Bach's Bungalow

Started by aquablob, April 06, 2007, 02:42:33 PM

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aukhawk

#640
Quote from: Mandryka on July 14, 2019, 04:21:48 AM
I have a lot of respect for MacGregor and I really wish she's had a go at WTC.

She can be found on YouTube playing some WTC - I've got lifts of Book 1 nos 15-24.

JBS

Quote from: milk on July 14, 2019, 01:38:18 AM
Ingrid Haebler's set of French suites really is outstanding in my opinion. The last few months have been a little bit stressful for me and I haven't wanted to listen to anything loud or jarring. Haebler is certainly very calm. Yet she's also pertinacious; she has a definite view of the whole. I like her calmness, her little tasteful but creative touches, etc. I was just thinking back to other recordings of this that I've liked in the past that take a different route. Haebler is touching and melancholic and even a bit romantic. But her romanticism is just how I like it. One can almost hear an echo of Chopin in her Sarabandes, however her use of dynamics is subtle and judicious. The romanticism is more in her tone (articulation?).

Did you ever listen to Ashkenazy's Partitas? There is definitely a Chopinesque feel to how he plays them.

Hollywood Beach Broadwalk

milk

#642
Quote from: JBS on July 14, 2019, 04:00:08 PM
Did you ever listen to Ashkenazy's Partitas? There is definitely a Chopinesque feel to how he plays them.
I'm not sure I have. I'm looking through my playlists. Actually, I don't think it's on Amazon Music - which I've been using. His WTC is there though. I wonder how that is...

amw

Quote from: Mandryka on July 14, 2019, 04:21:48 AM
At the risk of saying something nonsensical (again) here, I have the impression that MacGregor has thought really well about how to put a harpsichord or clavichord piece from the C18 century onto a modern piano - the way she makes the voices relate to each other, and the sort of touch she employs. I have a lot of respect for McGregor and I really wish she's had a go at WTC.
Her AoF is pobably my favourite modern piano recording, FWIW (probably not much)

aukhawk

This is a link to a YouTube playlist, Joanna MacGregor, Bach WTC Bk1, 13-24.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBjoEdEVMABLOSOLViTUYcBgOa3jjysep


Moonfish

A rerelease (I presume) of Koopman: Bach's Cantatas       0:)

Jan 2020 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Complete-Cantatas-Vol-1-22/dp/B07XW5WSPN/

"Every time you spend money you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want...."
Anna Lappé

SurprisedByBeauty

Quote from: Moonfish on October 22, 2019, 10:35:41 PM
A rerelease (I presume) of Koopman: Bach's Cantatas       0:)

Jan 2020 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Complete-Cantatas-Vol-1-22/dp/B07XW5WSPN/



Looking forward to seeing what the presentation will look like. Wolf's essays were an integral part of the original releases. Which is also how I will finish this set: Getting used copies of those volumes I'm still lacking.

For all the great competition since (notably Bach Stiftung St. Gallen [ClassicsToday reviews here & here] and Suzuki and Kuijken's 1-year cycle), I love this cycle very dearly over-all... and it probably is my emotional favorite.

Mandryka

#648
 According to Keith Hill,  Friedrich Griepenkerl (who collected and published J S Bach's organ music for the first time, and may have studied with Forkel, who may have studied with Bach's children) wrote a letter (to whom?) saying

Quote from: Keith Hill here https://www.wolfgangrubsam.com/types-of-musicBach himself, his sons, and Forkel played the masterpieces with such a profound declamation that they sounded like polyphonic songs sung by individual great artist singers.  Thereby, all means of good singing were brought into use.  No cercare, No portamento was missing, even breathing was in all the right places.  Bach's music wants to be sung with the maximum of art.


though we must bear in mind that Griepenkerl was born after well after J S Bach had died! He's two generations removed from J S Bach.

My question really is -- what is cercare?

By the way, I'll just say that I'm completely smitten with Rubsam's Goldberg Variations! 
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

premont

Quote from: Mandryka on November 25, 2019, 05:41:34 AM
My question really is -- what is cercare?

It seems related to or maybe even synonymous with the word ricercare (which means to seek), but what the specific meaning is in this context (used as a noun?) I don't know.
γνῶθι σεαυτόν

San Antone

#650
I just began listening to the Bach Foundation cantata recordings:



QuoteName: J.S. Bach-Stiftung
Location: St. Gallen, Switzerland
Venues: Evangelische Kirche, Trogen, canton of Appenzell
Years: Since 2006 (Cantata Series)
Months: January-December (7-10 concerts per year; in each concert one cantata is performed)
Artistic Director: Rudolf Lutz
Ensembles: Choir and Orchestra of the J.S. Bach Foundation (formerly Schola Seconda Pratica)

The J.S. Bach Foundation (J.S. Bach-Stiftung) has embarked on a remarkable undertaking: over a period of some 25 years, the Foundation will perform the complete vocal works by J.S. Bach (1685-1750).

