Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier

Started by Bogey, May 06, 2007, 01:26:30 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Bulldog

Quote from: Lethe on February 12, 2011, 01:13:20 AM
Which recordings do you guys find to be the slowest/most Romantic/indulgent performances of the cycle (single book recordings are fine too)?

These tend to be considered quite negative interpretive traits, but I'd like to seek some out to establish for myself a frame of reference to compare with the usual recommendations.

Leaving out the indulgent quality, Andrei Vieru on Alpha meets your test.

Lethevich

Sounds great, thanks! I have some researching to do :)
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.

Bulldog

Just keep in mind that Feinberg/Vieru are super performances while Barenboim's is a dud.

Lethevich

Feinberg is really, really impressive. I expected worse sound quality, so was pleasantly surprised. The most immediate thing I get from it against more neutral performances is a certain poignancy. He doesn't really mutilate the music, but judiciously tweaks everything to make it into a kind of tone-picture, constantly creeping or developing and not necessarily in ways I would expect - I suppose that is the main feature of interventionist interpretations, what seems a natural choice to one will be a surprise to another. His book 1 is just super, book 2 is on the way.

Is there a certain mastering of these recordings that is preferred, or is it the usual case of "grab what you can find" with this russian stuff?
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.

George

Quote from: Lethe on February 12, 2011, 10:58:32 PM
Feinberg is really, really impressive. I expected worse sound quality, so was pleasantly surprised. The most immediate thing I get from it against more neutral performances is a certain poignancy. He doesn't really mutilate the music, but judiciously tweaks everything to make it into a kind of tone-picture, constantly creeping or developing and not necessarily in ways I would expect - I suppose that is the main feature of interventionist interpretations, what seems a natural choice to one will be a surprise to another. His book 1 is just super, book 2 is on the way.

Is there a certain mastering of these recordings that is preferred, or is it the usual case of "grab what you can find" with this russian stuff?

This is the one that I have (and the seller I bought mine from) http://www.russiandvd.com/store/product.asp?sku=35887&genreid=



I have compared it to this one and preferred the sound of the former:

"I can't live without music, because music is life." - Yvonne Lefébure


Mandryka

Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on February 12, 2011, 01:13:20 AM
Which recordings do you guys find to be the slowest/most Romantic/indulgent performances of the cycle (single book recordings are fine too)?

These tend to be considered quite negative interpretive traits, but I'd like to seek some out to establish for myself a frame of reference to compare with the usual recommendations.

Sokolov
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Scarpia

Quote from: Bulldog on February 12, 2011, 10:09:30 AM
Just keep in mind that Feinberg/Vieru are super performances while Barenboim's is a dud.

Sarge!  Do you have my back here?

Sadko

It seems my quite high praise of the Gieseking isn't shared by anyone (?).

After writing it I read some other reviews on the Internet, and I found some of my observations, and many critical aspects. I even got a bit of bad conscience of not having mentioned these more, but looking back I can still stand with the excitement it gave me to listen to him. I didn't go on with the next CDs yet, I'm curious how I'll like these.


Scarpia

Quote from: Sadko on February 14, 2011, 11:56:44 AM
It seems my quite high praise of the Gieseking isn't shared by anyone (?).

After writing it I read some other reviews on the Internet, and I found some of my observations, and many critical aspects. I even got a bit of bad conscience of not having mentioned these more, but looking back I can still stand with the excitement it gave me to listen to him. I didn't go on with the next CDs yet, I'm curious how I'll like these.

I have trouble imagining these old releases being of interest, except to someone with a specific interest in the history of classical music performance.  But if you are primarily interested in hearing Bach's music, why listen to old recordings of such poor audio quality?  Anyway, to each his own, but honestly if you gave the set to me I would not be able to summon the enthusiasm to open the box.   :P  But that's just me.


Lethevich

Quote from: Scarpia on February 14, 2011, 12:04:07 PM
I have trouble imagining these old releases being of interest, except to someone with a specific interest in the history of classical music performance.  But if you are primarily interested in hearing Bach's music, why listen to old recordings of such poor audio quality?  Anyway, to each his own, but honestly if you gave the set to me I would not be able to summon the enthusiasm to open the box.   :P  But that's just me.

In the case of the Feinberg, because nobody would have the guts to perform it like that nowadays - it'd be all "super clarity" and "following the composer's intentions" :-\
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.

Scarpia

Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on February 14, 2011, 12:06:34 PM
In the case of the Feinberg, because nobody would have the guts to perform it like that nowadays - it'd be all "super clarity" and "following the composer's intentions" :-\

That I can see.  I have a recording of Mozart PC 27 with Schnabel introducing bizarre tempo variations.  From the 30's, I think.  Good for novelty, but I don't think I could bear to listen to it all the way through.

