Thread: Recommend Some Recordings For Various Things...

I know there are threads in which we have discussed a lot about the recordings of the following works, but since I am need of expanding my music collection in these areas, (and not a person who has previously bought music online) I would appreciate any suggestions anyone has for any or all of the following recordings: (if possible also include link(s) to sites you would recommend purchasing music recordings from) -

Schubert String Quintet
Monteverdi Vespers
Haydn String Quartets
Haydn Piano Sonatas

Schubert String Quintet - Emerson String Quartet with Mstislav Rostropovich on Deutsche Grammaphon
http://www.amazon.com/Schubert-Strin...9870311&sr=8-1

Monteverdi Vespers - Jordi Savall
http://www.amazon.com/Monteverdi-Ves...9870379&sr=1-1

Haydn String Quartets - Kodaly Quartet on Naxos
http://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Complete...9870445&sr=1-1

Haydn Piano Sonatas - either Marc-Andre Hamelin on Hyperion, or Ronald Brautigam on BIS
http://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Piano-So...9870501&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Piano-So...d_bxgy_m_img_b
http://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Complete...9870546&sr=1-1

The Haydn Quartets by the Kodaly Quartet can be purchased as single discs, as well, if you don't want to buy them all at once. The same goes for the piano Sonatas by Brautigam. With the Brautigam solo keyboard works, it is on a period instrument (I believe a fortepiano), and there are other very nice solo keyboard works other than just the sonatas. The Hamelin recording is on a piano, and is very wonderful.

I buy all my music either from iTunes or from Amazon.

Alternative suggestions:

The Alban Berg Quartet for the Schubert - for a sensation of chilling despair

or the Petersen SQ - for more heart.

The Petersen SQ for the Haydn - because the Kodaly, bless their enthusiasm, has intonation and ensemble deficiencies probably traceable to that enthusiasm.

Great suggestions so far, much appreciated! I am going to let this thread sit for a while, once I've decided what to go with I'll post my decisions.

For Haydn's Piano Sonatas definitely go with the Alfred Brendel 4-CD set, which contains 11 of the most well-known ones - all played majestically:



Unfortunately, the prices are looking a bit high right now, but they do drop! Just watch and wait.

It must be noted that, due to the nature of the work, every recording of Monteverdi's Vespers will be very different (in terms of the instruments & vocal forces used). I've got the alto label set below which includes the Vespers as well as some other important choral music of that time. Here, a boy's choir is used to provide the underlying harmonies. The Vespers here was recorded in the late 1970's (ADRM) & then issued originally on Harmonia Mundi, the other works on the set are from the late 1980's (DDD). Another one I've heard is Rinaldo Alessandrini's more pared down account (in terms of the forces used, the vocal soloists also double as the "choir") on the Naive label, & here the second version of the concluding Magnificat (with organ/continuo accompaniment only, no chamber ensemble) is included as a bonus. Both are double disc sets, but you can also now get this work (the Vespers only) on a single disc, I was in a shop yesterday and saw it on the Virgin label (it's a recording recently put down in France, under the baton of Christina Pluhar, I might well get it myself, but I haven't heard it as yet). Happy listening - this is an undoubted masterpiece of the ages! (All below available on Amazon.com).

Nice recommendations above. I think I mentioned the Ronald Brautigam set of complete solo piano music by Haydn released on a box-set by BIS. Brautigam played on a fortepiano. They can also be bought individually if you have certain pieces in mind, although the box-set comes at a discounted price anyway. Or sample on youtube.

Schubert String Quintet: I'll second the Alban Berg Quartet:

http://www.amazon.com/Schubert-Strin...0173387&sr=1-6

Monteverdi's Vespers: My favorite is still Pearlman and the Boston Baroque (which was my first experience of this brilliant work):

http://www.amazon.com/Monteverdi-Ves...0173531&sr=1-1

Gardiner with the English Baroque Soloists and singers such as Michael Chance and Bryn Terfel is an equally brilliant recording:

http://www.amazon.com/Monteverdi-Ves...0173531&sr=1-5

William Christies was rated as the best in a recent BBC Magazine article comparing the available recordings, but I can't speak on this as it has been out of print and commonly runs $75- $100 US or more (although I see right now you can get a new copy from one dealer for $21).

Andrew Parrott and the Tavener Consort have also recorded a wonderful version and at a price that is an absolute steal:

http://www.amazon.com/Monteverdi-Ves...0173531&sr=1-8

Haydn's Quartets? The Kodaly Quartet sets the standard all the way... although you might explore the Lindsays for an alternative:

http://www.amazon.com/String-Quartet...0174220&sr=1-3

For Haydn's sonatas I have a number of collections. Look at Brendel, Hamelin, Schiff,
Leif Ove Andsnes, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Emanuel Ax, Sviatoslav Richter, Glenn Gould... They've all produced recordings worthy of any collection. I can't imagine limiting my experience of Haydn's sonatas to a single performer.

As far as the Monteverdi Vespers go, I can't recommend the Apollo's Fire recording enough. They are a period music ensemble out of Cleveland and bring a great deal of passion and spontaneity to their performances. A lot of their ornamentation has the feeling that's it's being improvised on the spot, and it comes across as incredibly fresh. I recommend you read the review included in the link as it may give you a better idea if this is the one for you or not.

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/...79&name_role=4

If you decide not to buy this one, please buy one on period instruments. Don't get one of the modern recordings with a huge chorus-that just isn't what the Vespers is supposed to be and it is a magical piece of music.

Originally Posted by theclassicalguy

...If you decide not to buy this one, please buy one on period instruments...

Well I think that most if not all recordings of Monteverdi's Vespers must be on period instruments (eg. even the late 1970's one on the alto label which I talked about above uses things like cornets, which are period instruments). But yes, the interpretations of this work are fluid and they are different now than they were 30 or more years ago.

...Don't get one of the modern recordings with a huge chorus-that just isn't what the Vespers is supposed to be and it is a magical piece of music.

Well, it depends on what you think of as a "huge chorus." At the premiere of the Vespers in Venice in 1610, Monteverdi conducted a choir of 25. That number was absolutely HUGE back in those days. There is no argument to say that you can't have a larger chorus like that to do the Vespers. In any case, this work is flexible & he even wrote an alternative version, with organ & continuo accompaniment only. I guess, when they had the funds and resources (more musicians at their disposal, like on feast days or big celebrations) they used larger forces, but if they did it in the "off season" they'd just perform it with less musicians, or say if they were in a small town, no doubt they'd do the alternative pared down version. In other words, there is no "right" or "wrong" way to play this work, imo...

Two magnificent interpretations, of which I like Christie's the most.