Beethoven: Violin Concerto; 2 Romances

I must say that I was not thrilled by this CD. I mean, the pieces are fantastic, and the small orchestration allows for details that are not usually available in other more modern big philharmonic interpretations. Like the flute in the 3rd movement that is always hidden, or at least from me, in other versions. I personally think the cadenza is too ornamented and not in the same spirit as the concerto.

Of course, the period instruments of the Orchestra of the 18th Century allow for a very particular enjoyment  in addition to all else. All in all, it is a good buy, but I had higher expectations from Frans Brüggen. Zehetmair plays the violin in this Philips record.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Romance for Violin No. 2	F	Op.50
Romance for Violin No. 1	G	Op.40
Concerto for Violin	D	Op.61		I. Allegro ma non troppo II. Larghetto III. Rondo. Allegro

Haydn: Symphonies 94 "Surprise" & 96 "Miracle"

This is a simple CD. Easy listening of very courtly music. It will be quite familiar to most listeners, and one cannot go wrong giving this Decca CD as a gift.
Christopher Hogwood directs (and plays the fortepiano) the Academy of Ancient Music on authentic instruments of the period.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Symphony #96	D	"Miracle"		Adagio - Allegro Andante Menueto & Trio:Allegretto Finale: Vivace
Symphony #94	G	"Surprise" "Mit dem Paukenschlag"		Adagio -- Vivace assai Andante Menuet & Trio: Allegro molto Finale: Allegro di molto

Dvořák: Piano Works Played on Dvořák's Own Bösendorfer Piano

I personally did not like this alto CD. I am not someone that enjoys the idolatry of a person nor its objects; so even listening to a 1879 piano belonging to the composer, did not light my imagination.
Radoslav Kvapil is too harsh for my taste, but according to his biography he certainly has the qualifications to interpret these in his own way. The listener must decide.

• 1-8 Humoresques, Op.101
• 9-13 American Suite, Op.98
• 14-15 Dumka and Furiant, Op.12
• 16-27 Silhouettes, Op.8

Mozart: Symphonies 10

These are refined but too tamed, or (and I insist from last Mozart symphony post) have I become numb ? Brilliant's box CD 1-10.

Mozart Akademie Amsterdam
Jaap ter Linden

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Symphony #38	D	KV 504		Prague
Symphony #39	Eb	KV 543

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: Double Concertos

Disc I-9 is one of Bach's best. It has those melodic counterpoint, complex theme development, concerto structure alternating slow and fast movements. He has played with the instrument selection, which make each unique, for this as well.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Concerto for flute, violin, harpsichord, strings & bc	Am	BWV 1044
Concerto for oboe, violin, strings & bc	Dm	BWV 1060
Concerto for oboe d'amore, strings & bc	A	BWV 1055
Concerto for 2 violins, strings & bc	Dm	BWV 1043

Mozart: Symphonies I/8

Brilliant's CD1-8 sounds like a Mozart that escapes my comprehension, though not my enjoyment. These are courtly and mature. Symphony #33 shows resemblence to what will be #45.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Symphony #33	Bb	KV 319
Symphony #34	C	KV 338
Symphony #35	D	KV 385		Haffner

Mozart Akademie, Jaap Ter Linden

Bach: Concertos for 2 & 3 Harpsichords

Brilliant collection CD I-8.

Beautiful as it should be. Again flawless executions. (I have heard too many harpsichord works and feel a bit numb to comment further)

Musica Amphion, Pieter-Jan Belder

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Concerto for 2 harpsichords and strings	C	BWV 1061	Belder and Menno van Delft
Concerto for 2 harpsichords and strings	Cm	BWV 1062	Siebe Henstra and Belder
Concerto for 3 harpsichords and strings	Dm	BWV 1063	Belder, Henstra, and van Delft
Concerto for 3 harpsichords and strings	C	BWV 1064	Belder, van Delft, and Henstra

Bach: Harpsichord Concertos (2/2)

This is beautiful. Though the continuous listening of harpsichord works is a bit tiring, these works cannot be missed on any account.
The enjoyment I feel is so profound, that more words are irrelevant.

Brilliant CD1-7.
Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum
Burkhard Glaetzner

Christine Schornsheim, harpsichord/Cembalo
Armin Thalheim, cembalo
Mechtild Stark, cembalo
Violetta Liebsch, cembalo
Paul Leenhouts, recorder/Blockflöte
Karel van Steenhoven, Blockflöte

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Harpsichord Concerto	Fm	BWV 1056
Concerto for harpsichord, 2 flutes, strings & b.c.	F	BWV 1057
Harpsichord Concerto	Gm	BWV 1058
Concerto for 2 harpsichords, strings & b.c.	Cm	BWV 1060
Concerto for 4 harpsichords, strings & b.c.	Am	BWV 1065

Vivaldi: Concerti per mandolini e concerti con molti strumenti

Ah! what a joy!

Most pleasurable listening!!

The only thing I would have to say, beyond joyful exclamations is that I missed the recorder trills, that are so prominent in other versions.

Note: grade:F is for fabulous and favorite... It can't be Failed since I would not feel my attribute to evaluate a work like that.

Europa Galante & Fabio Biondi, direction and violin

Concerto RV 532

for 2 mandolines

Concerto RV 558

for 2 violini in tromba marina, 2 recorders, 2 mandolines, 2 chalumeaux, 2 theorbos & cello

Concerto RV 576

for violin, 2 recorders, 3 oboes & bassoon

Concerto RV 564

for 2 vioins, 2 cellos & strings

Concerto RV 319

for solo violin, 2 oboes, bassoon & strings

Concerto RV 425

for mandoline

Concerto RV 555

for 3 violins, oboe, 2 recorders, 2 viole all'inglese, chalumeau, 2 cellos, 2 harpsichords & 2 violini in tromba marina

Mozart: Symphonies 2/1

Already by now, we can find Mozart behind his work. Distinct orchestration, clear and joyful themes.
Mozart Akademie Amsterdam,
Jaap ter Linden, conductor

Symphony 8 D KV 48
Symphony 9 C KV 73
Symphony 10 G KV 74
Symphony 12 G KV 110
Symphony 13 D KV 112

Beethoven: Violin Concerto

Lovely and forceful. I am already addicted to period instrument orchestras.

Thomas Zehetmair plays the violin, and Frans Brüggen directs the Orchestra of the 18th Century, in this live recording 1997.

Along with Violin Concerto in D, op. 61, come Violin Romance 2, 1 (op 50, 40, resp.)

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