The Art of Gustav Leonhardt

[Coopmv]

The question is how can I get this set without buying it from Japan?   

[Opus106]

The question is how can I get this set without buying it from Japan?   

The answer is "torrent it", of course.

[Mandryka]

Thanks, Mandryka, for the Leonhardt live. A most moving listen. Most of all the Pachelbel Aria Sebaldina, which always to me has expressed the loneliness of the dying - much like the Sarabande from Bach´s 5th cellosuite.

It's an extremely fine piece  of music, those Pachelbel variations. And the way you describe it seems well put to me. And what a beautiful organ!

Some of the organ records he made are real favourites. For example,  Bach's Canonic Variations is on my mp 3 player and I hear it a lot. I love the way he plays it.

Is this live?



(Suites by JS, CPE and WF Bach)

Has this ever been on CD?


(1988 recording for Philips of the E and F Suites)

The clavichord CD is worth having for the French Suite at least. (I got mine very cheaply at arkivmusik -- but they did say that they had few remaining.) It's much the same conception as the harpsichord record I think, maybe livelier, slighly freer, but there's not much in it.  I prefer the clavichord recording partly (mainly)  because I like the colours of the instrument.

There rest of the Cd is not without interest. There are some hypnotic W F Bach Polonaises, for example.

The French Suites CD was a a misnomer I think. As far as I can gather those LPs are just the Seon record. In all fairness to them, bach-cantatas.org put a ? after the suggestion that it's a 1988 recording.

Leonhardt was sometimes accused of being too academic, and this may be the case here. I also find the instrument he uses (The "Lefebvre)" sounding too French to Bachs music. His first take of the English suites (Seon / Sony) is more convincing.

Correct, confirmed, agreed with, right.

[Marc]

The question is how can I get this set without buying it from Japan? 

The answer is "torrent it", of course.

No matter the or , it looks like a nice Bach/Leonhardt box.
Release date in Japan at the end of March.
So who knows: hopefully this re-release will also be issued in other areas on our globe.

[prémont]

It's an extremely fine piece  of music, those Pachelbel variations. And the way you describe it seems well put to me. And what a beautiful organ!

You probably know, that it is one part of six variations sets called Musicalische Sterbensgedanken. They are all very fine, but rarely recorded as a set.

The clavichord CD is worth having for the French Suite at least. (I got mine very cheaply at arkivmusik -- but they did say that they had few remaining.) It's much the same conception as the harpsichord record I think, maybe livelier, slighly freer, but there's not much in it.  I prefer the clavichord recording partly (mainly)  because I like the colours of the instrument.

Most of these Philips CD´s have unfortunately eluded me, since they were next to impossible to get hold of in my country before the internet shops. The same is true of Daniel Chorzempas very interesting Bach organ CDs.

Correct, confirmed, agreed with, right.

[Mandryka]

You probably know, that it is one part of six variations sets called Musicalische Sterbensgedanken. They are all very fine, but rarely recorded as a set.

No, I didn't know. This is new music for me.

Recommend me a selection of interesting Pachelbel CDs if you can. please!

[The new erato]

This is currently on amazon.fr for a ridiculous price.

[Antoine Marchand]

That's also true regarding these two sets:





... just the first one is completely Leonhardt, though.

[The new erato]

But on the second one you also have THE greatest recording of BWV 82, by Max Van Egmond & Brüggen. One of the best recordings in Bach cantatas as well.

I suppose this is the same as the Das Alte Werk cycle? In that case I already have them all (fabolous but uneven cycle, the BWV 21 is another favorite), and my main reason for not purchasing this box. The two others I am considering, but first I must receive the two Archibudelli/Mozzafiata sets of Beethoven/Mozart.

[Antoine Marchand]

Yes, that's also right about the only disc conducted by Leonhardt in that set:



This disc includes the cantatas 27, 34 & 41 and all of them were conducted by Harnoncourt in the Teldec cycle.

[Antoine Marchand]

BTW, I forgot to comment that the harpsichord and the organ sets are strictly mandatory for Leonhardtians. Wisely the harpsichord set includes the complete French Suites in just one disc; I have the SEON 2-CD set and that is perfectly possible (even taking some repetitions!), as its total time is 78'26.

It should also be recalled that the disc with the cantatas 27, 34 & 41 (1995) was already included as a part of the Sony Jubilée Edition which was very popular on this board some years ago.

[Opus106]

BTW, I forgot to comment that the harpsichord and the organ sets are strictly mandatory for Leonhardtians. Wisely the harpsichord set includes the complete French Suites in just one disc; I have the SEON 2-CD set and that is perfectly possible (even taking some repetitions!), as its total time is 78'26.

It should also be recalled that the disc with the cantatas 27, 34 & 41 (1995) was already included as a part of the Sony Jubilée Edition which was very popular on this board some years ago.

As were two discs (or was it only one?) of organ music.

[Antoine Marchand]

As were two discs (or was it only one?) of organ music.

As far I can see (images are really small  ) there is a 4-CD set including exclusively harpsichord music and some transcription: CD1: the French Suites (complete), CD2: the Inventions & Sinfonias (complete), CD3: the Italian Concerto, 2 harpsichord toccatas (912 & 913), BWV 944, BWV 906, CD4: arrangements for the cello suite Nº4 and lute suite BWV 995 and the Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue.

Then there is also an organ 5-CD set with the outstanding Leonhardt's "pilgrimage" through Europe, playing different (and frequently rare) organs and including repertory from the Renaissance to the Baroque. I think this set doesn't include his 2-CD set "Great Organ Works" (SEON) devoted to Bach (BWV 547, 769, 733, 663, 665, 666, 668, 548, 565, 618, 766, 546, 710, 736, 767, 562, 572).
 

