Your Favorite Recording Corell 12 Concerti Grossi, Opus 6

[USMC1960s]

I've listened to a couple of recordings of this work. Would like to hear what recordings you like of Corelli 12 Concerti Grossi, Opus 6.
Thanks in advance.

[MusicTurner]

I have these:

CD  Sardelli,ModoAntiquo/tactus 2cd 13 tb650391
cd   Belder,solister,MusicaAmphion/brill 25cd 95886
LP   Marriner,AcStMartin/argo 3lp zrg 773-75
LP   Hansen,SocMusCO/metron mono mclp 3lp 85036-38 (Very poor. LP cover Nordsø)
lp    Corelli:"Concerto Grosso nr.8, Christmas", fra op.6 ()/Warchal, Slovak PO/opus lp xxxx
cd   Corelli:"Concerto Grosso nr.8, Christmas", fra op.6 ()/Karajan,BPO/dg 415 301-2n

I prefer Sardelli, very well played. It's unusual in the way that it uses a bigger orchestra, including winds etc., not just the strings. This would likely also happen in Corelli's own time. IMO essential.

I also like the old Marriner; Belder I'm less enthusiastic about.

MP3 samples from Sardelli:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8035712--corelli-concerti-grossi-op-6
or
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Arcangelo-Corelli-Concerti-grossi-op-6-Nr-1-12/hnum/3624842

[Szykneij]

I'm a big Corelli fan and this is the only recording I own. I've never felt the need to look for another.

[Jo498]

I rarely listen to these works and have only two recordings, both in larger boxes. The Brilliant Classics with Belder (I think the chamber pieces are overall more successful in that box, and I think I prefer the chamber sonatas anyway) and a large scale (but I think without winds?, so Sardelli might be even larger scale) on harmonia mundi with Banchini/Ensemble 415.
I used to have I musici (Philips) that was good in its a bit old-fashioned way but didn't keep it, overall not caring enough about the music to keep lots of recordings.

[aligreto]

I can heartily recommend the following sets:








   

[DavidW]

Ensemble 415 but I would like to hear Kuijken sometime.

[aukhawk]

Biondi looks like a good shout - I must seek that one out.  Meanwhile -

I spent a pleasurable hour or so this morning listening to a few selected tracks from the following versions:

Gent / Genesis Baroque
Beyer / Gli Incogniti
Murphy / New Dutch Academy (not a complete Op.6)
Goltz / Freiberger Baroque
Krcek / Capella Istropolitana
Pinnock / English CO
Sardelli / Modo Antiquo
Beyer / Gli Incogniti (again)

Bottom line - I liked Amandine Beyer and her scratch band of moonlighters the best, and Sardelli/Modo Antiquo in a richer style.  The only version among these that I would rule out is the Capella Istropolitana who sound decidedly old-fashioned in this company.  I would also comment that, in a generally very well-recorded group, Pinnock/ECO sounds merely 'good', not 'very good' or 'excellent' like the rest.

Genesis Baroque - sound like the smallest group of any of these.  Their sound is cool and transparent.  I haven't listened to all the concerti by any means, but here they do sound just a bit pedestrian compared with most of the others.
Gli Incogniti - a few more players by the sound of it, and a more 'romantic' feel with much bigger variations in tempi, here the faster movements really zip along.
NDA - a bigger band again and going unashamedly for a luxurious sound, with doubled basses and all set back in a generous acoustic.  Like wallowing in chocolate, it's all a bit too much although occasionally I can't resist.  Audiophile heaven - but, this isn't a complete Op.6 set - you get Concerti 4, 8, 11, 12 with some other music.
The Freibergers seemed like the natural follow-on - they are also a largish ensemble and usually I feel they are too big for baroque music.  Here however it all fits together very nicely, and not OTT like the Dutch ensemble.
Capella Istropolitana - oh dear. I have often admired their work but here they simply are not competitive.  Dated delivery.
ECO - pretty good, like the Freiburgers or Modo Antiquo but not as well recorded as either.
Modo Antiquo - this is another bigger band and very well recorded and presented, I like this one a lot when I want to luxuriate in Corelli's sound world.

These pieces date from the very beginning of the 18th C - I think it's sometimes forgotten what a seminal and influential figure Corelli was, in the history and development of music both for the violin and for the orchestra.

[aligreto]

It should also be noted, in case it means anything to anyone wanting to explore this music, that the Beyer presentations are live recordings. I neglected to mention this before.

[aukhawk]

And her set includes two other suites in addition to the complete Op.6 - both in minor key which is most welcome as I always feel rather starved of minor-key music when traversing the 18thC.

[Jo498]

Corelli's op.6 seems a bit of an exception with only two minor mode concerti. Usually baroque collections are rather balanced, e.g. most of Corelli's op.1-5 sonata have 4-6/12 minor mode sonatas, Handel has 6/12 minor in his op.6 and Vivaldi seems also to have typically about 5/12 concerti in the minor in his collections.