J.S. Bach: Die Sonaten für Viola Da Gamba und Cembalo

I have to concur with a couple of the reviews in the Amazon page, in that this CD irks me. Like a dozen mosquitoes swarming around an ear for an hour.
I can only say that I bought this CD as a recommendation based on the very talented performers, with the added plus of the sound of original instruments:

• Jordi Savall, viole de gambe
• Pellegrino Zanetti, Venise 1550 (sonata 1)
• (à sept cordes) Barak Norman, London 1697 (sonata 2,3)
• (altus) Andreas Doerffel, Klingenthal 1757 (sonata 4)
• Ton Koopman, Clavecin
• Christian Zell, Hamburg 1737 (property of Museo de la Música, Instituo de Cultura de Barcelona)

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Trio Sonata	C	BWV 529 / BC J5		based on the Sonate V for organ in C major
Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard #1	G	BWV 1027
Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard #2	D	BWV 1028
Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard #3	Gb	BWV 1029

Lipatti: Bach, Liszt, Bartók

I have to say that Dinu Lipatti is amazing. Despite this fact, I could not enjoy Liszt nor Bartók, as I expected (due to my taste of authors, of course). But Busoni's adaptation for piano of Bach's BWV 1052 - Concerto for harpsichord No.1 in D minor in the hands of Dinu Lipatti is just sublime.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
JS Bach: Concerto for harpsichord #1	Dm	BWV 1052	Eduard van Beinum / Concertgebouw orchestra,  1947	Arranged by Busoni
Franz Liszt: Piano Concerto #1	Eb	S.124	Ernest Ansermet / Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, 1947
Béla Bartók: Piano Concerto #3		Sz. 119	Paul Sacher / Orchester des Südwestdeutschen Rundfunks, 1948

von Otter: Music for a While (baroque melodies)

Amazing technical and expressive resources: the crescendo/decrescendo alternation during a legato is surprising. Joy, disdain for the world, intimacy, honesty. Although I love baroque, this is not my favorite. But for someone that enjoys vocal pieces, is a lover of technique, or likes baroque (and is not biased against the human voice, ahem, like me) this is an Archiv CD not to miss.

Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo-soprano
Jory Vinikour, Harpsichord & Chamber organ
Jakob Lindberg, theorbo, lute & baroque guitar
Ander Ericson, theorbo

Note: the booklet includes the lyrics.

Benedetto Ferrari

1. Amanti, io vi so dire

Girolamo Frescobaldi

2. Se l'aura spira

Giulio Caccini

3. Dovrò dunque morire

Claudio Monteverdi

4. Ecco di dolci raggi
5. Quel sguardo sdegnosetto
6. Adagiati, Poppea

Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger

7. La Capona
8. Arpeggiata

Barbara Strozzi

9. Udite, amanti

Bernardo Storace

10. Ciaccona

Henry Purcell

11. Saraband with Division
12. Sweeter than roses
13. Dear, pretty youth
14. Music for a while
15. There's not a swain
16. An Evening Hymn

John Dowland

17. In darkness let me dwell
18. Can she excuse my wrongs?
19. Weep you no more, sad fountains
20. What if I never speed?

Robert Johnson

21. Fantasia

Bach: Goldberg Variations (Leonhardt)

This is one of the most beautiful CD possible. Leonhardt's interpretations is precise, concise, yet emotional. Nothing is missing, nothing is too much. The sound is excellent. It is hard to think a person is playing something so virtuously.

Bach: Cembalokonzerte

This CD I/6 from Brilliant is exquisite.

BWV 1052 is, for sure, one of my favorite pieces of all. Beautiful harmonic progression, conflict in the theme, tempo and pace, softness of instruments. It has it all, though the Adagio lacks in my opinion.

BWV 1053 has some nice passages, but did not impress me much.

BWV 1054 is a great piece, too. Definitely a piece to have on a (formerly, duh ;) deserted island.

Finally, BWV 1055 is the most rounded work of the set. It is soberly impressive. The initial theme of the 1st movement is very nice. The finale is also very strong.

1, 2, and 4 need to be in a collection.

Christine Schornsheim, Cembalo
Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum, Burkhard Glaetzner

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Harpsichord concerto	Dm	BWV 1052		Amazing!
Harpsichord concerto	E	BWV 1053
Harpsichord concerto	D	BWV 1054		Beautiful
Harpsichord concerto	A	BWV 1055

Bach: Brandenburgische Konzerte 4,5,6

Breathtaking! Absolutely outstanding! (Knowing me, I think I have to be in specially receptive mood now)

Although I have heard them many many times, (and I have heard this precise recording before, Brilliant CDI-2) it still sounds so new. Such a compelling tempo, crystal clear distinction of instruments. For example in the Allegro of BWV 1049, I just noticed some virtuosissimi violin scales that I had not distinguished in any other recording.

