A starter kit on J.S. Bach

[orbital]

Where's the love for Orchestral Suites  ?

Goodman/Brandenburg Consort on Hyperion.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Be assured that Rifkin's Decca recordings are much better than the Dorian disc; the singing is superior, and Rifkin offers sharper phrasing.  Also, the Dorian acoustics are diffuse.

That's good to know. Thanks!

But does the better performance/recording afford the OVPP a makeover?

[Don]

That's good to know. Thanks!

But does the better performance/recording afford the OVPP a makeover?

Could you clarify your question for me?  I don't know what you're asking (I do know OVPP).

[RebLem]

Not 3 CDs, but 3 sets of 2 CDs each.  How's that?

Brandenburg Concerti. Marriner, ASMF (2 Philips CDs)

Toccata & Fuge in D Minor, S. 565 & 17 other organ works. "The Great Organ Works," the most popular Bach organ works culled from Hurford's set of the complete organ works.  Peter Hurford (2 Decca)

4 Secular Cantatas. Collegium Aureum, Elly Ameling, et al (2 DHM Edito Classica CDs)

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Could you clarify your question for me?  I don't know what you're asking (I do know OVPP).

Sorry, I was just curious if the better singing/sonics you described on the Rifkin Decca set made for a more appetizing OVPP (vs. the Dorian disc).

[Bogey]

2--Violin concertos --    Suwanai

Did you finally get this recording David.  Was it as good as expected?

[LVB_opus.125]

Thanks for all this. It's going to take me a while to finalize what I'm ordering next, based on all the sampling I'm going to be doing first. So far it's a lock that I'm getting the Goldberg variations/Gould '81, an undetermined recording of the Mass in B, and an undecided third choice.

Edit. Sampling for the Mass didn't take long. Every single release on Amazon was rather pricey for my budget right now, excepting for the nicely priced Parrott recording. I sampled Shaw's as well, and I like both; and both are fair prices. What's the general opinion the Shaw recording?

Now I still have to decide on an orchestral work. This is fun.

Edit #2. I might go with an organ works disc instead of the orchestral. This is tough.

[Que]

Thanks for all this. It's going to take me a while to finalize what I'm ordering next, based on all the sampling I'm going to be doing first. So far it's a lock that I'm getting the Goldberg variations/Gould '81, an undetermined recording of the Mass in B, and an undecided third choice.

Edit. Sampling for the Mass didn't take long. Every single release on Amazon was rather pricey for my budget right now, excepting for the nicely priced Parrott recording. I sampled Shaw's as well, and I like both; and both are fair prices. What's the general opinion the Shaw recording?

Now I still have to decide on an orchestral work. This is fun.

Edit #2. I might go with an organ works disc instead of the orchestral. This is tough.

I think there are more interesting options.
Hengelbrock is cheap - and superb.... My preferred choice actually.
(link to Amazon / Samples (different picture - same issue)



Q

[longears]

Did you finally get this recording David.  Was it as good as expected?

Yes and yes, Bill!

[Larry Rinkel]

Thanks for all this. It's going to take me a while to finalize what I'm ordering next, based on all the sampling I'm going to be doing first. So far it's a lock that I'm getting the Goldberg variations/Gould '81, an undetermined recording of the Mass in B, and an undecided third choice.

Edit. Sampling for the Mass didn't take long. Every single release on Amazon was rather pricey for my budget right now, excepting for the nicely priced Parrott recording. I sampled Shaw's as well, and I like both; and both are fair prices. What's the general opinion the Shaw recording?

Now I still have to decide on an orchestral work. This is fun.

Edit #2. I might go with an organ works disc instead of the orchestral. This is tough.

I find Shaw extremely bland as a rule. You can do better. And my preference for the GV would be Gould's first over his second.

[Don]

I find Shaw extremely bland as a rule. You can do better. And my preference for the GV would be Gould's first over his second.

I agree about Shaw, but I do prefer Gould '81' over the '55' - greater emotional breadth.  I also prefer the Gould Salzburg over the '55'.  That said, I would never part with the '55'.

[Larry Rinkel]

I agree about Shaw, but I do prefer Gould '81' over the '55' - greater emotional breadth.  I also prefer the Gould Salzburg over the '55'.  That said, I would never part with the '55'.

I prefer 55 for its greater rhythmic incisiveness and youthful flair, but would never part with 81.