Each month, one of the over 200 Bach cantatas is performed in the idyllic town of Trogen in Appenzell, Switzerland. With a rhythm of 12 cantatas per year, the project is estimated to conclude in the year 2030. All introductory workshops, concerts and reflection lectures on the cantata texts are recorded on DVD and CD; the texts of the lectures are published in a continually expanding Bach Anthology.

The main aim of the J.S. Bach Foundation's ambitious project is to provide a living Bach experience for today's listeners and to deepen our understanding of the great composer's works. The artistic director of the foundation is Rudolf Lutz, who rehearses and conducts all performances with the choir, orchestra and solo vocalists.   


  • Performance of the complete vocal works of Bach
    One concert per month, with an estimated duration of 25 years
    All concerts are performed on period instruments
    With conductor Rudolf Lutz, a musical experience of the highest quality is guaranteed
    Complementary workshops and reflection lectures on libretti and music
    Every performance is released on DVD, the cantatas on CD and the texts appear in a Bach Anthology

The project is fully financed by private persons.  (The Bach Cantatas website)




So far, I am finding this cycle to be extremely well done and very enjoyable.  The soloists sound to my ears all very good, and the period orchestra plays well as does the choir sing.  All in all this cycle is another contender to join the top tier of cantata recordings, at least IMO. 

They have also recorded the Mass in B Minor, St. Matthew Passion and St. John Passion along with 21 29 volumes so far of the cantatas.

Their website.

aukhawk

#651
I'm not much of a one for the Cantatas (since I don't have much German and even less religious feeling) but I watched/listened to this:
Actus Tragicus BWV106 : Netherlands Bach Society : Jos van Veldhoven

Just meltingly beautiful, immaculately played and sung, and fine production.  I strongly recommend setting aside 20 minutes of your time for this.
Bach's audacious instrumentation - NO violins, 2 recorders, 2 gambas - and then what he achieves with them - as one of the musicians says in an accompanying interview, the young Bach (22, it is thought) creates effects here that he never repeats in his lifetime.

vers la flamme

Quote from: aukhawk on December 09, 2019, 01:12:46 AM
I'm not much of a one for the Cantatas (since I don't have much German and even less religious feeling) but I watched/listened to this:
Actus Tragicus BWV106 : Netherlands Bach Society : Jos van Veldhoven

Just meltingly beautiful, immaculately played and sung, and fine production.  I strongly recommend setting aside 20 minutes of your time for this.
Bach's audacious instrumentation - NO violins, 2 recorders, 2 gambas - and then what he achieves with them - as one of the musicians says in an accompanying interview, the young Bach (22, it is thought) creates effects here that he never repeats in his lifetime.

Does anyone know how it gained the name "Actus Tragicus"? I agree that it is an amazing cantata. Read along while you listen if you can.

I've been listening to the Andrew Manze Bach violin concerti CD on Harmonia Mundi lately. It's amazing. Manze is a badass for conducting from the violin. I didn't even know that was possible. Ms Podger is also great on the double concerti.

SurprisedByBeauty

#653
Quote from: San Antone on December 08, 2019, 02:39:57 PM
I just began listening to the Bach Foundation cantata recordings:






So far, I am finding this cycle to be extremely well done and very enjoyable.  The soloists sound to my ears all very good, and the period orchestra plays well as does the choir sing.  All in all this cycle is another contender to join the top tier of cantata recordings, at least IMO. 

They have also recorded the Mass in B Minor, St. Matthew Passion and St. John Passion along with 21 29 volumes so far of the cantatas.

Their website.

I'm a big fan of that cycle. We've reviewed a few volumes on ClassicsToday (https://www.classicstoday.com/recordlabel/bach-stiftung-st-gallen/; vols. 10, 12, 23, 26 and I plan to review a few more) and I've reviewed their Vols. 22, 13, and B-Minor for Forbes. Never crazy amazing -- always directly to the heart and wonderful music-making.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenslaurson/2018/06/06/classical-cd-of-the-week-from-switzerland-with-bach-cantatas-to-grip-you/, https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenslaurson/2017/03/22/classical-cd-of-the-week-birthday-boy-bach-cantata-diversity/, https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenslaurson/2017/06/27/review-the-fastest-b-minor-mass-on-record/,

aukhawk

Quote from: vers la flamme on December 09, 2019, 02:08:15 AM
I've been listening to the Andrew Manze Bach violin concerti CD on Harmonia Mundi lately. It's amazing. Manze is a badass for conducting from the violin. I didn't even know that was possible. Ms Podger is also great on the double concerti.