Concerto no. 4 G BWV 1049
Rémy Baudet, violin
Pieter-Jan Belder, Saskia Coolen, recorder

Concerto no. 5 D BWV 1050
Wilbert Hazelzet, traverso
Rémy Baudet, violin
Pieter-Jan Belder, harpsichord

Concerto no. 6 B flat BWV 1051
Staas Swierstra, Sayuri Yamagata, viola
Mieneke van der Velden, Johannes Boer, viola da gamba
Lucia Swarts, cello

Pieter-Jan Belder, conducts Musica Amphion.

Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Clavier, Teil II

Now, this is nice. I guess it has to do more with my expectations... but it is hard to tell. The general comments before apply. I just have to say this is more listenable. (I hate my lack of expressive power >-( )

Vivaldi: Le Quattro Stagioni & Oboe Concertos

Ah Vivaldi!! I am always marveled at what expressiveness the Four Seasons achieves in such short works. Undoubtedly, it is my favorite work of all!

How emotional are the Four Seasons. Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra make a beautiful interpretation of the Vivaldi's Violin Concertos Op.8.
With such an unobtrusive orchestration, I could listen to notes I had not realized existed in the work. It is like a wooden interpretation, versus the rubber ones I have heard before, where all the instruments blend into each other.... and I loved these concertos even then!

The Oboe Concertos, in Am RV461 and Dm Op8 No9 RV 454, are not quite so appealing, but of course Vivaldi's baroque is (almost) never bad (avoid Motezuma[sic: Moctezuma] opera, 1733).

I would bring the reader's attention to Ottavio Dantone's version with Stefano Montanari at the violin. It can be bought at Aguilar's collection, number 5. It brings a very peculiar interpretation of tempo, which, after I surpassed the shock, left me with a smile.

Please refer to this amazing document (at buywell.com) written by Graeme Skinner for an explanation of how Vivaldi structured and thought about this work.

Particular highlights (section deprecated, see buywell document ;-) )

Spring

•  

Summer

• Summer's first movement the contrast of the period instruments when going into full summer shower mode
• What clear attacks on Summer's 3rd movement! 

Autumn

• 
  

Winter

• Winter's second movement sounds beautifully as a fine clockwork ticking

Ton Koopman, conductor, harpsichord & organ
Marcel Ponseele, oboe
Andrew Manze, violin
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra
Elatus

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Concerto per violino	E	op8#1 (RV 269)	Andrew Manze, violin	La Primavera, spring
Concerto per violino	Gm	op8#2 (RV 315)	Andrew Manze, violin	L'Estate, summer
Concerto per violino	F	op8#3 (RV 293)	Andrew Manze, violin	L'Autunno, autumn
Concerto per violino	Fm	op8#4 (RV 297)	Andrew Manze, violin	L'Inverno, winter
Concerto per oboe	Am	RV 461	Marcel Ponseele, oboe
Concerto per oboe	Dm	op8#9 (RV 454)	Marcel Ponseele, oboe

Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Clavier, Teil I

Ah, how lovely !!
So much energy, sometimes seeming even furious. For Brilliant's CDII-1, Leon Berben plays the harpsichord/Cembalo.
Trying to describe each or my impressions to each, would be too bold, on my part. I will leave it like this.
Noteworthy is track 19, Praeludium for Prelude and Fugue #10 in Em, for its force and tempo. And Praeludia for Prelude and Fugue #1 and 3.

Bach: NotenBüchlein für Anna Magdalena Bach

You guessed right to what I have just listened. It (CD I-22) was very beautiful. Simple as it is supposed to be, Belder does a nice job (again) with a crisp, bright sound (like glass just about to be broken); and in the choral work, Johannette Zomer (soprano) sings with a nice, rich, unpretentious voice. Too many small pieces, but still nice.

I have to say I fall for those that I used to play, tracks: 2, 5, 15, 21 (the resonance on the bass), 25 (overly tentative), 26, 28 (though I like to play it sometimes twice this speed)

Editorial Note: the instrument list under Belder, says... silly mistake for such great work otherwise:
PIETER-JAN BELDER,
harpsichord/clavichord/o
rgan

Bach: Violin Sonatas

Bach violin sonatas are nice, perpetuum mobile. BWV 1017-1019 (CD I-21) are graceful but not demanding too much virtuosism from the soloist, in this case Luis Otavio Santos (baroque violin) and Pieter-Jan Belder (harpsichord).

Bach: Violin Sonatas

This was the time for Violin Sonatas 1, 2, 3 (BWV 1014-1016). Pieter-Jan Belder plays beautifully the harpsichord, with a nice interpretation of Luis Otavio Santos playing the baroque violin. As with baroque strings, the instrument has a clearly different tuning, according to modern standards. Added to the usual screechy string sound of this kind of instruments, the atmosphere is well captured in this recording, Brilliant CD I-20.
The distinctive profound keyboard work of Bach is well additioned by the joyful violin, giving a light-hearted hue to the work, yet still inviting to reflection.