Now that the OP has apparently narrowed his choices, let me throw in another thought. Is the purpose of this "starter kit" to acquire a few top Bach masterpieces for voices and instruments, or to become acquainted with the primary genres in which Bach worked? If the latter, there are some key genres that might be better represented than in the choices as they appear now. One is fugue, examples of which you'll certainly get in the B minor mass (both Kyries, Gratias Agimus/Dona Nobis), but which will be better exemplified in the Well-Tempered Clavier than in the Goldberg Variations, and which for that matter would be a good reason to get a disc with some of the organ preludes and fugues. Another essential Bach genre is the chorale prelude, in which he spins free contrapuntal forms over the plain Lutheran chorale melodies. These can be found in the organ works (but not the works for harpsichord), and in most of the cantatas. For this reason if you go for an organ compilation, the Peter Hurford 2-fer is a good choice, as he includes both examples of fugue and chorale prelude. You can also find the latter genre in many of the cantatas, and a particularly intense example in the opening chorus of the St. Matthew Passion. But the B minor mass for all its glories has only one movement of a chorale prelude type, the Confiteor, and even that is somewhat atypical.

[LVB_opus.125]

Thanks for the reply, Larry Rinkel. The purpose of this "starter kit" is to become better acquainted with Bach's music in a general sense. I found that narrowing down where to start was my biggest hurdle, hence why I made this thread. I will confess that some of my choices, Goldberg var./Gould '81, is based on price/value. I was once able to splurge quite a bit more on CDs, but not presently. I'm still young, and I have my whole life to delve into great composers. I will, however, look into WTC in place of Goldberg and see what I can find. Are there good versions on the harpsichord you could recommend, or should I go with a piano version?

[Don]

I will, however, look into WTC in place of Goldberg and see what I can find. Are there good versions on the harpsichord you could recommend, or should I go with a piano version?

There are plenty of great harpsichord sets:  Leonhardt, Gilbert, van Asperen, Ross, Parmentier, Dantone, Suzuki, Landowska, Verlet, and Wilson who is my favorite.  Probably best not to start off a WTC collection with the legendary Landowska set that has unattractive sound and instrument.  An interesting set comes from Robert Levin on Hanssler; he plays fortepiano, clavichord, harpsichord and organ. 

[Haffner]

I like SonicMan's reccomendation of the Pearlman-rendered Brandenburg Concertos.

[Larry Rinkel]

Thanks for the reply, Larry Rinkel. The purpose of this "starter kit" is to become better acquainted with Bach's music in a general sense. I found that narrowing down where to start was my biggest hurdle, hence why I made this thread. I will confess that some of my choices, Goldberg var./Gould '81, is based on price/value. I was once able to splurge quite a bit more on CDs, but not presently. I'm still young, and I have my whole life to delve into great composers. I will, however, look into WTC in place of Goldberg and see what I can find. Are there good versions on the harpsichord you could recommend, or should I go with a piano version?

It's just a matter of your priorities. The Goldbergs are a wonderful work, and though they don't contain fully developed fugues, they include many amazing canons. If I had a choice, I'd go for the selection of the organ works I mentioned over the WTC, as I think the big organ preludes and fugues are Bach's most magnificent achievement in this genre, and the Hurford set gives you a selection of the best chorale preludes as well. So if you can manage it financially, that set, plus the B minor mass, Brandenburgs, and Goldbergs, and maybe a disc of cantatas, would be an excellent introduction.

[BachQ]

So far it's a lock that I'm getting the Goldberg variations/Gould '81,

Excellent.  Under no circumstance should you fail to procure this gem .........

[LVB_opus.125]

There are plenty of great harpsichord sets:  Leonhardt, Gilbert, van Asperen, Ross, Parmentier, Dantone, Suzuki, Landowska, Verlet, and Wilson who is my favorite.  Probably best not to start off a WTC collection with the legendary Landowska set that has unattractive sound and instrument.  An interesting set comes from Robert Levin on Hanssler; he plays fortepiano, clavichord, harpsichord and organ. 

Yikes. I just amazon'ed all of these names and not a single one linked to samples. Book I is cheap enough under Gilbert. Is this a wise choice? Oddly, Book II is nearly twice the price used as is book I, on amazon.

[Novi]

Yikes. I just amazon'ed all of these names and not a single one linked to samples. Book I is cheap enough under Gilbert. Is this a wise choice? Oddly, Book II is nearly twice the price used as is book I, on amazon.

LVB_opus.125, here are some clips:

Leonhardt, Book 1
Leonhardt, Book 2

Gilbert, Book 1
Gilbert, Book 2

Van Asperen, Book 1
Van Asperen, Book 2

Parmentier

Dantone, Book 1
Dantone, Book 2

For what it's worth, I love the Leonhardt set 0:). The solo violin sonatas and partitas are also some of my favourites. There is such a distilled beauty in them.

[Que]

A good and inexpensive 4CD-set with harpsichord music, including the Goldbergs.



Further recommendations on this thread: Bach on the Harpsichord (lute-harpsichord, clavichord, etc.)

Q