even, gentle approach works better for me here, and the personal approach is beautifully introspective, reminding me of why I first enjoyed his playing from the Art of Fugue. Not the sort of recording you'd reach for for variety of styles, but one that is supremely elegant and affecting, I think.