[Opus106]

Then there is also an organ 5-CD set with the outstanding Leonhardt's "pilgrimage" through Europe, playing different (and frequently rare) organs and including repertory from the Renaissance to the Baroque. I think this set doesn't include his 2-CD set "Great Organ Works" (SEON) devoted to Bach (BWV 547, 769, 733, 663, 665, 666, 668, 548, 565, 618, 766, 546, 710, 736, 767, 562, 572).   

Just compared with my copy: only the first disc (organs in the Netherlands) in 5-CD box is common between the two sets.

[Antoine Marchand]

Just compared with my copy: only the first disc (organs in the Netherlands) in 5-CD box is common between the two sets.

If you have the Jubilee Edition on Sony, you will have two one disc s duplicated, Navneeth: the organs in Netherlands and the "Alpenländer" disc (organs in the Alps of Austria, Switzerland and Italy). Anyway, the new set completes the series because the Jubilee Edition only includes one of those Alpenländer discs and they are two.

[Opus106]

If you have the Jubilee Edition on Sony, you will have two one disc s duplicated, Navneeth: the organs in Netherlands and the "Alpenländer" disc (organs in the Alps of Austria, Switzerland and Italy). Anyway, the new set completes the series because the Jubilee Edition only includes one of those Alpenländer discs and they are two.

True. I got the lands mixed up.

[prémont]

No, I didn't know. This is new music for me.

Recommend me a selection of interesting Pachelbel CDs if you can. please!

I have to correct myself:
The Aria Sebaldina is from the collection Hexacordum Apollinis, but it does consist of six aria´s with variations.
The collection Musicalische Sterbens-Gedanken is another collection consisting of four chorals with variations.

Other than the two complete Pachelbel organ music sets by the late Joseph Payne on Centaur and by Antoine Bouchard on Dorian, both of which I have not investigated - neither of them are, as I know them from other recordings, suficiently nteresting to make me feel tempted to invest about 250 Euro´s in one of their Pachelbel sets, Pachelbel´s organ works and harpsichord works have not been well served by CD producers.

My first encounter with Hexachordum Apollinis (other than the score) was the recording for Da Camera (LP ca. late 1960es) by Marga Scheurich. She plays a non-HIP Neupert harpsichord and her interpretation is weighty but also poetic and moving. I do not own it.  It has been rereleased on CD but is OOP. There are two individual recordings on organ. One by John Butt (Harmonia Mundi France or US), which I do not know - his organ solo recordings have also somewhat disappointed me. The second is by Hans Christoph Becker-Foss (Ambiente) playing the historic one-manual Johann Georg Müller organ of the "Gutskapelle" in Welsede (1735), I own this. Despite the interesting organ which has been almost completely preserved, and which is tuned in middletone, the interpretation isn´t but serviceable, lacking in poetry. So I do not know any recording of these works to recommend.

[Mandryka]

I have to correct myself:
The Aria Sebaldina is from the collection Hexacordum Apollinis, but it does consist of six aria´s with variations.
The collection Musicalische Sterbens-Gedanken is another collection consisting of four chorals with variations.

Other than the two complete Pachelbel organ music sets by the late Joseph Payne on Centaur and by Antoine Bouchard on Dorian, both of which I have not investigated - neither of them are, as I know them from other recordings, suficiently nteresting to make me feel tempted to invest about 250 Euro´s in one of their Pachelbel sets, Pachelbel´s organ works and harpsichord works have not been well served by CD producers.

My first encounter with Hexachordum Apollinis (other than the score) was the recording for Da Camera (LP ca. late 1960es) by Marga Scheurich. She plays a non-HIP Neupert harpsichord and her interpretation is weighty but also poetic and moving. I do not own it.  It has been rereleased on CD but is OOP. There are two individual recordings on organ. One by John Butt (Harmonia Mundi France or US), which I do not know - his organ solo recordings have also somewhat disappointed me. The second is by Hans Christoph Becker-Foss (Ambiente) playing the historic one-manual Johann Georg Müller organ of the "Gutskapelle" in Welsede (1735), I own this. Despite the interesting organ which has been almost completely preserved, and which is tuned in middletone, the interpretation isn´t but serviceable, lacking in poetry. So I do not know any recording of these works to recommend.

That's a shame.

Marga Scheurich's CD looks like it's available here.

http://www.discorder.com/shop/artist/Pachelbel,-J./Hexachordum-apollinis/CD/4011563770329/p=gm/

Have you got an opinion about Rubsam's Pachelbel CDs on Naxos?

[Mandryka]

The same is true of Daniel Chorzempas very interesting Bach organ CDs.

One thing I'm very keen to hear is his multi-instrument Well Tempered Clavier (you know I like quirky things!) If someone has it or would upload it, or just find a vendor with an affordable copy,  I will be their friend for life.

He's also outstanding I think in the Handel Organ Concertos.

Is he still performing in public, or recording?

[prémont]

url="http://www.discorder.com/shop/artist/Pachelbel,-J./Hexachordum-apollinis/CD/4011563770329/p=gm/"]http://www.discorder.com/shop/artist/Pachelbel,-J./Hexachordum-apollinis/CD/4011563770329/p=gm/[/url]

Rather expensive. It is a bit cheaper here;
http://www.amazon.de/gp/offer-listing/B0000268HP/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&qid=1330003139&sr=1-4&condition=used
but they will not send to my address.

Have you got an opinion about Rubsam's Pachelbel CDs on Naxos?

I have writen short comments about it a couple of times in this forum:

Concerning Pachelbel .... I own a number of Pachelbel recordings but only the one by Wolfgang Rübsam (Naxos) seems to add that exiting stylus phantasticus quality to the music which is stimulating and prevents the music from sounding in the usual nice and harmless way.