What are you listening to now?

[Que]

Some heavier stuff:

[asin]B002DYLU0U[/asin]
Q

[prémont]

Personally, I prefer Glen Wilson to both of them.

I love his ascetic approach, so clean, almost Cartesian; but even so, full of attention to details and sensuality as coming from the sound itself. 

I do not hear much sensuality in Wilson´s approach. On the contrary I hear much intellectual attention to structure and details. And this is the problem, because I generally find Cabezon´s music rather intellectual, and an intellectual approach will tend to suppress the IMO sparse expressive potential of the music.

F.i. Bach´s keyboard music stands a predominantly intellectual approach well, because the expressive potential of his music is so strong, but I do not find, the same is true of Cabezon´s music. So I think, that Cabezon must be interpreted in a relatively emotional way to shine.

Maybe it is just me.

[Henk]

Personally, I prefer Glen Wilson to both of them.

I love his ascetic approach, so clean, almost Cartesian; but even so, full of attention to details and sensuality as coming from the sound itself. 

Some days ago, I listened to the "Glosas" (including all the Cabezón clan) and it's a superb disk, even more immediately appealing than the previous "Complete Tientos and Diferencias."

[asin] B00CJD2W2K[/asin]

Wishlisted. Is he Italian or Spanish?

[Harry]

Some heavier stuff:

[asin]B002DYLU0U[/asin]
Q

That is on my radar too, if only the prices were a little lower, or maybe a good deal somewhere!

[Mandryka]

Some heavier stuff:

[asin]B002DYLU0U[/asin]
Q

And? Is Asperen an interesting organist? Does he use a harpsichord for some of them? I'm not sure how much I like the music in fact, I've never heard a recording which has really made them come off the page.

[Wakefield]

Two sides of Spain. Erdas -- languid in the sunshine, theme tune from The Deer Hunter,  Sangrila and tapas on the beach, siesta. Wilson -- Carmen, flamenco, duende, macho, fight outside a bar in Magaluf, corrida.

There's a thing called Malheur me bat. It's amusing to just listen to how Erdas reacts to being beaten down by bad luck (she weeps) and how Wilson reacts (he rails, and then something else, I can't find the word, in the second half.)

Erdas is helped by ravishing sound, and Wilson is hindered by the opposite.

I like the idea of a cartesian interpretation, like logical and getting down to the essence of the music, getting rid of anything dubious. But I'm not sure it makes sense really.

IMO, a very interesting thing about Wilson's interpretation is that he doesn't force the music in order to fit it into an stereotypical Mediterranean vision of Spain. On the contrary, he doesn't fear to deliver highly intellectual interpretations and introduces Cabezón as an European composer, with influence on other first rate composers, as William Byrd, for instance. I mean he clearly stresses the common European ground of this music and its probable influence on the subsequent tradition. And probably this is not arbitrary if we recall that back then Spain was the most powerful nation in the world and not just politically. 

[Wakefield]

I do not hear much sensuality in Wilson´s approach. On the contrary I hear much intellectual attention to structure and details. And this is the problem, because I generally find Cabezon´s music rather intellectual, and an intellectual approach will tend to suppress the IMO sparse expressive potential of the music.

F.i. Bach´s keyboard music stands a predominantly intellectual approach well, because the expressive potential of his music is so strong, but I do not find, the same is true of Cabezon´s music. So I think, that Cabezon must be interpreted in a relatively emotional way to shine.

Maybe it is just me.

Did you listen to the Glosas, Poul? I think the interpretation in that album is relatively more emotional than the previous one.

I agree with you, Wilson isn't concerned about sensuality, that's the reason why I said that a kind of sensuality came from the sound itself, almost as a physical result from his playing and instrument. It's like the voluptuosity of the Spanish mystics of the XVI Century (Santa Teresa de Jesús, San Juan de la Cruz, et cetera).   

[Wakefield]

Wishlisted. Is he Italian or Spanish?

Antonio de Cabezón was an outstanding blind Spaniard... sort of official musician and composer of Philip II of Spain. 

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Looking forward to the Schnittke SQs today, in toto :

But first some Rachmaninov, his cello sonata in a recording by Mstislav from '67 sounding esp. up close and personal.  Forgot how wonderful this is :

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[Que]

That is on my radar too, if only the prices were a little lower, or maybe a good deal somewhere!