Sadko

Quote from: Scarpia on February 14, 2011, 12:04:07 PM
I have trouble imagining these old releases being of interest, except to someone with a specific interest in the history of classical music performance.  But if you are primarily interested in hearing Bach's music, why listen to old recordings of such poor audio quality?  Anyway, to each his own, but honestly if you gave the set to me I would not be able to summon the enthusiasm to open the box.   :P  But that's just me.

I'm as much interested in Bach as in the performer's views on him. To me the "voice" of a musician is equally important for the joy I get from a performance as the work itself. I certainly wouldn't want to have Gieseking to get to know the WTC, but I like to join him on his exploration in this field. As to datedness of the sound: The more interesting I find an interpretation, the more tolerant I get.

Scarpia

Quote from: Sadko on February 14, 2011, 12:40:46 PM
I'm as much interested in Bach as in the performer's views on him. To me the "voice" of a musician is equally important for the joy I get from a performance as the work itself. I certainly wouldn't want to have Gieseking to get to know the WTC, but I like to join him on his exploration in this field. As to datedness of the sound: The more interesting I find an interpretation, the more tolerant I get.

I'm not getting a feel for what's unique about it.  It's very fast, very light touch, transparent, isn't that fairly typical of what pianists are doing today (and in front of DSD sound recorders)?

Bulldog

Quote from: Sadko on February 14, 2011, 12:40:46 PM
I'm as much interested in Bach as in the performer's views on him. To me the "voice" of a musician is equally important for the joy I get from a performance as the work itself. I certainly wouldn't want to have Gieseking to get to know the WTC, but I like to join him on his exploration in this field. As to datedness of the sound: The more interesting I find an interpretation, the more tolerant I get.

Exactly, and you know you've found gold when the performance transcends poor sound.  Too bad that Scarpia isn't on board.

Scarpia

Quote from: Bulldog on February 14, 2011, 01:13:50 PM
Exactly, and you know you've found gold when the performance transcends poor sound.  Too bad that Scarpia isn't on board.

It's always a trade-off.  My rule is not simply to listen to the recording with the best audio quality.  Performance is the most important factor, but in deciding what recordings I am interested in, audio quality is not negligible.  And new recordings don't always sound better than older recordings.

DavidW

44 pages of posts is simply too much to read for answers... so let me ask plainly... what are your favorite recordings of the WTC Book 1 and the WTC Book 2 performed on harpsichord?  I'm looking for replacements for Berben. :)

SonicMan46

#877
Quote from: DavidW on June 26, 2011, 06:36:35 AM
44 pages of posts is simply too much to read for answers... so let me ask plainly... what are your favorite recordings of the WTC Book 1 and the WTC Book 2 performed on harpsichord?  I'm looking for replacements for Berben. :)

Well, I'll be interested in hearing Don's & our other experts' updated opinions on this topic.  For me at the moment, I have 5 sets of these works (2 on piano; 2 on harpsichord; & 1 on clavichord, the latter shown below and a fun listen) - my harpsichord sets are:

Glen Wilson & Peter Watchorn:)


Antoine Marchand

Quote from: DavidW on June 26, 2011, 06:36:35 AM
44 pages of posts is simply too much to read for answers... so let me ask plainly... what are your favorite recordings of the WTC Book 1 and the WTC Book 2 performed on harpsichord?  I'm looking for replacements for Berben. :)

If it's considered some degree of unanimity as an important factor: Glen Wilson and Gustav Leonhardt.

If we consider recent recordings, I would say Watchorn (Premont don't agree on this recommendation, but, f.i., Don, yes) and other people would say Dantone (our Q, f.i.).

Considering your usual taste, I would also mention Blandine Verlet, an unorthodox superstition of mine.

That said: it exists a lot of excellent versions in the market and we will probably write other 5,000 pages on this issue.   :)

Que

#879
Quote from: DavidW on June 26, 2011, 06:36:35 AM
44 pages of posts is simply too much to read for answers... so let me ask plainly... what are your favorite recordings of the WTC Book 1 and the WTC Book 2 performed on harpsichord?  I'm looking for replacements for Berben. :)

I urge to do it anyway! ;D

Still, I'll re-mention my favourites on harpsichord: Glen Wilson (Warner/Teldec, OP  :-\) and Ottavio Dantone (Arts).

I haven't heard Tůma (Arta) or Watchorn (Musica Omnia), which are interesting for being played on clavichord and pedal-harpsichord respectively.

Q