Bach's Violin Sonatas & Partitas (solo)

Started by MISHUGINA, December 16, 2007, 01:46:47 AM

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DavidRoss

Quote from: milk on May 12, 2013, 06:28:06 AM
Well, at the risk of trying people's patience with my hasty comments, I'll say one more thing before I leave off. I'm  Just comparing 1001 with my inexperienced and untrained ears: Podger seems to emphasize beauty and smoothness. I already feel that Matthews is a bit darker and even more dramatic. It is very different. I can see how Podger could be described as Jazzier and lighter, Matthews as churchier and heavier (a movement towards more profundity?). I'm not sure I'd say "restrained." I guess if one wants variety in ones music collection (which I do) then these are two good ones to have. OK. I'll spend some time contemplating these recordings. 
Podger expresses Bach's hip, joyful, love of music like no one else, unlike "old-school" reverential musicians who straitjacket him as the bewigged churchman trembling before the awesomeness of God. But Bach's God isn't distant and neither is his music, they're right here with us, smiling and laughing and dancing and clapping us on the back -- and Podger gets that.
"Maybe the problem most of you have ... is that you're not listening to Barbirolli." ~Sarge

"The problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people's money." ~Margaret Thatcher

milk

Quote from: DavidRoss on May 12, 2013, 06:44:27 AM
Podger expresses Bach's hip, joyful, love of music like no one else, unlike "old-school" reverential musicians who straitjacket him as the bewigged churchman trembling before the awesomeness of God. But Bach's God isn't distant and neither is his music, they're right here with us, smiling and laughing and dancing and clapping us on the back -- and Podger gets that.
I can really see what you're saying. A student of mine (I'm a teacher) once told me that she didn't like Bach because she thought he was too severe. I never entered the music in any formal setting or developed those associations. Anyway, it does seem that Podger has a lot of fun with the music. Podger's enthusiasm is infectious. But I'm going to try to appreciate Matthew's rather different approach if I can. 

DavidA


SonicMan46

Quote from: DavidA on August 30, 2013, 12:46:00 PM
Ibragimova is special!

Seems that the ladies top some of the recent performances of these works - Ingrid Matthews recording was brought up about 2 years ago w/ a lot of positive member endorsements - yet, another consideration - :)  Dave


North Star

Quote from: SonicMan46 on August 31, 2013, 07:13:26 AM
Seems that the ladies top some of the recent performances of these works - Ingrid Matthews recording was brought up about 2 years ago w/ a lot of positive member endorsements - yet, another consideration - :)  Dave
Indeed, and add Viktoria Mullova & Rachel Podger to that.
"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." - Confucius

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mc ukrneal

Quote from: Annie on August 25, 2013, 10:37:44 AM
I don't understand much from solo violin but I'll always keep this next to my Grumiaux(it felt like devaluating Grimaux while seeing what I type but it's not)
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Just FYI for those who may be looking for Ibragimova - this set was just added at Berkshire for $13.98.
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Sean

I bought the Oscar Shumsky on LP and it's hard to beat, a very tough and ruthless Bachian perspective and with a technique to match; other recordings can seem feebly emotional in comparison.

mc ukrneal

I have Martzy, which interestingly was recommended by someone at GMG, but no mention is made of her in this thread! Not having much experience with the piece, I can say the playing is certainly high quality. The sound isn't the most modern, but totally listenable (and even pretty good considering the period it was recorded).
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Be kind to your fellow posters!!

trung224

Quote from: mc ukrneal on August 31, 2013, 09:59:24 PM
I have Martzy, which interestingly was recommended by someone at GMG, but no mention is made of her in this thread! Not having much experience with the piece, I can say the playing is certainly high quality. The sound isn't the most modern, but totally listenable (and even pretty good considering the period it was recorded).
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I have the EMI incarnation of this set, and this is  one of the most personal reading of this pieces I have heard. Slow (like many old-school performances) but really intense . While in certain movements it becomes somewhat ponderous, but still superlative when revealing the dark side of this pieces, like the famous Chaconne in D minor

Itullian

When all else fails, listen to Thick as a Brick.

Tyson

At a loss for words.

milk


I mentioned this in another thread. I'm really enjoying this recording. I'm very curious what others think of it.

Mandryka

I've been listening to a lot of this music lately, including many of the recordings which people have praised here. But the two which, so far, have struck a chord with me the most have, as far as I can see, never or rarely been discussed. So I thought I would just post this to see if anyone else has similar tastes to me in this music. They are Helene Schmitt's intensely un-dance-like performances  on baroque violin on Alpha, and Felix Ayo's extremely modest and somehow sincere and direct performances on Philips -- now re-released by Archivmusik.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

aukhawk

Yes I like Schmitt.  More about the music, and less about the performer, than some of the other candidates, while being a good modern performance and recording on a baroque-style instrument.

Mandryka

#174
Quote from: aukhawk on October 05, 2013, 01:12:11 PM
Yes I like Schmitt.  More about the music, and less about the performer, than some of the other candidates, while being a good modern performance and recording on a baroque-style instrument.

One thing she does is apply so much expressive rubato, rhythmic rubato, that there is practically no element of dance left. Indeed there's sometimes hardly any any pulse running through the music at all. I feel she's one of the most extreme expressive Baroque musicians that I've ever heard, maybe more so than David Cates for example. She's the Lena Jacobson of the violin.

I wonder how "casual" all this rubato is. Do you have the liner notes? (I have it through spotify)  Does she write about this? Does she see herself as a romantic musician who just happens to use a period instrument? Or is she doing stuff which is authentic practice?

Those questions may be a bit too scholarly. I find what she does very enjoyable to listen to, eloquent (speaking rather than singing, which I like), however personal a statement it may be.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Mandryka

Does anyone here prefer S Kuijken's second recording to the first?
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

xochitl

i just wanted to say: ida haendel's recording has totally rearranged my bach world! there's things here i've never encountered anywhere else...a concentration and intensity bordering on the perverse but totally stripping the expression down to the structure. and her sound? oh god fugly and decrepit but fascinating and magnetic. yeah, i know. and her phrasing? revelatory. like god speaking. i cried several times throughout.

Mandryka

Quote from: xochitl on April 10, 2015, 04:14:25 AM
i just wanted to say: ida haendel's recording has totally rearranged my bach world! there's things here i've never encountered anywhere else...a concentration and intensity bordering on the perverse but totally stripping the expression down to the structure. and her sound? oh god fugly and decrepit but fascinating and magnetic. yeah, i know. and her phrasing? revelatory. like god speaking. i cried several times throughout.

I'm inclined to agree with you about Ida Haendel.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

betterthanfine

#178
Quote from: xochitl on April 10, 2015, 04:14:25 AM
i just wanted to say: ida haendel's recording has totally rearranged my bach world! there's things here i've never encountered anywhere else...a concentration and intensity bordering on the perverse but totally stripping the expression down to the structure. and her sound? oh god fugly and decrepit but fascinating and magnetic. yeah, i know. and her phrasing? revelatory. like god speaking. i cried several times throughout.

This sounds like a must hear. Is this the recording you're talking about?

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Also, any thoughts on this somewhat recent release by Christine Busch on Herreweghe's Phi label?


North Star

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." - Confucius

My photographs on Flickr