I know, it's crazy.  I gathered volumes 1-6 so fa,r just one more to go ...(Though I believe one more is still to be issued.)

And? Is Asperen an interesting organist? Does he use a harpsichord for some of them? I'm not sure how much I like the music in fact, I've never heard a recording which has really made them come off the page.

He is, more than I expected. Though I have no comparison, for me there is very satisfying. In fact, I'm glad I played this again because music, performance, instrument and - in the case of Aeolus - the recording quality  as well - was better than I remembered. Everything is on organ here - volumes 1-4 are dedicated to the harpsichord repertoire. Froberger takes in his organ music a lot of inspiration from his teacher Frescobaldi, so that will tell you what to expect. The harpsichord repertoire is much more French orientated in comparison

Q

[Henk]

~
[asin]B00J587L14[/asin]

[The new erato]

Haydn Quartets op 50 no 4-6 by the Festetics. Most enjoyable!

[North Star]

Only five more discs after this. 

Bach
Cantatas, Vol. 50 (BWV 49, 145, 149, 174)
Hana Blažíková (S), Robin Blaze (c-T), Gerd Türk (T), Peter Kooij (B)
Bach Collegium Japan
Masaaki Suzuki

[Wakefield]

J.S. Bach: "Actus Tragicus" - Cantatas BWV 4, 12, 106 & 196

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Beautiful... probably my favorite BWV 196 on disk. I can't avoid the sensation of my heart as being squeezed every time I listen to its duetto.   

[Mandryka]

IMO, a very interesting thing about Wilson's interpretation is that he doesn't force the music in order to fit it into an stereotypical Mediterranean vision of Spain. On the contrary, he doesn't fear to deliver highly intellectual interpretations and introduces Cabezón as an European composer, with influence on other first rate composers, as William Byrd, for instance. I mean he clearly stresses the common European ground of this music and its probable influence on the subsequent tradition. And probably this is not arbitrary if we recall that back then Spain was the most powerful nation in the world and not just politically.

Have you heard the harpsichordist on the Trio Unda Maris recording? I think there's a real flair to his playing. Presumably Cabezón was so influential because he makes such astonishing polyphonic sounds come from just two hands and two feet. It's not an intellectual thing - it's a virtuosic thing. Equally complex music had been written before, just not for keyboard.

By the way, I don't really hear Wilson as intellectual, like Leonhardt's second recording of the English Suites is intellectual. I hear him as more "tough", like Weinberger and Suzuki, the sort of thing Bulldog likes. There's plenty of emotion in there, just not weepy or lovey-dovey.

[SonicMan46]

Beethoven - Piano & Violin Concertos from the box below; listen to the Cello Sonatas yesterday, so decided to continue on - Dave

[prémont]

Did you listen to the Glosas, Poul? I think the interpretation in that album is relatively more emotional than the previous one.

Yes, I have heard all the CDs. I do not hear much difference in his playing from one CD to the others. The difference may be, that the Differencia´s stands his unemotional approach better than the Tiento´s, which are rather more ascetic in conception. Apart from that I think the Tiento´s are better served by a rendering on organ.

[Bogey]

J.S. Bach: "Actus Tragicus" - Cantatas BWV 4, 12, 106 & 196

[asin]B00004R7PX[/asin]

Beautiful... probably my favorite BWV 196 on disk. I can't avoid the sensation of my heart as being squeezed every time I listen to its duetto.   

That is a GREAT disc.  I picked it up some time back and have always enjoyed it.

[Wakefield]

Yes, I have heard all the CDs. I do not hear much difference in his playing from one CD to the others. The difference may be, that the Differencia´s stands his unemotional approach better than the Tiento´s, which are rather more ascetic in conception. Apart from that I think the Tiento´s are better served by a rendering on organ.

I'm perfectly happy with Wilson's non-interventionist approach, but, of course, it's matter of taste.

Do you mean the tientos an variations are more ascetic than the glosas?

[prémont]

I'm perfectly happy with Wilson's non-interventionist approach, but, of course, it's matter of taste.

Well, yes a matter of taste. But a too much non-interventionist approach carries the risk of inducing monotony.

Do you mean the tientos an variations are more ascetic than the glosas?

No, I mean that the Tiento´s are more ascetic than the Glosa´s and the Differencia´s.