We've been spoiled, with new releases of the violin concertos recently.  I thought Faust was terrific, a 2-CD set released at the start of this year, but now I've been won over by Debretzeni/Gardiner recently released.  Both these include the 'reconstructed' D Minor concerto BWV 1052 (more commonly found as a harpsichord concerto) which I think is Bach's most brilliant orchestral work bar none.

 

Mandryka

Quote from: aukhawk on December 09, 2019, 01:12:46 AM
I'm not much of a one for the Cantatas (since I don't have much German and even less religious feeling) but I watched/listened to this:
Actus Tragicus BWV106 : Netherlands Bach Society : Jos van Veldhoven

Just meltingly beautiful, immaculately played and sung, and fine production.  I strongly recommend setting aside 20 minutes of your time for this.
Bach's audacious instrumentation - NO violins, 2 recorders, 2 gambas - and then what he achieves with them - as one of the musicians says in an accompanying interview, the young Bach (22, it is thought) creates effects here that he never repeats in his lifetime.

Thanks. It's so nice to see it done in the church. I would love to go to a Eucharist with a cantata sung, in the way Bach intended.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

San Antone

I am reading this book:



QuoteBach & God explores the religious character of Bach's vocal and instrumental music in seven interrelated essays. Noted musicologist Michael Marissen offers wide-ranging interpretive insights from careful biblical and theological scrutiny of the librettos. Yet he also shows how Bach's pitches, rhythms, and tone colors can make contributions to a work's plausible meanings that go beyond setting texts in an aesthetically satisfying manner. In some of Bach's vocal repertory, the music puts a "spin" on the words in a way that turns out to be explainable as orthodox Lutheran in its orientation. In a few of Bach's vocal works, his otherwise puzzlingly fierce musical settings serve to underscore now unrecognized or unacknowledged verbal polemics, most unsettlingly so in the case of his church cantatas that express contempt for Jews and Judaism. Finally, even Bach's secular instrumental music, particularly the late collections of "abstract" learned counterpoint, can powerfully project certain elements of traditional Lutheran theology. Bach's music is inexhaustible, and Bach & God suggests that through close contextual study there is always more to discover and learn.

I am finding and assembling the musical examples in a Spotify playlist so I can listen to what he is describing in the text. 

Pretty interesting stuff.

8)

Mandryka

Quote from: San Antone on December 29, 2019, 08:28:35 AM
I am reading this book:



I am finding and assembling the musical examples in a Spotify playlist so I can listen to what he is describing in the text. 

Pretty interesting stuff.

8)

I have the book and I've used it many times, most recently on the way Bach used the John gospel. But I can't read it critically because I know nothing about the christian interpretation of the Bible really.  I'd very much appreciate it if you'd post your thoughts on anything in the book, you're much better placed  to appreciate the nuances than I am (ex Christian, Jew)
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

San Antone

#658
Quote from: Mandryka on December 29, 2019, 10:20:45 AM
I have the book and I've used it many times, most recently on the way Bach used the John gospel. But I can't read it critically because I know nothing about the christian interpretation of the Bible really.  I'd very much appreciate it if you'd post your thoughts on anything in the book, you're much better placed  to appreciate the nuances than I am (ex Christian, Jew)

I am beginning what ought to be a long period of study of the Bach cantatas, and have purchased this book (I've owned Bach & God for a while, and read it once, but am re-reading it with closer study of the musical examples):



The Cantatas of J. S. Bach: With Their Librettos in German-English Parallel Text
Alfred Durr

Besides the translations there are several essays concerning the historical development of the cantata form as well as well as a discussion of Bach's musical settings.

Since you mention the St. John Passion, you might be interested in Durr's other Bach book (you may already know of it):



Durr is widely regarded as a preeminent Bach scholar.

And there's this one by Marissen



As for the book Bach & God, as you should know, Michael Marissen makes a point to not discuss Bach's belief or how Bach felt about the text he was setting.  I too am not interested in religious issues, but only how Bach used musical devices to enhance the text or draw some distinction to it, which is the focus of Marissen's book.

Mandryka

#659
What you'll see is the question of how Bach dealt with the musical settings of passages from John which prima facie are anti-Semitic looms large. Note I said prima facie, I'm just not able to say whether Marissen is right to suggest that parts of John's gospel and some of Bach's cantata settings of John are anti-Semitic. That's one of the things I hope you'll share your insights on.

I wasn't aware of that other book by Marissen in fact.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen