Andrew Everard - Bach Brandenburg CD advice, please

[6th.replicant]

Can you please suggest a CD version that's an excellent recording, a complete/box set & uses original-type instruments.

BTW, will Gramophone.net's list of recommended recordings return?

Thanks.

 

[Clare Newsome]

6th.replicant: uses original-type instruments.

Not this moog-tastic one, then?

(Sorry, couldn't resist; sure you'll get a proper answer shortly...)

 

[chebby]

John Eliot Gardiner's mob (English Baroque Soloists) have a new one out in the last month. I have not heard it but I love them doing Handel.

Having said that, I just noticed my own copy of Brandenburg concertos is Neville Marriner (Academy of St Martin in the Fields).

I will probably buy the Gardiner version soon so I cannot say yet which is best.

 

[6th.replicant]

Clare Newsome:
6th.replicant: uses original-type instruments.

Not this moog-tastic one, then?

Erk ahlors!

'Wendy Carlos Performing on the Moog Synthesizer' - obvious, I know, but is that Wendy in the blue coat, then?

 

[John Duncan]

6th.replicant:BTW, will Gramophone.net's list of recommended recordings return

Do you mean gramophone.co.uk's? If so, yes. Just don't ask me precisely when, as I've just taken it over this week and haven't got my head round our timescales yet.

 

[John Duncan]

I'm asking Mr Jolly...

 

[Andrew Everard]

6th.replicant:

'Wendy Carlos Performing on the Moog Synthesizer' - obvious, I know, but is that Wendy in the blue coat, then?

No, that's a Bachalike. Apparently.

I might go for the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment's set on Virgin 5615522 or EMI Classics 7592602, The Hanover Band on CfP 5860432 or - my personal 'modern instruments' favourite - Britten/ASMF/ECO on Decca 4438472

 

[John Duncan]

Is it a well-tempered Moog?

 

[Andrew Everard]

More even-tempered since the gender reassignment, apparently...

 

[6th.replicant]

JohnDuncan:6th.replicant:BTW, will Gramophone.net's list of recommended recordings return

Do you mean gramophone.co.uk's? If so, yes. Just don't ask me precisely when, as I've just taken it over this week and haven't got my head round our timescales yet.
There's also a gramophone.co.uk?!

Oh yes, so there is, same magazine, (same lack of 'recommended recordings').

Blimey, how extravagant! Why are there 2 sites for the same magazine?

No wonder John Duncan is so overworked!

But it's good to learn that 'recommended recordings' will return.

 

[John Duncan]

6th.replicant:Blimey, how extravagant! Why are there 2 sites for the same magazine?

How long've you got?

 

[Anonymous]

Academy of Ancient Music
Richard Egarr
Harmonia Mundi -HMU 807461.62
sacd

2cd box set.
6 concerto's.

FANTASTIC.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Basically gramophone.co.uk is the main site, which has been with us for many years, while gramophone.net was/is the 'beta' site for the entire archive of the magazine, going back to its founding in 1923, with every single page available and searchable-for.

 

[6th.replicant]

mohawk:Academy of Ancient Music
Richard Egarr
Harmonia Mundi -HMU 807461.62
sacd

2cd box set.
6 concerto's.

FANTASTIC.
Ah yes, the "performed at French Baroque pitch" version.

Is "French Baroque pitch" the same as Bach's original pitch or...?

 

[Anonymous]

6th.replicant:mohawk:Academy of Ancient Music
Richard Egarr
Harmonia Mundi -HMU 807461.62
sacd

2cd box set.
6 concerto's.

FANTASTIC.
Ah yes, the "performed at French Baroque pitch" version.

Is "French Baroque pitch" the same as Bach's original pitch or...?

I don't know,I'm only 2 years into a classical music obsession
I do know that some of the couple of hundred disc's I've bought since my taste in music changed sound particularly RIGHT.
the cd in question is one of those.

 

[Anonymous]

My favorite is Musica Atiqua K”ln with Reinhardt Goebel (Archiv). The 3rd concert is unsurpassed. I think Goebel gave a gram of cocaine to each performer before playing it! The last movement is frantic!

My second choice would be the Leonhardt-Kuijkens version from Seon/Sony, from the early 70's. You can find in this version all the great names of the early historic-performance movement: Bylsma, Brggen, van Asperen... The recording is a bit bright, but the version is superb, very warm.

Then you have the version of La Petite Bande, with Sigiswald Kuijken.

A safe choice would be the classic version of Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert (Archiv).

Anyway, there are great versions out there, including those Andrew mentionned. You can't go wrong if you buy any of them. I wouldn't buy an italian version though (Giardino Armonico, etc). I think they are great playing Vivaldi, but not playing Bach. It's just my opinion though.

 

[John Duncan]

This just in - our esteemed colleague James Jolly says:

"I recommend Trevor Pinnock and the European Brandenburg Ensemble on Avie (a Gramophone Award winner, no less!)"

So there you go. Dinnae say ah'm no guid tae ye.

 

[bemahler1]

Musica Antiqua K”ln Reinhard Goebel. You will never hear better string playing in your life, just listen to the 3rd concerto on iTunes, mind blowing.

 

[John Duncan]

Ooo that's two votes for the Goebel one. But I say a James Jolly counts double...

 

[izpuuteejs]

Wynton Marsalis/ Kathleen Battle "Baroque duet" is also great, but in Wynton's album "In Gabriels Garden'' he plays 2.Brandenburg Concerto!

http://www.wyntonmarsalis.org/discography/classical/in-gabriels-garden/

 

[Anonymous]

Another vote for Musica Antiqua Koln's, simply a superb timeless performance. While there is no denying that Pinnock's two recordings are very fine indeed (some preferring the 1982 version to the more recent one), the German ensemble were considered a worldwide reference in baroque music but unfortunately disbanded in 2007. Gramophone's online archives are quite handy indeed, but I generally tend to go for Diapason d'Or's nominees. Personal tastes

 

[Anonymous]

I like the Bach Collegium Japan's version on BIS. Lots of energy and precision. Period instruments too.

 

[6th.replicant]

Ta for excellent suggestions, folks - much appreciated.

Will be near HMV Oxford St tomorrow, so I'll pop in & give the Goebel, Pinnock & Gardiner versions a listen. (Hope I don't get 'served' by Ol' Happy Chops - the one who looks like Francis Dollarhyde [Tom Noonan']. Eek!)